| Anne of the Island | |
| Author: | Lucy Maud Montgomery |
| Cover Artist: | H. Weston Taylor |
| Country: | Canada |
| Language: | English |
| Series: | Anne of Green Gables |
| Genre: | Canadian literature |
| Publisher: | L. C. Page & Co. |
| Release Date: | 1915 |
| Media Type: | Print (hardcover) |
| Preceded By: | Anne of Avonlea |
| Followed By: | Anne of Windy Poplars |
| Wikisource: | Anne of the Island |
Anne of the Island is the third book in the Anne of Green Gables series by Lucy Maud Montgomery. The plot sees Anne Shirley leave Green Gables in Avonlea, Prince Edward Island, for the first time to attend Redmond College in Kingsport, Nova Scotia.
While studying away from Prince Edward Island, and in particular when visiting the place of her birth, Anne finds herself identifying the Island as her true home. Several times, she denies being a "Bluenose", as those born in Nova Scotia were nicknamed, and considers herself an Islander to the core.
Anne leaves Green Gables and her work as a teacher in Avonlea to pursue her original dream (which she gave up in Anne of Green Gables) of taking further education at Redmond College in Kingsport, Nova Scotia. Gilbert Blythe and Charlie Sloane enroll as well, as does Anne's friend from Queen's Academy, Priscilla Grant. During her first week of school, Anne befriends Philippa Gordon, a beautiful girl whose frivolous ways charm her. Philippa (Phil for short) also happens to be from Anne's birthplace in Bolingbroke, Nova Scotia.
The girls spend their first year in boardinghouses and decide to set up house thereafter in a lovely cottage called Patty's Place, near campus. Meanwhile, Anne's childhood friend Ruby Gillis dies of consumption (tuberculosis) very soon after finding her own true love. The girls enter their second year at Redmond happily ensconced at Patty's Place, along with Queen's classmate Stella Maynard and her "Aunt Jimsie" (their chaperone), while life continues in Avonlea. Diana Barry marries Fred Wright and Davy and Dora continue to keep Marilla busy.
Midway through their college years, Gilbert Blythe, who has always loved Anne, proposes to her but Anne rejects him; although she and Gilbert are very close, she holds sentimental fantasies about true love (all featuring a tall, dark, handsome, inscrutable hero) and does not recognize her true feelings for Gilbert. Gilbert leaves, his heart broken, and the two drift apart.
Anne later welcomes the courtship of Roy Gardner, a darkly handsome Redmond student who showers her with attention and poetic gestures. However, when he proposes after two years, Anne abruptly realizes that Roy does not really belong in her life, and that she had only been in love with the idea of him as the embodiment of her childhood ideal.
Anne is so ashamed of her treatment of Roy that she fears having wasted her entire Redmond experience. She returns to Green Gables, a "full-fledged B.A.", but finds herself a bit lonely. Diana gives birth to her first child, and Jane Andrews, an old school friend, marries a Winnipeg millionaire. Having received an offer to be the principal of the Summerside school in the autumn, Anne is keeping herself occupied over the summer when she learns that Gilbert is gravely ill with typhoid fever. With shock, Anne finally realizes the depth of her true feelings for Gilbert, and endures a terrifying night of fearing that he will die without knowing her feelings. In the morning, Anne gratefully learns that Gilbert will survive. Gilbert recovers over the summer, bolstered by a letter from Phil assuring him that there is really nothing between Anne and Roy. After several visits to Green Gables, Gilbert and Anne take a late summer walk in Hester Gray's garden, and finally become engaged.[1]
Montgomery continued the story of Anne Shirley in a series of sequels. They are listed in the order of Anne's age in each novel.
| Book | Date published | Anne Shirley's age | ||
| 1 | Anne of Green Gables | 1908 | 11 - 16 | |
| 2 | Anne of Avonlea | 1909 | 16 - 18 | |
| 3 | Anne of the Island | 1915 | 18 - 22 | |
| 4 | Anne of Windy Poplars | 1936 | 22 - 25 | |
| 5 | Anne's House of Dreams | 1917 | 25 - 27 | |
| 6 | Anne of Ingleside | 1939 | 34 - 40 | |
| 7 | Rainbow Valley | 1919 | 41 | |
| 8 | Rilla of Ingleside | 1921 | 49 - 53 |
| Book | Date published | Anne Shirley's age | ||
| - | Chronicles of Avonlea | 1912 | - | |
| - | Further Chronicles of Avonlea | 1920 | - | |
| - | The Blythes Are Quoted | 2009 | - |
The last two episodes of the six-part miniseries Anne of Avonlea (1975), starring Kim Braden, are based on Anne of the Island.
The second act of the musical Anne & Gilbert is based on Anne of the Island. The first act is based on Anne of Avonlea.
The television mini-series (1987), starring Megan Follows, was largely inspired by this book.