Thursday, April 26, 2012

Feature & Follow Friday #17


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Feature & Follow Friday is a weekly social blog hop between book bloggers. There are two regular hosts: Parajunkee and Alison of Alison Can Read, and two special guest hosts every week. If you want to join in, click on either of their blogs to get the details. The FF question of the day is: 

Q: Have you had a character that disappointed you? One that you fell in love with and then "broke up" with later on in either the series or a stand-alone book? 


My character is from my childhood: Anne (of Green Gables). I loved that series so much. When Montgomery shifted the focus away from Anne and onto Anne's children, I was really disappointed.  It felt like Anne became a mother, and therefore she was no longer the central character in her series. (Book Snob has a killer post that describes the arc in detail.) I understand that focusing on child protagonists makes sense for a series geared towards children. But I was so emotionally invested in Anne's life that I wanted to read about her adulthood, even though I was still a child. 

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So, no break up. Anne just faded out of my life, and planted a tiny seed of suspicion that when you become a mother, you have to stop being a brave, bright, kindred spirit heroine. Of course, Montgomery was writing in a different time, and societal perceptions have changed drastically. But the ideas in a children's book feel current to the child reading, no matter how long ago it was published.

I wish that Anne was allowed to mature and deepen while still staying true to herself as the central character through her series, instead of becoming boring and invisible. I like to imagine that somewhere in an alternate universe, the second half of the "Anne of Green Gable" series allows Anne to have thrilling adventures with her children and grandchildren. Anne deserved that, and so did we.

34 comments:

  1. I may be one of the few girls in the world that has never read an Anne of Green Gables book!
    I was more of a Little House on the Prairie reader!!

    My FF: What I Read Yesterday

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    1. Ooh, I loved Little House on the Prairie too! "The Long Winter" is my favorite.

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  2. I'm embarrassed to say I haven't read that classic yet. LOL

    http://notjustnonsense.blogspot.com/2012/04/ff-feature-and-follow-20.html

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  3. Hopping through. I continued to love Anne throughout the series. I changed my mind about Diana though in the later books.
    My Hop

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    1. You know, I can't remember anything about what happened to Diana. I actually don't remember the plots of half the books very well. But I definitely remember the emotional reaction I had as a reader.

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  4. Oh my god I love Anne so much! I finally got the movies on DVD this year that I hadn't seen since childhood too.

    New follower :)

    My FF

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    1. I have to admit, I rewatch the movies every couple of years.

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  5. That is so sad - I have read the first few in that series and loved them. There is a little Anne in all of us!

    Happy Follow Friday!

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  6. It would be nice if there was a separate series about her adult life written for adult readers, but kids would probably pick it up anyway and end up reading non-PG content.

    New GFC Follower. My FF. 

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    1. Well, if Montgomery had written a separate adult series, I bet we'd all see it as PG because she is now so old-fashioned. But in any case, I bet kids wouldn't be as interested.

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  7. Lol. That's a good one! I quit reading the series when she grew to a mom, too!!

    New follower!! -Burgandy Ice

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  8. New Follower! Hoping through, have a great day :)

    http://blabbing-books.blogspot.com/2012/04/feature-follow-1.html
    Keegan Shayne

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    1. Thanks; you too! "Curseworkers" fans unite!

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  9. I can't believe I haven't read the books yet. o.o I can feel your pain! That happens so often and everytime I'm sitting there and want to cry in frustration. v_v

    Patricia // My Hop

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  10. Very insightful points.
    I adored Anne as a child and still do as an adult. I never read the later books so she just stayed that loveable, precocious and independent spirit that I loved so much as a kid.

    Here's my Follow Friday. Stop by if you get a chance.

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    1. I wish I had been like you and stopped when I was ahead! I compartmentalize the adult Anne and the child Anne, so that I can still love child Anne.

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  11. You should WRITE the alternate universe Anne of Green Gables series (it's in the public domain), "Wicked" style.

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    1. No way! It would feel like blasphemy ;)

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    2. A little blasphemy gives a story ZEST haha

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  12. I never read that one myself. I am not much of a classic reader, despite being an English major. Pretty bad I know!

    Here's my Friday Hops

    Have a GREAT weekend!

    Old Follower :)

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  13. I LOVED Anne of Green Gables! Gilbert Blythe was my original swoon-worthy character. Now I feel like going back and reading the series again. Loved the movies as well!
    My FF Post

    And don't forget to enter to win a Kindle Fire. The LPP Kindle Fire giveaway ends Monday April 30th!

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    1. He really was a great, realistic character. Total crush material!

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  14. Interesting choice but I myself never read the books.
    New follower
    My FF

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    1. Loved this series, I forgot how much I enjoyed it then.

      http://tributebooksmama.blogspot.com/2012/04/feature_27.html

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    2. They really were special. Thanks for always hopping by!

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    3. @Jennifer: I think it's really a book/series that either grabs you as a child or doesn't. Thanks for stopping by!

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  15. It's unfortunate when the main character stops actually being the main character! New follower. My Follow

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  16. Great pick. I agree 100%. One other person mentioned Anne (of Green Gables)!
    Thanks for stopping by Book that Thing. I'm now following you back. :-)
    Happy Friday!
    BookthatThing!

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    1. Oh, do you remember who it was? I'd love to stop by and read the post.

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  17. Oh I LOVED these when I was younger! I had the entree series! Little House on the Prairie was another one of my favorites!

    My FF

    Happy Reading!

    Megan (new follower!)

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