Anne of the Island by L. M. Montgomery
ANNE OF THE ISLAND by L.M. Montgomery is the third in the Anne of Green Gables series. This book tells the story of the college years of Anne Shirley and her friends. As the security of home comforts and childhood fades, everyone faces the trials of being alone.
Anne is heading to Kingsport for college despite mixed feelings within the family at home. Most of her family would like her to marry Gilbert Blythe, a close childhood friend. Gilbert is also going to Kingsport for college and would like nothing more than to see Anne reveal that she feels more than friendship for him. Anne is determined to get an education and not just search for a husband as busy people at home expect. Anne is delighted that one of her girlfriends, Priscilla, is also attending Redmond College.
At home, Anne's best friend, Diana, is engaged to Fred and lives a family life. Although separated by interests and distance, each home visit reaffirms that a long-distance friendship can survive. Each visit to the house teaches Anne to appreciate her past and her future and gives her a sense of balance in her life.
In college, Anne makes a new friend, Philippa, who is unlike any friend she has ever had. Philippa is a voluptuous, indecisive, loyal, and intelligent friend whose beauty and popularity propelled Anne and Priscilla into the limelight at school. Philippa is determined to marry a rich man but is unable to determine who it may be as she has many beauties including two boys at home who proposed to her.
The three girls move into a comfortable house called Patty's Place together and learn to work and live together. Despite Philippa's family's financial connections, she learns to do household chores and live in a less than perfect situation, and even enjoys the changes in her life. Anne is a good influence on all of her friends by making them understand that what they have and what they expect is only important if they first have the love and loyalty of family and friends.
When Gilbert proposes to Anne in the second year of college, she refuses him, telling him that she does not like him. She wants to remain friends but their friendship is not the same afterward, and Anne feels the loss deeply. She starts dating a charming and wealthy guy, Roy Gardner, who gives her the "exciting" life she wants. Anne befriends Roy's sister, Dorothy, and the two relationships blossom.
After four years of college, Philippa finds love with a poor preacher whom she adores despite her poverty. She learned the value of love over monetary considerations from Anne.
When Roy proposes, Anne realizes that he turns her on but that she is not in love with him. When Gilbert nearly dies of typhoid fever, Anne realizes that she loves him and wants a life with her childhood friend. He will always be the light and the love of his life.
