Anne of the Island is no less wonderful than the books preceeding it or following it. Like all the books, it has a blend of humour and poignancy; joy and sorrow. The key drawcards of the Anne books are the characters. They are lovable, good, kind, wholesome folk who make you care about them and want to know what happens next. Incredibly vivid characters, it was no exaggeration to say that Anne was my childhood best friend - she was as real to me as any person I knew.
The cast includes all kinds of interesting guests including the wonderful Miss Patty and Maria with their china dogs, Miss Ada and her cushions, Mrs Skinner and her romance ("Jog along, black mare")... the list goes on. Best of all, our old friends are back - Anne, Gilbert, Pricilla, Diana, Davy and Dora, Marilla and Mrs Lynde, Charlie Sloane, and all those we knew and loved in earlier books. There are also some fabulous new additions to the circle of friends - Stella, Aunt Jimsie and the irrepressible Philippa Gordon.
Anne of the Island takes us away from Avonlea to Kingsport, where Anne is attending Redmond College. This new setting doesn't mean that we miss out on Green Gables altogether, as Anne does return home for vactions, but it does give one a sense of moving on. Never again will Anne be a child living under Marilla's roof - she is an adult, and in this book she is beginning to break away from Green Gables in preparation for the next chapter in her life. Many of the events in this book shape Anne for the rest of her life, and it is an important book for those wishing to read the whole series.
If you aren't familiar with Anne, please go back and read Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea before embarking on Anne of the Island - you'll know the characters so much better if you do. If you've read them and are wondering if this book lives up to the earlier ones - it does. L.M. Montgomery kept Anne consistant throughout the entire series, and there are few authors who have done so successfully. While Anne does grow and mature throughout, she is always the Anne we knew and loved.