Rilla of Ingleside

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Rilla of Ingleside (1921) is the final book in the Anne of Green Gables series by Lucy Maud Montgomery, but was the sixth of the eight "Anne" novels she wrote. This book draws the focus back onto a single character, Anne and Gilbert's youngest daughter Bertha Marilla "Rilla" Blythe. It has a more serious tone, as it takes place during World War I and the three Blythe boys - Jem, Walter, and Shirley - end up fighting in Europe.

The book is dedicated: "To the memory of FREDERICA CAMPBELL MACFARLANE who went away from me when the dawn broke on January 25, 1919–a true friend, a rare personality, a loyal and courageous soul."

1 Plot summary
2 Epilogue
3 Series
4 External links

[edit] Plot summary

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Set almost a decade after Rainbow Valley, Europe is on the brink of the First World War, and Anne's youngest daughter Rilla is an irrepressible 15-year-old, excited about her first adult party and heedless of the chaos that the Western world is entering. With her brothers and friends away at war, and her sisters at college, Rilla is left anxiously at home, mothering a neglected war-baby and organising the Junior Red Cross. Rilla, along with Susan, Anne, and Gilbert, also has to deal with the worrisome spreading of the war and killing of millions, as well as Jem's disappearance and Walter's death in the battlefields. Meanwhile, the love of Rilla's life, Kenneth Ford, starts paying attention to her, but leaves to war as soon as his broken leg heals, leaving an even more anxious and depressed Rilla. Like most of Montgomery's stories, there's nothing too unpredictable in the elements of the story, but they take on an extra poignancy when set against the backdrop of the war. Some elements detract from the story, such as Rilla's former teacher who constantly has oddly detailed and accurate dreams about the course of the war; there are, however, more stories such as the legendary faithful dog and the very poignant death of a major character. The naive yet passionate household discussions of the war are both humorous and heartfelt.

It is interesting to note that Rilla of Ingleside is the only Canadian novel written from a women's perspective about the First World War by a contemporary.

[edit] Epilogue

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

After the Glen St. Mary boys come from the war, full of scars and permanent handicaps, life starts going back to normal. Mary Vance and Miller Douglas get married, with Miller deciding to follow a carrer in Mr. Flagg's store after losing a leg in the war.

Jem is engaged to Faith Meredith, and goes to Kingsport to finish medicine college and become a surgeon. Jerry is engaged to Nan, and goes to Kingsport to finish college and pursue his career as a judge. Faith and Nan decide to teach at nearby schools while waiting for the boys, along with the not yet engaged Di. Carl and Shirley also leave for Redmond, with Una, who is going to take a Household Science course to help her forget the death of her beloved Walter. Kenneth proposes to Rilla with a romantic "Is it Rilla-my-Rilla?" to which Rilla lisps "Yeth".

[edit] Series

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.

*Lucy Maud Montgomery's books on Anne Shirley*
#	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	1920	49 — 53