Rilla of Ingleside (Anne of Green Gables Series #8) Book

This is the final book of the Anne series, and deals with the lives of her children. While it's wonderful to see characters evolve into adulthood and have a next generation come to life, the real strength of this book is it's window into the homeland society of rural Maritime Canada during the first World War. It's one of few documentations (even if the characters are fictional) of what women were doing at home during the war, and this setting breathes new life into the end of the series. The setting also allows Montgomery to challenge readers with darker elements that are often present but less overt in other books. Rilla, Anne's youngest daughter, is a wonderful, spirited character and one of my favorites.

In general, Montgomery's work is constantly under-estimated, and the way the books are marketed doesn't help (the flowery script, the swoony illustrations). There are many layers at work in her stories, and some pioneering feminist concepts tucked in between the deep appreciation of nature, the commentary on the stuffy contemporary society of her day, and the delightful, well-drawn characters.