Anne

[chocolatepot]

The new Anne [of Green Gables] is GREAT. I can see why it's being called a "gritty reboot", but imo it's not actually gritty. To me, "gritty" is what happens when you take something from nice/sweet/fantasy and push it through realistic into something that's as much of a fantasy as the original, but in a negative way. It's a couple of steps back from grimdark. The interior of Green Gables looks like a lived-in house, clothing is a bit rumpled by wear, Anne is skinny and not a pretty child ... the bullying and past abuse is trending a bit more toward gritty than realistic, but it's also not exactly an unreasonable extrapolation, considering the time and situation. So in a sense it's unfaithful to the book (even beyond the fact that it lurches way off track at the end of the first episode), because the book world is one that it a little kinder than realistic. But I wouldn't quite call it gritty.

According to the family bible in ep 2, Marilla (b. 1836) and Matthew (b. 1841) had an older brother, Michael, who was born in 1833. I expect this will come back into play for drama later.

Marilla's birthday is December 29. Now we know why she's so stressed, all her life her birthday was overshadowed by Christmas.

Their parents were Nathaniel and something illegible, looks like Minnie? Virginia? There are two Is in it near the end. Mother's last name looks like "Motherland" though obviously it isn't. There's a significantly older sib, Hoster(?) Wilford Cuthbert, b. 1813, and then someone written between him and Michael, Constance Cuthbert, who married in 1812 ... I'm thinking that's Nathaniel's sister.

Apparently episode five deals with Anne getting her first period. I am not sure I can handle Anne Shirley menstruating. :/

Comments

[mala_14]

OMG! How did I not know about this? I need to find it and check it out. Sounds interesting. And it's my area of research!

Also, lol @ Dec. 29. That's my mom's birthday and she said that people were always too busy celebrating Christmas and New Year's for her to get a good birthday.

[bauhausfrau]

I'm not reading behind the cut because I don't want spoilers but I'm so happy to hear this is good! The promo looked really great to me. It just make her seem more like a real girl and less like a Hallmark Movie character.

[mandie_rw]

Anne getting her first period? Oh lordy. I like to think I'm not overly squeamish about bodily functions, but I effing hate my period, and I don't think one of my favorite fictional characters needs to suffer through it? Eh.

I'll still try and catch it at some point though. xD