Before Green Gables

[Teenytoona]

So someone - Budge Wilson, that is- wrote a prequel to the Anne series. I"m reading it now, not too far in. But oh, is this a sad book in alot of ways. My heart breaks at nearly every page turn. I sometimes wonder if I can read it all the way through.

Anyone else read this?

[Narmowen]

Yes, and I was not impressed.

[Teenytoona]

Why not?

[Smokering]

Ew. Ew. I really hate that. Before Green Gables; Mr Darcy Takes a Wife; Scarlett... all these freaking fake sequels to books the authors themselves didn't feel needed them. It's freaking... legitimized fanfic. And in every one I've read, the author could NOT write like the real author, and in some cases completely screwed with the mythology and left me with a sour taste in my mouth, even though I knew they weren't the "real" histories of the characters.

Honestly - if you can write, create your own damn universe. And if you can't, keep your money-grubbing paws off classic literature.

*seethes*

I will allow an exception for Christopher Tolkien's work on his father's writings. But only because he stuck to the manuscripts as far as possible, knew his father's work and intentions as intimately as anyone could, and didn't make up freakin' Teenage Arwen stories for no good reason.

[wendybird]

I adored this book. It did not matter to me that the writing style was as different as it was from Montgomery's. I felt the author did a great job of showing tragedy and hope in Anne's earlier life.