Most of us met Anne Shirley as a bright, imaginative orphan. 'Rilla of Ingleside' shows us her world years later, through the eyes of her youngest daughter, Anne's 'baby', Rilla Blythe. The story begins in the idyllic summer of 1914, but that peace is shattered when news of war in Europe reaches Prince Edward Island.

The Story

We follow Rilla from age 15 to 19 as World War I changes everything. Her beloved brothers, Jem and Walter, and her sweetheart, Kenneth Ford, enlist. Rilla, who once cared mostly about parties and pretty dresses, suddenly finds herself running the local Junior Red Cross, adopting a 'war baby,' and holding her family together through years of fear and waiting. The novel is told through her diary entries and letters, making the anxiety, pride, and grief of the home front feel incredibly personal and real.

Why You Should Read It

This book caught me off guard. It’s so much more than a simple sequel. Montgomery writes about the cost of war with a raw honesty that’s still powerful today. It’s about the strength of women left behind, the agony of the telegram boy’s approach, and how global tragedy forces a girl to grow up fast. Rilla’s journey from a frivolous girl to a resilient woman is one of the most satisfying character arcs I’ve read. You’ll laugh (her attempts at cooking are legendary), you’ll absolutely cry, and you’ll come away with a profound respect for a generation that lived through this.

Final Verdict

Perfect for fans of historical fiction who want a deeply personal, emotional story rather than a military history. It’s a must-read for anyone who loved the Anne series and wants to see that world mature. But you don’t need to have read the other books—Rilla’s story stands powerfully on its own as a timeless portrait of a family, and a nation, forever changed by war.