Review by Booklist Review
The tiny town of Greenville has never met anyone like Anne Shirley. When one of her moms gets a vice-principal job there, relocating the family for the role, Anne's prepared to embrace the change like she does everything: with aplomb. But when the disco-themed roller-skating-routine introduction she's planned not only falls flat but is met with homophobic bullying, Anne realizes she might be in over her dyed-bright-orange head. Being half Japanese, half white, and the queer, adopted daughter of two moms is no easy feat in mostly white, buttoned-up Greenville, but Anne has never backed down before. And her new best friend, Berry, makes life in Greenville bearable--maybe even good? Everything comes to a head when Anne auditions for the school play, infuriating her bullies and sparking a maybe-friendship with the reserved, enigmatic Gilly. As Anne crushes on Gilly (accidentally hurting Berry in the process) and pushes back against Greenville's prejudices, she may discover her own heart. Tamaki takes big swings: this is more an homage to the original Anne of Green Gables than a beat-for-beat retelling. While purists may be disappointed by certain narrative sleights of hand, the book ultimately lends the verve and imagination to the tale that Anne, in all her versions, would delight in. Appropriately brave and buoyant but with a wit and charm all its own, this adaptation soars.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Tamaki (Cold) puts a modern spin on Anne of Green Gables in this finely detailed rendering of half-Japanese, half-white, and "deliciously queer" Anne Shirley, and her new life in the "Ultimate Small Town." Anne--whose dyed orange hair and sequined jumpsuits make her stand out in a crowd--has just moved to Greenville with her mothers: portrait photographer Millie and Lucy, the new vice principal at Greenville High. Though Anne is not initially well-received--she announces her presence to the town square by hanging tiny papier-mâché disco balls on lampposts and performing on orange leather roller skates to "Funkytown"--she makes fast friends with warmhearted, "moss and fluorescent and forest and pine green"--haired Berry. Together, the duo contend with racist and homophobic classmates, but things get complicated when Anne crushes on Gilly, a tall blond girl whose friend group is responsible for Anne's mistreatment. Though secondary characters--particularly the bullies--feel rote, Anne's effervescent voice, overwhelming open-mindedness, and tenderly depicted struggle to create joy in a change-resistant town prove both a balm and a primer for how to live as one's truest self. Most characters read as white. Ages 14--up. (Oct.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A plucky, disco-loving teen and her moms are met with small-town prejudice upon moving to their new home. With her dyed orange hair and vibrant, retro wardrobe, high schooler Anne Shirley is used to standing out from the crowd just by being herself. But when Anne, who likes girls and is of Japanese and Welsh descent, moves with her White moms to Greenville, they quickly catch the attention of residents who view the new family as a threat to the town's conservative values. At school, Anne is the target of openly racist and homophobic comments, while her mom Lucy, the new vice principal at Greenville High, faces intense scrutiny and criticism from parents. Green-haired, artistic Berry is Anne's only new friend, and though she offers support and encouragement, the constant provocation is almost enough to dull Anne's shine. When auditions for the school play are announced, Anne sees an opportunity to participate in a Greenville tradition without compromising who she is, but outcry against the chosen play, Peter Pan, in which Anne is cast as the lead, threatens to end the production before it even begins. Anne recounts these first few weeks in Greenville in bright, conversational prose that bursts with personality and frequently veers into enthusiastic tangents. Unfortunately, secondary characters aren't developed quite as well, particularly Anne's bullies, who have little substance beneath their casual cruelty. Overall, an upbeat story inspired by a classic about staying positive and resilient in the face of adversity. (content warning) (Fiction. 13-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
