Anne with an E

I watched the Netflix’s new series, Anne with an E, this weekend and really enjoyed it. I’m not familiar with the source material, Anne of Green Gables, or any of its previous adaptations, but I suspect this new entry is distinct. It’s a beautiful, impactful story about family, childhood, trauma, and overcoming adversity. The subject matter in much of the story was much more grown up and wrenching than I had expected. The fact that my oldest is a red headed girl with a strong personality certainly helped bring home a lot of the harshest moments.

One thing that stood out to me watching the show was how well it depicted the elements of life in the 19th century. I enjoy reading history focused on this era, and, from what I can tell, Anne with an E does a good job of showing how hard life could be. Family displacement was common, children were often sent to work outside of the home. Education was a luxury that not everyone could afford. Disease was poorly understood, killed unexpectedly, and caused existential dread in many families. These hard moments are very effecting in the show and make the new family’s triumphs all the sweeter.

I think it would be a great show to watch as a family once my children are a bit older and could understand some of the things Anne is going through. It’s a great series, I recommend it.