I want to start watching the Anne Netflix series, especially since you seem so excited by it :) And I was wondering whether it would be a good idea to read the book first, since I don't know the story yet. Any recommendations? Also, if I do decide to read the book first, will I also need the - for lack of better word - sequels? Or is the series (so far) only based on Anne of Green Gables?
I think one could watch the series and still fully appreciate it on the whole, without having read the (first) book. The CBC/Netflix series is definitely based just on the first book of the ‘Anne Shirley’ books by LM Montgomery, so the following books have little to do with the current storylines.Really, I think that the advantages of having read the book(s) are just the little ‘Easter egg’ sort of things you see they’ve put into the TV show--the brook with the milk-bottles in it outside the schoolhouse, and little details like that.That said, there are alterations to some plot-points in the book, but certainly no more than any other film or TV adaptation has done in the past, so differences exist.Overall, I’d say it’s up to you--the first book is a pretty quick and easy read, being a children’s novel, but it could also contain spoilers for later events in the TV show. At the same time, it could be fun to watch the show without requiring any context from the book. I wouldn’t say you have to read the book first--or at all! Read what you want!--it could just be an extra treat to read the book before or after watching the show.
