Genre: American Classical Fiction/ Coming of Age
Synopsis: Little Women follows the lives of the March sisters, Meg, Joe, Beth and Amy, as they grow into women. The story starts out with them being raised alone by their mother while their father is off fighting in the Civil War. There is a development of a close attachment each of the girls form with a neighbor boy, Laurie, who falls in love with Joe. Some heart wrenching love scenes which are clean all the same. It ends seeing them each off into marriage. The whole story consists of sharing silly stories, emotional stories, moral lessons each young woman has learned and ending with each of them married and "all grown up" with a less contrived "Happily Ever After" than Disney typically gives us!
Review: This is not the first time I have read Little Women, in fact I tried many times in my teens to read the story, but I always so loathed it because I couldn't help thinking how backwards these women were. Joe was scandalous for not being a proper lady (and sadly she was the one I related to the most). Each time I was left feeling bleh about the thing and wondering what was wrong with me for not enjoying such a classic. At about sixteen I had decided that it wasn't me who had the problem, it was that I could not relate to the story because I was a modern woman and let it go at that, vowing never to read the stupid thing again.
Then I got a Nook and found myself with very little money and a load of free books and went to town. Suddenly all I had left was Little Women. I figured what the heck, it was better than nothing, I was fairly sure. I was surprised how differently I felt about it this time. Now, having children, I can see the way I have tried to use some of Mrs. March's subtle techniques. Knowing other mothers, wanting a little girl, I found myself suddenly entrenched with their lives and wondering if I would have a Joe like me, or what would I do if I had an Amy! The things that seemed antiquated in my youth, now seemed nostalgic and charming. It is amazing how books change as we change! If you have read it before and weren't sure you cared for it, perhaps you should try it again!
Rating *** Three stars
1 comment:
he story of four sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy is one that will forever be a part of American liteary culture. Set in the mid-1800s in a small New England town, Louisa May Alcott invites the reader into the home of these four sisters as they deal with the struggles of having a father off fighting in the Civil War, having to mature and grow up supporting themselves with little jobs here and there and finding out about the joys of love, children, and the sadness of death. This coming of age novel follows Jo mainly as she is faced with the day to day choices that will help her sisters and mother make it through the harsh New England winters. My nana gave this book to me and I hope to continue on the tradtion of passing this book on. It's a wonderful book to be shared by mothers and daughter and granddaughters alike since it shows the true spirit of women.
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