Little Women
Louisa May Alcott
Published January 1, 1868
Read November 16-26, 2023
3.5 out of 5 stars
Summary: Generations of readers young and old, male and female, have fallen in love with the March sisters of Louisa May Alcott’s most popular and enduring novel, Little Women. Here are talented tomboy and author-to-be Jo, tragically frail Beth, beautiful Meg, and romantic, spoiled Amy, united in their devotion to each other and their struggles to survive in New England during the Civil War.
It is no secret that Alcott based Little Women on her own early life. While her father, the freethinking reformer and abolitionist Bronson Alcott, hobnobbed with such eminent male authors as Emerson, Thoreau, and Hawthorne, Louisa supported herself and her sisters with “woman’s work,” including sewing, doing laundry, and acting as a domestic servant. But she soon discovered she could make more money writing. Little Women brought her lasting fame and fortune, and far from being the “girl’s book” her publisher requested, it explores such timeless themes as love and death, war and peace, the conflict between personal ambition and family responsibilities, and the clash of cultures between Europe and America.
My Review: I enjoyed Little Women though I never finished it. First off I read a simpler version for kids about four or five years ago so I did know the story, just not every inner detail. Secondly, I had another four books I had planned to finish before the close of the year and this one was just taking so long.
Miss. Alcott wrote some of the best-written characters in my opinion. The March girls are characters I had heard much about, even knowing others compared to them for their popularity and strength (of the writing.) Each of the sisters is so different but so similar it is impossible to not find yourself in one of them or a mixture of them.
Besides the sisters, the side characters, like Marmee, Lory, Mr. Lawrence, Mr. Brookes, etc. are all well-written characters. Just about every character is likable and something really well done.
I love how the author is able to craft beautiful scenes and wonderfully written characters without sacrificing the plot. It is a skill that I don’t see enough, even in some of my favorite authors and books this skill isn’t used or as prevalent and I definitely notice the lack when going from a book like this to one where there are just blocks of description.
The story of four girls living not in poverty, but not in riches, when those around her are, is a difficult plot to not give in to one side too much. The fact that it’s written during the time of the Civil War makes it another difficult thing to touch on and Ms. Alcott does it so well. She is able to write about the war being a problem without bringing the politics or two sides into it. I also loved how some of the male characters are just written as friends. I read so many books where every male character has to become a love interest and this was refreshing.
As great as this was there were a few downfalls. As difficult as this plot is to write, it is also not exciting. The author could have added different spins and things to keep readers entertained more. (Maybe part of my problem was my last book put me in a bit of a reading slump.) I kept waiting for something big to happen and though there were bigger events, nothing really felt like the climax, and how far I read, I feel like I should have hit it by that point. Even the father getting sick didn’t seem like that big of a thing.
Overall, for my complaints, it was still a very well-done book and it is understandable that this is a classic. It may be one I reread in the future, but overall this was a well-done book it was just unfortunate it was a little too slow for my liking and preference.
-Nina
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