Title: Little Women
Author: Louisa May Alcott
Published: 1869
Genre: Classic/Contemporary
Rating:
Synopsis
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.
Credit: GoodReads
Being a long-time fan of the movie adaptations, I knew that I was eventually going to have to pick this book up. The story is very iconic and timeless. At a young age, my mom would compare me to Jo. At 15 years-old, I thought that this was the highest of compliments.
Each sister (Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy) had their own stories, but they were all connected. They learned to be selfless, grow-up and above all less that family comes first. Jo March is the most notable character from the book. Probably because her arc is the main focus of the story. Also, she was an offbeat girl of that time, which was refreshing. I found Jo to be a little too stubborn for my liking, but I did notice some similarities between me and her.
Jo was outspoken, strong and not afraid to be herself. Throughout the book she mentioned how marriage, class or money wasn’t her goal. She wanted to be known for her talents instead of her status in society. Meg was the oldest of the sisters, and at first wanted nothing more than to fit in. I enjoyed her journey most of all. She chose love and a family over a career, which isn’t always a bad thing. I liked that she married for love, and though she wanted expensive things, never regretted the life she picked. Out of all the sister, I found myself relating most to Meg.
Beth didn’t have a big plot in the book, but she was the glue that tied the sisters together. She was kind, shy and had a great love of music. In the book, she probably went through the most physically, and it was painful to see how her story ended. She never complained about the cards she was dealt, and wanted what was best for her family. This is something we both have in common.
Amy, like many, was my least favorite sister. I do understand that the author was trying to portray her as immature and selfish, since she was the youngest March girl. It was evident that her character development was supposed to be the most drastic.
In some ways, I get Amy’s need to marry rich and move up in society. Her desires weren’t purely for herself, but for her family. She wanted to be able to provide for the ones she loved, even if it meant marrying someone just for money. Although, I would never do that, I can see her point of view.
As for the boys, Meg and Brooke’s relationship was very wholesome and real. They started as friends and grew into something more. What can I say I’m a hopeless romantic. On the flip-side, Laurie’s obsession with Jo was a tab much. I hated that he acted poorly when she refused his proposal. His relationship with Amy started as a fallback for not getting Jo, which left a sour taste in my mouth. Does he even really love her?
“I hate ordinary people!”
For me, Jo and the Professor’s relationship was my favorite. Some people might think that Jo was better off single. Because not all women need a man to be complete. Although, I agree, it was heartwarming to see Jo fall in love. Throughout the book, she was so against marriage and being seen as somebody’s wife. It showed that you can achieve your goals, and find love too. Once you find your person, everything changes.
After reading the book, I found that I could relate to each March sister in one way, or another. We are all Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy in are own way. I will probably always ship Jo and Laurie even though his fixation was a little much.
The one final thing I learned from my reading experience is that classics aren’t for me. Yes, my favorite book is a classic, but I don’t generally enjoy classic books. I’ll continue to watch all ‘Little Women’ adaptations that are released. And, probably read a few more classics in my lifetime. But they aren’t my first reading priority.
Is Little Women one of your favorite books? Do you enjoy reading classics? Give my blog a follow, like and share this post.
Until The Next Chapter,
Bunny