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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
As a long time lover of Little Women I knew I had to read this one. It is the historical fiction account of Robert March, patriarch of the family away fighting in the Civil War. The book time hops to his youth, his meeting Marmee, the early days of their family and to his current difficulties. The ravages of war and slavery are very difficult to read but well researched and written. I loved the "raw" Marmee and the truth behind the "perfection" of Little Women. All and all a wonderful book.
Eh. There's a reason I didn't miss the father character in Little Women. Bronson Alcott was a nutcase. (I know this book is fiction. As is Little Women. But clearly this character, in both Brooks's novel and Alcott's, is based upon Bronson Alcott. Also, do I love that the high school in Clueless is Bronson Alcott High? I do.) Anyway, it has been a long, long time since I've read anything that took place during the American Civil War, and man those books make me almost as uneasy as books about the Holocaust. I think I'll read Little Women again soon. The end.
I don't think this has aged well. While I appreciate the effort to create an alternative story of Mr March, I just couldn't shake the ick factor that began early on this book, particularly in Brooks' portrayal of enslaved persons and their speech. I think the book really sang when it shifts perspectives to Marmie in the last quarter, but the rest of it just didn't work for me.
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
I wanted to give it 3 1/2 stars. This book took me a while to get into but then it was really good. If you like Little Women, you should read this but don't expect it to be anything like Little Women. Also read it if you are a Civil War buff or interested in The Anti-Slavery Movement.
Excellent! So thoroughly researched, an unmistakable feature of any Brooks novel. Is marriage really a civil war of sorts? How is a dreamer and an idealist meant to navigate the less-than-ideal, far-from-dreamy realities of life?
No notes, Geraldine. I hang on your every word.
No notes, Geraldine. I hang on your every word.
This was a really great piece of fiction. Thoroughly enjoyed her take on what Mr.March’s year in the civil war would be like.
Just not in the right mood for this very good, but very serious book right now.
This had been in my TBR for a while but I was so intimidated by the fact that this is a Pulitzer Prize winner. I therefore decided to attack this as a slow but steady read. That definitely didn’t happen. I was immediately sucked into the mind of Mr. March. It was as if he was in the room with me. Amazing read for fans of Little Women who seek insight into not only Mr. March but Marlee as well.