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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
WARNING: SPOILERS
This book is somewhat difficult for me to review; the writing and the story in and of itself is well done. I will comment that I am quite surprised that it won the 2006 Pulitzer. I have read many books quite similar in content, style and plot. These are enjoyable reads, but not remarkable; I don't find that Geraldine Brooks' take was worth more note than others. However, it was a good read and interestingly wove several contemporary figures into the story--Thoreau, John Brown, Ralph Waldo Emerson. If I were judging on that alone, this book would have earned four stars from me.
** SPOILERS**
However, this is a story of Mr. March, the father in Louisa May Alcott's iconic novel "Little Women". The book chronicles his journey through the same time period that Little Women portrays. This had so much potential to be a wonderful companion to the original novel. Brooks, though, took some liberties with her characterization that I was sorely disappointed with. After reading the Afterword and learning that she based the character on Alcott's father (which was compatible with Alcott's original vision, since the story was based on her sisters), I was more accepting of his radical abolitionist activity (which seemed out of character to me based on impressions from the original novel). However, the fact that he had an affair while away at war; and the personality she gave Marmee as a troubled, temperamental woman who needed to learn to control herself; were both so out of character from what I internalized from Little Women that it detracted considerably from the novel. I completely disagree with both these tangents, and for me--this made it a three-star book instead of a four-star book.
In my mind, People of the Book by the same author is far more deserving of an award-winning status.
This book is somewhat difficult for me to review; the writing and the story in and of itself is well done. I will comment that I am quite surprised that it won the 2006 Pulitzer. I have read many books quite similar in content, style and plot. These are enjoyable reads, but not remarkable; I don't find that Geraldine Brooks' take was worth more note than others. However, it was a good read and interestingly wove several contemporary figures into the story--Thoreau, John Brown, Ralph Waldo Emerson. If I were judging on that alone, this book would have earned four stars from me.
** SPOILERS**
However, this is a story of Mr. March, the father in Louisa May Alcott's iconic novel "Little Women". The book chronicles his journey through the same time period that Little Women portrays. This had so much potential to be a wonderful companion to the original novel. Brooks, though, took some liberties with her characterization that I was sorely disappointed with. After reading the Afterword and learning that she based the character on Alcott's father (which was compatible with Alcott's original vision, since the story was based on her sisters), I was more accepting of his radical abolitionist activity (which seemed out of character to me based on impressions from the original novel). However, the fact that he had an affair while away at war; and the personality she gave Marmee as a troubled, temperamental woman who needed to learn to control herself; were both so out of character from what I internalized from Little Women that it detracted considerably from the novel. I completely disagree with both these tangents, and for me--this made it a three-star book instead of a four-star book.
In my mind, People of the Book by the same author is far more deserving of an award-winning status.
Book #29 of the EBN Challenge at my libary.
Challenge Topic: A book about the military.
This book was set in the Civil War era and follows the life of John March, the absent father from the classic "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott. March tells the story from his own perspective about what he saw and what he had to do during his time in the war.
Challenge Topic: A book about the military.
This book was set in the Civil War era and follows the life of John March, the absent father from the classic "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott. March tells the story from his own perspective about what he saw and what he had to do during his time in the war.
Oh my. It was appropriate to have read the hardback version of this from the library rather than on kindle—I felt a tactile kinship with Brooks' imagined Mr. March, reading his letters, reading about his trials. So glad to have stepped into this world for a bit—I learned so much.
This is one of the most Pulizer-worthy novels I've read in a long while. The novel tells the previously untold story of the absent father in Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. In Little Women, the reader only gets to know Peter March through his letters sent home to his family from the Civil War. Of course, in the interest of sparing his family the details of war, his letters are more cheerful than his reality.
Geraldine Brooks uses the novel March to tell of Mr. March's early life as a traveling salesman, of his first kiss with someone other than his future wife, of the meeting of his wife, of his connections to Emerson and Thoreau, of his strong abolitionist sentiments, of the war that changed him both physically and mentally, and of misunderstandings and wrongs that were never made right in his life.
Brooks draws heavily from the journals of Alcott's own father, Bronson Alcott, in order to flesh out the character of Mr. March. Since the "little women" in Alcott's novels were based on her own family members, it makes sense that Mr. March would be based on her father and that the March family would be acquainted with the same people they were. After all, the Alcotts were contemporaries and acquaintances of many of the transcendentalist thinkers and writers of the time, such as Emerson and Thoreau.
This is definitely the best prequel written by a different author that I've ever read. I remember being completely disappointed trying to read sequels or prequels by different authors for books such as [b:Gone With the Wind|18405|Gone with the Wind|Margaret Mitchell|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1551144577l/18405._SY75_.jpg|3358283]. The author's journalistic background helped her give attention to the proper details needed to research such a book.
I initially did not recognize the name of the author as being the author of Nine Parts of Desire: The Hidden World of Islamic Women, a book that I loved so much that I ... er ... bought it from the library pretending that I'd lost it (in the days before amazon.com made any book accessible for purchase). Nine Parts of Desire is a work of non-fiction that she wrote as a journalist. So I'm thrilled to see that she has such a beautiful piece of fiction out there as well. Halfway through the book, I found myself saying to myself, "wow, this is a good book," and hoping to read something else by her soon. Years of Wonder tells the story of the bubonic plague in a small English town, and People of the Book is freshly out in hardback.
Frankly, though, what I'm feeling the need to re-read immediately is Little Women. I absolutely adored that book as a child. I always saw myself as Jo because I loved to write. And I always hated that the character with my name (Amy) was such a spoiled brat.
Geraldine Brooks uses the novel March to tell of Mr. March's early life as a traveling salesman, of his first kiss with someone other than his future wife, of the meeting of his wife, of his connections to Emerson and Thoreau, of his strong abolitionist sentiments, of the war that changed him both physically and mentally, and of misunderstandings and wrongs that were never made right in his life.
Brooks draws heavily from the journals of Alcott's own father, Bronson Alcott, in order to flesh out the character of Mr. March. Since the "little women" in Alcott's novels were based on her own family members, it makes sense that Mr. March would be based on her father and that the March family would be acquainted with the same people they were. After all, the Alcotts were contemporaries and acquaintances of many of the transcendentalist thinkers and writers of the time, such as Emerson and Thoreau.
This is definitely the best prequel written by a different author that I've ever read. I remember being completely disappointed trying to read sequels or prequels by different authors for books such as [b:Gone With the Wind|18405|Gone with the Wind|Margaret Mitchell|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1551144577l/18405._SY75_.jpg|3358283]. The author's journalistic background helped her give attention to the proper details needed to research such a book.
I initially did not recognize the name of the author as being the author of Nine Parts of Desire: The Hidden World of Islamic Women, a book that I loved so much that I ... er ... bought it from the library pretending that I'd lost it (in the days before amazon.com made any book accessible for purchase). Nine Parts of Desire is a work of non-fiction that she wrote as a journalist. So I'm thrilled to see that she has such a beautiful piece of fiction out there as well. Halfway through the book, I found myself saying to myself, "wow, this is a good book," and hoping to read something else by her soon. Years of Wonder tells the story of the bubonic plague in a small English town, and People of the Book is freshly out in hardback.
Frankly, though, what I'm feeling the need to re-read immediately is Little Women. I absolutely adored that book as a child. I always saw myself as Jo because I loved to write. And I always hated that the character with my name (Amy) was such a spoiled brat.
So I recently discovered Geraldine Brooks and I think I may be in love. I finished March this week and, honestly, I did not enjoy the book as much as I enjoyed [b:A Year of Wonders|6137066|It's a Baby Boy! The Unique Wonders and Special Nature of Your Son from Pregnancy to Two Years|Stacie Bering|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1347976502s/6137066.jpg|6315764] but it was still fantastic. Little Women (the book) is not a favorite of mine; the characters are just so unbelievably good. I hate Beth. There I said it out loud. I know it’s blasphemy but I hate her. Jo and Amy and Meg were much more interesting characters because they had flaws but even these three are still a little too sweet for my tastes. On the other hand, Little Women (the 1994 film) is a favorite of mine. I grew up watching this movie and it’s my go-to I-need-a-good-cry movie. I cry every time Beth dies; I can’t help it. I also swoon over Laurie and I smile giddily when Jo ends the movie under Professor Bhaer’s umbrella. I feel like I grew up with the March sisters and, as I’ve aged, my opinions and reactions to the film and its characters have evolved and changed.
March is a retelling of Little Women but it’s told from the POV of Mr. March who is away at war. I don’t remember anything at all about Mr. March in the book and he’s really only talks in one scene in the movie so I was interested to hear Ms. Brooks’ take on this mostly silent character. Brooks bases Mr. March on Bronson Alcott which makes sense but I’ve never had a high opinion of Mr. Alcott and I did not enjoy Mr. March’s characterization either. He’s far too idealistic and he ends up being more than a little whiny. He seems to suffer from an extreme case of “White Man’s Burden” which is just kind of disgusting. I enjoyed the ending when Grace Clement--a former slave who March has been pining for/lusting over/exoticizing for 18 years--finally tells him that her people are capable of taking care of things themselves. They do not need him to look after them and she does not need him to patronize her and to feel sorry for her. The best thing that March can do for the black man is to try to help white society accept them and to help create an integrated society. Grace was an excellent character. She was a strong woman in a difficult and terrible position but she was so much stronger and much more capable than Mr. March could ever hope to be. I would have enjoyed seeing the story through her point-of-view.
About two-thirds of the way through the book, the point-of-view shifts to Marmee, the beloved and wise matriarch of the March family. Mr. March has been injured and Marmee leaves her daughters alone in Concord to tend to her husband at a Union hospital in Washington, DC. In the book, Marmee is portrayed as an angelic mother and wife who always guides and molds her daughters with Christian charity. She is disgustingly good. In the film, Susan Sarandon plays Marmee as a proto-feminist. She is a good Christian woman but she sees the inequalities (both racial and gender inequalities) around her and instructs her daughters to not be confined to society’s expectations of them. Brooks writes Marmee as a short-tempered woman with high expectations of herself and society. She wants to change the world and she chafes at a dispassionate society. Mr. March urges her to control her temper and Marmee has become--at least on the surface--a calm, wise matriarch. Underneath the self-control, she burns and rages at the injustices around her and at her husband’s incompetent handling of the family’s finances. She manages the family burdens well and does not let her husband know that she is angered by his decision to join in the war effort. I really enjoyed how Brooks contrasts how March sees his wife: a calm, docile, uncomplaining mother who looks on adoringly as he marches off to war vs. the reality of Marmee’s own feelings: she seems to be barely in control of her emotions and is hiding her “true nature." She loves her husband but resents his actions and the burdens they have unfairly placed on her.
Brooks creates such strong female characters. I love Marmee and Grace and the last third of the book feels the strongest because they begin to define the narrative. Mr. March is so weak; I almost find him contemptible. He would be nothing without the women around him. Not that Mr. March is a poor character. He just lives in his own world of white male privilege and, even though he wants to help and has strong moral convictions, he really doesn’t understand the burdens placed on slaves or even white women of the time. He has confrontations with both Marmee and Grace at the end of the book but I worry that his character still hasn’t been shaken enough by their revelations. I do not know if he fully comprehends and appreciates the wisdom of the women in his life.
March is a retelling of Little Women but it’s told from the POV of Mr. March who is away at war. I don’t remember anything at all about Mr. March in the book and he’s really only talks in one scene in the movie so I was interested to hear Ms. Brooks’ take on this mostly silent character. Brooks bases Mr. March on Bronson Alcott which makes sense but I’ve never had a high opinion of Mr. Alcott and I did not enjoy Mr. March’s characterization either. He’s far too idealistic and he ends up being more than a little whiny. He seems to suffer from an extreme case of “White Man’s Burden” which is just kind of disgusting. I enjoyed the ending when Grace Clement--a former slave who March has been pining for/lusting over/exoticizing for 18 years--finally tells him that her people are capable of taking care of things themselves. They do not need him to look after them and she does not need him to patronize her and to feel sorry for her. The best thing that March can do for the black man is to try to help white society accept them and to help create an integrated society. Grace was an excellent character. She was a strong woman in a difficult and terrible position but she was so much stronger and much more capable than Mr. March could ever hope to be. I would have enjoyed seeing the story through her point-of-view.
About two-thirds of the way through the book, the point-of-view shifts to Marmee, the beloved and wise matriarch of the March family. Mr. March has been injured and Marmee leaves her daughters alone in Concord to tend to her husband at a Union hospital in Washington, DC. In the book, Marmee is portrayed as an angelic mother and wife who always guides and molds her daughters with Christian charity. She is disgustingly good. In the film, Susan Sarandon plays Marmee as a proto-feminist. She is a good Christian woman but she sees the inequalities (both racial and gender inequalities) around her and instructs her daughters to not be confined to society’s expectations of them. Brooks writes Marmee as a short-tempered woman with high expectations of herself and society. She wants to change the world and she chafes at a dispassionate society. Mr. March urges her to control her temper and Marmee has become--at least on the surface--a calm, wise matriarch. Underneath the self-control, she burns and rages at the injustices around her and at her husband’s incompetent handling of the family’s finances. She manages the family burdens well and does not let her husband know that she is angered by his decision to join in the war effort. I really enjoyed how Brooks contrasts how March sees his wife: a calm, docile, uncomplaining mother who looks on adoringly as he marches off to war vs. the reality of Marmee’s own feelings: she seems to be barely in control of her emotions and is hiding her “true nature." She loves her husband but resents his actions and the burdens they have unfairly placed on her.
Brooks creates such strong female characters. I love Marmee and Grace and the last third of the book feels the strongest because they begin to define the narrative. Mr. March is so weak; I almost find him contemptible. He would be nothing without the women around him. Not that Mr. March is a poor character. He just lives in his own world of white male privilege and, even though he wants to help and has strong moral convictions, he really doesn’t understand the burdens placed on slaves or even white women of the time. He has confrontations with both Marmee and Grace at the end of the book but I worry that his character still hasn’t been shaken enough by their revelations. I do not know if he fully comprehends and appreciates the wisdom of the women in his life.
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, War
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual violence, Slavery
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is Mr. March's story from the book, Little Women. The author does a great job of weaving his experiences as a chaplain in the Union forces of the Civil War into the story of Marmee and the girls that we all loved as kids. A quick read that I really enjoyed. An intersting and more adult sequal than Jo's Boys.
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
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