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lbonko's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 stars. I liked Chef Eric. He's much better than the professor in the original novel.
I like how this book made little references to Little Women without completely duplicating the original.
I like how this book made little references to Little Women without completely duplicating the original.
marbooks88's review against another edition
4.0
This modern retelling of Little Women focuses on the stories of Meg and Jo. Meg still lives in their hometown and is trying to be the perfect wife and mother to twins but something is missing and she can't talk about it because she doesn't want to disappoint her family. Jo is an anonymous food blogger in New York City and works in a restaurant as she tries to get her writing career on track. When their mother is hospitalized Jo comes home to help. The hospitalization forces Meg and Jo to reevaluate their life's and relationships. A modern take on family and family expectations that does not lose the original story.
Thanks to the publishers and the NetGalley for providing an ARC for my honest review.
Thanks to the publishers and the NetGalley for providing an ARC for my honest review.
cossettereads's review against another edition
2.0
i don't even know what to say about this one but you bet i'm reading beth and amy
wyn_wolf21's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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
4.25
mandyc1977's review against another edition
4.0
Two things are required for you to enjoy this retelling of a beloved classic:
1. You have to have read and loved the original "Little Women".
2. You aren't a purist.
I met the requirements and sincerely loved this retelling. I don't normally read fluffy romance books. "Beach Reads" aren't my thing but it's hard to resist this updated version of the classic. Nods to the original are woven throughout and you find yourself feeling all the same feelings towards these modernized characters. A notable difference is the character of Father, though. I was a little thrown but the modern day stories of Meg and Jo along with their significant others quickly overtook any hesitation I had. Chef was my favorite.
I swooned a bit. I was swept up in the old and the new. It was a fun summer read and I can't wait to read "Amy and Beth".
1. You have to have read and loved the original "Little Women".
2. You aren't a purist.
I met the requirements and sincerely loved this retelling. I don't normally read fluffy romance books. "Beach Reads" aren't my thing but it's hard to resist this updated version of the classic. Nods to the original are woven throughout and you find yourself feeling all the same feelings towards these modernized characters. A notable difference is the character of Father, though. I was a little thrown but the modern day stories of Meg and Jo along with their significant others quickly overtook any hesitation I had. Chef was my favorite.
I swooned a bit. I was swept up in the old and the new. It was a fun summer read and I can't wait to read "Amy and Beth".
jzmiao's review against another edition
3.0
i was between 2 and 3 stars, and i think it was ultimately pushed to a 3 star rating just out of my goodwill for little women.
in all fairness, i think taking on a modern retelling of little women is a tall order, and i admit any retelling would have to clear high expectations. i have to admire the author’s guts to do it. however, i think i was let down because the author didn’t seem to take much advantage of the modern setting. i know i’m probably biased but a modern retelling seems like the perfect opportunity to explore jo’s sexuality and maybe even introduce a queer relationship. instead, the new storylines are to do with laurie (trey in this version) being a douche and the father being a dick. sure, the original version mostly skimmed over the relationship with the father so i could see the potential in exploring that more. it just didn’t feel like the end result added much or changed our perceptions of the characters. meg’s struggle with internalizing her gendered role as martyr/homemaker is probably shared by many women, but i personally was not compelled by it.
i was also deeply frustrated by the fact that so much of the conflict driving the plot revolves around meg and jo being awful at communicating with their partners. once or twice, i could understand, but their inability to talk to their partners is what carries a lot of the plot in the first half. you would think a retelling that focuses mostly on their adult lives rather than their childhoods would feature them…behaving like adults?
in all fairness, i think taking on a modern retelling of little women is a tall order, and i admit any retelling would have to clear high expectations. i have to admire the author’s guts to do it. however, i think i was let down because the author didn’t seem to take much advantage of the modern setting. i know i’m probably biased but a modern retelling seems like the perfect opportunity to explore jo’s sexuality and maybe even introduce a queer relationship. instead, the new storylines are to do with laurie (trey in this version) being a douche and the father being a dick. sure, the original version mostly skimmed over the relationship with the father so i could see the potential in exploring that more. it just didn’t feel like the end result added much or changed our perceptions of the characters. meg’s struggle with internalizing her gendered role as martyr/homemaker is probably shared by many women, but i personally was not compelled by it.
i was also deeply frustrated by the fact that so much of the conflict driving the plot revolves around meg and jo being awful at communicating with their partners. once or twice, i could understand, but their inability to talk to their partners is what carries a lot of the plot in the first half. you would think a retelling that focuses mostly on their adult lives rather than their childhoods would feature them…behaving like adults?
acoldwintersread's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Little Women is one of my all time favorites and I always look forward to retellings. But this was just not it. It felt like a mischaracterization of every single character. I know LM Alcott wrote their own real frustrations with their father into Little Women, but even then Mr March was never as terrible as this version. He never abandoned his family, but taught them all their lives to care for others TOGETHER.
I was also bored for just over 60% of the book. I was glad for a bit more of a getting to know you of Eric Baehr, but ultimately I just couldn’t be bothered to care for nearly the entire cast of characters. It lacked the heart at the center of Little Women.
And the ending.. one of my cardinal sins in books. I hate that surprise … trope so so much.
I was also bored for just over 60% of the book. I was glad for a bit more of a getting to know you of Eric Baehr, but ultimately I just couldn’t be bothered to care for nearly the entire cast of characters. It lacked the heart at the center of Little Women.
And the ending.. one of my cardinal sins in books. I hate that surprise … trope so so much.