Reviews

Meg and Jo by Virginia Kantra

sydneynicole's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted reflective slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

kristenlovesbooks's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted reflective relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

speculativeshelves's review

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2.0

Started off really enjoying this contemporary retelling but then a little halfway through there were multiple plot points and character decisions that I was not a fan of. Many of the characterizations (and how the characters developed as the book went on) felt so off to me and not how I would envision these characters in a modern setting. By the last half of the book I felt I wasn't as invested as I should have been and there were two plot twists in the end I personally couldn't stand.

All that being said I do think other people (particularly people who are very into contemporary romance and certain tropes) may enjoy this more than I did especially because it did have some good moments.

melanie_books's review against another edition

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4.0

Meg, mother of two beautiful children & wife to a hard-working husband, can't help feeling like she's missing something, despite having everything she ever wanted. Jo, an aspiring writer with a food blog, is working at a restaurant to make end's meet for a chef who hates food bloggers. As the sisters navigate their mother's sudden medical crisis, their worlds begin to change in very unexpected ways.

Having just read [and adored!!] Little Women, I was excited to see what a modern-day retelling would be like and I was not disappointed! I felt like the author kept the integrity of the story the whole way through (which seems hard to do, if other retellings I've read are anything to indicate), even in little details from the original, while still making it modern and fresh. She starts the retelling about half-way through the original story (which I thought was a great choice) and utilizes a few flash-backs to tell the classic stories from the girls' childhood & teenage years.

I loved how this version honored family, just like the original did. It showed what a beautiful partnership marriage can be. She also addresses how important fathers & husbands are to a family by juxtaposing two fathers - one who is detatched and one who is very engaged. I loved Meg's journey to freedom from being the perfect, "do it all" mom/wife/sister/daughter to being someone who could be okay with asking for help or not having to all together. Jo is always a little lost - until she finds her niche and discovers what she really wants and what she can bring to the world. Both sisters' stories felt authentic and relatable, making it not only a fantastic retelling, but a great read in its own right!

All that to say, I loved it, and I can't wait for the sequel!

shirleytupperfreeman's review against another edition

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After several sad books, I was in the mood for some lighter fare, and this modernized version of Little Women fit the bill. All is not sweetness and light in Meg and Jo's lives, nor their parent's, but their family bonds remain strong despite geographical distance and lifestyle choices. Jo has gone off to NYC to try and make it as a writer. That's not going so well so she is barely making it as a blogger and prep-cook for a restaurant owned by a famous German chef. Complications ensue. Meg has the life she thought she wanted - rock-solid husband, children, opportunity to run a household. But that turns out to be more complicated than she imagined also. Beth and Amy are side characters here - their own book is coming later. This was a fun novel with the requisite 'happy' ending albeit with a modern twist.

knordy's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

rebroxannape's review against another edition

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4.0

I took a deep breath. My sister only wanted me to be happy. In her world, as in Shakespeare’s comedies, marriage was the restoration of the social order. I couldn’t get her to see that my staying single was not a tragedy.

This was a very well done, at times even inspired, modern retelling of Little Women. This first novel concentrates on Meg and Jo and the second will concentrate on Beth and Amy. By giving the characters, cultural references and the plot a modern spin, it does what all retellings should do: Help us see the classic characters, plot developments, and themes in a new light and bring them close to home. This book, besides being entertaining in its own right does this to a greater and lesser degree to all the characters. One of the biggest examples is the character of Mr. March. In the original Little Women, he was something of a hero, devotedly loving and loved by his wife and children. Picking him up and placing him in the modern setting of this book, we see him with fresh eyes. Still loved and admired at first. But as the book progresses we see that he is so busy being a saint and doing all of his good works, that he has no time for his family. He is cold and uncaring and thoroughly unlikable. I've heard of such people in modern life, giving their all for charity, their careers, generously giving to others while their families are forgotten. Haven't you?
“He visits lots of patients. He prays with them and cries with them and comforts their families. He shows up for perfect strangers. But not for Mom,” Meg said. “Not for us.”


The themes remain the same, but there are some major changes. Beth doesn't get sick in this one. In this first book, anyway, it is Momma that is very very ill and provides the crisis that brings the sisters back home and tests the family bond. Like the recent movie, the book starts with the 4 sisters as adults. Meg, a devoted (too devoted) if harried wife and mother is the only one still at home. The other 3 are pursuing their dreams in New York, Paris, and Branson, Missouri. Some of the iconic scenes from their childhood are remembered briefly such as Amy almost drowning, but this is very much a book about them as adults finding their happiness.

I highly recommend this book for those that might not be so devoted to the book and willing to see the story with fresh eyes, a sense of humor and a grain of salt.

https://rebekahsreadingsandwatchings.com/

jackieyvette's review

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

As far as Little Women retellings go this was pretty good. I loved to see the story I’ve loved for so many years be told in a modern way that took enough liberties to be both enough told and new without losing anything in the original. Meg and Jo are the same characters written in a more modern font. 
I loved the glimpses of Amy (she’s my girl) and Beth and seeing where their story could go. And can’t wait to see what happens next. 


Crying score: misty is the word I’d use 

emmaroseklem's review against another edition

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emotional funny medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

beastreader's review against another edition

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3.0

I grew up reading Little Women. It is a classic book. Of course, I have also watched the different movie versions as well. My favorite is the one with Wynonna Rider, Claire Danes, and Susan Sarandon. So, it was a little hard for me in the beginning to separate myself from the imagines of the March sisters as I knew and loved them growing up.

In this book, the March sisters are living in a modern world. Meg is married to John caring for her twins, DJ and Daisy. Than there is Jo. She is a blogger and also works in a restaurant as a prep cook. She falls for her boss. Finally, there is Amy, who is a jet setter and Beth, who dreams of making it big in the music industry.

There were many similarities but at the same time differences in this book. I did like this modern twist on the March sisters. However, I still could not stop but compare this book to the original. Meg and Jo are the main leads of this book like the title suggests. My favorite was Jo. Meg was kind but a bit whiny about missing her life "before kids" but at the same time she would complain how she would not change a thing about her married life. Amy was still spoiled. Poor Beth, she was still kind of left with not much of a starring role.

This book does have a happy ending like the original and maybe even hints at more to come.