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allie_hilleson's review
3.0
While I enjoyed this installment much more than I did Little Men, none of them can compare to Little Women in my mind.
None the less, a sweet tale in the history of the March family.
None the less, a sweet tale in the history of the March family.
toni123's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
littletaiko's review against another edition
3.0
This was so much better than Little Men - mainly because I finally got what I wanted, scenes with Meg and Amy. Also it was nice to see the kids grown up. Not thrilled with how everyone's lives turned out but that's more realistic than a happy ending for all.
smj8806's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
dante666's review
emotional
hopeful
slow-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
5.0
sushmitachowdhury's review
2.0
Dan and Bess should’ve been end game, just like Laurie and Jo should’ve been end game PERIOD.
sveareads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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
paperbacksandpines's review
2.0
I've really changed my opinion about [b:Jo's Boys|372319|Jo's Boys|Louisa May Alcott|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347470247l/372319._SY75_.jpg|362258] in my reread of this book. I first read this book when I was 14 or 15 and I recall really liking it. Rereading it as an adult really changed my mind about this book, though. I don't know if it's because I've become completely jaded (I hope not) or just because changes taste as one ages, but things definitely changed the second time around. The excessive preachiness was maybe even more apparent in this story than in [b:Little Men|78950|Little Men|Louisa May Alcott|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1575357839l/78950._SY75_.jpg|2180439]. I wonder how much of the preachiness was due Alcott's own inclinations and how much was due to the pressure from her publisher.
I think certain characters in the book kept me reading (Jo, Dan, Nat). I got about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way through the book before I hit a wall. I just wasn't interested in some of the characters, but the narrative was even more of a sticking point with me. There just wasn't much of a plot. The reader jumped from one vignette to another but the only thing that connected them was that they were all at Plumfield together at one point in time. Maybe this cut the muster in Alcott's time but for today's savvy middle grade readers, I don't think it's up to par. I felt like I was watching the movie An Affair to Remember and all of a sudden it cut to a 15 minute song interlude - BORING.
There is much more of a ongoing plot in this one, unlike Little Men, even though stories of each character make up that plot. I found it much more engaging, and a lot less boring that its predecessor.
In addition, there were some pieces that seem offensive to today's readers. The comment from one of the female characters of "Our brains may be smaller [than men's]" to calling out single women as spinsters and implying that not wanting to get married and raise a family makes a woman subhuman didn't sit well with me. And funnily enough, they seemed to go against Alcott's own goals, or at least outcome, of her own life.
I know most adult readers will disagree with me but I actually preferred [b:Little Men|78950|Little Men|Louisa May Alcott|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1575357839l/78950._SY75_.jpg|2180439] to [b:Jo's Boys|372319|Jo's Boys|Louisa May Alcott|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347470247l/372319._SY75_.jpg|362258], at least as a young reader.
After reading this as an adult reader, I'd downgrade it from a 4 to a 2.
I think certain characters in the book kept me reading (Jo, Dan, Nat). I got about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way through the book before I hit a wall. I just wasn't interested in some of the characters, but the narrative was even more of a sticking point with me. There just wasn't much of a plot. The reader jumped from one vignette to another but the only thing that connected them was that they were all at Plumfield together at one point in time. Maybe this cut the muster in Alcott's time but for today's savvy middle grade readers, I don't think it's up to par. I felt like I was watching the movie An Affair to Remember and all of a sudden it cut to a 15 minute song interlude - BORING.
There is much more of a ongoing plot in this one, unlike Little Men, even though stories of each character make up that plot. I found it much more engaging, and a lot less boring that its predecessor.
In addition, there were some pieces that seem offensive to today's readers. The comment from one of the female characters of "Our brains may be smaller [than men's]" to calling out single women as spinsters and implying that not wanting to get married and raise a family makes a woman subhuman didn't sit well with me. And funnily enough, they seemed to go against Alcott's own goals, or at least outcome, of her own life.
I know most adult readers will disagree with me but I actually preferred [b:Little Men|78950|Little Men|Louisa May Alcott|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1575357839l/78950._SY75_.jpg|2180439] to [b:Jo's Boys|372319|Jo's Boys|Louisa May Alcott|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347470247l/372319._SY75_.jpg|362258], at least as a young reader.
After reading this as an adult reader, I'd downgrade it from a 4 to a 2.
jueedhar's review
2.0
It had the charm of characters of Little Women and was feel good book. But due to so many characters and their simultaneous storylines, the plot was a quite confusing at times.
colorfulleo92's review
4.0
I picked up the book in wrong order, missed Little men so probably didn't get the whole picture. I really liked this one but feel like I need to read little men