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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
As I said in my notes for 1 & 4, yes, these have issues. That doesn’t mean they didn’t have a massive impact on me as a child. It’s possible to have conversations about books that you love for nostalgic reasons that maybe don’t hold up under a current lens. I think that’s the ideal rather than removing them from the conversation.
lighthearted
medium-paced
This is the last of the Laura Ingalls Wilder' "Little House" series, book #8 of 8. Technically, there is a 9th book which was written by an adopted grandson but I feel that the series ends appropriately enough at book 8.
In this book, Laura has earned her teaching certificate and teaches a semester or two of school. She is also being courted by Almanzo Wilder on a regular basis. Mary returns home a couple of times on breaks from her college for the blind. There is a sense of sadness or wistfulness for the childhood gone by, but as mentioned, this book ends the series in the best possible way by giving the reader a tour of Laura's new home and farm and the knowledge that she will be just fine.
If you've read the entire series, this book spans about 13 years of Laura's childhood. I really have no argument with the technical details of the writing; it's obviously very well written and has managed to stand the test of time. I first read Little House in the Big Woods as a child so this was like opening a portal into my own childhood re-reading it. The story does progress through all eight books: you see the Ingalls daughters growing up and maturing, you see the family moving from one address to the next and get a keen sense for the frustration Ma must have felt moving from place to place. Various characters come and go throughout the books; just because you read about Nellie Oleson in one book doesn't mean that you have seen the last of her! This is really a great book series for anyone, child or adult to read and I really enjoyed it.
In this book, Laura has earned her teaching certificate and teaches a semester or two of school. She is also being courted by Almanzo Wilder on a regular basis. Mary returns home a couple of times on breaks from her college for the blind. There is a sense of sadness or wistfulness for the childhood gone by, but as mentioned, this book ends the series in the best possible way by giving the reader a tour of Laura's new home and farm and the knowledge that she will be just fine.
If you've read the entire series, this book spans about 13 years of Laura's childhood. I really have no argument with the technical details of the writing; it's obviously very well written and has managed to stand the test of time. I first read Little House in the Big Woods as a child so this was like opening a portal into my own childhood re-reading it. The story does progress through all eight books: you see the Ingalls daughters growing up and maturing, you see the family moving from one address to the next and get a keen sense for the frustration Ma must have felt moving from place to place. Various characters come and go throughout the books; just because you read about Nellie Oleson in one book doesn't mean that you have seen the last of her! This is really a great book series for anyone, child or adult to read and I really enjoyed it.
adventurous
lighthearted
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Ok, maybe THIS one is my actual favorite of these books. Love the blossoming but supremely chaste and subtle romance that is detailed in these. When I reflect on it, being married at 16ish seems so, so inappropriate but it was a reflection of the times. I like the mix of vignettes about teaching combined tales of fun outings. I always lose steam after this one, because I don't think the writing style stays the same for the ones of Laura in adulthood (which makes sense, once you read the foreword). We'll see if I finish the set.
DNF - re-reading for childhood nostalgia and noticing the blatant racism… yikes
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced