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A review by brandypainter
Meg and Jo by Virginia Kantra
4.0
3.5
I'm giving this four stars because I love Kantra's writing style so much and for the parts of the book that resonated so deeply. Tackling a much beloved classic is never easy. You are not going to be able to please everyone who loves the original. There were some things I loved about this. Some things that were just fine. And a couple things I didn't like at all. The things I'm not crazy about though are more of a concern for the next book and didn't stop my liking this one.
What I Loved:
Meg.
John.
Meg and John.
John and Meg
Color me surprised that Meg's story would be what kept me turning the pages. I felt her struggles on a deep, personal level though, and I feel Kantra did a fabulous job of depicting what a good marriage hitting the rough patch of new parenthood, bills, and family crisis looks like. Meg's struggles to ask for help or even take it when offered was highly relatable.
I also loved what Kantra did with the girls' father. Louisa May Alcott's father was like this, but she softened him for her book. Kantra did not feel the need to do that. Bravo.
Their mother is amazing.
Kantra maintained the heart of the sisterhood story and that is what is most important.
What I Also Enjoyed:
Jo and Eric.
I wish this had been developed a little more, but I do think Jo's quarter life crisis with her job landing her in this relationship made sense. I don't particularly love the way it resolved just because that is one of my least favorite tropes, yet it was a satisfying story to read.
What I Have A Problem With:
Laurie's name in this book is Trey. Trey. And this may just be me, but I hear that name and it automatically goes into the Brad/Kyle/Chad category. All my instincts scream, "RUN! DUDE BRO AHOY!" Trey is the name of the guy who plays Lacrosse while drunk and then tries to roofie some poor girl's drink at the frat party. WHYYY???? He runs his grandfather's car dealership guys. Ugh. I know that his character will be developed more in the second book, but from the glimpses we got here, I don't care. You cannot tell me that Louisa May Alcott's emo, angst-ridden musician Victorian boy would be an average run-of-the-mill small town player. There is so much potential for moving Alcott's creation to a guy who would have been a teen in the 2000s. You will never convince me that boy wasn't writing Jo's name in cursive in his room while listening to My Chemical Romance and shopping at Hot Topic to piss off his grandfather. There should be a scene in the next book where Trey (blech) turns on The Black Parade for old times sake and then has a crisis over his account books when Disenchanted comes on because he has become THAT GUY. His love and passion for music wasn't even mentioned as far as I can remember. Like what even. 2000's Laurie would have been so jealous of Brendan Urie. Fight me. I know I'm right. But heaven forbid a romantic hero be artsy. And I needed to get that off my chest, but I'm not really letting it affect my enjoyment of this book even if it's raising my concerns for the next.
Beth is apparently going to be involved in the country music business. (At least she won't be dead? Maybe? I don't know which is worse?) OH NO! It just occurred to me that Trey is a perfect dude-bro country music name. His musicality better not suddenly manifest itself in that direction too. My emo Victorian boy would NEVER.
Obviously I'm well aware my distaste for country music does not reflect on the quality of the storytelling. I'd just rather not have to deal with it, and I've lived in the south most of my life. I just can't with country music (especially the current trends in it).
I'm upset about Trey from a story telling aspect though. Like, there's a reason Timothee Chalamet and pre-Batman Christian Bale were chosen to play Laurie in the movies. He's a super soft art boy. And that can be HOT. Generations of girls have thought so.
Anyway, I do recommend Meg & Jo even if I'm wary of where Beth & Amy is going to take this.
I'm giving this four stars because I love Kantra's writing style so much and for the parts of the book that resonated so deeply. Tackling a much beloved classic is never easy. You are not going to be able to please everyone who loves the original. There were some things I loved about this. Some things that were just fine. And a couple things I didn't like at all. The things I'm not crazy about though are more of a concern for the next book and didn't stop my liking this one.
What I Loved:
Meg.
John.
Meg and John.
John and Meg
Color me surprised that Meg's story would be what kept me turning the pages. I felt her struggles on a deep, personal level though, and I feel Kantra did a fabulous job of depicting what a good marriage hitting the rough patch of new parenthood, bills, and family crisis looks like. Meg's struggles to ask for help or even take it when offered was highly relatable.
I also loved what Kantra did with the girls' father. Louisa May Alcott's father was like this, but she softened him for her book. Kantra did not feel the need to do that. Bravo.
Their mother is amazing.
Kantra maintained the heart of the sisterhood story and that is what is most important.
What I Also Enjoyed:
Jo and Eric.
I wish this had been developed a little more, but I do think Jo's quarter life crisis with her job landing her in this relationship made sense. I don't particularly love the way it resolved just because that is one of my least favorite tropes, yet it was a satisfying story to read.
What I Have A Problem With:
Laurie's name in this book is Trey. Trey. And this may just be me, but I hear that name and it automatically goes into the Brad/Kyle/Chad category. All my instincts scream, "RUN! DUDE BRO AHOY!" Trey is the name of the guy who plays Lacrosse while drunk and then tries to roofie some poor girl's drink at the frat party. WHYYY???? He runs his grandfather's car dealership guys. Ugh. I know that his character will be developed more in the second book, but from the glimpses we got here, I don't care. You cannot tell me that Louisa May Alcott's emo, angst-ridden musician Victorian boy would be an average run-of-the-mill small town player. There is so much potential for moving Alcott's creation to a guy who would have been a teen in the 2000s. You will never convince me that boy wasn't writing Jo's name in cursive in his room while listening to My Chemical Romance and shopping at Hot Topic to piss off his grandfather. There should be a scene in the next book where Trey (blech) turns on The Black Parade for old times sake and then has a crisis over his account books when Disenchanted comes on because he has become THAT GUY. His love and passion for music wasn't even mentioned as far as I can remember. Like what even. 2000's Laurie would have been so jealous of Brendan Urie. Fight me. I know I'm right. But heaven forbid a romantic hero be artsy. And I needed to get that off my chest, but I'm not really letting it affect my enjoyment of this book even if it's raising my concerns for the next.
Beth is apparently going to be involved in the country music business. (At least she won't be dead? Maybe? I don't know which is worse?) OH NO! It just occurred to me that Trey is a perfect dude-bro country music name. His musicality better not suddenly manifest itself in that direction too. My emo Victorian boy would NEVER.
Obviously I'm well aware my distaste for country music does not reflect on the quality of the storytelling. I'd just rather not have to deal with it, and I've lived in the south most of my life. I just can't with country music (especially the current trends in it).
I'm upset about Trey from a story telling aspect though. Like, there's a reason Timothee Chalamet and pre-Batman Christian Bale were chosen to play Laurie in the movies. He's a super soft art boy. And that can be HOT. Generations of girls have thought so.
Anyway, I do recommend Meg & Jo even if I'm wary of where Beth & Amy is going to take this.