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A review by emtees
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Like almost everyone, I read this book as a kid and I remembered the important parts: the March sisters and the strong bond between them, Amy’s terrible crime against Jo, the drama around who everyone should have married and, of course, Beth’s death. . I didn’t have any clear sense of the narrative of the story, just these different, unconnected moments, but I was sure there had probably been more to the book than that.
After rereading, I can say that they’re really isn’t. Though there is a rough through-line in the story of the March sisters each striving to find happiness, or at least peace, with the lot they get in life, the book itself is very anecdotal. It begins with the girls all in their early teens and carries on over about a decade (with a sudden jump forward at the end), and the topic is ordinary life, with each chapter focusing on some event, big or small, in their lives. Some stories, like the love-triangle-that-really-isn’t, carry through several chapters, but the book is written as if it meant to be read one chapter at a time, with breaks between each.
After finishing it, I can say that Amy’s crime is still terrible, Laurie married the right sister and Jo, if she had to marry at all, probably picked the right man, andBeth’s death is still really sad. There are a few moments that really stick out, and Jo remains a great literary character, flawed and ambitious but also kind and generous, but she really ended up feeling like the only selling point for the books. Getting through the thick syrup of sentimentality to the interesting parts of the story was a struggle. Actually, the most interesting part of the volume I read was the introduction, since it talked about the contrast between the very conventional story Alcott wrote about a family that superficially resembled her own and the reality of her life as a politically progressive career woman. I think I would have preferred that story.
After rereading, I can say that they’re really isn’t. Though there is a rough through-line in the story of the March sisters each striving to find happiness, or at least peace, with the lot they get in life, the book itself is very anecdotal. It begins with the girls all in their early teens and carries on over about a decade (with a sudden jump forward at the end), and the topic is ordinary life, with each chapter focusing on some event, big or small, in their lives. Some stories, like the love-triangle-that-really-isn’t, carry through several chapters, but the book is written as if it meant to be read one chapter at a time, with breaks between each.
After finishing it, I can say that Amy’s crime is still terrible, Laurie married the right sister and Jo, if she had to marry at all, probably picked the right man, and
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Chronic illness