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Eight Cousins #2
Rose in Bloom
In this sequel to Eight Cousins, Rose Campbell returns to the "Aunt Hill" after two years of traveling around the world. Suddenly, she is surrounded by male admirers, all expecting her to marry them. But before she marries anyone, Rose is determined to establish herself as an independent young woman. Besides, she suspects that some of her friends like her more for her money than for herself.
344 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1876
442 people are currently reading
14055 people want to read
About the author
Louisa May Alcott
4,094 books10.6k followersLouisa May Alcott was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet best known for writing the novel Little Women (1868) and its sequels Good Wives (1869), Little Men (1871) and Jo's Boys (1886). Raised in New England by her transcendentalist parents, Abigail May Alcott and Amos Bronson Alcott, she grew up among many well-known intellectuals of the day, including Margaret Fuller, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry David Thoreau, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Alcott's family suffered from financial difficulties, and while she worked to help support the family from an early age, she also sought an outlet in writing. She began to receive critical success for her writing in the 1860s. Early in her career, she sometimes used pen names such as A.M. Barnard, under which she wrote lurid short stories and sensation novels for adults that focused on passion and revenge.
Published in 1868, Little Women is set in the Alcott family home, Orchard House, in Concord, Massachusetts, and is loosely based on Alcott's childhood experiences with her three sisters, Abigail May Alcott Nieriker, Elizabeth Sewall Alcott, and Anna Bronson Alcott Pratt. The novel was well-received at the time and is still popular today among both children and adults. It has been adapted for stage plays, films, and television many times.
Alcott was an abolitionist and a feminist and remained unmarried throughout her life. She also spent her life active in reform movements such as temperance and women's suffrage. She died from a stroke in Boston on March 6, 1888, just two days after her father's death.
Alcott's family suffered from financial difficulties, and while she worked to help support the family from an early age, she also sought an outlet in writing. She began to receive critical success for her writing in the 1860s. Early in her career, she sometimes used pen names such as A.M. Barnard, under which she wrote lurid short stories and sensation novels for adults that focused on passion and revenge.
Published in 1868, Little Women is set in the Alcott family home, Orchard House, in Concord, Massachusetts, and is loosely based on Alcott's childhood experiences with her three sisters, Abigail May Alcott Nieriker, Elizabeth Sewall Alcott, and Anna Bronson Alcott Pratt. The novel was well-received at the time and is still popular today among both children and adults. It has been adapted for stage plays, films, and television many times.
Alcott was an abolitionist and a feminist and remained unmarried throughout her life. She also spent her life active in reform movements such as temperance and women's suffrage. She died from a stroke in Boston on March 6, 1888, just two days after her father's death.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 856 reviews
August 4, 2008
For many years (until I read Jane Eyre the second time), this was my absolute favorite book. It is perhaps the reason I love 'nerds.' While many women grew up loving Mr. Darcy, I grew up loving Mac. He was my ideal love interest. He suffered long and noblely for love of Rose and I admired that with all of my little heart. I dreamed of being Rose. Of course, I would have accepted him at once instead of stringing him along so. ;) Regardless, after over fifteen readings (wearing out my old copy so that I had to by a new one) I still find myself liking the lovable Mac, laughing uproariously at him learning to dance. This is a delightful book and well worth the read, even if you don't fall in love with Mac. ;)
November 27, 2025
5+ stars (8/10 hearts). Oh, this book. It’s even better than
Eight Cousins
—MUCH better. Such a beautiful story of coming-of-age and young-womanhood! It made me cry… and it’s just so beautiful and satisfying!
This book is set when Rose is 21, so five/six years after EC. Rose is a beautiful MC, and honestly an inspiration. I love her humility, her love, her wisdom, and her femininity. She just got better since book one. Archie is even more wonderful as a man than he was as a boy. And Mac! Oh, Mac, how well he turned out! What a great, good-hearted, worthy man he turned out to be. Everyone else is pretty much the same as in the other book.
While book one is more of a Juvenile Fiction/Middle Grade book, this one is aimed more at young women between 16 and 25. Like An Old-Fashioned Girl, it tackles the popular occupations and lifestyles of girls of Alcott’s time, and proposes a much better way of life. While some label the book’s message as “feminism,” it’s actually simply common sense—a woman wasn’t created to dress up like a doll and shop, flirt, entertain herself, or gossip. While awaiting marriage, a woman can and should develop her talents and learn how to make her life worthwhile, so that if marriage is not for her, she isn’t wasting her life waiting for it. It is true that one or two of Rose’s comments are somewhat “feminist,” yet the point of the book is not “let’s not marry and build a career” but “let’s not do nothing with our lives and throw ourselves away on the first good-looking boy who comes after us, but wait and find the RIGHT kind of man to marry.”
The plot of this story is really Rose’s blossoming, and it is beautifully written. Starting off with Rose as a young woman with plenty of money and “going out” into society, this gives a glimpse of the life Rose could live—endless parties and outings, reckless spending of money, and constant relationship with shallow, weak, or wicked people. As she is pretty and wealthy, it’s assumed she will continue in this lifestyle until she finds a good-looking dude whom she’ll marry and then settle down with. Instead, Rose chooses to leave “society” and devote herself to studying, doing charity work, and growing into an accomplished woman, while waiting for her Mr. Right to appear—a good, strong man with a loving heart, an excellent character, and a worthwhile occupation.
One of the best parts of the plot is Charlie & Rose’s relationship. Charlie is a gambler and a drunkard—not by drinking constantly but by being unable to touch a drop without going on until he’s fully drunk. He loves Rose and wants her to be his wife so she can help him combat his demons. The story beautifully shows Rose’s hesitation between what is right and best. Should she ally herself with Charlie and put herself into a heartbreaking relationship with a man who cannot control himself or keep his word, with the precarious hope that someday he’ll grow strong? Their story is heartbreaking, yet so thought provoking and an excellent warning.
The themes and message of this book, although hinted above, can be recapped again: How should a young woman live while awaiting marriage? What is the purpose of marriage? How solemn and important is it? Can it be rushed into with just anyone as a partner? What makes a worthwhile person?
Overall, this is a beautiful, thought-provoking, important book I think every single young woman should read, more than once.
Content: The romantic content in this book is very slight, although much of the plot involves romance. There’s some handholding, perhaps a baise-main or two, a hint of a kiss. There’s a couple mentions of gods & goddesses; some euphemisms; drinking & gambling (condemned).
A Favourite Quote: “...to me, love isn't all. I must look up, not down, trust and honor with my whole heart, and find strength and integrity to lean on. I have had it so far, and I know I could not live without it.”
“Your ideal is a high one. Do you hope to find it, Rose?”...
“Yes,” she answered, with a face full of the beautiful confidence in virtue, the instinctive desire for the best which so many of us lose too soon, to find again after life's great lessons are well learned. “I do hope to find it, because I try do hope to find it, because I try not to be unreasonable and expect perfection. Smile if you will, but I won't give up my hero yet.”
A Favourite Beautiful Quote: “...for there was a certain sylvan freshness about him, as he sat there full of the reposeful strength the hills seemed to have given, the wholesome cheerfulness days of air and sunshine put into a man, and the clear, bright look of one who had caught glimpses of a new world from the mountain-top.”
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “[A]s everybody rose en masse, [Aunt Plenty] said as impressively as extreme agitation would allow, while she put her glasses on upside-down, and seized a lace tidy instead of her handkerchief,—‘Stop! all stay here, and let me receive Alec. Remember his weak state, and be calm, quite calm, as I am.’
“‘Yes, aunt, certainly,’ was the general murmur of assent: but it was as impossible to obey as it would have been to keep feathers still in a gale; and one irresistible impulse carried the whole roomful into the hall, to behold Aunt Plenty beautifully illustrate her own theory of composure by waving the tidy wildly, rushing into Dr. Alec's arms, and laughing and crying with an hysterical abandonment which even Aunt Myra could not have surpassed.”
This book is set when Rose is 21, so five/six years after EC. Rose is a beautiful MC, and honestly an inspiration. I love her humility, her love, her wisdom, and her femininity. She just got better since book one. Archie is even more wonderful as a man than he was as a boy. And Mac! Oh, Mac, how well he turned out! What a great, good-hearted, worthy man he turned out to be. Everyone else is pretty much the same as in the other book.
While book one is more of a Juvenile Fiction/Middle Grade book, this one is aimed more at young women between 16 and 25. Like An Old-Fashioned Girl, it tackles the popular occupations and lifestyles of girls of Alcott’s time, and proposes a much better way of life. While some label the book’s message as “feminism,” it’s actually simply common sense—a woman wasn’t created to dress up like a doll and shop, flirt, entertain herself, or gossip. While awaiting marriage, a woman can and should develop her talents and learn how to make her life worthwhile, so that if marriage is not for her, she isn’t wasting her life waiting for it. It is true that one or two of Rose’s comments are somewhat “feminist,” yet the point of the book is not “let’s not marry and build a career” but “let’s not do nothing with our lives and throw ourselves away on the first good-looking boy who comes after us, but wait and find the RIGHT kind of man to marry.”
The plot of this story is really Rose’s blossoming, and it is beautifully written. Starting off with Rose as a young woman with plenty of money and “going out” into society, this gives a glimpse of the life Rose could live—endless parties and outings, reckless spending of money, and constant relationship with shallow, weak, or wicked people. As she is pretty and wealthy, it’s assumed she will continue in this lifestyle until she finds a good-looking dude whom she’ll marry and then settle down with. Instead, Rose chooses to leave “society” and devote herself to studying, doing charity work, and growing into an accomplished woman, while waiting for her Mr. Right to appear—a good, strong man with a loving heart, an excellent character, and a worthwhile occupation.
One of the best parts of the plot is Charlie & Rose’s relationship. Charlie is a gambler and a drunkard—not by drinking constantly but by being unable to touch a drop without going on until he’s fully drunk. He loves Rose and wants her to be his wife so she can help him combat his demons. The story beautifully shows Rose’s hesitation between what is right and best. Should she ally herself with Charlie and put herself into a heartbreaking relationship with a man who cannot control himself or keep his word, with the precarious hope that someday he’ll grow strong? Their story is heartbreaking, yet so thought provoking and an excellent warning.
The themes and message of this book, although hinted above, can be recapped again: How should a young woman live while awaiting marriage? What is the purpose of marriage? How solemn and important is it? Can it be rushed into with just anyone as a partner? What makes a worthwhile person?
Overall, this is a beautiful, thought-provoking, important book I think every single young woman should read, more than once.
Content: The romantic content in this book is very slight, although much of the plot involves romance. There’s some handholding, perhaps a baise-main or two, a hint of a kiss. There’s a couple mentions of gods & goddesses; some euphemisms; drinking & gambling (condemned).
A Favourite Quote: “...to me, love isn't all. I must look up, not down, trust and honor with my whole heart, and find strength and integrity to lean on. I have had it so far, and I know I could not live without it.”
“Your ideal is a high one. Do you hope to find it, Rose?”...
“Yes,” she answered, with a face full of the beautiful confidence in virtue, the instinctive desire for the best which so many of us lose too soon, to find again after life's great lessons are well learned. “I do hope to find it, because I try do hope to find it, because I try not to be unreasonable and expect perfection. Smile if you will, but I won't give up my hero yet.”
A Favourite Beautiful Quote: “...for there was a certain sylvan freshness about him, as he sat there full of the reposeful strength the hills seemed to have given, the wholesome cheerfulness days of air and sunshine put into a man, and the clear, bright look of one who had caught glimpses of a new world from the mountain-top.”
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “[A]s everybody rose en masse, [Aunt Plenty] said as impressively as extreme agitation would allow, while she put her glasses on upside-down, and seized a lace tidy instead of her handkerchief,—‘Stop! all stay here, and let me receive Alec. Remember his weak state, and be calm, quite calm, as I am.’
“‘Yes, aunt, certainly,’ was the general murmur of assent: but it was as impossible to obey as it would have been to keep feathers still in a gale; and one irresistible impulse carried the whole roomful into the hall, to behold Aunt Plenty beautifully illustrate her own theory of composure by waving the tidy wildly, rushing into Dr. Alec's arms, and laughing and crying with an hysterical abandonment which even Aunt Myra could not have surpassed.”
September 26, 2008
I actually liked Alcott's Rose series much better than the Little Women series.
April 2, 2017
So, I kinda thought the preaching was done when I started this one. Rose is grown up, she and Phebe and Uncle Alec have just returned from a year abroad, where Phebe has trained to be a singer. Now Rose is ready to be launched on society, and most of the boy cousins are grown.
It starts out very promising, and though I never normally root for cousins to marry, here you're rooting for Rose to choose one of her brilliant cousins and live happily ever after. But of course it's not that easy. First Rose has to make the very hard decision of whether or not she will enjoy a brief, restrained season of frivolity, complete with wearing nice gowns and dancing. Though it pains him to see her waste her time in this way (when she could be reading improving books or watering the houseplants), Uncle Alec allows twenty-year-old Rose to attend balls and parties, where she discovers to her horror that a) her cousin Charlie is really in love with her and b) he DRINKS ALCOHOL AND STAYS UP LATE.
Rose spends the rest of the book buying clothes and housing for orphans, preaching the evils of frivolity, and simultaneously demanding that her cousins prove they are morally and intellectually good enough to even hold her hand, and arguing that she isn't good enough for anyone to love. It becomes exhausting, and annoying. I shan't spoil anything, but I will say that she finally gets off her high horse and ends up with the person I knew she should have ended up with in EIGHT COUSINS.
It starts out very promising, and though I never normally root for cousins to marry, here you're rooting for Rose to choose one of her brilliant cousins and live happily ever after. But of course it's not that easy. First Rose has to make the very hard decision of whether or not she will enjoy a brief, restrained season of frivolity, complete with wearing nice gowns and dancing. Though it pains him to see her waste her time in this way (when she could be reading improving books or watering the houseplants), Uncle Alec allows twenty-year-old Rose to attend balls and parties, where she discovers to her horror that a) her cousin Charlie is really in love with her and b) he DRINKS ALCOHOL AND STAYS UP LATE.
Rose spends the rest of the book buying clothes and housing for orphans, preaching the evils of frivolity, and simultaneously demanding that her cousins prove they are morally and intellectually good enough to even hold her hand, and arguing that she isn't good enough for anyone to love. It becomes exhausting, and annoying. I shan't spoil anything, but I will say that she finally gets off her high horse and ends up with the person I knew she should have ended up with in EIGHT COUSINS.
October 13, 2025
I see your Laurie crush and raise you Mac Campbell.
March 30, 2017
This is a comfort read, one I've always had warm feelings for.
Rose in Bloom picks up a few years after Eight Cousins. Rose is around 20 now, and returning from a trip abroad with Uncle and Phebe. Naturally, everyone assumes that she will marry soon, but she wants to look around a little first and do something worthwhile.
She settles on philanthropy as a career, but not before trying some of the pleasures of the high life, the parties and late nights of frivolous society. This does her no real harm, but confirms to her that life has more to offer.
Her cousin Charlie is determined to marry her, and Rose's feelings are on the fence about this cousin. I personally think she was trying too hard to love him, when he had done so little worthy of respect. Nevertheless, Rose thinks that maybe someday Charlie will be her ideal.
This time through I wasn't really on board with Alcott's decision about Charlie's fate... I feel like it conveniently took Charlie out of the way so that Rose didn't really have to make up her mind about him.
BUT now we come to Mac. Her bookish, slightly antisocial cousin. Mac and Rose have always been decent friends; she knows how to take him and doesn't get worried by his uniqueness. In this book he shows his real potential. He has a good heart and faultless instincts; he is kind and sincere; he stands apart from society but doesn't judge it too harshly and is good-natured enough to participate in the social scene when he needs to (and with a little training from Rose and his brother!). The problem is, Rose rather takes him for granted. The final few chapters, where Mac comes to a realization about how he feels for Rose, and does something about it, always capture my heart.
I think she's a little too clueless about the whole thing, but Mac more than makes up for that by his purposeful, focused, steady regard.
Much as I enjoy the Darcys and Rochesters of the literary world, Mac is an altogether superior type... he's neither repressed nor tragic. He's a worker and an honest friend, a balanced thinker and feeler, somebody you'd want on your side, and somebody you'd be infinitely safe with. That is why this book is a comfort read.
Rose in Bloom picks up a few years after Eight Cousins. Rose is around 20 now, and returning from a trip abroad with Uncle and Phebe. Naturally, everyone assumes that she will marry soon, but she wants to look around a little first and do something worthwhile.
She settles on philanthropy as a career, but not before trying some of the pleasures of the high life, the parties and late nights of frivolous society. This does her no real harm, but confirms to her that life has more to offer.
Her cousin Charlie is determined to marry her, and Rose's feelings are on the fence about this cousin. I personally think she was trying too hard to love him, when he had done so little worthy of respect. Nevertheless, Rose thinks that maybe someday Charlie will be her ideal.
This time through I wasn't really on board with Alcott's decision about Charlie's fate... I feel like it conveniently took Charlie out of the way so that Rose didn't really have to make up her mind about him.
BUT now we come to Mac. Her bookish, slightly antisocial cousin. Mac and Rose have always been decent friends; she knows how to take him and doesn't get worried by his uniqueness. In this book he shows his real potential. He has a good heart and faultless instincts; he is kind and sincere; he stands apart from society but doesn't judge it too harshly and is good-natured enough to participate in the social scene when he needs to (and with a little training from Rose and his brother!). The problem is, Rose rather takes him for granted. The final few chapters, where Mac comes to a realization about how he feels for Rose, and does something about it, always capture my heart.
I think she's a little too clueless about the whole thing, but Mac more than makes up for that by his purposeful, focused, steady regard.
Much as I enjoy the Darcys and Rochesters of the literary world, Mac is an altogether superior type... he's neither repressed nor tragic. He's a worker and an honest friend, a balanced thinker and feeler, somebody you'd want on your side, and somebody you'd be infinitely safe with. That is why this book is a comfort read.
April 8, 2011
Well, what can I say? Instead I'll quote Miranda's fist diary entry from The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever, "Today, I fell in love." since it was the first thing that crossed my mind after I finished reading this book.
FYI, I've never had a fictional crush before, no matter how perfect the heroes are I still didn't feel anything for them. I'm not crushing on the perfect Mr. Darcy, and I am definitely annoyed with a certain vampire-you know who-out there instead of squealing at the mention of his name.
The perfect ones are only exist in books and movies (I'm talking about personality here, not just the outer look). Therefore while many women and girls are seeking for their "Mr.Darcy" I'm 100% certain that I will not find my "Mr. Darcy" anywhere. I just can't believe that such a man exist in this world, so what's the point of crushing on him?
But it's an entirely different story with Mac. In Eight Cousins I just like him, nothing more. As I watch him grow in Rose in Bloom I can't help it but fell for him.
He is a book worm, not good looking, awkward, and absent-minded sometimes, he is far from perfect. But those humanly flaws are what make him real, make me think that I can find someone like him out there. Simply put, I have found everything that I'm looking for in a man within Mac. Now I know for sure what my criteria of a perfect man is. Yea, pathetic and shocking as it is, but it seems that all this time I myself didn't know what I've been looking for..
And now about the rating. True, the story itself is not something so amazing or incredible, but since I've always love this kind of stories (it's heartwarming, sweet and nostalgic) and of course because of Mac, I'll give this one 5 stars (without him it will be four like the prequel).
FYI, I've never had a fictional crush before, no matter how perfect the heroes are I still didn't feel anything for them. I'm not crushing on the perfect Mr. Darcy, and I am definitely annoyed with a certain vampire-you know who-out there instead of squealing at the mention of his name.
The perfect ones are only exist in books and movies (I'm talking about personality here, not just the outer look). Therefore while many women and girls are seeking for their "Mr.Darcy" I'm 100% certain that I will not find my "Mr. Darcy" anywhere. I just can't believe that such a man exist in this world, so what's the point of crushing on him?
But it's an entirely different story with Mac. In Eight Cousins I just like him, nothing more. As I watch him grow in Rose in Bloom I can't help it but fell for him.
He is a book worm, not good looking, awkward, and absent-minded sometimes, he is far from perfect. But those humanly flaws are what make him real, make me think that I can find someone like him out there. Simply put, I have found everything that I'm looking for in a man within Mac. Now I know for sure what my criteria of a perfect man is. Yea, pathetic and shocking as it is, but it seems that all this time I myself didn't know what I've been looking for..
And now about the rating. True, the story itself is not something so amazing or incredible, but since I've always love this kind of stories (it's heartwarming, sweet and nostalgic) and of course because of Mac, I'll give this one 5 stars (without him it will be four like the prequel).
July 18, 2022
I read this book once when I was younger and apparently my earlier rating of 2 stars tells you some of how I felt then. But my current rating of five can tell you how I feel now.
I remember thoroughly disliking this book before because I was so mad at Louisa for
So all in all, it was a great success to read this book again. And I can now be a thoroughly Mac fan.
I remember thoroughly disliking this book before because I was so mad at Louisa for
So all in all, it was a great success to read this book again. And I can now be a thoroughly Mac fan.
June 12, 2015
It wasn't the worst book, but to me was far less enjoyable than Little Women, which is probably what brings most readers to LMA's other books. Rose, the heroine, was less realistic and multidimensional than she was in Eight Cousins, the predecessor to this book. LMA must have realized how sickeningly perfect her portrayal of Rose is, since she goes out of her way in the preface to point out that Rose isn't supposed to be an example of a "model" woman, despite the fact that she very much comes off that way in the story. Rose in Eight Cousins was loving, kind, and eager to learn, but also shy, vain, and a little smug or snobby at times. She has a mixture of positive and negative traits like everyone does. Rose in Rose in Bloom is *allegedly* not perfect, but we only know that because LMA takes pains to point it out to us and creates tortured scenarios to display Rose overcoming her "vices" and "failings" (e.g., the scene in the dress shop, which is a far more contrived and moralistic version of the scene in Little Women where Beth encounters Mr. Laurence in the fish market). Otherwise, she seems basically perfect -- rich, beautiful, self-sacrificing and noble, benevolent, charitable...you name the Victorian virtue and Rose possesses it.
Over the course of the story, twenty-year-old Rose, under the influence of her puritanical uncle Alec, overcomes such horrible temptations as French novels, pretty dresses, glasses of Champagne, and society balls, and instead comes to guilt herself into thinking she prefers staying at home every night with her old aunt reading the "improving" books which her uncle has pre-screened for her and deemed suitable. I found this portrayal to be problematic in many ways. First of all, Rose clearly enjoys having fun with her girlfriends and buying a new outfit every now and then, and I find it hard to see the problem in that, as long as she doesn't overdo it. (I don't think this viewpoint necessarily arises from the fact that I'm a modern reader whereas the book was written in the Victorian era -- Rose's contemporaries also seem to find her a little strange for not allowing herself to have any fun.) It's depressing that her uncle seemingly has such a low opinion of her self-control that he instills a strong sense of guilt in her for wanting and enjoying the same things as most women of her age and social class. Second, I found the emphasis on feminine innocence disconcerting and in conflict with some of LMA's more feminist leanings. She wants her heroines to be independent and self-sufficient, but also so innocent and sheltered that they can't read a mildly racy French novel without being corrupted. I lost track of how many times she used the word "innocent" to describe Rose or likened her to some sort of flower (or "innocent bloom," as LMA would have put it). Further to this point, Uncle Alec's infantilization of Rose was a huge issue for me. He professes to be all for women's rights, especially in the first book, but he still wants to control every thought in Rose's head and make sure they are in sync with his own, and emotionally manipulates her to get the results he wants. (Her incredible level of guilt over things like wanting to have a social life beyond her cousins or wanting to dress up in fashionable outfits was painful to read.)
[Spoilers below....details on some of the relationships and Charlie's story arc.]
I found the strong point of the story to be the romantic relationships, as Rose's struggles in this regard are portrayed naturally and well. The pressure Rose feels from her loving but overbearing family to "fix" and then marry Charlie, the ambivalence she herself feels toward him, and the sadness mingled with freedom she feels when he dies are what made her character sympathetic and relatable in some way. She wants to do the best she can by someone she truly cares about, but is unsure how to reconcile his happiness and emotional needs with her own. As a result of what happened with Charlie, her relationship with Mac progressed a little more slowly than I, as a reader, would have liked (lots of skimming there), but it wasn't hard to understand why she would be wary of throwing herself into another relationship. I was also glad for Rose that her relationship with Mac, who embodies many of Uncle Alec's good traits without the controlling and manipulative aspects, replaced her relationship with Uncle Alec as the central one in her life. However, between the cousin-marriages, the excessive moralizing, the mostly one-dimensional characters, and the lip service to feminism while keeping the main character emotionally dependent on and dominated by a man, I just couldn't get behind this book.
Over the course of the story, twenty-year-old Rose, under the influence of her puritanical uncle Alec, overcomes such horrible temptations as French novels, pretty dresses, glasses of Champagne, and society balls, and instead comes to guilt herself into thinking she prefers staying at home every night with her old aunt reading the "improving" books which her uncle has pre-screened for her and deemed suitable. I found this portrayal to be problematic in many ways. First of all, Rose clearly enjoys having fun with her girlfriends and buying a new outfit every now and then, and I find it hard to see the problem in that, as long as she doesn't overdo it. (I don't think this viewpoint necessarily arises from the fact that I'm a modern reader whereas the book was written in the Victorian era -- Rose's contemporaries also seem to find her a little strange for not allowing herself to have any fun.) It's depressing that her uncle seemingly has such a low opinion of her self-control that he instills a strong sense of guilt in her for wanting and enjoying the same things as most women of her age and social class. Second, I found the emphasis on feminine innocence disconcerting and in conflict with some of LMA's more feminist leanings. She wants her heroines to be independent and self-sufficient, but also so innocent and sheltered that they can't read a mildly racy French novel without being corrupted. I lost track of how many times she used the word "innocent" to describe Rose or likened her to some sort of flower (or "innocent bloom," as LMA would have put it). Further to this point, Uncle Alec's infantilization of Rose was a huge issue for me. He professes to be all for women's rights, especially in the first book, but he still wants to control every thought in Rose's head and make sure they are in sync with his own, and emotionally manipulates her to get the results he wants. (Her incredible level of guilt over things like wanting to have a social life beyond her cousins or wanting to dress up in fashionable outfits was painful to read.)
[Spoilers below....details on some of the relationships and Charlie's story arc.]
I found the strong point of the story to be the romantic relationships, as Rose's struggles in this regard are portrayed naturally and well. The pressure Rose feels from her loving but overbearing family to "fix" and then marry Charlie, the ambivalence she herself feels toward him, and the sadness mingled with freedom she feels when he dies are what made her character sympathetic and relatable in some way. She wants to do the best she can by someone she truly cares about, but is unsure how to reconcile his happiness and emotional needs with her own. As a result of what happened with Charlie, her relationship with Mac progressed a little more slowly than I, as a reader, would have liked (lots of skimming there), but it wasn't hard to understand why she would be wary of throwing herself into another relationship. I was also glad for Rose that her relationship with Mac, who embodies many of Uncle Alec's good traits without the controlling and manipulative aspects, replaced her relationship with Uncle Alec as the central one in her life. However, between the cousin-marriages, the excessive moralizing, the mostly one-dimensional characters, and the lip service to feminism while keeping the main character emotionally dependent on and dominated by a man, I just couldn't get behind this book.
April 9, 2023
So I guess I have a new favorite author now
June 4, 2010
I have several aunts who are readers. And they have always looked after me when it comes to sending books they think I'd like my way. Particularly during my formative reading years. To this day, many of the books nearest and dearest to my heart came to me in the mail from one of my aunts. When I was twelve or so, my Aunt Becky sent me a lesser known book (which I had never heard of) by a very well known author (which I had). The book was ROSE IN BLOOM and it was actually the first book I ever read by Louisa May Alcott. It is also actually a sequel to her earlier book Eight Cousins. I didn't know this at the time, though, and so I cracked it open completely unaware of what to expect in the way of the writing, the style, or the characters. I've since gone back and read Eight Cousins, but, perhaps simply because I read it first, or perhaps because it feels like a slightly more mature and focused character-driven story, ROSE IN BLOOM has always been my favorite. I've read it many times, though I realized it's been quite a few years since I picked it up last. But Rose's coming of age story, her love for her family, and the important dilemmas she faces never fail to make me feel nostalgic and want to return to spend more time with her.
Rose Campbell has been traveling abroad with her Uncle Alec and her maid, friend, and companion Phebe for the last several years. Now she has come of age, come into her inheritance, and come home to Aunt Hill--the family stronghold--to reacquaint herself with her seven male cousins as well as her family's expectations that she settle down and marry one of them at once. But Rose has grown up quite a bit in the intervening years and is not at all sure she's ready for matrimony. Surprising the whole clan by insisting upon establishing herself as an independent woman before choosing a husband, she holds their uneasiness and disapproval at bay and takes her own time evaluating her options and settling on a course of action. Meanwhile, the various aunts are in various states of uproar and decline. Her former maid and now friend Phebe is caught uncomfortably between two worlds as she is forced to determine what she will do with her life now that Rose has no official need of her and she has little money of her own. And then there are the boys. The seven boys who've unexpectedly grown into men and who are each so very different and each have their own unique relationship with their cousin Rose. Their wildly different personalities, habits, and desires at times clash with their parents' wishes and their choices, along with Rose's, dramatically affect every member of the Campbell family over the course of the novel.
I'm always amazed at how few people I know have actually read (or even heard of) this book. I realize it will always be overshadowed by Little Women, but ROSE IN BLOOM is a perfectly lovely, sweet read about a kind, thoughtful, and forward-thinking young woman and how she comes of age and learns several important things about herself and the world around her and is a force for good in binding the wayward members of her family together. The opening passage, to give you a feel for what's in store:
I do love those boys. Upstanding Archie, quiet Mac, princely Charlie, the beanpole brothers Will and Geordie, dandy Steve, and impish Jamie. When I first read it, this book reminded me quite a bit of Anne of Green Gables and, though overall a less complicated and somewhat rosier tale, it is not without its heart-wrenching moments and instances of tragedy. I appreciated the way Alcott addressed the many vices and challenges young men and women in their early twenties face and it never fails to surprise me how those hurdles have not changed so very much since this book was first published in 1876. It's interesting to me that it is so often billed as a children's book, as the themes it explores seem much older to me. Particularly as Rose does, in the end, come to an informed (if painful and complicated) decision as to where her heart lies. But then I read it first when I was twelve, and again every couple of years after that, and gained something new every time I did. How sad it must be to never re-read good books and never experience that unforgettable moment of realization that both you and the book have brought more to the table than was there the last time you met. Recommended, unsurprisingly, for fans of Alcott, Montgomery, and Eva Ibbotson.
Rose Campbell has been traveling abroad with her Uncle Alec and her maid, friend, and companion Phebe for the last several years. Now she has come of age, come into her inheritance, and come home to Aunt Hill--the family stronghold--to reacquaint herself with her seven male cousins as well as her family's expectations that she settle down and marry one of them at once. But Rose has grown up quite a bit in the intervening years and is not at all sure she's ready for matrimony. Surprising the whole clan by insisting upon establishing herself as an independent woman before choosing a husband, she holds their uneasiness and disapproval at bay and takes her own time evaluating her options and settling on a course of action. Meanwhile, the various aunts are in various states of uproar and decline. Her former maid and now friend Phebe is caught uncomfortably between two worlds as she is forced to determine what she will do with her life now that Rose has no official need of her and she has little money of her own. And then there are the boys. The seven boys who've unexpectedly grown into men and who are each so very different and each have their own unique relationship with their cousin Rose. Their wildly different personalities, habits, and desires at times clash with their parents' wishes and their choices, along with Rose's, dramatically affect every member of the Campbell family over the course of the novel.
I'm always amazed at how few people I know have actually read (or even heard of) this book. I realize it will always be overshadowed by Little Women, but ROSE IN BLOOM is a perfectly lovely, sweet read about a kind, thoughtful, and forward-thinking young woman and how she comes of age and learns several important things about herself and the world around her and is a force for good in binding the wayward members of her family together. The opening passage, to give you a feel for what's in store:
Three young men stood together on a wharf one bright October day awaiting the arrival of an ocean steamer with an impatience which found a vent in lively skirmishes with a small lad, who pervaded the premises like a will-o'-the-wisp and afforded much amusement to the other groups assembled there.
"They are the Campbells, waiting for their cousin, who has been abroad several years with her uncle, the doctor," whispered one lady to another as the handsomest of the young men touched his hat to her as he passed, lugging the boy, whom he had just rescued from a little expedition down among the piles.
"Which is that?" asked the stranger.
"Prince Charlie, as he's called--a fine fellow, the most promising of the seven, but a little fast, people say," answered the first speaker with a shake of the head.
"Are the others his brothers?"
'No, cousins. The elder is Archie, a most exemplary young man. He has just gone into business with the merchant uncle and bids fair to be an honor to his family. The other, with the eyeglasses and no gloves, is Mac, the odd one, just out of college."
"And the boy?"
"Oh, he is Jamie, the youngest brother of Archibald, and the pet of the whole family. Mercy on us--he'll be in if they don't hold on to him!"
I do love those boys. Upstanding Archie, quiet Mac, princely Charlie, the beanpole brothers Will and Geordie, dandy Steve, and impish Jamie. When I first read it, this book reminded me quite a bit of Anne of Green Gables and, though overall a less complicated and somewhat rosier tale, it is not without its heart-wrenching moments and instances of tragedy. I appreciated the way Alcott addressed the many vices and challenges young men and women in their early twenties face and it never fails to surprise me how those hurdles have not changed so very much since this book was first published in 1876. It's interesting to me that it is so often billed as a children's book, as the themes it explores seem much older to me. Particularly as Rose does, in the end, come to an informed (if painful and complicated) decision as to where her heart lies. But then I read it first when I was twelve, and again every couple of years after that, and gained something new every time I did. How sad it must be to never re-read good books and never experience that unforgettable moment of realization that both you and the book have brought more to the table than was there the last time you met. Recommended, unsurprisingly, for fans of Alcott, Montgomery, and Eva Ibbotson.
August 2, 2021
Lousia May Alcott never fails to inspire the noblest parts of my soul and motivates me to strive for the best things.
This one was more romantic than the other books I've read from her, but very wise and thought-provoking. I understand that people might think parts of her writing preachy and sometimes even schmaltzy, but one has to understand it was written in another time. But though it was written in another time and for a particular audience, I feel it has to say so much to everybody in the present and I would recommend her works to every young soul who wants to live a full life and leave a mark on the lives of others. It is honest and pure inspiration.
This one was more romantic than the other books I've read from her, but very wise and thought-provoking. I understand that people might think parts of her writing preachy and sometimes even schmaltzy, but one has to understand it was written in another time. But though it was written in another time and for a particular audience, I feel it has to say so much to everybody in the present and I would recommend her works to every young soul who wants to live a full life and leave a mark on the lives of others. It is honest and pure inspiration.
July 6, 2023
Ależ to było nudne i moralizatorskie. „Ośmioro kuzynów” bardzo mi się podobało, a tu zawód. Mam wrażenie, że Alcott najlepiej wychodzi pisanie o dzieciach i ich psotach, bo wtedy tak tego moralizatorstwa nie czuć jako nachalnego. Kiedy jednak jej bohaterowie wchodzą w dorosłość… Moralizatorstwo stanowi połowę książki i fabuła się gdzieś gubi. To samo czułam przy „Dobrych żonach”.
June 5, 2023
When I first read this in high school I rated it 5 stars. Now as a grad student I’d rate it 4.5.
I absolutely love this book. The romance in all 3 couples is sweet and wholesome, but especially Rose's. It’s not as deep or funny as Austen, and the social commentary is not as layered and the writing isn’t so subtle, which makes it suitable for a younger audience. But I love the concept of following a large family with lots of cousins and aunts and the drama that ensues between them and their different personalities and careers and romances and household dynamics. Really need this set in the contemporary world with a Muslim family!
The problems I have with this book all go hand in hand. The book is not subtle at all lol. Miss Alcott really tried so hard to deliver several messages of righteousness, advocating for philanthropy and good company and God-consciousness. Which I’m honestly cool with, I love a book that doesn’t shy away from sending a wholesome valuable message, especially one that involves God. The problem is how explicit it was lol. I love rose but she’s definitely a Mary sue. Her only flaw is that she doesn’t have a special talent, but then her uncle convinces her that her talent is that she does so much good and takes care of so many people and is so generous. Mary Sue. I still like her but it was annoying how often the book explicitly said she was a good role model for other girls. And the book also put down some French romance novels that were apparently pollution to young minds…like, I don’t doubt this, but saying that in your own novel speaks to a lack tact/art 😂
it’s ok tho I’ll forgive that for the superb romances and family drama.
on the plus side, this makes it a very clean novel with positive morals and good (albeit very unrelatable) role models.
Spoiler for those who don't know who Rose ends up with even though it's so obvious by the first few chapters of the book:
Bonus points for it taking place in Massachusetts, so I can visualize the references to the types flowers grown in different parts of the year and taking family trips to the foresty mountains in the summer!
psa: don't listen to the audiobook. I'm usually a fan of audiobooks, especially for re-reads, but this one messes up the characters' tones and it ruins the vibe.
Now I kinda want to blend SK Ali with LM Alcott and write a cozy contemporary romance following a big Muslim American family in New England over the course of a year or two with all their quirks and dramas, celebrations and griefs.
------------
updates while re-reading, May-June 2023
Steve and Kitty are every MSA couple who go to MSA meetings on the look for a spouse while seeming a bit too immature to be in a serious relationship but end up surprising everyone by being the first to commit to one and then annoy everyone else by being crazy in love and not getting married fast enough 😂
***
spoiler for those who don't know who Rose ends up with:
Uncle Alec is what a true wali is like. He honors and supports and cherishes his niece so much that she has high standards and expectations for any potential husbands.
***
I had to include this quote for multiple reasons:
(spoiler for those who don't know who rose ends up with):
First of all, HOW CUTE ARE THEY???
Second of all, the comment about scaring men away like a "yellow flag" is significant in their historical context. At this time cholera epidemics were raging around the world, carried faster than ever via steamships and railways. Ships that needed to quarantine because of cholera were required to wave a yellow flag to let others be aware. So of course, the world would avoid them...like the plague. https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/histor...
------------
first read: 2016
2016
I liked this more than Little Women! But then again, I read it when I was a little older than I was when reading Little Women so I appreciated it more. I might re-read Little Women soon...
I absolutely love this book. The romance in all 3 couples is sweet and wholesome, but especially Rose's. It’s not as deep or funny as Austen, and the social commentary is not as layered and the writing isn’t so subtle, which makes it suitable for a younger audience. But I love the concept of following a large family with lots of cousins and aunts and the drama that ensues between them and their different personalities and careers and romances and household dynamics. Really need this set in the contemporary world with a Muslim family!
The problems I have with this book all go hand in hand. The book is not subtle at all lol. Miss Alcott really tried so hard to deliver several messages of righteousness, advocating for philanthropy and good company and God-consciousness. Which I’m honestly cool with, I love a book that doesn’t shy away from sending a wholesome valuable message, especially one that involves God. The problem is how explicit it was lol. I love rose but she’s definitely a Mary sue. Her only flaw is that she doesn’t have a special talent, but then her uncle convinces her that her talent is that she does so much good and takes care of so many people and is so generous. Mary Sue. I still like her but it was annoying how often the book explicitly said she was a good role model for other girls. And the book also put down some French romance novels that were apparently pollution to young minds…like, I don’t doubt this, but saying that in your own novel speaks to a lack tact/art 😂
it’s ok tho I’ll forgive that for the superb romances and family drama.
on the plus side, this makes it a very clean novel with positive morals and good (albeit very unrelatable) role models.
Spoiler for those who don't know who Rose ends up with even though it's so obvious by the first few chapters of the book:
Bonus points for it taking place in Massachusetts, so I can visualize the references to the types flowers grown in different parts of the year and taking family trips to the foresty mountains in the summer!
psa: don't listen to the audiobook. I'm usually a fan of audiobooks, especially for re-reads, but this one messes up the characters' tones and it ruins the vibe.
Now I kinda want to blend SK Ali with LM Alcott and write a cozy contemporary romance following a big Muslim American family in New England over the course of a year or two with all their quirks and dramas, celebrations and griefs.
------------
updates while re-reading, May-June 2023
Steve and Kitty are every MSA couple who go to MSA meetings on the look for a spouse while seeming a bit too immature to be in a serious relationship but end up surprising everyone by being the first to commit to one and then annoy everyone else by being crazy in love and not getting married fast enough 😂
***
spoiler for those who don't know who Rose ends up with:
Uncle Alec is what a true wali is like. He honors and supports and cherishes his niece so much that she has high standards and expectations for any potential husbands.
***
I had to include this quote for multiple reasons:
(spoiler for those who don't know who rose ends up with):
First of all, HOW CUTE ARE THEY???
Second of all, the comment about scaring men away like a "yellow flag" is significant in their historical context. At this time cholera epidemics were raging around the world, carried faster than ever via steamships and railways. Ships that needed to quarantine because of cholera were required to wave a yellow flag to let others be aware. So of course, the world would avoid them...like the plague. https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/histor...
------------
first read: 2016
2016
I liked this more than Little Women! But then again, I read it when I was a little older than I was when reading Little Women so I appreciated it more. I might re-read Little Women soon...
January 18, 2023
Rose in Bloom is an Alcott I hadn’t returned to since reading it the first time. Rose from Eight Cousins is all grown up and ready to make her way in the world. Yet, we spend most of the novel with her at home; Alcott elides the interesting parts of her life and focuses on marrying her off to one of those eight cousins.
Oddly enough, eccentric Uncle Alec doesn’t want Rose to marry a cousin. Imagine! Yet, he is completely oblivious to the fact that his machinations have set her up to do just that. He is so antagonistic toward Rose participating in society that she is left to think of only marrying her relations. He has also cultivated her to feel obligated to fix other people’s lives, so she is compelled to marry the worst of the lot, Charlie, who only wants her for her fortune (at least early on, and the narrative is very clear about his mercenary inclination). At this point, Rose in Bloom becomes a dreary temperance novel, in which the only lift is the humor coming from Alcott’s personal inclination to tipple, leaving the teetotaling to her characters.
It also must be said that Alcott toes an odd line with racism regarding the recurring character of Fun See. She marries him off to Rose’s friend Annabel, which is nice, but the way Rose talks about him and his culture turned my stomach. Yet, Alcott almost always frowns upon other cultures in her fiction. She glorifies the USA as much as any author of her time, and I can think of many, many examples where she derides other cultures in favor of US supremacy, exceptionalism, whatever you want to call it. Professor Bhaer in Little Women is the only major exception to the rule. Evidently, Alcott was impressed by the material culture of her foreign tours but underwhelmed by the society. That’s a real disappointment when I think of other European-tour stories, like Betsy and the Great World, because imagine Alcott writing chummily instead of snottily about other cultures!
I kept thinking of Mansfield Park while reading Rose in Bloom. They have a few similarities--a wealthy family, cousin marriage, a highly principled heroine. Yet, I love Fanny Price and Mansfield Park in a way that I don't love Rose in Bloom. Perhaps because Fanny is principled from her inmost self, not to please an Uncle Alec. Fanny endures actual trials and proves herself, while Rose is untested. Fanny is also less outgoing and active than Rose, and has no great personal wealth. I just find the comparisons interesting.
Yet, at the end of the day, I do like Rose and Mac, and only the blood-purist Campbell aunts could disdain dear Phebe and Archie. I like Mac’s character growth and the way Rose grows from admiration to friendship to love. I also really enjoy the benevolence portions, as Alcott has a good grasp of “when helping hurts.” Yet, all of that is explored to better effect in A Garland for Girls, which remains one of my favorites of her fiction. All of that is quite pleasant, but Rose in Bloom suffers from being so homebound and moralistic. And this from me, who loves a good domestic novel; it’s just that Eight Cousins did it already with the same cast of characters. Had it extolled virtue over moralism, it would be a much better novel.
Oddly enough, eccentric Uncle Alec doesn’t want Rose to marry a cousin. Imagine! Yet, he is completely oblivious to the fact that his machinations have set her up to do just that. He is so antagonistic toward Rose participating in society that she is left to think of only marrying her relations. He has also cultivated her to feel obligated to fix other people’s lives, so she is compelled to marry the worst of the lot, Charlie, who only wants her for her fortune (at least early on, and the narrative is very clear about his mercenary inclination). At this point, Rose in Bloom becomes a dreary temperance novel, in which the only lift is the humor coming from Alcott’s personal inclination to tipple, leaving the teetotaling to her characters.
It also must be said that Alcott toes an odd line with racism regarding the recurring character of Fun See. She marries him off to Rose’s friend Annabel, which is nice, but the way Rose talks about him and his culture turned my stomach. Yet, Alcott almost always frowns upon other cultures in her fiction. She glorifies the USA as much as any author of her time, and I can think of many, many examples where she derides other cultures in favor of US supremacy, exceptionalism, whatever you want to call it. Professor Bhaer in Little Women is the only major exception to the rule. Evidently, Alcott was impressed by the material culture of her foreign tours but underwhelmed by the society. That’s a real disappointment when I think of other European-tour stories, like Betsy and the Great World, because imagine Alcott writing chummily instead of snottily about other cultures!
I kept thinking of Mansfield Park while reading Rose in Bloom. They have a few similarities--a wealthy family, cousin marriage, a highly principled heroine. Yet, I love Fanny Price and Mansfield Park in a way that I don't love Rose in Bloom. Perhaps because Fanny is principled from her inmost self, not to please an Uncle Alec. Fanny endures actual trials and proves herself, while Rose is untested. Fanny is also less outgoing and active than Rose, and has no great personal wealth. I just find the comparisons interesting.
Yet, at the end of the day, I do like Rose and Mac, and only the blood-purist Campbell aunts could disdain dear Phebe and Archie. I like Mac’s character growth and the way Rose grows from admiration to friendship to love. I also really enjoy the benevolence portions, as Alcott has a good grasp of “when helping hurts.” Yet, all of that is explored to better effect in A Garland for Girls, which remains one of my favorites of her fiction. All of that is quite pleasant, but Rose in Bloom suffers from being so homebound and moralistic. And this from me, who loves a good domestic novel; it’s just that Eight Cousins did it already with the same cast of characters. Had it extolled virtue over moralism, it would be a much better novel.
January 1, 2026
I loved re-visiting one of the favorite stories of my childhood at the beginning of a new year--a year in which I turn 65, the official start of old age! So glad to remind myself that, in some ways, that young bookworm inside me hasn't changed all that much. A comfort read :)
July 5, 2024
Rose has returned from a year abroad to find that most of her boy cousins have quite grown up while she was away. Suddenly, they are all on the brink of adulthood and beginning to think of careers and romance. Rose must choose her path in life carefully while she begins to gradually bloom.
I love this marvelous sequel to Eight Cousins! It has a more mature purpose and some darker themes than the first book. There are themes about alcoholism, death, clan loyalty, elitism, philanthropy, and having strong moral principles. This is another Alcott book with moral lessons in every other chapter, but I love it! The morals are woven so nicely into the story, that I don't mind being preached at in this wholesome way.
I love Phebe and Rose's sweet friendship even more in this second book than in the first one! Those two girls are so close and affectionate, and they are fiercely loyal and ready to brave anything to protect their friend. It's so refreshing to read about a strong female friendship!
All the boy cousins have great personalities and fun scenes, but the three with the most depth and development are the three oldest boys, Archie, Mac, and Charlie. I loved seeing how they grow and develop through the story, and especially how Rose herself influences them for good.
I love this marvelous sequel to Eight Cousins! It has a more mature purpose and some darker themes than the first book. There are themes about alcoholism, death, clan loyalty, elitism, philanthropy, and having strong moral principles. This is another Alcott book with moral lessons in every other chapter, but I love it! The morals are woven so nicely into the story, that I don't mind being preached at in this wholesome way.
I love Phebe and Rose's sweet friendship even more in this second book than in the first one! Those two girls are so close and affectionate, and they are fiercely loyal and ready to brave anything to protect their friend. It's so refreshing to read about a strong female friendship!
All the boy cousins have great personalities and fun scenes, but the three with the most depth and development are the three oldest boys, Archie, Mac, and Charlie. I loved seeing how they grow and develop through the story, and especially how Rose herself influences them for good.
February 22, 2021
This was so good! I loved it so much and even tho I did cry around 65% into this book and just wanted to throw it against the wall and was soooooooo mad at Louisa May Alcott, it ended up being an awesome book and one of my new favorites.
October 17, 2018
I was already a hardcore fan of Little Women when my mother pleased me very much one Christmas by giving me a matching hardcover set of the two Eight Cousins books which I hadn't as yet read (why not? I'm sure they were in the local public library). I thought they were great, just as good as Little Women in their way, and I confess that at that young age (something like 11) I wanted to be Rose Campbell just a little bit more than I wanted to be Jo March. Rereading them for the first time as an adult (not the same copies -- though I remember them fondly for the sake of my mother's thoughtfulness, they were not particularly attractive modern reprints, and they fell by the wayside at some point in the last three decades), I discover that really, nothing Alcott wrote is ever going to match up anywhere close to her most famous book. The attractions of rich pretty Rose and her bevy of adoring cousins and the good times they have remain, but the moralizing preachiness of the books stood out and got in the way far more than it had in my memory. Perhaps I was better at tuning it out back then? Perhaps I simply whole-heartedly agreed that frivolity and any amount of alchohol, even a sip of wine, was unequivocally bad? (I was a rather prudish child).
I suspect that as a child I reread Eight Cousins rather more than Rose in Bloom. Although I remembered all of the outcomes for the older set of cousins (save for Steve's sweet little romance) there was much in the book that felt fresh. I found Rose's complicated feelings about Charlie surprisingly nuanced, and I appreciated things like Rose having a philosophical awakening after reading Emerson. The ending was satisfying, and makes me feel that preferring to be Rose rather than Jo is actually a pretty savvy choice.
So I enjoyed it, but wonder if I will ever reread these books again. This makes me wish that I had completed my collection of the very attractive Little Brown early 1900s illustrated editions of Alcott's works before reading this one. Rose in Bloom is the only one I lack, but I mistakenly thought I had it -- otherwise I wouldn't have embarked on the reread. Now I'm faced with this quandary: is it worth spending money on a pretty book you will most likely never crack open, except to look at the pictures? A final minor note on editions: I really like the cover of this paperback I've shelved that I checked out of the library. There is Rose looking pre-raphaelite (as described at one point in the text) and there are the little statues of Cupid and Psyche. The illustrator clearly read the book to the end and paid attention!
I suspect that as a child I reread Eight Cousins rather more than Rose in Bloom. Although I remembered all of the outcomes for the older set of cousins (save for Steve's sweet little romance) there was much in the book that felt fresh. I found Rose's complicated feelings about Charlie surprisingly nuanced, and I appreciated things like Rose having a philosophical awakening after reading Emerson. The ending was satisfying, and makes me feel that preferring to be Rose rather than Jo is actually a pretty savvy choice.
So I enjoyed it, but wonder if I will ever reread these books again. This makes me wish that I had completed my collection of the very attractive Little Brown early 1900s illustrated editions of Alcott's works before reading this one. Rose in Bloom is the only one I lack, but I mistakenly thought I had it -- otherwise I wouldn't have embarked on the reread. Now I'm faced with this quandary: is it worth spending money on a pretty book you will most likely never crack open, except to look at the pictures? A final minor note on editions: I really like the cover of this paperback I've shelved that I checked out of the library. There is Rose looking pre-raphaelite (as described at one point in the text) and there are the little statues of Cupid and Psyche. The illustrator clearly read the book to the end and paid attention!
May 16, 2015
In my somewhat limited experience, all Alcott's main characters are exactly the same. I swear you couldn't tell them apart. I also swear that one of the matronly women in this book had the same line regarding her children as Jo did in that peasant festival Jo's Boys.
But regardless of the lack of originality, I gave up trying to like this book when the rich and nearly perfect and naturally gorgeous and abysmally dull Rose has multiple men literally throwing themselves at her.
Just as a note, I detest the idea that good and moral characters are automatically dull, but sometimes they actually are, and that would be the case here.
But regardless of the lack of originality, I gave up trying to like this book when the rich and nearly perfect and naturally gorgeous and abysmally dull Rose has multiple men literally throwing themselves at her.
Just as a note, I detest the idea that good and moral characters are automatically dull, but sometimes they actually are, and that would be the case here.
September 22, 2024
A sequel worth of its name. You just can't read Eight Cousins without reading Rose in Bloom right after it. 🥰
September 9, 2021
Another wonderful Alcott book. This one is just a delight.
January 18, 2021
I don't know if Louisa May Alcott intentionally *tried* to spoil her wonderful characters from "Eight Cousins", but they are definetly ruined.
I picked up "Eight Cousins" when I was quite young, because I had nothing to read, and I'd enjoyed "Little Women". Turns out, I ended up liking it much more than "Little Women"; mostly because it was significantly less preachy.
"Eight Cousins" isn't perfect. You can tell Alcott was an educator and, at a lack of a better word, wanted to blatantly brainwash her readers with her values and views. Some values stood the test of time, like family closeness and respecting your elders. Others stick out as either very sexist or like Alcott believes that having fun is a sin (like when Rose's ear piercing is considering as bad or worse than when her male cousin's smoke). Somethings simply don't translate into nowadays.
But "Eight Cousins" is a relatively harmless book. No kid nowadays will be brainwashed by it, because the bulk of the novel, which is about the family dynamic, is well written, and one can stand to ignore the annoying and preachy parts of the boom, since they are so few.
Fast forward to "Rose in Bloom" and yikes. I brought this as an e-book on an eight hours flight to and from India, and it was hell being left with it. I skimmed the last 50 pages, and that's something I never do.
Bible quotes are abundant, and the apparent purpose of the book is to teach kids that fun is immoral and that being good has to necessarily be boring or you aren't doing it right. The one 3-Dimensional character is killed off - the only character with flaws as well as qualities. Because for Alcott you're either virtuous or a sinner, and there's nothing left in the middle. Of course, said character died being a sinner, failing at redeeming himself for the woman he loves, and she never really loved him much anyways and moves on within months, because one way or the other, he drank licor and enjoyed being with his friends, and so didn't deserve good things.
Meanwhile, Rose and the rest of the characters prove that to be good you absolutely can't have any fun whatsoever. You can't, for instance, go to parties and still care about the poor. It's one or the other. If you like parties you're a sinner. And if you ever have the instinct to go out and buy yourself a nice dress don't because that's a sin too, and you should give your money to an Irish girl you can look down on, and then pat yourself on the back for how much better you are than her. Also, if you are being good, you are allowed to look down on people and be patronizing and people will love you. In sum: if you ever have the instinct of spending money on yourself you are a bad, bad person. You also aren't allowed to have friends outside your direct family.
Other things that are a sin include professions that don't directly help other people, so only be a doctor or a lawyer - or, if you have the money, a philanthropist. For some reason it is immoral to be an actor. Characters int he book agree that it is, to paraphrase, "Better and more honourable to be a lousy doctor than a successful actor". Yeah, because actors give nothing to society, like fun and distraction (which, again, are immoral) or even educational services, but being a bad doctor who might kill you is ok.
To sum things up: lots of annoying bible quotes, best character dies, nobody has any hobby or interest whatsoever because being good is all-consuming, the adults in the series basically stop existing, except to give worldly advise because age necessarily equals wisdom and Rose has a weird Oedipus Complex with Uncle Alec that is just disturbing. She ends up adopting, alone and unmarried, a small child at age circa 18, but don't worry. She does get a husband. Because that's what's important in life.
I picked up "Eight Cousins" when I was quite young, because I had nothing to read, and I'd enjoyed "Little Women". Turns out, I ended up liking it much more than "Little Women"; mostly because it was significantly less preachy.
"Eight Cousins" isn't perfect. You can tell Alcott was an educator and, at a lack of a better word, wanted to blatantly brainwash her readers with her values and views. Some values stood the test of time, like family closeness and respecting your elders. Others stick out as either very sexist or like Alcott believes that having fun is a sin (like when Rose's ear piercing is considering as bad or worse than when her male cousin's smoke). Somethings simply don't translate into nowadays.
But "Eight Cousins" is a relatively harmless book. No kid nowadays will be brainwashed by it, because the bulk of the novel, which is about the family dynamic, is well written, and one can stand to ignore the annoying and preachy parts of the boom, since they are so few.
Fast forward to "Rose in Bloom" and yikes. I brought this as an e-book on an eight hours flight to and from India, and it was hell being left with it. I skimmed the last 50 pages, and that's something I never do.
Bible quotes are abundant, and the apparent purpose of the book is to teach kids that fun is immoral and that being good has to necessarily be boring or you aren't doing it right. The one 3-Dimensional character is killed off - the only character with flaws as well as qualities. Because for Alcott you're either virtuous or a sinner, and there's nothing left in the middle. Of course, said character died being a sinner, failing at redeeming himself for the woman he loves, and she never really loved him much anyways and moves on within months, because one way or the other, he drank licor and enjoyed being with his friends, and so didn't deserve good things.
Meanwhile, Rose and the rest of the characters prove that to be good you absolutely can't have any fun whatsoever. You can't, for instance, go to parties and still care about the poor. It's one or the other. If you like parties you're a sinner. And if you ever have the instinct to go out and buy yourself a nice dress don't because that's a sin too, and you should give your money to an Irish girl you can look down on, and then pat yourself on the back for how much better you are than her. Also, if you are being good, you are allowed to look down on people and be patronizing and people will love you. In sum: if you ever have the instinct of spending money on yourself you are a bad, bad person. You also aren't allowed to have friends outside your direct family.
Other things that are a sin include professions that don't directly help other people, so only be a doctor or a lawyer - or, if you have the money, a philanthropist. For some reason it is immoral to be an actor. Characters int he book agree that it is, to paraphrase, "Better and more honourable to be a lousy doctor than a successful actor". Yeah, because actors give nothing to society, like fun and distraction (which, again, are immoral) or even educational services, but being a bad doctor who might kill you is ok.
To sum things up: lots of annoying bible quotes, best character dies, nobody has any hobby or interest whatsoever because being good is all-consuming, the adults in the series basically stop existing, except to give worldly advise because age necessarily equals wisdom and Rose has a weird Oedipus Complex with Uncle Alec that is just disturbing. She ends up adopting, alone and unmarried, a small child at age circa 18, but don't worry. She does get a husband. Because that's what's important in life.
October 14, 2022
I liked this one less than Eight Cousins for several reasons.
First, unless in special cases I disaprove of cousins marrying.
I really liked Archie and Phoebe together. I think Archie is the type a lot of people are unfair to. Just because he is serious and does what is right doesn't mean he is "too old for his age" "too serious" "I like to see a bit more boyish romance in him" etc. Is annoying. It isn't fair. Than when he does get romantic and exciting, everyone is majorly annoyed. *rolls eyes*
Charlie I was irritated with, but I felt sorry too, and was enraged with what happened.
Mac I pretty much felt the same for.
Steven I liked a tiny bit better.
No thoughts of Will and Geordie.
Jamie still has the unfortunate thing for saying things not meant to be said:-)
So it was an okay book.
First, unless in special cases I disaprove of cousins marrying.
I really liked Archie and Phoebe together. I think Archie is the type a lot of people are unfair to. Just because he is serious and does what is right doesn't mean he is "too old for his age" "too serious" "I like to see a bit more boyish romance in him" etc. Is annoying. It isn't fair. Than when he does get romantic and exciting, everyone is majorly annoyed. *rolls eyes*
Charlie I was irritated with, but I felt sorry too, and was enraged with what happened.
Mac I pretty much felt the same for.
Steven I liked a tiny bit better.
No thoughts of Will and Geordie.
Jamie still has the unfortunate thing for saying things not meant to be said:-)
So it was an okay book.
July 22, 2022
Reread 2022
3.6/5 stars. Yes Louisa made me cry but maybe (just maybe) crying alone shouldn’t be the only benchmark for how much I love a book. With an older mind and a closer eye this book actually detracts many of its feminist statements it sets up in the beginning, so thanks for nothing, Louisa. We get some good romance though.
Justice for C.C.C.
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 4/5
Pacing: 4/5
Writing: 3/5
Enjoyment: 4/5
__________
4/5 stars
The ridiculously slow pace at which I read this book might seem like evidence to the contrary, but I enjoyed this book so much more than the first! Eight Cousins was cute, it was very sweet and I think it gave a very necessary introduction to the personalities and relationships between the characters of this story, but in retrospect that entire book just feels like a setup for this story to be told.
I think much of what I said in my review for Eight Cousins holds true for this book as well. Rose continued to be a sweet and ambitious heroine as she aged- can I interject to mention that this book takes place MUCH later than I thought from the first, not just a few years but practically a decade!- and I loved her all the more for it. It's easy for some growing young women to be written off as shallow and unintelligent, and I have a great respect for Louisa May Alcott thanks to her handling of characters such as these (particularly considering the time period she was writing in). Just one of the many examples, this one only 10 pages into the book: "...I believe that it is as much a right and a duty for women to do something with their lives as for men, and we are not going to be satisfied with such frivolous parts as you give us." cried Rose, with kindling eyes. "I mean what I say, and you cannot laugh me down... We've got minds and souls as well as hearts; ambition and talents as well as beauty and accomplishments; and we want to live and learn as well as love and be loved. I'm sick of being told that is all a woman is fit for! I won't have anything to do with love till I prove that I am something besides a housekeeper and baby-tender!" Let 'em have it, Rose!
It was so delightful seeing all of her cousins grown up as well. I think Alcott did a beautiful job of staying true to the personalities she assigned them as children while appropriately maturing them (well, some boys more than others). Archie, Charlie, and Mac really pull on my heartstrings, and I love them even more as men than I did as boys. What was a delightful surprise, however, was how relevant Steve became in this sequel! I not only knew who he was this time around (see my Eight Cousins review) but found myself growing rather fond of him. All those Campbell boys are just so lovable in their own ways, honestly. That goes for Uncle Alec and Uncle Mac too!
Maybe I'm just a romantic, but I think a huge part of my enjoyment increasing is the matured ages of the characters, hence romance plotlines. I love courting and hidden feelings and disapproving elders and semi-love triangles... I just ate it all up! But the good news is that for people who are less interested in those bits, we still get a lot of the kinds of scenes from the first book. Lovely moments in Rose and Phebe's friendship, Rose doing her best to be good and charitable and make Uncle proud, the boys being foolish... it's all still there. I love the messages of self-improvement and selflessness that are always given by Rose and, in this book, often reflected in the boys.
Alright I suppose I'm starting to ramble at this point, so I'll just leave it at this. Rose in Bloom is equally charming as Eight Cousins, but with higher stakes- and for that reason I really loved it.
3.6/5 stars. Yes Louisa made me cry but maybe (just maybe) crying alone shouldn’t be the only benchmark for how much I love a book. With an older mind and a closer eye this book actually detracts many of its feminist statements it sets up in the beginning, so thanks for nothing, Louisa. We get some good romance though.
Justice for C.C.C.
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 4/5
Pacing: 4/5
Writing: 3/5
Enjoyment: 4/5
__________
4/5 stars
The ridiculously slow pace at which I read this book might seem like evidence to the contrary, but I enjoyed this book so much more than the first! Eight Cousins was cute, it was very sweet and I think it gave a very necessary introduction to the personalities and relationships between the characters of this story, but in retrospect that entire book just feels like a setup for this story to be told.
I think much of what I said in my review for Eight Cousins holds true for this book as well. Rose continued to be a sweet and ambitious heroine as she aged- can I interject to mention that this book takes place MUCH later than I thought from the first, not just a few years but practically a decade!- and I loved her all the more for it. It's easy for some growing young women to be written off as shallow and unintelligent, and I have a great respect for Louisa May Alcott thanks to her handling of characters such as these (particularly considering the time period she was writing in). Just one of the many examples, this one only 10 pages into the book: "...I believe that it is as much a right and a duty for women to do something with their lives as for men, and we are not going to be satisfied with such frivolous parts as you give us." cried Rose, with kindling eyes. "I mean what I say, and you cannot laugh me down... We've got minds and souls as well as hearts; ambition and talents as well as beauty and accomplishments; and we want to live and learn as well as love and be loved. I'm sick of being told that is all a woman is fit for! I won't have anything to do with love till I prove that I am something besides a housekeeper and baby-tender!" Let 'em have it, Rose!
It was so delightful seeing all of her cousins grown up as well. I think Alcott did a beautiful job of staying true to the personalities she assigned them as children while appropriately maturing them (well, some boys more than others). Archie, Charlie, and Mac really pull on my heartstrings, and I love them even more as men than I did as boys. What was a delightful surprise, however, was how relevant Steve became in this sequel! I not only knew who he was this time around (see my Eight Cousins review) but found myself growing rather fond of him. All those Campbell boys are just so lovable in their own ways, honestly. That goes for Uncle Alec and Uncle Mac too!
Maybe I'm just a romantic, but I think a huge part of my enjoyment increasing is the matured ages of the characters, hence romance plotlines. I love courting and hidden feelings and disapproving elders and semi-love triangles... I just ate it all up! But the good news is that for people who are less interested in those bits, we still get a lot of the kinds of scenes from the first book. Lovely moments in Rose and Phebe's friendship, Rose doing her best to be good and charitable and make Uncle proud, the boys being foolish... it's all still there. I love the messages of self-improvement and selflessness that are always given by Rose and, in this book, often reflected in the boys.
Alright I suppose I'm starting to ramble at this point, so I'll just leave it at this. Rose in Bloom is equally charming as Eight Cousins, but with higher stakes- and for that reason I really loved it.
May 14, 2012
I first read this sequel to Eight Cousins when I was 12 years old. I didn't realize it at the time, but it was my first romance novel. Rose is 20 now, and has just returned from a 2-year trip abroad with Uncle Alec and her friend Phebe. All the boys, save Jamie, are grown men now, and Rose feels awkward when she realizes the aunts expect her to marry one of her cousins. (Ick, but I guess this was OK among the wealthy Victorians, to keep the fortune in the family.)
I adored and admired Rose when I was a child. She allowed herself to sample the frivolity of society, but decided it wasn't for her. She tried to read a trashy novel but was too ashamed of herself to continue. She thought about buying herself haute couture in Paris, but decided she would rather maintain Uncle Alec's high regard. She nearly buys herself some silk fabric for a new gown, but spends the money on a hungry women instead. Etc etc etc. There is no end to Rose's goodness. As a child, I thought she was great, and I still do, but now as an adult I'm thinking "Read the damn book, Rose, it's okay to have fun!" and "Come back tomorrow with more money--you have plenty of it--and buy yourself the silk!"
SPOILER ALERT:
I was completely in love with the charming Charlie when I was 12 years old. He was so dashing, and he so handsomely wooed Rose. I was devastated by the turn his story took. I wept over that poor young man. Now as an adult I am annoyed that Alcott had him die before Rose could decide if she would love him or not. My adult self can see that he is not right for Rose and that her life with him would have been unhappy, but I would prefer Rose make that realization with him alive.
I adored and admired Rose when I was a child. She allowed herself to sample the frivolity of society, but decided it wasn't for her. She tried to read a trashy novel but was too ashamed of herself to continue. She thought about buying herself haute couture in Paris, but decided she would rather maintain Uncle Alec's high regard. She nearly buys herself some silk fabric for a new gown, but spends the money on a hungry women instead. Etc etc etc. There is no end to Rose's goodness. As a child, I thought she was great, and I still do, but now as an adult I'm thinking "Read the damn book, Rose, it's okay to have fun!" and "Come back tomorrow with more money--you have plenty of it--and buy yourself the silk!"
SPOILER ALERT:
I was completely in love with the charming Charlie when I was 12 years old. He was so dashing, and he so handsomely wooed Rose. I was devastated by the turn his story took. I wept over that poor young man. Now as an adult I am annoyed that Alcott had him die before Rose could decide if she would love him or not. My adult self can see that he is not right for Rose and that her life with him would have been unhappy, but I would prefer Rose make that realization with him alive.
March 26, 2012
This has a vague spoiler in it. Fair warning.
Much as I love Eight Cousins, I find my pleasure in Rose in Bloom lessens as I age. Not so much for the 'preachiness' of the virtues you find in all of her books- they are, after all, meant to be pleasant ways to learn to be a good person. But I felt her decision to remove the one love interest from the story was taking the easy way out in resolving both the love triangle and that character's personal faults. Most of Alcott's books deal with the loss of loved ones, so it was not unexpected. I simply felt like she was punishing the character for being self-destructive, rather than having him deal with his internal demons. (I have the same problem with Dan in Jo's Boys. I feel the lesson that 'if you are wicked and repent, you will still come to a bad end' is not one that should be taught.)
If a sweet (and at times, bittersweet) romance of Victorian youth and idealism is what you're in the mood for, this is a lovely one to reach for.
Much as I love Eight Cousins, I find my pleasure in Rose in Bloom lessens as I age. Not so much for the 'preachiness' of the virtues you find in all of her books- they are, after all, meant to be pleasant ways to learn to be a good person. But I felt her decision to remove the one love interest from the story was taking the easy way out in resolving both the love triangle and that character's personal faults. Most of Alcott's books deal with the loss of loved ones, so it was not unexpected. I simply felt like she was punishing the character for being self-destructive, rather than having him deal with his internal demons. (I have the same problem with Dan in Jo's Boys. I feel the lesson that 'if you are wicked and repent, you will still come to a bad end' is not one that should be taught.)
If a sweet (and at times, bittersweet) romance of Victorian youth and idealism is what you're in the mood for, this is a lovely one to reach for.
January 5, 2026
A sentimental journey with an old favourite. Rose in Bloom was (and still is) my favourite Alcott novel, and although I had clear recall of most of the episodes after 50 years, I still enjoyed the re-read. In this novel, the sequel to Eight Cousins, Rose is in her late teens to early twenties, and in receipt of her inheritance. She has chosen philanthropy as her career, and continues to be the belle of the Campbell family, surrounded by her seven male cousins and aunts and uncles.
I like Rose In Bloom because it is a rare book that deals with the importance of having a good character, and how to build strong internal resources. Rose has been raised well, and she thinks about what it means to be a good person. It's clear that Alcott was influenced by Emerson and Thoreau, who were family friends, and Rose and cousin Mac read their works in this novel. I think Rose In Bloom holds up well after 150 years of being in print (originally published January 1876). Will probably read it again one fine day after I retire.
I like Rose In Bloom because it is a rare book that deals with the importance of having a good character, and how to build strong internal resources. Rose has been raised well, and she thinks about what it means to be a good person. It's clear that Alcott was influenced by Emerson and Thoreau, who were family friends, and Rose and cousin Mac read their works in this novel. I think Rose In Bloom holds up well after 150 years of being in print (originally published January 1876). Will probably read it again one fine day after I retire.
August 7, 2015
I'm really sorry, Louisa May Alcott. Please don't come back from the grave to haunt me for this one-star review. But CMONNN.
I really really enjoyed Eight Cousins. I loved the atmosphere, the fun day-to-day life, and their experiences. Rose In Bloom takes place 2 years later after Rose has spent time abroad with Uncle Alec and Phebes. Apparently, during those 2 years, every character in the book died on the inside, because this was insufferably BORING.
I'm definitely gonna have to take a long mental break from Alcott before I read Little Women, and hopefully this bad taste in my mouth will go away after some time.
Again, regarding this book, sorry, Ms. Alcott, it's not me, it's you.
I really really enjoyed Eight Cousins. I loved the atmosphere, the fun day-to-day life, and their experiences. Rose In Bloom takes place 2 years later after Rose has spent time abroad with Uncle Alec and Phebes. Apparently, during those 2 years, every character in the book died on the inside, because this was insufferably BORING.
I'm definitely gonna have to take a long mental break from Alcott before I read Little Women, and hopefully this bad taste in my mouth will go away after some time.
Again, regarding this book, sorry, Ms. Alcott, it's not me, it's you.
April 7, 2020
This certainly did not turn out the way I thought it would.
Somehow Alcott always manages to contrive the most unlikely and unexpected romances for her heroines, always saving them for the very last pages. Perhaps this is due to the fact that Alcott herself didn't necessarily want to marry off her heroines. She wanted to have them shine for themselves, to take the center place at the stage and keep them there.
Rose is no exception.
I quite enjoyed this little comedy of manners, romance and youth. There's tragedy here as well, but Alcott more than anything knew how to make light in the dark, so it always feels bearable. Conquerable, even.
Somehow Alcott always manages to contrive the most unlikely and unexpected romances for her heroines, always saving them for the very last pages. Perhaps this is due to the fact that Alcott herself didn't necessarily want to marry off her heroines. She wanted to have them shine for themselves, to take the center place at the stage and keep them there.
Rose is no exception.
I quite enjoyed this little comedy of manners, romance and youth. There's tragedy here as well, but Alcott more than anything knew how to make light in the dark, so it always feels bearable. Conquerable, even.
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