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Little Women #1
نساء صغيرات
تحكي هذه الرواية عن حياة أربع فتيات ( ميغ ـ جوـ بيث ـ آيمي...مارش ) عاشوا في زمن الحرب التي اندلعت بين الشمال والجنوب في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية. وقد رحل والدهم مع الجيش ليساعد في العناية بالمرضى والجرحى. وقد كانت عائلة مارش في الماضي من العائلات الغنية الا أن والدهم فقد أمواله وهو يحاول مساعدة صديق له.
عانت العائلة من الفقر المتقع الا أن هذا لم يمنعها من مساعدة الفقراء والتخلي عن متعهن في سبيل اسعاد أي شخص محتاج. وبسبب طيبة قلبهن واخلاقهن تتعمق أواصر الصداقة بينهم وبين السيد العجوز وحفيده في المنزل المجاور.
تمر العائلة بسلسلة من المواقف المحزنه ولكنها بالمقابل لا تخلو من المواقف السعيدة والمفرحة والتي تحرك مشاعر القارئ عند قراءته لهذه الرواية.
الرواية مقتبسة عن تجارب طفولة الكاتبة مع شقيقاتها الثلاث.
عانت العائلة من الفقر المتقع الا أن هذا لم يمنعها من مساعدة الفقراء والتخلي عن متعهن في سبيل اسعاد أي شخص محتاج. وبسبب طيبة قلبهن واخلاقهن تتعمق أواصر الصداقة بينهم وبين السيد العجوز وحفيده في المنزل المجاور.
تمر العائلة بسلسلة من المواقف المحزنه ولكنها بالمقابل لا تخلو من المواقف السعيدة والمفرحة والتي تحرك مشاعر القارئ عند قراءته لهذه الرواية.
الرواية مقتبسة عن تجارب طفولة الكاتبة مع شقيقاتها الثلاث.
First published September 30, 1868
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About the author
Louisa May Alcott
4,042 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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December 31, 2024
Some books read like a lifelong friendship, each page a warm or comforting embrace as you laugh and weep along with the characters. Little Women by L.M. Alcott is an enduring and endearing classic that will nestle its way so deep into your heart that you’ll wonder if the sound of turning pages has become your new heartbeat in your chest. To read the novel is a magical experience, and we are all like Laurie peering in through the March’s window and relishing in the warmth within. I have long loved the film adaptations and make it a holiday tradition to ensure I at least watch it every December (it has Christmas in it, it counts), so it was fascinating to finally read the actual novel and return to character I feel I’ve always known yet still find it fresh and even more lovely than ever before. Semi-autobiographical, Alcott traces the lives of the four March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy, and their struggles to make their own way in a society that offers little use for women beyond the household. An emotional epic and moving family saga full of strong characters, sharp criticisms on society and gender roles, and a beautiful plea to dispense with the worship of wealth and find true purpose and value in simplicity, nature and generosity.
‘I've got the key to my castle in the air, but whether I can unlock the door remains to be seen.’
Little Women will leave your heart full and your pen dry from underlining the seemingly endless lovely passages. I’d like to thank Adira and her wonderful review for convincing me to finally actually read this and not just watch the movie again (I did last night though, because who doesn’t want to relive the joy of yelling “Bob Odenkirk?!” in a theater and later sobbing) because, just when I thought I couldn’t love this story more, now I’m fully engulfed by it. Surely enough has been written about this book already, but i like to ramble about things I love so here’s a more I guess (I’ll try to keep it shorter than usual [having finished writing it now, I failed]). But how can you not be with such incredible characters? Jo is of course the favorite, but I think part of loving this book is wanting to be Jo and realizing you are Amy, but each character touches your heart in their own way. Mr. Laurence and Beth’s connection with the piano and lost daughters makes me teary just writing this. Alcott based the story on her real family and one can read a genuine love for the characters pouring from every page.
‘Wealth is certainly a most desirable thing, but poverty has its sunny side, and one of the sweet uses of adversity is the genuine satisfaction which comes from hearty work of head or hand, and to the inspiration of necessity, we owe half the wise, beautiful, and useful blessings of the world.’
Alcott was a transcendentalist and many of her beliefs shine through in the novel. Much of this came from her father and one will be pleased to learn that the real Mr. March—Amos Bronson Alcott—was as radical in his time as his fictional counterpart. An abolitionist who also advocated for women’s rights, Amos became a major transcendentalist figure along with his friend, Ralph Waldo Emerson. Alcott’s mother was equally radical for her time too, and many of their teachings arrive here through Mrs. March to her children. There is, of course, the belief in nature as the ideal, such as when the March girls, having little jewelry, adorn themselves in flowers instead. Even Laurie states ‘I don’t like fuss and feathers,’ another instance of a return to simplicity over flashy status symbols. There is also the belief in generosity, which is seen throughout with the March family always involved in helping others, and the belief that hard work is important, but not for profit reasons but because it leads to spiritual and emotional happiness and freedom.
Towards the start of the novel, the mother advises the children to be like Christian from John Bunyan’s allegorical novel The Pilgrim's Progress and we can see how Little Women follows a similar fashion of Pilgrim’s being knowledge gained through the travel of a life lived, and each daughter is shown to face certain trials and must learn to bear their burdens, like Jo’s anger, Amy’s desire to be liked, Meg’s desire for vanity, Beth’s passivity. But the largest burdens here are those of love and labor.
‘Women, they have minds, and they have souls, as well as just hearts. And they’ve got ambition, and they’ve got talent, as well as just beauty. I’m so sick of people saying that love is all a woman is fit for.’
The relationship to work is threaded through the entire novel. We have Jo and Amy who wish to be great and break from the traditional mold for women in society. Jo wants to be a writer, though she only publishes scandalous stories under a false name, and Amy desires to be a painter. And neither will settle for anything less than greatness ‘because talent isn't genius, Amy states, ‘and no amount of energy can make it so. I want to be great, or nothing.’ Meg and Beth, on the other hand, show different routes a woman can take. The novel questions if women can find happiness outside marriage and caring for a household, and these struggles bash against social expectations along the way.
‘ I'll try and be what he loves to call me, 'a little woman,' and not be rough and wild; but do my duty here instead of wanting to be somewhere else.’
‘ I can't get over my disappointment in not being a boy,’ Jo quips, and a major part of Little Women is a critique of gender roles and how they stifle people in society. Laurie is an excellent foil to Jo, in many ways, but is also a way that Alcott addresses and subverts gender expectations. Jo and Laurie both use shortened versions of their name that seem to cross gender expectations (even though Laurie didn’t like being called Dora) and in many ways Jo tends to represent more masculine behavior while Laurie often a more feminine role. While Meg dresses in finery and tries to fill the traditional role of a woman, Jo prefers to romp in nature in simple or dirty garments and behave, by her own admission, like a boy.
Recently there has been a lot of discussion on the author’s gender and sexuality, with even the New York Times writing an opinion piece wondering if Alcott or Jo was a trans man. I know that frustrates some people but personally I find it interesting to think about, even if a bit anachronistic, but it seems to be a genuine question people investigate about authors who subvert gender expectations (think how often it was avoided to discuss Virginia Woolf’s sexuality in the past and now we have letters and look at scenes in Mrs Dalloway and think “oh yea, that makes total sense”). Honestly, I say Jo is whatever you want Jo to be. Trans, lesbian, ace, or just a girl pushing back on gender norms. I think the key detail is that Jo was breaking out of the mold, so let that empower you as you best see fit. Personally I thought the marriage to Friedrich felt tacked on anyways (I enjoy the way the Gerwig adaptation addresses this) but, side note, I do see how Alcott weaves in the transcendentalist notion of the “universal family” and belief in learning about and supporting other cultures here. Friedrich is German, Meg marries the English John, and Laurie is said to be half-Italian, which all comes as a rebuttal to the anti-immigration sentiments of the times.
‘I like good strong words that mean something,’ Jo says and that appeals to my love of language as well. This book deals with love in many ways, but feels like a romance between book and reader as you enjoy every page. Little Women was ahead of its time and still stands proudly today as an endearing work that dares challenge social convention. But most importantly, it feels like a friend. Finishing is hard as now I’ll miss the days with the March sisters, and I find books that take you from childhood to adulthood often hit the hardest because you feel as if you’ve grown up together. An emotional read, also a genius one, Little Women is a favorite now forever.
5/5
‘ Watch and pray, dear, never get tired of trying, and never think it is impossible to conquer your fault.’
‘I've got the key to my castle in the air, but whether I can unlock the door remains to be seen.’
Little Women will leave your heart full and your pen dry from underlining the seemingly endless lovely passages. I’d like to thank Adira and her wonderful review for convincing me to finally actually read this and not just watch the movie again (I did last night though, because who doesn’t want to relive the joy of yelling “Bob Odenkirk?!” in a theater and later sobbing) because, just when I thought I couldn’t love this story more, now I’m fully engulfed by it. Surely enough has been written about this book already, but i like to ramble about things I love so here’s a more I guess (I’ll try to keep it shorter than usual [having finished writing it now, I failed]). But how can you not be with such incredible characters? Jo is of course the favorite, but I think part of loving this book is wanting to be Jo and realizing you are Amy, but each character touches your heart in their own way. Mr. Laurence and Beth’s connection with the piano and lost daughters makes me teary just writing this. Alcott based the story on her real family and one can read a genuine love for the characters pouring from every page.
‘Wealth is certainly a most desirable thing, but poverty has its sunny side, and one of the sweet uses of adversity is the genuine satisfaction which comes from hearty work of head or hand, and to the inspiration of necessity, we owe half the wise, beautiful, and useful blessings of the world.’
Alcott was a transcendentalist and many of her beliefs shine through in the novel. Much of this came from her father and one will be pleased to learn that the real Mr. March—Amos Bronson Alcott—was as radical in his time as his fictional counterpart. An abolitionist who also advocated for women’s rights, Amos became a major transcendentalist figure along with his friend, Ralph Waldo Emerson. Alcott’s mother was equally radical for her time too, and many of their teachings arrive here through Mrs. March to her children. There is, of course, the belief in nature as the ideal, such as when the March girls, having little jewelry, adorn themselves in flowers instead. Even Laurie states ‘I don’t like fuss and feathers,’ another instance of a return to simplicity over flashy status symbols. There is also the belief in generosity, which is seen throughout with the March family always involved in helping others, and the belief that hard work is important, but not for profit reasons but because it leads to spiritual and emotional happiness and freedom.
‘Then let me advise you to take up your little burdens again; for though they seem heavy sometimes, they are good for us, and lighten as we learn to carry them. Work is wholesome, and there is plenty for every one; it keeps us from ennui and mischief; is good for health and spirits, and gives us a sense of power and independence better than money or fashion.’
Towards the start of the novel, the mother advises the children to be like Christian from John Bunyan’s allegorical novel The Pilgrim's Progress and we can see how Little Women follows a similar fashion of Pilgrim’s being knowledge gained through the travel of a life lived, and each daughter is shown to face certain trials and must learn to bear their burdens, like Jo’s anger, Amy’s desire to be liked, Meg’s desire for vanity, Beth’s passivity. But the largest burdens here are those of love and labor.
‘Women, they have minds, and they have souls, as well as just hearts. And they’ve got ambition, and they’ve got talent, as well as just beauty. I’m so sick of people saying that love is all a woman is fit for.’
The relationship to work is threaded through the entire novel. We have Jo and Amy who wish to be great and break from the traditional mold for women in society. Jo wants to be a writer, though she only publishes scandalous stories under a false name, and Amy desires to be a painter. And neither will settle for anything less than greatness ‘because talent isn't genius, Amy states, ‘and no amount of energy can make it so. I want to be great, or nothing.’ Meg and Beth, on the other hand, show different routes a woman can take. The novel questions if women can find happiness outside marriage and caring for a household, and these struggles bash against social expectations along the way.
‘ I'll try and be what he loves to call me, 'a little woman,' and not be rough and wild; but do my duty here instead of wanting to be somewhere else.’
‘ I can't get over my disappointment in not being a boy,’ Jo quips, and a major part of Little Women is a critique of gender roles and how they stifle people in society. Laurie is an excellent foil to Jo, in many ways, but is also a way that Alcott addresses and subverts gender expectations. Jo and Laurie both use shortened versions of their name that seem to cross gender expectations (even though Laurie didn’t like being called Dora) and in many ways Jo tends to represent more masculine behavior while Laurie often a more feminine role. While Meg dresses in finery and tries to fill the traditional role of a woman, Jo prefers to romp in nature in simple or dirty garments and behave, by her own admission, like a boy.
Recently there has been a lot of discussion on the author’s gender and sexuality, with even the New York Times writing an opinion piece wondering if Alcott or Jo was a trans man. I know that frustrates some people but personally I find it interesting to think about, even if a bit anachronistic, but it seems to be a genuine question people investigate about authors who subvert gender expectations (think how often it was avoided to discuss Virginia Woolf’s sexuality in the past and now we have letters and look at scenes in Mrs Dalloway and think “oh yea, that makes total sense”). Honestly, I say Jo is whatever you want Jo to be. Trans, lesbian, ace, or just a girl pushing back on gender norms. I think the key detail is that Jo was breaking out of the mold, so let that empower you as you best see fit. Personally I thought the marriage to Friedrich felt tacked on anyways (I enjoy the way the Gerwig adaptation addresses this) but, side note, I do see how Alcott weaves in the transcendentalist notion of the “universal family” and belief in learning about and supporting other cultures here. Friedrich is German, Meg marries the English John, and Laurie is said to be half-Italian, which all comes as a rebuttal to the anti-immigration sentiments of the times.
‘I like good strong words that mean something,’ Jo says and that appeals to my love of language as well. This book deals with love in many ways, but feels like a romance between book and reader as you enjoy every page. Little Women was ahead of its time and still stands proudly today as an endearing work that dares challenge social convention. But most importantly, it feels like a friend. Finishing is hard as now I’ll miss the days with the March sisters, and I find books that take you from childhood to adulthood often hit the hardest because you feel as if you’ve grown up together. An emotional read, also a genius one, Little Women is a favorite now forever.
5/5
‘ Watch and pray, dear, never get tired of trying, and never think it is impossible to conquer your fault.’
December 26, 2025
The March sisters may be radically different but they all have one thing in common - love.
“Don't try to make me grow up before my time…”
Their love for their mother and father, their love for adventure and for each other unites them in this troubled time.
The Civil War is afoot and all the sisters can do is think about their father away and in battle. Their mother tries to distract them but often she can barely distract herself.
Jo, a radical tomboy and aspiring author - rallies her family with her amusing plays and scribbles.
Meg, the beautiful sister, often puts her family first and holds them together when her mother cannot.
"I like good strong words that mean something…"
Amy, the youngest, was spoiled as a child and oh my, it shows. But even she can rally when life looks darkest.
"You don’t need scores of suitors. You need only one… if he’s the right one."
Beth, sweet and good-natured, valiantly cheers on her sisters but her frail health often keeps her at the sidelines.
"I'd rather take coffee than compliments just now."
The sisters must face hardships their New England home.
"There are many Beths in the world, shy and quiet, sitting in corners till needed, and living for others so cheerfully that no one sees the sacrifices till the little cricket on the hearth stops chirping..."
They must face things that they never would have thought possible.
But, even in the darkest of times, they will have each other. And that is most important of all.
This is probably my fifth or sixth time through and yes, I am totally going to read it again.
"Watch and pray, dear, never get tired of trying, and never think it is impossible to conquer your fault."
There's just something about this book that's absolutely gorgeous and timeless.
I love the sisters and their relationships with each other - I see so much of myself and my cousins with their day-to-day interactions.
Jo, the darling, is the perfect mix of strength and fear. Watching her grow from a brash girl to confident young woman just makes my heart happy.
And the message of the book! Ahh. My heart. So full.
"You are the gull, Jo, strong and wild, fond of the storm and the wind, flying far out to sea, and happy all alone."
It often feels like the messages from books in the mid 1800s are saccharine sweet or so heavy-handed with their themes that they're ridiculous. (Just look at the later Anne of Green Gables if you'd like an example!)
But this one had just the right mixture of loving family + religion + life lessons. It was beautifully balanced.
That being said, I do absolutely hate that .
"Be worthy love, and love will come."
I swear, every time I reread this series, I practically rediscover that fact (my brain is incredibly good at selective memory-ing those sorts of things)...which makes it awful all the more.
Oh, and am I the only one who's still bitter over who Jo ends up with? This book may have been published in 1868 but this is my hill and I WILL DIE ON IT!
But don't let that spoil your interpretation - this book is truly wonderful. I love it.
Audiobook Comments
Read by Kate Reading - can I just take a moment for us all to appreciate the the narrator is Kate Reading? Her last name is absolute perfection.
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September 18, 2019
Someone I know claimed this no longer has value, that she would never recommend it because it's saccharine, has a religious agenda, and sends a bad message to girls that they should all be little domestic homebodies. I say she's wrong on all counts. This is high on my reread list along with Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, and a Tree Grows in Brooklyn--you could say that I'm pretty familiar with it.
Let's see--there's a heroine who not only writes, but is proud of the fact and makes a profit from it in a time that this was somewhat out-of-the-ordinary. Reading this, and especially knowing later that the main character is (for all practical purposes) Alcott herself, inspired me to write myself, and I haven't forgotten the writing lessons even today: don't let money cloud your vision, write for yourself first, take criticism, write what you know. Still wise even today. Also in this book, we see the perspective of a family coping with the financial and emotional strain of having a loved one away at war, something that is unfortunately all too relatable today. There's also (extraordinary in those times, common in ours)a platonic, though not uncomplicated, friendship between a man and a woman that is sort of a different kind of love story in a way and a powerful one at that. We see people getting married, but marriage is never portrayed as The Answer to Everything--many of the matches involve sacrifice and struggling. The girls, though good at heart, aren't a picture-perfect family of saints. They're flawed and human. The paragon Beth would seem the exception, but the message with her is more about how even the quietest among us can make an impact on the world--not parading her isolated life as an example, only her kindness.
I won't lie. Someone dies, there's a war and a father's away--so yes, God is mentioned: I think there's a few Pilgrim's Progress references in passing and there's some talk of faith at moments when the characters most need it. To contemporary readers, this may seem like a lot, but heavy-handed it is not. It was probably somewhat unusual for its time. The thought that everyone's relationship and perception of God could greatly vary, and that to be true to your religion was entirely non judgmental and meant being kind to other people and trying to make yourself better, not other people? The thought that each person must be allowed to deal with these feelings in their own time in their own way? Wacky stuff.
I admit it seems like a tough sell to today's kids, packaged in somewhat formal sounding-language, and bearing every indication of being literary broccoli, but this book is a classic for a reason. It might be a tough sell, but I don't think we should give up on trying to think of ways to do it anyway. What's inside still counts. Don't write it off.
*note* for those of you who liked this review, check out my review of the new The Little Women Cookbook by Jenne Bergstrom and Miko Osada.
Let's see--there's a heroine who not only writes, but is proud of the fact and makes a profit from it in a time that this was somewhat out-of-the-ordinary. Reading this, and especially knowing later that the main character is (for all practical purposes) Alcott herself, inspired me to write myself, and I haven't forgotten the writing lessons even today: don't let money cloud your vision, write for yourself first, take criticism, write what you know. Still wise even today. Also in this book, we see the perspective of a family coping with the financial and emotional strain of having a loved one away at war, something that is unfortunately all too relatable today. There's also (extraordinary in those times, common in ours)a platonic, though not uncomplicated, friendship between a man and a woman that is sort of a different kind of love story in a way and a powerful one at that. We see people getting married, but marriage is never portrayed as The Answer to Everything--many of the matches involve sacrifice and struggling. The girls, though good at heart, aren't a picture-perfect family of saints. They're flawed and human. The paragon Beth would seem the exception, but the message with her is more about how even the quietest among us can make an impact on the world--not parading her isolated life as an example, only her kindness.
I won't lie. Someone dies, there's a war and a father's away--so yes, God is mentioned: I think there's a few Pilgrim's Progress references in passing and there's some talk of faith at moments when the characters most need it. To contemporary readers, this may seem like a lot, but heavy-handed it is not. It was probably somewhat unusual for its time. The thought that everyone's relationship and perception of God could greatly vary, and that to be true to your religion was entirely non judgmental and meant being kind to other people and trying to make yourself better, not other people? The thought that each person must be allowed to deal with these feelings in their own time in their own way? Wacky stuff.
I admit it seems like a tough sell to today's kids, packaged in somewhat formal sounding-language, and bearing every indication of being literary broccoli, but this book is a classic for a reason. It might be a tough sell, but I don't think we should give up on trying to think of ways to do it anyway. What's inside still counts. Don't write it off.
*note* for those of you who liked this review, check out my review of the new The Little Women Cookbook by Jenne Bergstrom and Miko Osada.
July 31, 2024
I’M IN LOVE, I’M IN LOVE, AND I DON’T CARE WHO KNOWS IT!
When I was a child, my mother used to drag me to antique stores all the time. There is nothing more boring to a kid than an antique store. It smelled like dust and old people, and everything looked the same (dark wood), and if we were in a particularly bauble-heavy shop I had to clasp my hands behind my back like a Von Trapp child in order to avoid invoking the you-break-it-you-buy-it policy on a $42 crystal ashtray.
On one such excursion, when I was like eight, I found a vintage-ish copy of Little Women. Because it was a book, and because it had some kind of illustration of pretty girls in pretty dresses, it was far and away the most interesting thing in there. So I indulged in what was then and what remains one of my favorite pastimes: asking my mother to buy me something. She said no, both because it was confusingly expensive and because she doubted eight-year-old me’s lasting interest in reading a 750-page book from 1868.
Ever since, Little Women has tantalized me.
I am very pleased to say it lived up to every expectation.
This book is so cozy and delightful and happy. A lot of the time, when series start out in the childhood of characters and then follow their growing up, the book gets worse. But I always liked reading about this ragtag group of gals!!
Warning, spoiler ahead, and if you complain about me spoiling a book that was published seven of my lifetime ago I will absolutely freak out so don’t say I didn’t give you a heads up:
Obviously Jo and Laurie were meant for each other, and his marrying Amy and Jo’s marrying some random old dude was the biggest flaw of this book. But even with that, this book ended happy, and I enjoyed almost every second of it.
(Okay, I’m sorry, but Amy is the clear weak link and didn’t deserve Laurie!! I will not rejoice for them!!) (Did I have to take off a half star for that alone? Yes. Because it upset me immensely. And I won’t apologize. If anyone should be apologized to, it’s ME. And also JO. And also LAURIE!)
But absolutely every other second was a pleasure.
Bottom line: This book feels like Christmas.
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pre-review
cozy: ✓
comforted: ✓
joy: ✓
review to come!!!
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currently-reading updates
I am ready to feel COZY. I am ready to feel COMFORTED. I am ready to feel JOY.
When I was a child, my mother used to drag me to antique stores all the time. There is nothing more boring to a kid than an antique store. It smelled like dust and old people, and everything looked the same (dark wood), and if we were in a particularly bauble-heavy shop I had to clasp my hands behind my back like a Von Trapp child in order to avoid invoking the you-break-it-you-buy-it policy on a $42 crystal ashtray.
On one such excursion, when I was like eight, I found a vintage-ish copy of Little Women. Because it was a book, and because it had some kind of illustration of pretty girls in pretty dresses, it was far and away the most interesting thing in there. So I indulged in what was then and what remains one of my favorite pastimes: asking my mother to buy me something. She said no, both because it was confusingly expensive and because she doubted eight-year-old me’s lasting interest in reading a 750-page book from 1868.
Ever since, Little Women has tantalized me.
I am very pleased to say it lived up to every expectation.
This book is so cozy and delightful and happy. A lot of the time, when series start out in the childhood of characters and then follow their growing up, the book gets worse. But I always liked reading about this ragtag group of gals!!
Warning, spoiler ahead, and if you complain about me spoiling a book that was published seven of my lifetime ago I will absolutely freak out so don’t say I didn’t give you a heads up:
Obviously Jo and Laurie were meant for each other, and his marrying Amy and Jo’s marrying some random old dude was the biggest flaw of this book. But even with that, this book ended happy, and I enjoyed almost every second of it.
(Okay, I’m sorry, but Amy is the clear weak link and didn’t deserve Laurie!! I will not rejoice for them!!) (Did I have to take off a half star for that alone? Yes. Because it upset me immensely. And I won’t apologize. If anyone should be apologized to, it’s ME. And also JO. And also LAURIE!)
But absolutely every other second was a pleasure.
Bottom line: This book feels like Christmas.
---------
pre-review
cozy: ✓
comforted: ✓
joy: ✓
review to come!!!
---------
currently-reading updates
I am ready to feel COZY. I am ready to feel COMFORTED. I am ready to feel JOY.
December 6, 2020
Yes, yes. I AM a grown-ass man reading this, but I'm not even remotely ashamed.
What I tried to do here was dispel the extra melodrama & embrace the cut-outs (fat trimmed out) of the Winona Ryder film. I was on the hunt for all the "new" (ha!) stuff that the regular person, well informed of the plot involving four young girls growing up (or in the case of Beth, not) never even knew existed. But it seems that the film did a great job not adding many more scenes than direly needed (like the Byrne-Ryder night at the opera scene-- it explains why she doesn't choose Laurie after all) nor taking indispensable scenes from the century-&-a-half old novel to the cutting room floor. Alas, there's a good reason why Entertainment Weekly once decreed that the film was a great comfort to all post-911 victims--a holistic healing to the nation as a whole. The story has no great battles to speak of... no violence, no terrible disasters. The minutiae is symbolic of fragile domestic existences... important & very fun to read about--this coming from a Bridget and Carrie Bradshaw fan of course. "Little Women" is at its core all about Old School American values, such as temperance, forgiveness, hard work. It has astute lessons aplenty--to rival even old Aesopus himself. Laurie and Amy have the best lines, & there are plenty of groans amidst cute vignettes and harsh but necessary life lessons--for Americans and non alike. This is relevant today, more so than "On the Road" or other so called "quintessential American classics"--& that's a genuine plus.
This one stands as outstanding soap opera theatrics woven intelligently with American history herself. Good stuff, like a wise mentor of American Lit would say. Also, mega appropriate for the season!
(2014)
What I tried to do here was dispel the extra melodrama & embrace the cut-outs (fat trimmed out) of the Winona Ryder film. I was on the hunt for all the "new" (ha!) stuff that the regular person, well informed of the plot involving four young girls growing up (or in the case of Beth, not) never even knew existed. But it seems that the film did a great job not adding many more scenes than direly needed (like the Byrne-Ryder night at the opera scene-- it explains why she doesn't choose Laurie after all) nor taking indispensable scenes from the century-&-a-half old novel to the cutting room floor. Alas, there's a good reason why Entertainment Weekly once decreed that the film was a great comfort to all post-911 victims--a holistic healing to the nation as a whole. The story has no great battles to speak of... no violence, no terrible disasters. The minutiae is symbolic of fragile domestic existences... important & very fun to read about--this coming from a Bridget and Carrie Bradshaw fan of course. "Little Women" is at its core all about Old School American values, such as temperance, forgiveness, hard work. It has astute lessons aplenty--to rival even old Aesopus himself. Laurie and Amy have the best lines, & there are plenty of groans amidst cute vignettes and harsh but necessary life lessons--for Americans and non alike. This is relevant today, more so than "On the Road" or other so called "quintessential American classics"--& that's a genuine plus.
This one stands as outstanding soap opera theatrics woven intelligently with American history herself. Good stuff, like a wise mentor of American Lit would say. Also, mega appropriate for the season!
(2014)
February 2, 2023
This book means SISTERHOOD... FAMILY… HAPPINESS…TOGETHERNESS… THANKFULNESS… GENUINENESS…SOLIDARITY…BELIEFS… RESPECT…UNCONDITIONAL LOVE…HONESTY…KINDNESS…
This is magical book, when I get into my hands for the first time, I was only eleven and for decades I kept on getting it into my hands, reread it several times and same words resonated different for me, awoke different feelings, made me look at the characters’ flaws and differences at brand new perspective.
Even though I know the ending: I laughed, I cried, I sighed, I smiled, I jumped, I felt peaceful and at the end I LOVED IT TRULY, DEEPLY so MUCH! Christmas is coming. You think there won’t be Christmas without presents and I think there won’t be any meaningful celebration without doing my yearly reading of this book and reconnecting with Holly March Sisterhood. Joe (tomboy, book-worn, hot-tempered, writer, definitely closer to my character), Meg (Romantic, sweet-natured, peace maker older sister), Beth ( sweet, shy, cute, friendly, fallen angel, musical prodigy) and Amy (spoiled, childish, artistic, elegant, refined youngest one): I LOVE YOU BOTH.
It is why this book is always my all-time favorite one! Time to reconnect with the sisters and feeling the best holiday spirit!
This is magical book, when I get into my hands for the first time, I was only eleven and for decades I kept on getting it into my hands, reread it several times and same words resonated different for me, awoke different feelings, made me look at the characters’ flaws and differences at brand new perspective.
Even though I know the ending: I laughed, I cried, I sighed, I smiled, I jumped, I felt peaceful and at the end I LOVED IT TRULY, DEEPLY so MUCH! Christmas is coming. You think there won’t be Christmas without presents and I think there won’t be any meaningful celebration without doing my yearly reading of this book and reconnecting with Holly March Sisterhood. Joe (tomboy, book-worn, hot-tempered, writer, definitely closer to my character), Meg (Romantic, sweet-natured, peace maker older sister), Beth ( sweet, shy, cute, friendly, fallen angel, musical prodigy) and Amy (spoiled, childish, artistic, elegant, refined youngest one): I LOVE YOU BOTH.
It is why this book is always my all-time favorite one! Time to reconnect with the sisters and feeling the best holiday spirit!
January 9, 2013
I hated this book.
I can't even begin to go into all the reasons I dislike this novel. It's dull and preachy through out most of it--aside from Jo who is a truly inspired character. But everyone else seems one note, most of the chapters come off as morality plays than solid scenes or plots. And just when Miss Alcott has something seemingly interesting she breaks it for no other reason than to do something.
Whether its the pairing of Amy and Laurie (huh?), the point made CONSTANTLY that Beth's life isn't useless because she is an angel and showed them that angels do exist and is a total Mary Sue(Really? Cause I'm glad she died before I died of boredom), the forced pairing of Jo and the Professor (Why? I mean--really... Just keep her single) there is also the message that pursing art is selfish. (Jo giving up her writing, Laurie gives up his music, Amy gives up her sketching...)
It's not a message I expected--this book is always lauded as one that has inspired countless girls... To do what? Because outside of Jo's sipirt I dont really see much to aspire to in this tsory? The overall message seems to be that as a good Christian one should sacrifice being an artist, being in love with who you want and any hope of independence...
It's not because I'm from the modern era that I dislike this book. (Or that I'm an adult reading it.) If you look at other works being done in the same time period you will see that there were stories with less moralizing being done--including by Miss Alcott herself. I was just really disappointed
I can't even begin to go into all the reasons I dislike this novel. It's dull and preachy through out most of it--aside from Jo who is a truly inspired character. But everyone else seems one note, most of the chapters come off as morality plays than solid scenes or plots. And just when Miss Alcott has something seemingly interesting she breaks it for no other reason than to do something.
Whether its the pairing of Amy and Laurie (huh?), the point made CONSTANTLY that Beth's life isn't useless because she is an angel and showed them that angels do exist and is a total Mary Sue(Really? Cause I'm glad she died before I died of boredom), the forced pairing of Jo and the Professor (Why? I mean--really... Just keep her single) there is also the message that pursing art is selfish. (Jo giving up her writing, Laurie gives up his music, Amy gives up her sketching...)
It's not a message I expected--this book is always lauded as one that has inspired countless girls... To do what? Because outside of Jo's sipirt I dont really see much to aspire to in this tsory? The overall message seems to be that as a good Christian one should sacrifice being an artist, being in love with who you want and any hope of independence...
It's not because I'm from the modern era that I dislike this book. (Or that I'm an adult reading it.) If you look at other works being done in the same time period you will see that there were stories with less moralizing being done--including by Miss Alcott herself. I was just really disappointed
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 18, 2017
there are no actual little women in this book. all regular sized women. title is misleading. 0/10. would not read again
October 26, 2025
The two books that I have read the most in my life: Little Women and Walden.
Louisa May Alcott wrote Little Women in 1868. It centers on the 4 young March sisters: Meg, Jo, Amy, and Beth. Each of the sisters has a distinct personality. Meg is the oldest, Jo is the writer and tomboy, Amy is the vain one, and Beth is a saint. The sisters are guided by their mother, Marmee, and they strike up a friendship with the next-door-neighbor boy, Laurie.
Little Women follows the March sisters as they grow up. Each chapter is relatively short and usually features a moral lesson without being preachy (much like parables in the Bible).
Transcendentalism
Now, I mentioned Walden. What in the world does that have to do with Little Women? Why I am so glad you asked (or if you didn’t I will tell you anyways).
Walden is authored by a man named Henry David Thoreau. He also lived in Concord, Massachusetts, the same as Louisa May Alcott. Additionally, Thoreau and Louisa May Alcott were friends. They were both transcendentalists. Transcendentalism is centered around the philosophy of simple, plain living with high thinking.
When was the last time you received an advertisement that said, “Buy less!” or “Stop buying things. You are enough!”? If you are like me, that has never happened. Yet every day, we are inundated to buy more concealer, a new pair of skinny jeans, a lavish vacation, or a gigantic mansion that will surely make us happy. Transcendentalism is anti-consumerism. It is a reminder that there is another way to live.
Little Women is the more digestible version of Walden, but if you loved Little Women and enjoyed the morals therein, I highly, highly, highly suggest Walden (alright I suggest Walden to practically anybody).
Jane Austen
The last time I read Little Women was before the internet existed. When I picked this book up again for this reread, I am a completely different reader, and I have even more respect for Louisa May Alcott than before. One of the things that I simply hate about Jane Austen is that her characters just seem to sit around and do nothing but complain about men and their highest desire is to be married (the female characters also do a bunch of silly things).
Louisa May Alcott is the opposite of Jane Austen, and I like her more for it. Her female characters are strong. At the beginning of the novel, both Meg and Jo are working jobs to support their family. Jo dreams more of being a writer than getting married. Marmee is more focused on raising wonderful people versus marrying off her daughters.
One of the characters in Little Women refuses a marriage proposal. When she says no, she says that she really means no. In Jane Austen’s novels, her heroine receives multiple marriage proposals, and she says no and then yes. This is very confusing to young readers. Are you supposed to say no when you really mean yes? I think Louisa May Alcott has the better idea of just saying no when you mean no. As an introvert if I get even an inkling that the other person isn’t interested, I will never try again so if you mean yes, you should probably say yes and leave mind games to Jane Austen novels.
Overall, Little Women is a timeless classic, one that should be read over and over again.
2025 Reading Schedule
Jan A Town Like Alice
Feb Birdsong
Mar Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Berniere
Apr War and Peace
May The Woman in White
Jun Atonement
Jul The Shadow of the Wind
Aug Jude the Obscure
Sep Ulysses
Oct Vanity Fair
Nov A Fine Balance
Dec Germinal
Connect With Me!
Blog Twitter BookTube Insta My Bookstore at Pango
Louisa May Alcott wrote Little Women in 1868. It centers on the 4 young March sisters: Meg, Jo, Amy, and Beth. Each of the sisters has a distinct personality. Meg is the oldest, Jo is the writer and tomboy, Amy is the vain one, and Beth is a saint. The sisters are guided by their mother, Marmee, and they strike up a friendship with the next-door-neighbor boy, Laurie.
Little Women follows the March sisters as they grow up. Each chapter is relatively short and usually features a moral lesson without being preachy (much like parables in the Bible).
Transcendentalism
Now, I mentioned Walden. What in the world does that have to do with Little Women? Why I am so glad you asked (or if you didn’t I will tell you anyways).
Walden is authored by a man named Henry David Thoreau. He also lived in Concord, Massachusetts, the same as Louisa May Alcott. Additionally, Thoreau and Louisa May Alcott were friends. They were both transcendentalists. Transcendentalism is centered around the philosophy of simple, plain living with high thinking.
When was the last time you received an advertisement that said, “Buy less!” or “Stop buying things. You are enough!”? If you are like me, that has never happened. Yet every day, we are inundated to buy more concealer, a new pair of skinny jeans, a lavish vacation, or a gigantic mansion that will surely make us happy. Transcendentalism is anti-consumerism. It is a reminder that there is another way to live.
Little Women is the more digestible version of Walden, but if you loved Little Women and enjoyed the morals therein, I highly, highly, highly suggest Walden (alright I suggest Walden to practically anybody).
Jane Austen
The last time I read Little Women was before the internet existed. When I picked this book up again for this reread, I am a completely different reader, and I have even more respect for Louisa May Alcott than before. One of the things that I simply hate about Jane Austen is that her characters just seem to sit around and do nothing but complain about men and their highest desire is to be married (the female characters also do a bunch of silly things).
Louisa May Alcott is the opposite of Jane Austen, and I like her more for it. Her female characters are strong. At the beginning of the novel, both Meg and Jo are working jobs to support their family. Jo dreams more of being a writer than getting married. Marmee is more focused on raising wonderful people versus marrying off her daughters.
One of the characters in Little Women refuses a marriage proposal. When she says no, she says that she really means no. In Jane Austen’s novels, her heroine receives multiple marriage proposals, and she says no and then yes. This is very confusing to young readers. Are you supposed to say no when you really mean yes? I think Louisa May Alcott has the better idea of just saying no when you mean no. As an introvert if I get even an inkling that the other person isn’t interested, I will never try again so if you mean yes, you should probably say yes and leave mind games to Jane Austen novels.
Overall, Little Women is a timeless classic, one that should be read over and over again.
2025 Reading Schedule
Jan A Town Like Alice
Feb Birdsong
Mar Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Berniere
Apr War and Peace
May The Woman in White
Jun Atonement
Jul The Shadow of the Wind
Aug Jude the Obscure
Sep Ulysses
Oct Vanity Fair
Nov A Fine Balance
Dec Germinal
Connect With Me!
Blog Twitter BookTube Insta My Bookstore at Pango
January 17, 2021
Alexa, play “Champagne Problems” by Taylor Swift.
Want to read
November 26, 2019A new movie is coming out December 25th...
I've never read it so I might have to do a readalong for it that month!
I've never read it so I might have to do a readalong for it that month!
August 17, 2019
that feeling when you spend the majority of the book desperately longing to be a jo, but then end up realising youre actually just a beth… :/
also, the fact that i still like laurie, even after he messes around in france trying to “find himself,” says a lot more about me than it does about him, to be fair.
and dont even get me started on the new film coming out. the casting definitely has me feeling some kind of way. im still not over the precision of timothée chalamet as laurie, the literary character who embodies so many young peoples first experience with f-boi heartbreak. i mean, will you just LOOK at my son!?
↠ 3.5 stars
also, the fact that i still like laurie, even after he messes around in france trying to “find himself,” says a lot more about me than it does about him, to be fair.
and dont even get me started on the new film coming out. the casting definitely has me feeling some kind of way. im still not over the precision of timothée chalamet as laurie, the literary character who embodies so many young peoples first experience with f-boi heartbreak. i mean, will you just LOOK at my son!?
jo + laurie 4 ever, amirite ladies?!
↠ 3.5 stars
May 14, 2019
Never liked this one. I read Alcott back around the time I was first reading the Brontes and Dickens, and her books always struck me as incredibly dull in comparison. I was probably about 12, though, so I suppose I should try it again someday.
October 15, 2024
⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ “𝐼 𝒶𝓂 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝒶𝒻𝓇𝒶𝒾𝒹 𝑜𝒻 𝓈𝓉𝑜𝓇𝓂𝓈, 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝐼 𝒶𝓂 𝓁𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒽𝑜𝓌 𝓉𝑜 𝓈𝒶𝒾𝓁 𝓂𝓎 𝓈𝒽𝒾𝓅.” 𓍯𓂃𓏧♡
꒰ 5 𝓢𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓼 ꒱ؘ ࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ
I love this novel so much. I mean, really love it lol. I can remember getting a new edition copy for several Christmases in my childhood and it will always be a story near and dear to my heart.
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ I really am, at my core a classics lover- although I lean more toward the gothic and macabre stories; This one is really just a fond and unforgettable memory from childhood.
Four sisters: Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy March, are part of a poor but loving family. With their father off to war they have only their mother left to encourage them to be the best version of themselves at all times. As they go through love and loss they truly do learn to become 'little women'.
ೃ⁀➷ ꕤ Meg is the oldest, sixteen-year-old at the beginning of the story. She is pretty but swayed by material temptations. ೀ
ೃ⁀➷ ꕤ Jo is a headstrong tomboy. She is fifteen years old when the story begins and she wants to be a writer. ೀ
ೃ⁀➷ ꕤ Beth is shy, sweet, and a music lover. Her father calls her ‘Little Miss Tranquility’ for her sweet disposition. ೀ
ೃ⁀➷ ꕤ Amy is the youngest, a little selfish but amiable, elegant, and an artist. ೀ
Though still young, and having a great deal in common, the sisters’ individual personalities are already very evident. Meg, the eldest at sixteen years old, dreams of a future of wealth and luxury and occupies herself as a nursery governess. Jo, a bookworm and aspiring writer is something of a tomboy and, much to her displeasure, spends her time as a companion to an elderly aunt.
Beth, at thirteen years old is somewhat quiet and timid. A peacemaker in the family with a love of music, her shyness means she is home-schooled. While Amy, the youngest, is very ladylike, a ‘snow maiden’ with careful manners and an interest in drawing and art.
It’s impossible not to love the March sisters and to identify with at least one of them. I loved how different each of the sisters were from one another, how they complimented on another and how despite their differences and disagreements they loved one another and would do anything to make the other happy.
While this book is universal and can be enjoyed by readers of any gender, I think it holds a special place in the hearts of sisters and those who have sisters. I don't lol. I actually have two brothers but I have two female cousins that I was very close with growing up. And we loved reading this story together.
Everything felt so real in the way the sisters interacted with one another, I feel that I haven’t read a realistic relationship of sisters in a long time and Little Women did it.
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ But the heart of this book is really Jo, as she grows up and finds herself with her writing and finds love. Without spoilers, I must say that absolutely Jo made the right romantic decisions here! I can see why she’s such a popular character and role model, but I did enjoy all of the sisters very much.
There’s so much to this book, and it shouldn’t be dismissed as an old, unrelatable classic. There’s war and death, love and sadness, humor and escapades, romance and friendship, and on and on.
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ Little Women is as enjoyable as ever still and I definitely highly recommend it.
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ “𝒟𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝓁𝒶𝓊𝑔𝒽 𝒶𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝓅𝒾𝓃𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓈, 𝒹𝑒𝒶𝓇 𝑔𝒾𝓇𝓁𝓈, 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝑜𝒻𝓉𝑒𝓃 𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓎 𝓉𝑒𝓃𝒹𝑒𝓇, 𝓉𝓇𝒶𝑔𝒾𝒸 𝓇𝑜𝓂𝒶𝓃𝒸𝑒𝓈 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝒽𝒾𝒹𝒹𝑒𝓃 𝒶𝓌𝒶𝓎 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒽𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓉𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝒷𝑒𝒶𝓉 𝓈𝑜 𝓆𝓊𝒾𝑒𝓉𝓁𝓎 𝓊𝓃𝒹𝑒𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝑜𝒷𝑒𝓇 𝑔𝑜𝓌𝓃𝓈, 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓂𝒶𝓃𝓎 𝓈𝒾𝓁𝑒𝓃𝓉 𝓈𝒶𝒸𝓇𝒾𝒻𝒾𝒸𝑒𝓈 𝑜𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓉𝒽, 𝒽𝑒𝒶𝓁𝓉𝒽, 𝒶𝓂𝒷𝒾𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃, 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒 𝒾𝓉𝓈𝑒𝓁𝒻, 𝓂𝒶𝓀𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒻𝒶𝒹𝑒𝒹 𝒻𝒶𝒸𝑒𝓈 𝒷𝑒𝒶𝓊𝓉𝒾𝒻𝓊𝓁 𝒾𝓃 𝒢𝑜𝒹'𝓈 𝓈𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉. 𝐸𝓋𝑒𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝒶𝒹, 𝓈𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓈𝒾𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓈 𝓈𝒽𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝒷𝑒 𝓀𝒾𝓃𝒹𝓁𝓎 𝒹𝑒𝒶𝓁𝓉 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽, 𝒷𝑒𝒸𝒶𝓊𝓈𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓎 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓂𝒾𝓈𝓈𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝓌𝑒𝑒𝓉𝑒𝓈𝓉 𝓅𝒶𝓇𝓉 𝑜𝒻 𝓁𝒾𝒻𝑒, 𝒾𝒻 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓃𝑜 𝑜𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓈𝑜𝓃.” ಇ. ‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
꒰ 5 𝓢𝓽𝓪𝓻𝓼 ꒱ؘ ࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ
I love this novel so much. I mean, really love it lol. I can remember getting a new edition copy for several Christmases in my childhood and it will always be a story near and dear to my heart.
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ I really am, at my core a classics lover- although I lean more toward the gothic and macabre stories; This one is really just a fond and unforgettable memory from childhood.
Four sisters: Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy March, are part of a poor but loving family. With their father off to war they have only their mother left to encourage them to be the best version of themselves at all times. As they go through love and loss they truly do learn to become 'little women'.
ೃ⁀➷ ꕤ Meg is the oldest, sixteen-year-old at the beginning of the story. She is pretty but swayed by material temptations. ೀ
ೃ⁀➷ ꕤ Jo is a headstrong tomboy. She is fifteen years old when the story begins and she wants to be a writer. ೀ
ೃ⁀➷ ꕤ Beth is shy, sweet, and a music lover. Her father calls her ‘Little Miss Tranquility’ for her sweet disposition. ೀ
ೃ⁀➷ ꕤ Amy is the youngest, a little selfish but amiable, elegant, and an artist. ೀ
Though still young, and having a great deal in common, the sisters’ individual personalities are already very evident. Meg, the eldest at sixteen years old, dreams of a future of wealth and luxury and occupies herself as a nursery governess. Jo, a bookworm and aspiring writer is something of a tomboy and, much to her displeasure, spends her time as a companion to an elderly aunt.
Beth, at thirteen years old is somewhat quiet and timid. A peacemaker in the family with a love of music, her shyness means she is home-schooled. While Amy, the youngest, is very ladylike, a ‘snow maiden’ with careful manners and an interest in drawing and art.
It’s impossible not to love the March sisters and to identify with at least one of them. I loved how different each of the sisters were from one another, how they complimented on another and how despite their differences and disagreements they loved one another and would do anything to make the other happy.
While this book is universal and can be enjoyed by readers of any gender, I think it holds a special place in the hearts of sisters and those who have sisters. I don't lol. I actually have two brothers but I have two female cousins that I was very close with growing up. And we loved reading this story together.
Everything felt so real in the way the sisters interacted with one another, I feel that I haven’t read a realistic relationship of sisters in a long time and Little Women did it.
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ But the heart of this book is really Jo, as she grows up and finds herself with her writing and finds love. Without spoilers, I must say that absolutely Jo made the right romantic decisions here! I can see why she’s such a popular character and role model, but I did enjoy all of the sisters very much.
There’s so much to this book, and it shouldn’t be dismissed as an old, unrelatable classic. There’s war and death, love and sadness, humor and escapades, romance and friendship, and on and on.
˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ Little Women is as enjoyable as ever still and I definitely highly recommend it.
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ “𝒟𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝓁𝒶𝓊𝑔𝒽 𝒶𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝓅𝒾𝓃𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓈, 𝒹𝑒𝒶𝓇 𝑔𝒾𝓇𝓁𝓈, 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝑜𝒻𝓉𝑒𝓃 𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓎 𝓉𝑒𝓃𝒹𝑒𝓇, 𝓉𝓇𝒶𝑔𝒾𝒸 𝓇𝑜𝓂𝒶𝓃𝒸𝑒𝓈 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝒽𝒾𝒹𝒹𝑒𝓃 𝒶𝓌𝒶𝓎 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒽𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓉𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝒷𝑒𝒶𝓉 𝓈𝑜 𝓆𝓊𝒾𝑒𝓉𝓁𝓎 𝓊𝓃𝒹𝑒𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝑜𝒷𝑒𝓇 𝑔𝑜𝓌𝓃𝓈, 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓂𝒶𝓃𝓎 𝓈𝒾𝓁𝑒𝓃𝓉 𝓈𝒶𝒸𝓇𝒾𝒻𝒾𝒸𝑒𝓈 𝑜𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓉𝒽, 𝒽𝑒𝒶𝓁𝓉𝒽, 𝒶𝓂𝒷𝒾𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃, 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒 𝒾𝓉𝓈𝑒𝓁𝒻, 𝓂𝒶𝓀𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒻𝒶𝒹𝑒𝒹 𝒻𝒶𝒸𝑒𝓈 𝒷𝑒𝒶𝓊𝓉𝒾𝒻𝓊𝓁 𝒾𝓃 𝒢𝑜𝒹'𝓈 𝓈𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉. 𝐸𝓋𝑒𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝒶𝒹, 𝓈𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓈𝒾𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓈 𝓈𝒽𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝒷𝑒 𝓀𝒾𝓃𝒹𝓁𝓎 𝒹𝑒𝒶𝓁𝓉 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽, 𝒷𝑒𝒸𝒶𝓊𝓈𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓎 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓂𝒾𝓈𝓈𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓈𝓌𝑒𝑒𝓉𝑒𝓈𝓉 𝓅𝒶𝓇𝓉 𝑜𝒻 𝓁𝒾𝒻𝑒, 𝒾𝒻 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓃𝑜 𝑜𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓈𝑜𝓃.” ಇ. ‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
January 5, 2020
I decided to re-read Little Women after watching the new film and am so glad that I did! I enjoyed this book when I first read it at 12, but truly LOVED it this time. The growth and progression of the sisters is wonderful, and the moral lessons infused in Alcott's writing make it a must-read children's classic.
December 8, 2024
My first re-read of one of my very favorite classics!
This story will always make me feel nostalgic, cozy, and full of joy!
Although this story is quite “traditional” in some ways, I love how it was also very much ahead of its time.
Even though this book was written about the lives of four girls living in the early 1800s, I relate to, and see myself in, each one of the March sisters. I resonate with Jo’s desire to do more with her life than what is expected, with Amy’s passion for art, with Beth’s love for her family, and with Meg’s happiness in being a mother and wife. That is why this book has stood the test of time and why so many readers, including myself, love it so much.
This story will always make me feel nostalgic, cozy, and full of joy!
Although this story is quite “traditional” in some ways, I love how it was also very much ahead of its time.
Even though this book was written about the lives of four girls living in the early 1800s, I relate to, and see myself in, each one of the March sisters. I resonate with Jo’s desire to do more with her life than what is expected, with Amy’s passion for art, with Beth’s love for her family, and with Meg’s happiness in being a mother and wife. That is why this book has stood the test of time and why so many readers, including myself, love it so much.
December 4, 2013
The book begins:
"Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents, grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.
It's so dreadful to be poor! sighed Meg, looking down at her old dress.
I don't think it's fair for some girls to have plenty of pretty things, and other girls nothing at all, added little Amy, with an injured sniff.
We've got Father and Mother, and each other, said Beth contentedly from her corner."
There's an undercurrent of anger in this book and I think Louisa May Alcott would have gone much further with it if her publisher had allowed it and if it weren't a children's book.
Louisa herself was fiercely independent and didn't marry. Of course, Jo, her doppelganger and the heroine of the book, did marry. I think the struggle for girls and women to be themselves while following convention is an experience that resonates today. I also think that, ironically, when people today want to return to the simple life, they all forget that there was no simple life. Although youngest sister Amy carries her books to school, writes with an inkwell and fights over pickled limes, her father is fighting a real war fought for ideology and national unity. Martha Stewart has us searching for the "good things" and harkening back to garden bounties but nineteenth century girls and women were nearly bound to the home.
Young boys and girls might find the domesticity in the book offputting but it was necessary for people to have domestic skills or they could not survive. The working poor in the 1860s, like the working poor today, could not afford maids. Louisa May Alcott's family occasionally made money from making and mending clothing just to get by. I think there was just as much screaming as crying going on in the Alcott household, but Louisa tones things down for the March family.
The March family and the sisters made me yearn for my own sisters which never materialized. I also realized that wanting to draw, paint, play music, perform plays and write were interests that I shared with people of another time period. The book itself was written after the Civil War and has a purposeful nostalgic tone.
Jo scribbles in the attic and relishes the time she has to write but she is expected to work as a caretaker for her elderly aunt. None of these girls are independently wealthy and the poverty that Alcott writes about in the book mirrors the poverty of her own life but she softens the reality for her fiction. Alcott's father Amos Bronson Alcott was not a soldier, yet he was often away from home. He was a dynamic lecturer and a revolutionary educator who was disillusioned by public reaction to some of his innovations and was often jobless.
While a good portion of white northerners were against slavery and wanted more rights for black Americans, they did not go as far as the Alcotts did in their support. I wish that she had written more about their anti-slavery positions.
It's also not widely known that Bronson Alcott was shunned for educating black students.
Reading Little Women in fourth grade caused me to work as a historical interpreter at the Orchard House for six years many years later. I visited Fruitlands, the Old Manse, the Wayside and the House of the Seven Gables. I studied transcendentalism and learned about the contributions of Elizabeth Peabody and other great female intellectuals of the nineteenth century. I was forever changed after reading the book and I've reread it too many times to count.
Louisa was a master marketer akin to J.K. Rowling. She also had a strong survival instinct like Rowling. She desperately needed to make money and writing was her one marketable skill. Notably, she was able to write the book under her own name and not use a gender neutral pseudonym.
The book is written for a younger audience and older readers reading it for the first time might not feel a connection with the book because all Victorian children's books were infused with a heavy dose of morality. Girls especially have always been told to endure hardships while remaining happy. My grandmother Ethel, who grew up in the 1930s, told me her mother said to her: "It's easy to be happy when life rolls along like a song. But it's the girl who's worthwhile who will smile when everything goes wrong."
"Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents, grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.
It's so dreadful to be poor! sighed Meg, looking down at her old dress.
I don't think it's fair for some girls to have plenty of pretty things, and other girls nothing at all, added little Amy, with an injured sniff.
We've got Father and Mother, and each other, said Beth contentedly from her corner."
There's an undercurrent of anger in this book and I think Louisa May Alcott would have gone much further with it if her publisher had allowed it and if it weren't a children's book.
Louisa herself was fiercely independent and didn't marry. Of course, Jo, her doppelganger and the heroine of the book, did marry. I think the struggle for girls and women to be themselves while following convention is an experience that resonates today. I also think that, ironically, when people today want to return to the simple life, they all forget that there was no simple life. Although youngest sister Amy carries her books to school, writes with an inkwell and fights over pickled limes, her father is fighting a real war fought for ideology and national unity. Martha Stewart has us searching for the "good things" and harkening back to garden bounties but nineteenth century girls and women were nearly bound to the home.
Young boys and girls might find the domesticity in the book offputting but it was necessary for people to have domestic skills or they could not survive. The working poor in the 1860s, like the working poor today, could not afford maids. Louisa May Alcott's family occasionally made money from making and mending clothing just to get by. I think there was just as much screaming as crying going on in the Alcott household, but Louisa tones things down for the March family.
The March family and the sisters made me yearn for my own sisters which never materialized. I also realized that wanting to draw, paint, play music, perform plays and write were interests that I shared with people of another time period. The book itself was written after the Civil War and has a purposeful nostalgic tone.
Jo scribbles in the attic and relishes the time she has to write but she is expected to work as a caretaker for her elderly aunt. None of these girls are independently wealthy and the poverty that Alcott writes about in the book mirrors the poverty of her own life but she softens the reality for her fiction. Alcott's father Amos Bronson Alcott was not a soldier, yet he was often away from home. He was a dynamic lecturer and a revolutionary educator who was disillusioned by public reaction to some of his innovations and was often jobless.
While a good portion of white northerners were against slavery and wanted more rights for black Americans, they did not go as far as the Alcotts did in their support. I wish that she had written more about their anti-slavery positions.
It's also not widely known that Bronson Alcott was shunned for educating black students.
Reading Little Women in fourth grade caused me to work as a historical interpreter at the Orchard House for six years many years later. I visited Fruitlands, the Old Manse, the Wayside and the House of the Seven Gables. I studied transcendentalism and learned about the contributions of Elizabeth Peabody and other great female intellectuals of the nineteenth century. I was forever changed after reading the book and I've reread it too many times to count.
Louisa was a master marketer akin to J.K. Rowling. She also had a strong survival instinct like Rowling. She desperately needed to make money and writing was her one marketable skill. Notably, she was able to write the book under her own name and not use a gender neutral pseudonym.
The book is written for a younger audience and older readers reading it for the first time might not feel a connection with the book because all Victorian children's books were infused with a heavy dose of morality. Girls especially have always been told to endure hardships while remaining happy. My grandmother Ethel, who grew up in the 1930s, told me her mother said to her: "It's easy to be happy when life rolls along like a song. But it's the girl who's worthwhile who will smile when everything goes wrong."
September 15, 2020
قرأت هذه الرواية في سن الخامسة عشر تقريبا
وهي رواية لطيفة اكتسبت شهرتها عبر السنوات
من خلال اقتباسها في أعمال سينمائية
وفي ابتداعات الرسوم المتحركة
بل حتى الأوبرا كان لها نصيب من ذلك
حيث ألف الموسيقار الأمريكي مارك آدامو أوبرا نساء صغيرات في عام
1998
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFkXV...
:::::::::::::
الرواية مقتبسة عن تجربة الكاتبة الذاتية مع شقيقاتها الثلاث
وتقدم لنا حياة أربع شقيقات هن
ميغ وجو وبيث وإيمي
.في جو مليء بالدفء العائلي
متوغلة في أسرار النساء اللائي عشن في تلك الفترة
وكيف كانت تفكر أدمغتهن على اختلافها
الطريف أنه بينما كتبت لويزا تقول أن جو
- المستلهمة من شخصيتها هي نفسها
كان عليها أن تظل الأديبة العانس
ولكن بناء على رسائل المعجبات الكثيرة
والتي طلبت منها تزوج جو بأي ثمن
لم تجرؤ على رفض طلبهن في النهاية
فإن لويزا ظلت بلا زواج لآخر أيام حياتها
:::::::::::::
عن الشخصيات
*
جوزفين أو جو
هي بطلة الرواية التي تبدو في نظر الكثيرين مسترجلة
لشخصيتها القوية ولجرأتها
وهي الأخت الصريحة
والشغوفة بالكتابة
وبعد مقاومة طويلة لفكرة الزواج
تتزوج أخيرا من البروفسور الألماني
فريدريك بير
*
مارغريت أو ميغ
هي الشقيقة الكبرى التي تتحمل مسؤولية المنزل
وتوفر الحماية والدفء للجميع
وهي تتمتع كما وصفتها لويزا بجمال أخاذ
ولكنها تحمل أفكارا من الطراز القديم
*
اليزابيث أو بيث
فتاة تبدو من وصفها هادئة وبيتوتية
مطيعة وخجولة
تحب الموسيقى والقطط والدمى
وتعزف على البيانو
وهي تفضل المكوث في منزلها على الاختلاط والثرثرة
كما أنها تهوى الأعمال الخيرية
وتساعد أمها في رعاية الأسر الفقيرة
وأثناء زيارتها لأحد تلك الأسر
تلتقط عدوى الحمى القرمزية من أحد أطفالها
وصحيح أنها تشفى مع الوقت
ولكن المرض جعلها دوما ضعيفة
وتموت بعدها بفترة بمرض آخر
فالعالم لا يحتمل شخصيات برقة بيث
وكان عليه التخلص منها عاجلا أم آجلا
*
ايمي
هي أصغرهن
وهي فتاة مدللة
تبدو باردة المشاعر وملهوفة على مصلحتها الشخصية
عانت إيمي من أنفها المسطح
وكانت تشبك مشابك الغسيل على أنفها عند النوم
آملة حل هذه المشكلة العويصة من وجهة نظرها
:D
علاقتها كانت دوما متوترة مع جوزفين
وذات يوم بعد موقف محتدم بينهما
تقوم إيمي بإحراق رواية جو التي لم تنهيها بعد
كانت إيمي دوما قريبة من عمتها
التي أتاحت لها الفرصة للسفر إلى أوروبا
كي يتسنى لها فرصة الاطلاع على أعمال الفنانين العظام
لولعها بالفن ولموهبتها في الرسم
ولكنها في النهاية تقرر التخلي عن الفن
لأنها لم ترى أنه بإمكانها أن تكون على المستوى الذي كانت تتوقعه لنفسها
::::::::::::::::
الرواية لطيفة وخفيفة الروح
كلاسيكية بامتياز
وهي رواية لطيفة اكتسبت شهرتها عبر السنوات
من خلال اقتباسها في أعمال سينمائية
وفي ابتداعات الرسوم المتحركة
بل حتى الأوبرا كان لها نصيب من ذلك
حيث ألف الموسيقار الأمريكي مارك آدامو أوبرا نساء صغيرات في عام
1998
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFkXV...
:::::::::::::
الرواية مقتبسة عن تجربة الكاتبة الذاتية مع شقيقاتها الثلاث
وتقدم لنا حياة أربع شقيقات هن
ميغ وجو وبيث وإيمي
.في جو مليء بالدفء العائلي
متوغلة في أسرار النساء اللائي عشن في تلك الفترة
وكيف كانت تفكر أدمغتهن على اختلافها
الطريف أنه بينما كتبت لويزا تقول أن جو
- المستلهمة من شخصيتها هي نفسها
كان عليها أن تظل الأديبة العانس
ولكن بناء على رسائل المعجبات الكثيرة
والتي طلبت منها تزوج جو بأي ثمن
لم تجرؤ على رفض طلبهن في النهاية
فإن لويزا ظلت بلا زواج لآخر أيام حياتها
:::::::::::::
عن الشخصيات
*
جوزفين أو جو
هي بطلة الرواية التي تبدو في نظر الكثيرين مسترجلة
لشخصيتها القوية ولجرأتها
وهي الأخت الصريحة
والشغوفة بالكتابة
وبعد مقاومة طويلة لفكرة الزواج
تتزوج أخيرا من البروفسور الألماني
فريدريك بير
*
مارغريت أو ميغ
هي الشقيقة الكبرى التي تتحمل مسؤولية المنزل
وتوفر الحماية والدفء للجميع
وهي تتمتع كما وصفتها لويزا بجمال أخاذ
ولكنها تحمل أفكارا من الطراز القديم
*
اليزابيث أو بيث
فتاة تبدو من وصفها هادئة وبيتوتية
مطيعة وخجولة
تحب الموسيقى والقطط والدمى
وتعزف على البيانو
وهي تفضل المكوث في منزلها على الاختلاط والثرثرة
كما أنها تهوى الأعمال الخيرية
وتساعد أمها في رعاية الأسر الفقيرة
وأثناء زيارتها لأحد تلك الأسر
تلتقط عدوى الحمى القرمزية من أحد أطفالها
وصحيح أنها تشفى مع الوقت
ولكن المرض جعلها دوما ضعيفة
وتموت بعدها بفترة بمرض آخر
فالعالم لا يحتمل شخصيات برقة بيث
وكان عليه التخلص منها عاجلا أم آجلا
*
ايمي
هي أصغرهن
وهي فتاة مدللة
تبدو باردة المشاعر وملهوفة على مصلحتها الشخصية
عانت إيمي من أنفها المسطح
وكانت تشبك مشابك الغسيل على أنفها عند النوم
آملة حل هذه المشكلة العويصة من وجهة نظرها
:D
علاقتها كانت دوما متوترة مع جوزفين
وذات يوم بعد موقف محتدم بينهما
تقوم إيمي بإحراق رواية جو التي لم تنهيها بعد
كانت إيمي دوما قريبة من عمتها
التي أتاحت لها الفرصة للسفر إلى أوروبا
كي يتسنى لها فرصة الاطلاع على أعمال الفنانين العظام
لولعها بالفن ولموهبتها في الرسم
ولكنها في النهاية تقرر التخلي عن الفن
لأنها لم ترى أنه بإمكانها أن تكون على المستوى الذي كانت تتوقعه لنفسها
::::::::::::::::
الرواية لطيفة وخفيفة الروح
كلاسيكية بامتياز
November 17, 2016
Look, I'm going to be brutally honest here: I read this when I was about 10 and I quite enjoyed it. But reading it at the age of 33? OH MY GOD, THIS WAS THE MOST SACCHARINE SWEET, INTOLERABLE TWADDLE I'VE EVER HAD THE MISFORTUNE OF READING.
All four of the girls are so ridiculously perfect that even when they make the tiny little mistakes that are painted as monumental fuck ups in the book, they're instantly fixed with a sweet smile or a sermon from their mother about women needing to control their anger, or remembering how NICE it is to be poor.
As the girls get older, they become slightly less insufferable but I gave zero fucks about any of their romantic relationships and I just wanted .
So. This is really a one star book that gets an extra star because Jo was actually a half way decent character most of the time and up until a certain point in the story, I had a very nice asexual Jo March headcanon going on.
All four of the girls are so ridiculously perfect that even when they make the tiny little mistakes that are painted as monumental fuck ups in the book, they're instantly fixed with a sweet smile or a sermon from their mother about women needing to control their anger, or remembering how NICE it is to be poor.
As the girls get older, they become slightly less insufferable but I gave zero fucks about any of their romantic relationships and I just wanted .
So. This is really a one star book that gets an extra star because Jo was actually a half way decent character most of the time and up until a certain point in the story, I had a very nice asexual Jo March headcanon going on.
January 3, 2024
3.5⭐️
I read this with feelings of warmth and love for the first 60% of the book and the writing was nothing short of gorgeous and riveting. I thought it was going to be a solid 5 star for me but I fear the characters just started to make life difficult for themselves for no goddamn reason imo.
I understand that there were a lot of questions with regards to whether or not Laurie and Jo were compatible romantically, Beth's health, Jo's writing, ... but emotions, decisions and actions started to run rampant and characters felt feeble and made the story fell all over the place for me.
I'm trying to also be understanding about how the 60% mark felt like a third act breakupfor no reason
between the story and its readers, because life especially for women in families, friendships and love was so much different in 1860s. Coming from reading too many modern reads, my brain may unconsciously be struggling to reconcile that.
It's still a strong read and enjoyable experience. I would recommend, reads like a true classic. I kmow if I read it in the year it published, I would be completely blown away. ❤️
***
ready for my first read of the year🧍🏽♀️thanks everyone for helping me pick this one 🥺🤍
edit: I sneaked this into a new year party before realizing that Pride and Prejudice is now winning my poll 😭 oh, it's just as well
find little women on amazon/kindle/audible 💫
I read this with feelings of warmth and love for the first 60% of the book and the writing was nothing short of gorgeous and riveting. I thought it was going to be a solid 5 star for me but I fear the characters just started to make life difficult for themselves for no goddamn reason imo.
I understand that there were a lot of questions with regards to whether or not Laurie and Jo were compatible romantically, Beth's health, Jo's writing, ... but emotions, decisions and actions started to run rampant and characters felt feeble and made the story fell all over the place for me.
I'm trying to also be understanding about how the 60% mark felt like a third act breakup
It's still a strong read and enjoyable experience. I would recommend, reads like a true classic. I kmow if I read it in the year it published, I would be completely blown away. ❤️
***
ready for my first read of the year🧍🏽♀️thanks everyone for helping me pick this one 🥺🤍
edit: I sneaked this into a new year party before realizing that Pride and Prejudice is now winning my poll 😭 oh, it's just as well
find little women on amazon/kindle/audible 💫
February 27, 2020
Un clásico de clásicos, un manual de buenas costumbres y educación, reflexivo, nostálgico y repleto de frases maravillosas.
Las protagonistas son personajes entrañables que por algo, después de tantos años, permanecen en la mente de los lectores, muchas cosas que aprender de la familia March.
Las protagonistas son personajes entrañables que por algo, después de tantos años, permanecen en la mente de los lectores, muchas cosas que aprender de la familia March.
February 3, 2012
To me this book is just a big neon highlighted literary exclamation mark defining how incredibly different I am from my mother. She loves this book. Really, really loves it....a lot. She always used to tell me how great she thought it was although, as a kid I somehow avoided reading it; mainly because at this point I was too busy dangling from a climbing frame by my ankles or stealing scrap wood from building sites in order to make dens and tree houses.
As it is prominently placed on the 1001 books list I thought, "What the hell I'll give it a go". Man oh man what an epic snooze fest. Less than twenty pages in I could feel my mind slowly shutting down. Was it through boredom? Or was I entering a diabetic coma because of the saccharine overload created by the sickly sweet world of Margaret, Jo, Beth and Amy? Anyway to avoid succumbing to said coma I threw the book as far away from me as I could and then chucked a blanket over it to ensure that I wouldn't be effected by the mind numbing dullness being exuded from between the covers.
I know that I risk howls of outrage at this lambasting of a much loved classic but this ticked no boxes for me. I am clearly dead inside.
As it is prominently placed on the 1001 books list I thought, "What the hell I'll give it a go". Man oh man what an epic snooze fest. Less than twenty pages in I could feel my mind slowly shutting down. Was it through boredom? Or was I entering a diabetic coma because of the saccharine overload created by the sickly sweet world of Margaret, Jo, Beth and Amy? Anyway to avoid succumbing to said coma I threw the book as far away from me as I could and then chucked a blanket over it to ensure that I wouldn't be effected by the mind numbing dullness being exuded from between the covers.
I know that I risk howls of outrage at this lambasting of a much loved classic but this ticked no boxes for me. I am clearly dead inside.
November 2, 2020
Read this many years ago, and it was delightful to reconnect with this wonderful classic once again.
December 20, 2019
This classic that so many have loved over the years, many having read it as young girls, is somehow one that I never read until now. It’s a lovely story, and I wonder how I would have felt about it, had I read it when I was younger. Like so many readers, Jo, the lover of books, the writer, is my favorite, a woman before her time, exhibiting independence and a desire for more in her life. It’s a coming of age story in so many ways as we see Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy develop over the years, each realizing their flaws and wanting to be better as they become women. They are guided by their mother, Marmee, who raises them alone for a a while during hard times while her husband is off doing his part in the Civil War. Had I read this years ago, I’m not sure I would have been as perceptive to the other things this story depicts - the societal norms of the time and the time itself, during and after the Civil War. Overall, even though it felt a bit old fashioned given when it was written and the time frame it covers, there are universal and timeless messages about the bonds of family, morality and love. It was an uplifting story that I’m glad I finally got to. I’m looking forward to the upcoming movie. I just couldn’t see it without having read the book.
April 6, 2019
I have owned this book forever! I have the movie and have always loved it. Thanks to several group challenges on here, I have finally gotten to this little gem.
Happy Reading!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Happy Reading!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
August 2, 2024
“Love is a great beautifier.”
The March Sisters.
Marmee.
Laurie.
Hannah.
Mr. Laurence.
What a beautiful journey. What a beautiful family. What a beautiful story.
The book is so simple that every time after i complete it, i wonder whether i missed something. It leaves me wanting to know what led Alcott to write this simple masterpiece.
We have Jo ; a tomboy and an author who has a temper and a quick tongue, although she works hard to control both.
We have Meg ; responsible and kind, has a small weakness for luxury and leisure, but the greater part of her is gentle, loving, and morally vigorous.
We have Beth ; quiet and very virtuous, and she does nothing but try to please others.
We have Amy ; an artist who adores visual beauty and has a weakness for pretty possessions.
We have Laurie ; charming, clever, and has a good heart.
This book is absolutely stunning in its simplicity. Alcott's writing is simple yet beautiful.
“I want to do something splendid...something heroic or wonderful that won't be forgotten after I'm dead. I don't know what, but I'm on the watch for it and mean to astonish you all someday.”
That being said i do have a *ahem* problem with this book. Yep. You guessed it. Actually, I have two problems with this book:
1.
2.
I stan this. I love this book. I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH.
“I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.”
See? Even Lou Lou Alcott is telling to to sail your own ship.......
P.S: Random person who is reading this : Please watch the 2019 movie adaptation.
December 14, 2022
I wanted to love this novel so much and thus I set myself up for failure. I’ll try to adequately summarize my thoughts, however I feel a little scatterbrained. It’s taken me a long time to get through this novel and thus not everything is fresh in my mind. I won’t be tagging any spoilers so if you still haven’t read this, haven’t watched the movie or live under rock then I advise you to stay clear of my review.
2.5ish/5
Part One
If I had to rate the first part of this novel I would have given it no higher than one star. It’s so dreadful to read through multiple “moral lessons” from a woman that often time teaches her daughters to humble themselves for men. I understand that this is a classic and thus the values and morals have changed, however this is a novel that is still praised for the lessons it is teaching; these lessons are mostly boring and arise out of natural circumstances.
I don’t know about you but my upbringing did not result in a lecture after everything I did. I learned things on my own and it felt that the little women were often time coddled. It’s no wonder I severely despise the woman Meg and Jo had grown into.
Additionally, Mr. March might be the second worst character. Both the Marches are incredibly one dimensional. His only importance to the story was when he was away at war and once he returned he served no purpose.
Meg’s love story with Brooke makes my blood boil. Within five minutes Meg goes from declining his proposal to declaring her love for him to defy Aunt March. There exists no romance or chemistry between them and she’s still the same immature child she was five minutes ago. This concludes the first part and leads us to
Part Two
I’m not a particular fan of the style of writing and some chapters read more easily than others. There are the select few chapters that were phenomenally written. I wish I could pluck these out bind them in their own novel and reread this instead. The chapters are: Literary Lessons, Heartache, Beth’s Secret, Lazy Laurence, and The Valley of the Shadow.
First and foremost, the Jo/Laurie/Amy debate shouldn’t exist in my opinion. Laurie proposed at the wrong time, had he waited until both him and Jo were older I think she would have said yes, regardless of whether he got his life together like Amy demanded him to. Both Laurie and Jo were still childish and despite her young age Amy was able to put Laurie in shape to be the respectable gentleman his grandfather wanted him to be.
What we should all be focusing on is Beth’s death. I don’t think it was avoidable and it plays a pivotal part in the story. It certainly made me sad but the strongest emotion this chapter evoked from me was anger.
Why would Beth doom Jo by making her promise to stay with their parents upon her death?
From page one Jo has been waiting for an opportunity to travel and gain experiences and instead Jo is forced to take Beth's place. Had Beth lived, I believe she would have married a simple man like Mr. March and continued taking care of her parents and family nearby. Because of her death, Beth needed someone to fill that place and thus came in Jo. This PISSED ME THE FUCK OFF. As soon as Jo makes that promise any life she had planned vanished and with that she met crusty ass fucking Professor Bhaer and crossed herself off my list of characters I love.
I don’t think I will ever hate a character as much as Bhaer This man is so condescending and self centered. He’s as one dimensional as Mr. March (we’re going full circle here). HE LITERALLY READ A POEM ABOUT THE LITTLE WOMEN, let me repeat that, THE LITTLE WOMEN, and pulled out a sentence about love and said “diz here iz about me professorine” LIKE SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!!
Which brings me to the fucking end. Of course Amy is doomed with a sick child because she named her kid after Beth. Jo I couldn’t give a fuck about after she gave a second thought to a crusty old man. Meg I hated from the first page. Doesn’t even matter if they mention Beth because Jo took her place.
The more I think about this novel, the more I think about how much I hate it and how it doesn’t make up for the 5 chapters I enjoyed out of 47. Had I read this novel as a child and grown up with it, maybe I would have liked it (very weak maybe), but I think a piece of literature should be judged despite what age you read it at and this just didn’t do it for me.
Thank god for Greta Gerwig and being able to make a phenomenal movie out of such a mediocre novel.
---
Yes I just watched the 2019 film adaptation for the first time and I am emotional.
No, I will not be taking questions at this time. Thank you.
2.5ish/5
Part One
If I had to rate the first part of this novel I would have given it no higher than one star. It’s so dreadful to read through multiple “moral lessons” from a woman that often time teaches her daughters to humble themselves for men. I understand that this is a classic and thus the values and morals have changed, however this is a novel that is still praised for the lessons it is teaching; these lessons are mostly boring and arise out of natural circumstances.
I don’t know about you but my upbringing did not result in a lecture after everything I did. I learned things on my own and it felt that the little women were often time coddled. It’s no wonder I severely despise the woman Meg and Jo had grown into.
Additionally, Mr. March might be the second worst character. Both the Marches are incredibly one dimensional. His only importance to the story was when he was away at war and once he returned he served no purpose.
Meg’s love story with Brooke makes my blood boil. Within five minutes Meg goes from declining his proposal to declaring her love for him to defy Aunt March. There exists no romance or chemistry between them and she’s still the same immature child she was five minutes ago. This concludes the first part and leads us to
Part Two
I’m not a particular fan of the style of writing and some chapters read more easily than others. There are the select few chapters that were phenomenally written. I wish I could pluck these out bind them in their own novel and reread this instead. The chapters are: Literary Lessons, Heartache, Beth’s Secret, Lazy Laurence, and The Valley of the Shadow.
First and foremost, the Jo/Laurie/Amy debate shouldn’t exist in my opinion. Laurie proposed at the wrong time, had he waited until both him and Jo were older I think she would have said yes, regardless of whether he got his life together like Amy demanded him to. Both Laurie and Jo were still childish and despite her young age Amy was able to put Laurie in shape to be the respectable gentleman his grandfather wanted him to be.
What we should all be focusing on is Beth’s death. I don’t think it was avoidable and it plays a pivotal part in the story. It certainly made me sad but the strongest emotion this chapter evoked from me was anger.
Why would Beth doom Jo by making her promise to stay with their parents upon her death?
From page one Jo has been waiting for an opportunity to travel and gain experiences and instead Jo is forced to take Beth's place. Had Beth lived, I believe she would have married a simple man like Mr. March and continued taking care of her parents and family nearby. Because of her death, Beth needed someone to fill that place and thus came in Jo. This PISSED ME THE FUCK OFF. As soon as Jo makes that promise any life she had planned vanished and with that she met crusty ass fucking Professor Bhaer and crossed herself off my list of characters I love.
I don’t think I will ever hate a character as much as Bhaer This man is so condescending and self centered. He’s as one dimensional as Mr. March (we’re going full circle here). HE LITERALLY READ A POEM ABOUT THE LITTLE WOMEN, let me repeat that, THE LITTLE WOMEN, and pulled out a sentence about love and said “diz here iz about me professorine” LIKE SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!!
Which brings me to the fucking end. Of course Amy is doomed with a sick child because she named her kid after Beth. Jo I couldn’t give a fuck about after she gave a second thought to a crusty old man. Meg I hated from the first page. Doesn’t even matter if they mention Beth because Jo took her place.
The more I think about this novel, the more I think about how much I hate it and how it doesn’t make up for the 5 chapters I enjoyed out of 47. Had I read this novel as a child and grown up with it, maybe I would have liked it (very weak maybe), but I think a piece of literature should be judged despite what age you read it at and this just didn’t do it for me.
Thank god for Greta Gerwig and being able to make a phenomenal movie out of such a mediocre novel.
---
Yes I just watched the 2019 film adaptation for the first time and I am emotional.
No, I will not be taking questions at this time. Thank you.
August 4, 2022
I wanted to reread this story since another movie has been recently released based on this book, and also because I forgot what it was about since I read it in 1972. I began rereading my old copy that I bought when I was in Grade 4, and after comparing it with the ebook version my daughter was reading, I realized that my modern abridged edition, published in 1955, was pretty much cut in half, with only 283 pages. Several phrases, sentences, paragraphs and even whole chapters were omitted! Therefore, I purchased the latest edition (published 2019 with a cover depicting the actresses from the latest movie). Needless to say, a lot of questions were now answered!
Overall, one has to be mindful that this story was first published in 1868 (over 150 years ago), so language, thoughts, mores and behaviors were quite different then than they are today. I suppose readers back then would have found this book to be quite forward-thinking. As for myself, I found this book to be, in a word, charming. Even the "sex scene" between Meg and John was alluded to with such delicacy that you could miss it if you weren't paying close attention. And even though I remembered that Beth dies, I still had tears in my eyes while reading the touching prose describing her death.
If you are interested in reading classic literature, put this book on your "To Read" list!
Overall, one has to be mindful that this story was first published in 1868 (over 150 years ago), so language, thoughts, mores and behaviors were quite different then than they are today. I suppose readers back then would have found this book to be quite forward-thinking. As for myself, I found this book to be, in a word, charming. Even the "sex scene" between Meg and John was alluded to with such delicacy that you could miss it if you weren't paying close attention. And even though I remembered that Beth dies, I still had tears in my eyes while reading the touching prose describing her death.
If you are interested in reading classic literature, put this book on your "To Read" list!
December 5, 2023
"I don’t believe fine young ladies enjoy themselves a bit more than we do, in spite of our burnt hair, old gowns, one glove apiece, and tight slippers, that sprain our ankles when we are silly enough to wear them." – Jo March
Whether you like this book or not, I doubt there are many that would deny that Jo March is the star of this mid-nineteenth century novel about the March family. In many ways, because of this remarkably self-assured heroine, Little Women seemed to me much ahead of its time. Sisters Meg, Beth and Amy all have their moments to shine; while Mr. and Mrs. March are more broad-minded than what I imagine their contemporaries to have been. Had I been required to plant myself down in the midst of an American family during that era, I would have been satisfied to settle in with the Marches.
Meg yearns for the fine things she once had before poverty knocked the Marches down a few notches; yet she retains a mother-like quality that warmed me to her. Beth is quiet, good-natured and pious; all her sisters look to her as the epitome of virtue. The artistic little Amy is spoiled and vain and dreams of someday becoming a moneyed gentlewoman. I admit to feeling a bit sorry for her and by book’s end I became a fan. People do grow up after all, don’t they?!
And then there is Jo who adores books and dreams of someday becoming a writer. Described as a bit of a "tomboy", which I suppose a girl with her pluck would have been commonly labeled back in the day, Jo is at the center of the novel. Given that Little Women is somewhat autobiographical in nature, it is fascinating to read of this spirited young woman. I can just imagine how she felt – stifled by society’s norms and expectations of a Victorian ‘lady’. She wanted the freedom to express herself; she would often have difficulty suppressing the pent-up rage that she felt deep inside; and she wanted to do what made her happiest.
"An old maid – that’s what I’m to be. A literary spinster, with a pen for a spouse, a family of stories for children, and twenty years hence a morsel of fame, perhaps…"
She shared her hopes with Laurie, the boy next door and her greatest pal besides her dear sisters. They shared a love of literature and the outdoors and confided in one another their greatest dreams.
"Wouldn’t it be fun if all the castles in the air which we make could come true, and we could live in them?"
I read this story as a young teen and didn’t recall much of the plot. I have always carried a strong, positive image of Jo in my head during the intervening years; and I’m very glad I decided to reacquaint myself with her and the entire March family. I’m happy to say the image held up. With the exception of ever-sweet Beth, I would say that all of the girls exhibited growth throughout the book, and it was fun to spend some time with them. At times the story felt a bit over-sentimental, but I believe it was aimed at young women and given the date of publication, I decided to forgive it for this small ‘crime.’ I’m all for a sweet from time to time, as long as it’s balanced out with something nutritious, and I believe I got both here. I am super-excited to see the upcoming screen version of this to be released on Christmas Day!
"Now and then, in this work-a-day world, things do happen in the delightful story-book fashion, and what a comfort that is."
Whether you like this book or not, I doubt there are many that would deny that Jo March is the star of this mid-nineteenth century novel about the March family. In many ways, because of this remarkably self-assured heroine, Little Women seemed to me much ahead of its time. Sisters Meg, Beth and Amy all have their moments to shine; while Mr. and Mrs. March are more broad-minded than what I imagine their contemporaries to have been. Had I been required to plant myself down in the midst of an American family during that era, I would have been satisfied to settle in with the Marches.
Meg yearns for the fine things she once had before poverty knocked the Marches down a few notches; yet she retains a mother-like quality that warmed me to her. Beth is quiet, good-natured and pious; all her sisters look to her as the epitome of virtue. The artistic little Amy is spoiled and vain and dreams of someday becoming a moneyed gentlewoman. I admit to feeling a bit sorry for her and by book’s end I became a fan. People do grow up after all, don’t they?!
And then there is Jo who adores books and dreams of someday becoming a writer. Described as a bit of a "tomboy", which I suppose a girl with her pluck would have been commonly labeled back in the day, Jo is at the center of the novel. Given that Little Women is somewhat autobiographical in nature, it is fascinating to read of this spirited young woman. I can just imagine how she felt – stifled by society’s norms and expectations of a Victorian ‘lady’. She wanted the freedom to express herself; she would often have difficulty suppressing the pent-up rage that she felt deep inside; and she wanted to do what made her happiest.
"An old maid – that’s what I’m to be. A literary spinster, with a pen for a spouse, a family of stories for children, and twenty years hence a morsel of fame, perhaps…"
She shared her hopes with Laurie, the boy next door and her greatest pal besides her dear sisters. They shared a love of literature and the outdoors and confided in one another their greatest dreams.
"Wouldn’t it be fun if all the castles in the air which we make could come true, and we could live in them?"
I read this story as a young teen and didn’t recall much of the plot. I have always carried a strong, positive image of Jo in my head during the intervening years; and I’m very glad I decided to reacquaint myself with her and the entire March family. I’m happy to say the image held up. With the exception of ever-sweet Beth, I would say that all of the girls exhibited growth throughout the book, and it was fun to spend some time with them. At times the story felt a bit over-sentimental, but I believe it was aimed at young women and given the date of publication, I decided to forgive it for this small ‘crime.’ I’m all for a sweet from time to time, as long as it’s balanced out with something nutritious, and I believe I got both here. I am super-excited to see the upcoming screen version of this to be released on Christmas Day!
"Now and then, in this work-a-day world, things do happen in the delightful story-book fashion, and what a comfort that is."
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