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Little Women
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Little Women: Chapter 1-13
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Oct 23, 2016 02:46AM
This is the discussion thread for Little Women Chapter 1-13
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Ok so I started this book a little early because it was available at the library and I had not read it before or watched the movie... And I know I will probably be in the minority here but it is so dull and slow moving. I really do hope it gets better because it is a struggle.
I hated the first couple of chapters with all the "Marmee Marmee Marmee I want to be good!" crap. LOL But now I'm well in and really enjoying it. I agree it's a quiet book that talks a lot about everyday things. For that reason I'm not surprised that it didn't interest me as a little girl, but now it's right up my alley.
Yeah it is pretty quiet. It evolves into a beautiful story I think, but it isn't very action oriented exactly.
I think I could handle quiet and non action oriented if it wasn't so sugary and preachy. But I will say, I have read farther and it does get better. Not sure I would classify this as a book I would read again but it isn't quite as much like pulling teeth.
Good to hear :) The overly sugary feeling is what I line about it, but I could see it be too much for some.
This was a book that as a young girl I read many times and loved it as well as the next two that followed. Now listening to it as an adult with my 12 year old daughter I still love it but age has definitely changed me. I don't remember it being so preachy but then I am a much more jaded person now. It does move slow, but it gets better as you keep going. Just remember it is a window into these girls' very ordinary lives, it's not an action, or big love story, or mystery. Just picture of what daily life and daily worries would be in a place in time.
Kelll, I totally agree! I read the same three books as a child and loved them. When I reread this one as an adult, it just wasn't the same. I also was kind of surprised by how preachy it was--I hadn't remembered that at all.
I'm only up to chapter nine. I'm struggling through this one. Does anyone else hate Amy? I was hoping she'd die or at least suffer more when she fell through the ice, to be honest...
I'm 12 chapters in and so far I think I would have loved it if I read it as a child, but reading it now it's way to preachy and sweet. I don't hate Amy but she is definitely the most spoiled one due to being the youngest. She really annoyed me though in that chapter where she fell through the ice.
LOL Simon. I don't hate any of the characters but some are preferable to others. Laurie is my favorite at this point.
Oh my gosh I hated Amy!
What a great time of year to start reading this again! Just saw the 1994 movie the other day. Still get excited at the scene of Jo and Laurie dancing in the hallway (doesn't that sound like so much more fun than the usual prom/formal these days...!), and Jo being all business-like and friendly when she comes over to visit while he's sick - would've loved to have seen a scene in the movie with Laurie playing the piano for a more extended period of time to reflect this :) (Mindy: I agree. Laurie is my favorite too! Equal with Jo.But Jo will overtake him soon ;))
I just finished chapter 10 and I agree about disliking Amy, she's been pretty annoying so far! Jo and Laurie are definitely my favourite characters at the moment.
So far I'm enjoying the book, especially as it goes on. Some of the things the girls do are pretty silly, but it seems authentic. They have a lot of time on their hands and are pretty isolated, so they make things up.I don't feel like the book is preaching at me but I'm not surprised that the author is trying to show how "little women" should behave in this time.
Cassandra, I agree with that. It helped me to enjoy the book more that I kept reminding myself that it was of its time. All of the girls interested me, but none felt real to me, at all. But if Alcott was trying to present an ideal, I can see that.I was kind of amused that the opening lines are all about the dreadful poverty the Marches are suffering through and yet in chapter two, we meet Hannah, the live-in servant. I wonder how poor a family would have to be to do their own cooking and cleaning? Again, I realize I'm looking at the March's world through my own, though.
It does seem odd for even a rather poor family like the Marches to have a servant. I guess the truly poor folks are the live-in servants? But I wonder if there are any people who are not quite poor enough to need to be servants, but don't have enough money to hire any servants of their own.
I haven't read this book in years and forgot how slow it can be at times. I loved the part where Jo saw the Laurence's library for the first time because it's the same joy I feel when going into a book store. I forgot about Meg's trip with Sallie and how she had made a spectacle of herself. I loved how Laurie was there to talk a bit of sense into her.
I feel there are a lot of underlying stories within the story. Like the start of the story Mr. Brooke's told on their outing about the princesses...obviously he was referring to Meg.
Excited to continue and see what happens to these Little Women. I also hope to finish on time, my three year old has been making it challenging for me to find time to read lately.
It is interesting to think of all the interweaving characters and storylines. The world of the Marches is pretty insulated - they only interact with a few people outside their family, so we get to see those families grow together.
Late to the punch, but listening to 'Little Women' at work! (They don't even compare) but this is much easier to listen to than Pride and Prejudice lol. I'm a huge fan of Beth!
I like Beth too!! :)
