Little Women

Synopsis

Generations of readers young and old, male and female, have fallen in love with the March sisters of Louisa May Alcott's most popular and enduring novel, Little Women. Here are talented tomboy and author-to-be Jo, tragically frail Beth, beautiful Meg, and romantic, spoiled Amy, united in their devotion to each other and their struggles to survive in New England during the Civil War.

It is no secret that Alcott based Little Women on her own early life. While her father, the freethinking reformer and abolitionist Bronson Alcott, hobnobbed with such eminent male authors as Emerson, Thoreau, and Hawthorne, Louisa supported herself and her sisters with "women's work," including sewing, doing laundry, and acting as a domestic servant. but she soon discovered that she could make more money writing.  Little Women brought her lasting fame and fortune, and far from being the "girls' book" her publisher requested, it explores such timeless themes as love and death, war and peace, the conflict between personal ambition and family responsibilities, and the clash of cultures between Europe and America.

Loved

• I just love everything about this book. I read it every few years around Christmas and it has become very dear to me, as it is to many of you too :)

• My favorite thing about this story is the sister relationships. I grew up with six sisters (and one brother), and my sisters have shaped me throughout my life. I am the youngest, so, like Amy, I have looked up to my sisters throughout my life and always wanted to be like them and be doing what they are doing. I love how the March sisters are each other's best friends- they play, imagine, daydream, work, clean, adventure, dress up, write, read and act together. But they also fight, hurt each other's feelings, and get jealous of each other. I love that no matter what happens, their relationships are their foundation and they always end up forgiving each other. They are each other's strength when everything else fails, and that is how I feel with my sisters.

• Jo. Jo is so lovable. I love that she is awkward, hates dresses, and loses her temper. She is so lovable as she grows up and realizes life isn't always like a novel, and she has to write her own story. I love that she has her faults, but is honest, sincere and loves her family and follows her passion. She and Anne Shirley are two of the most beloved hot-tempered daydreamers in literature and they've both become dear friends to me :)

• Beth. I love all the sisters, but Jo and Beth just hold a special place for me. Beth is so angelic and I love how her goodness inspires and motivates Jo. They are the perfect pair- Jo being passionate and bold, and Beth sweet and selfless. Obviously what happens to Beth in this story is heart-wrenching, but I do appreciate that the story doesn't try to be a fairytale, as it reminds us that life can be devastating, but sometimes sorrow makes it all the sweeter. Beth still motivates and encourages Jo throughout Jo's life, and is a guiding star for her in all that she does. I believe this is a beautiful lesson about finding sweetness in heartache, because we will all experience it in some form or another.

• The adventures. I love reading about the adventures of the sisters- from ice skating to acting to the Pickwick Society, their adventures are so nostalgic and reminiscent of our own childhood adventures. Their life is simple, yet so satisfying as they find joy in small things. 

• Life lessons. This is a perfect coming-of-age story and many girls of all ages can relate to something in this story. Whether you're like Meg learning that dresses and money don't bring happiness, or Jo learning that life isn't always a fairytale and you have to create your own story. Or maybe you relate to Beth learning to use her talents to bring others joy and having the courage to share them, or to Amy, learning that life isn't always romantic and sometimes grit and strength are required to survive hardship. We can all relate to these sisters and I think we grow up with them as they learn these simple, but faithful life lessons.

• Marmee. Marmee is always seen as completely unselfish, always giving and serving without thinking of herself. But in the book, Jo learns that Marmee wasn't always that way, and she herself has had to master a fiery temper. I love that Marmee is wonderful, but she had to become that way and work for it, which makes her relatable and even more wonderful. I love her relationship with Jo and how she encourages her to be her best self and pursue her passion.

• Mister Lawrence. I just completely melt every time I read about Beth getting up the courage to thank Mister Lawrence for the piano and then she ends up hugging him. I love that this stern, intimidating man comes completely undone by sweet, shy Beth. Their relationship is one of the sweetest elements of this story.

Didn't Love

• When I first read this as a ten-year-old, I was completely furious that Jo and Laurie don't end up together (sorry for the spoiler- I'm assuming most people who are reading this know that by now- right?) Reading it as a teenager I was still sad because I was in love with the idea of marrying your best friend and it was the most romantic thing in the world that Laurie had loved Jo since they first met at that dance. But, reading it as an adult, I am happy they don't end up together. The conversation when Jo tells him she doesn't love him is always painful, but again, I appreciate that this doesn't try to be a fairytale. Jo and Laurie would've fought all the time and might not have been happy together, plus, Jo just didn't love him. And that's probably more like real life. I think Laurie and Amy make so much more sense because Amy can keep Laurie in line and make him better, which Jo wouldn't have done. I also love how Fredrich helps Jo become the best she can be, and pulls out a new writer that she never saw in herself, which Laurie wouldn't have done. I like that this story is closer to real life- which usually doesn't work out in a fairytale way, and it makes the story so much more relatable as we grow up and find our own stories.

Content

• Language: 
• No swearing.

• Sexual content: 
• A few kisses, nothing described.

• Violence:
• Amy gets her hands whacked by the teacher for selling limes.
• That's about as violent as it gets in this story :) 

 Overall Thoughts

This book is just wonderful. I think every girl should read it, no matter her age. It's such a joy to walk with the March sisters and laugh at their small trifles and scrapes, swoon at their daydreams, and cry both at their small hurts and their deep sorrows. These stories are so nostalgic as they remind us of our childhood and the lessons we learned in both humorous and painful ways. There is no other family I'd rather experience this simple, yet beautiful life with than the March sisters.