I read this book about two months ago at the recommendation of a friend and it blew me away. I’m a 24-year-old man and I was not expecting to be this strongly impacted by a children’s novel. But every chapter provided a deep, rich example of how very different people might live together in harmony.
As the book went on, I found myself ashamed when the characters responded more virtuously to a situation than I would have or did something wrong in a way that rang true for me. For example, when Jo lets Amy fall through the ice because Amy destroyed Jo’s manuscript, I was horrified not only at Jo’s action, but at the fact that in some way, it made sense. Alcott is a master of presenting human emotions and behavior in a real, tactile manner that the reader can truly enter into.
Obviously, the thing everyone talks about in this book is the fact that Beth Dies. I cried over this moment more than I have for any other in my years of reading. And the wild thing is that it’s not presented as something evil or unfair- instead, she views her death as something altogether natural and expected. She dies peacefully and satisfied in the knowledge that her small acts of kindness and those of others towards her throughout her life made it worth living.
Much like the characters, I don’t think I fully appreciated Beth’s presence until she was gone. I’d had this part spoiled for me before reading the book, but it didn’t take away from the gut-punching nature of the event.
None of this is to say, of course, that the book is perfect. The depiction of Hannah is…dated to say the least. Amy seemed to be rewarded for playing artificial society games while Jo was punished for trying to be her own woman. The ending also felt a bit too perfect; I would have been okay if one of the surviving sisters had remained unmarried.
But overall, I fell in love with the characters and their simple, beautiful lives in a way I could never have expected.
by [deleted]
27 Comments
You cried? Me too.
The 2019 film is especially good as well.
One of my absolute favorite books ever! As a mom, it really hit me deep in the feels. 🥰 One of the only books I’ve read more than once.
What a lovely review! Little Women was one of my very favorite books as a girl. I haven’t read it in years and am just waiting for my oldest daughter to show interest so that we can read it together. I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
This was on my TBR list for years and when I finally read it last year I found it a slog to get through. The only character I actually liked was Jo and Laurie to an extent. I also realize that Alcott had a target audience in mind when writing the story, but the moralizing quickly became tiresome.
It’s one of the only instances where I prefer the movie version, in this case the 1994 adaption.
Fun fact, that may not be true, but that I learned when visiting Louisa May Alcott’s house/museum: Jo was going to remain unmarried in the book, much like Alcott. Her publisher required her to have all girls married as was expected of the time.
Also, Alcott’s father was a chatty man, and would annoy their neighbor, Nathaniel Hawthorne, enough that Hawthorne began taking other routes home to avoid Mr. Alcott.
I reread it again right after I saw the 2019 film, which I loved. Jo still has my heart and I’ll still never forgive Amy for the whole manuscript thing.
So glad you enjoyed it!
One of the best books ever and the other two books in the trilogy are pretty good as well.
Oh, my heart. This book forever has it. My first copy was read and loved so much that not only was it missing the cover, but also the publishing page, dedication page, and the first couple of pages of the novel itself. I reread it every few years and it always feels like coming home.
If it makes you feel any better, Alcott planned for Jo to remain single, but the publishers made her write a husband. As revenge, Alcott had Jo marry the professor and not Laurie as the shippers of the day would have loved.
I’ve not seen the 2019 film, but the 1994 is a perennial favorite of mine.
I haven’t read the book or seen the movie 🤫 should I add it to my reading list for 2021?
What a lovely reminder of a lovely book! It’s been years since I’ve read it, and I’m glad it still (somewhat) holds up today.
Jo was my favorite as well, as part of the holy Jo trinity of my youth: Jo March, Jo from The Facts of Life, and my cabbage patch doll Josephine.
The PBS show was really good.
Umm… no, I felt like it was low key propaganda of what women should act like in society. Left me with a very bad taste in the mouth that I can’t describe.
The ‘94 film with Winona Ryder, Kirsten Dunst, Gabriel Byrne, Claire Danes, Susan Sarandon, and Christian Bale is my favourite film and I (37m) watch it about 3-10 times a year.
“And then they realized they were no longer little girls: they were little women.”
It’s such a lovely, wholesome story. I’ve been reading it on a fairly regular basis since I was a kid. I used to have such a problem controlling my temper and I’d be lying is I said Little Women didn’t influence me to work harder on that.
This is a really lovely review, and I love that you’ve taken the time to mark up spoilers for a book that is so well known and published over 150 years ago.
I think Alcott wanted to show all the complexities of women, and try to undo the myth of the perfect woman. It is tragic that Alcott was forced to marry off Jo, but I love that she got her own in by marrying her off to someone unexpected.
If you enjoy the book, but want a little more ‘oomph’ from Jo in that regard, I do recommend the 2019 version of the film. Plus, it’s beautifully shot, and gives Amy some depth in a way other films don’t.
I think one of the things I like about Little Women, is that I find myself relating more to different sisters at different points throughout the book, and over the years of reading it.
One of my favourite things about this is:
– the book begins in the early 1860’s New England and covers about 15-20 years, it’s literary contemporary ‘Gone with the Wind’ takes place in a similar time frame 1861-1877 in Georgia during the ACW and reconstruction era. I like to think what would ever happen if the Lead characters from either story ever met, and where would their similarities and differences meet.
Nobody seems to have mentioned Pulitzer winning novel March by Geraldine Brooks, which takes up the story from the perspective of the absent father Robert March. i enjoyed it a lot.
I wanted Jo to stay unmarried which is what LMA originally wanted but unfortunately her publisher wasn’t having it.
Are you aware that there are some follow up books to Little Women that aren’t as well-known by the way OP?
There is Little Men and Jo’s Boys which both continue the story and if I remember rightly are both about Jo and Frederick Bhaer’s school.
One of them does have a messed up subplot though:
>!One of the boys who attends the school ends up falling in love with Amy and Laurie’s daughter Beth and Jo is all “well that’s nice but Amy and Laurie have high hopes for Beth and you have nothing to offer her so you’d probably better distance yourself for your own good.” It seems hypocritical when you consider the March family was pretty poor.!<
Haven’t read the book, but have seen the movie. A very good story.
Yes! I read this at about the same age you are and was blown away. I was a newlywed and couldn’t get over how accurate Meg’s feelings and experiences are as a newlywed herself. You are so right about the characters- they touch us because they are so real- flaws and all.
Absolutely wonderful book. I thought the latest movie version did it justice. It’s one of my favorite movies. I cry like a baby for hours after I finish it every time.
I’ve read this book many times! Apparently LMA hated it. She wrote it to keep her family afloat. She called her Little Women books “moral pap for the young.”
She wrote suspense novels (her real passion) under a pseudonym.
I’m a 32 year old man and started reading it a few days ago. I’m on chapter 10. I appreciate you Including spoiler blockers.
I love the book so far. Even though the storyline isn’t progressing much, the more I get to know the characters the more entwined I become. I didnt think I would enjoy the mannerisms of such a conservative time period, but there’s something so innocent and sweet about the woman and how they engage with the rest of society.
Hello! I love Little Women! I volunteer at the Orchard House in Concord MA and have extensive knowledge about the real sisters and town history if anyone is interested.