Little Women – Louisa May Alcott

★★★★★

“Don’t try to make me grow up before my time…”

The March sisters may be radically different but they all have one thing in common – love.

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.

I like good strong words that mean something…

Meg, the beautiful sister, often puts her family first and holds them together when her mother cannot.

You don’t need scores of suitors. You need only one… if he’s the right one.

Amy, the youngest, was spoiled as a child and oh my, it shows. But even she can rally when life looks darkest.

I’d rather take coffee than compliments just now.

Beth, sweet and good-natured, valiantly cheers on her sisters but her frail health often keeps her at the sidelines.

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…

The sisters must face hardships their New England home.

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.

Watch and pray, dear, never get tired of trying, and never think it is impossible to conquer your fault.

This is probably my fifth or sixth time through and yes, I am totally going to read it again.

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.

You are the gull, Jo, strong and wild, fond of the storm and the wind, flying far out to sea, and happy all alone.

And the message of the book! Ahh. My heart. So full.

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.

Be worthy love, and love will come.

That being said, I do absolutely hate that you-know-who dies (not Voldemort).

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.

Interested in this one from Louisa May Alcott? Buy it here:  Amazon