Wednesday 20 August 2014

Little Women (1868)



Little Women (1868) Book Review



Author: Louisa May Alcott


When I first heard about this American classic in one of the "Friends" episodes about a year ago, I immediately searched the Internet to find out why "Little Women" was and still is so popular. I was a bit disappointed when I read that this novel follows events in the lives of four teenage girls because I thought that I was too mature to read it now and I'd missed my chance. Since then, I'd thought about the book several times when I went to the library to get another reading material, but I somehow always hesitated to borrow Alcott's novel. Last time, I finally came home with "Little Women". Even the fact that the book was placed on the children's literature bookshelf did not hold me back.

"Little Women" is indeed a story about the lives of four sisters, Meg, Jo, Amy, and Beth, how they grow up, realize the true values, find love and their place in the world. This is sort of a handbook for young girls, though I find some things that Mrs March teaches her daughters relevant to me as well even though I live in a completely different world. The story is interesting, but the characters are too innocent and naive from time to time. Honestly, I think that Jo is the only logically-thinking personage who seems like a real human being; other girls are just too good to be true, it looks like these sisters have no considerable flaws, are basically perfect, and every one of them have a different talent. I can guarantee that it's not possible that all family members are gifted, there's got be at least one who struggles and somehow lags behind.

There's one more thing you should know - this novel has two parts. After the great success of "Little Women", the author decided to continue telling the story of the four beloved sisters and named the book "Good Wives".  It's focus is more on the romantic life of the girls and how they come to realize what true love really is, but the style of writing hasn't changed and the pureness is still there, as well. I'm not saying that the classical novel is bad or overrated; it's simply little outdated. For those who have read "Lady Chatterley's Lover" or "Fifty Shades of Grey", this will seem a childish fairytale.  I must admit that "Little Women" might be a great book for teenage girls who are just starting to understand the real life, but for adults...let's just say that Alcott had created a world that simply can't exist and adults who all know too well what unpleasant surprises life can give will not buy it.

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