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emma's Reviews > Little Women
Little Women
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emma's review
bookshelves: classics, owned, non-ya, gorgeous-covers, recommend, beautifully-written, 4-and-a-half-stars, reviewed, to-buy
Jan 06, 2019
bookshelves: classics, owned, non-ya, gorgeous-covers, recommend, beautifully-written, 4-and-a-half-stars, reviewed, to-buy
I’M IN LOVE, I’M IN LOVE, AND I DON’T CARE WHO KNOWS IT!
When I was a child, my mother used to drag me to antique stores all the time. There is nothing more boring to a kid than an antique store. It smelled like dust and old people, and everything looked the same (dark wood), and if we were in a particularly bauble-heavy shop I had to clasp my hands behind my back like a Von Trapp child in order to avoid invoking the you-break-it-you-buy-it policy on a $42 crystal ashtray.
On one such excursion, when I was like eight, I found a vintage-ish copy of Little Women. Because it was a book, and because it had some kind of illustration of pretty girls in pretty dresses, it was far and away the most interesting thing in there. So I indulged in what was then and what remains one of my favorite pastimes: asking my mother to buy me something. She said no, both because it was confusingly expensive and because she doubted eight-year-old me’s lasting interest in reading a 750-page book from 1868.
Ever since, Little Women has tantalized me.
I am very pleased to say it lived up to every expectation.
This book is so cozy and delightful and happy. A lot of the time, when series start out in the childhood of characters and then follow their growing up, the book gets worse. But I always liked reading about this ragtag group of gals!!
Warning, spoiler ahead, and if you complain about me spoiling a book that was published seven of my lifetime ago I will absolutely freak out so don’t say I didn’t give you a heads up:
Obviously Jo and Laurie were meant for each other, and his marrying Amy and Jo’s marrying some random old dude was the biggest flaw of this book. But even with that, this book ended happy, and I enjoyed almost every second of it.
(Okay, I’m sorry, but Amy is the clear weak link and didn’t deserve Laurie!! I will not rejoice for them!!) (Did I have to take off a half star for that alone? Yes. Because it upset me immensely. And I won’t apologize. If anyone should be apologized to, it’s ME. And also JO. And also LAURIE!)
But absolutely every other second was a pleasure.
Bottom line: This book feels like Christmas.
---------
pre-review
cozy: ✓
comforted: ✓
joy: ✓
review to come!!!
---------
currently-reading updates
I am ready to feel COZY. I am ready to feel COMFORTED. I am ready to feel JOY.
When I was a child, my mother used to drag me to antique stores all the time. There is nothing more boring to a kid than an antique store. It smelled like dust and old people, and everything looked the same (dark wood), and if we were in a particularly bauble-heavy shop I had to clasp my hands behind my back like a Von Trapp child in order to avoid invoking the you-break-it-you-buy-it policy on a $42 crystal ashtray.
On one such excursion, when I was like eight, I found a vintage-ish copy of Little Women. Because it was a book, and because it had some kind of illustration of pretty girls in pretty dresses, it was far and away the most interesting thing in there. So I indulged in what was then and what remains one of my favorite pastimes: asking my mother to buy me something. She said no, both because it was confusingly expensive and because she doubted eight-year-old me’s lasting interest in reading a 750-page book from 1868.
Ever since, Little Women has tantalized me.
I am very pleased to say it lived up to every expectation.
This book is so cozy and delightful and happy. A lot of the time, when series start out in the childhood of characters and then follow their growing up, the book gets worse. But I always liked reading about this ragtag group of gals!!
Warning, spoiler ahead, and if you complain about me spoiling a book that was published seven of my lifetime ago I will absolutely freak out so don’t say I didn’t give you a heads up:
Obviously Jo and Laurie were meant for each other, and his marrying Amy and Jo’s marrying some random old dude was the biggest flaw of this book. But even with that, this book ended happy, and I enjoyed almost every second of it.
(Okay, I’m sorry, but Amy is the clear weak link and didn’t deserve Laurie!! I will not rejoice for them!!) (Did I have to take off a half star for that alone? Yes. Because it upset me immensely. And I won’t apologize. If anyone should be apologized to, it’s ME. And also JO. And also LAURIE!)
But absolutely every other second was a pleasure.
Bottom line: This book feels like Christmas.
---------
pre-review
cozy: ✓
comforted: ✓
joy: ✓
review to come!!!
---------
currently-reading updates
I am ready to feel COZY. I am ready to feel COMFORTED. I am ready to feel JOY.
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Reading Progress
July 7, 2014
– Shelved
January 6, 2019
–
Started Reading
January 12, 2019
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-50 of 149 (149 new)
message 1:
by
Isabelle
(new)
Jan 07, 2019 01:54AM
those are definitely all words I strongly associate with this book! happy reading ❤️
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Isabelle wrote: "those are definitely all words I strongly associate with this book! happy reading ❤️"EXCELLENT
siera wrote: "i just started this too!"very exciting!!!
My favorite childhood novel!
Deborah wrote: "My favorite childhood novel!"it's PERFECT
I AGREE WE WERE ROBBED OF THE ONLY REAL ENDGAME COUPLE. (also the other day I saw someone complaining that a more recent book spoiled the ending of Little Women and I mean ... I know there's no official statute of limitations on spoilers but at some point you gotta accept the fact that this book has been around for a very very long time so the best way to avoid spoilers is to just read the book?)
You are SO RIGHT about Amy and Laurie
Just bought a pretty edition of this from my used book store today! Been wanting to read some classics, so I’ll be starting with this!!
Amy is a weak link/poor character the entire book! If the sisters are supposed to represent flaws/morals e.g. Jo needs to control her temper, Beth needs to have courage and Amy needs to learn humility...She never does, she's vain and vapid until the end. Shame she got pulled out of the ice pond and we couldn't have kept Beth instead.
I can't even tell you how many times I read this book when I was young. I still have my vintage hardbound copy. Though they do not quite match the excellence of Little Women, do read the follow-up books: Little Men and then Jo's Boys.
I should have also said . . . this might be my most favorite review of a book on goodreads ever! Well-done!
Isabelle wrote: "I AGREE WE WERE ROBBED OF THE ONLY REAL ENDGAME COUPLE. (also the other day I saw someone complaining that a more recent book spoiled the ending of Little Women and I mean ... I know there's no off..."i truly don't think classics can even Be Spoiled...like, sorry, but we're aware on a culture level of what happens at the end of Romeo & Juliet. no spoiler alerts for u
Mary Grace wrote: "You are SO RIGHT about Amy and Laurie"SO DISSATISFYING
Emily wrote: "Just bought a pretty edition of this from my used book store today! Been wanting to read some classics, so I’ll be starting with this!!"pretty editions of good classics are the best thing in the world
~ elizabeth wrote: "Amy is a weak link/poor character the entire book! If the sisters are supposed to represent flaws/morals e.g. Jo needs to control her temper, Beth needs to have courage and Amy needs to learn humil..."i know! if a character had to die.......but maybe good ol louisa may knew amy just wouldn't be the tearjerker beth was
Anne wrote: "I can't even tell you how many times I read this book when I was young. I still have my vintage hardbound copy. Though they do not quite match the excellence of Little Women, do read the follow-up ..."lovely <3 will do!!
Anne wrote: "I should have also said . . . this might be my most favorite review of a book on goodreads ever! Well-done!"oh man!!! thank you!!!
I feel like I'm missing out by having never read this, but your passion for it is nice to see and our tastes are very similar. I think I'll pick it up. Also I'm low key sad you didn't get the book and I demand the Universe send you it.
I loved your review and I must say it provided me much consolation that there are people who find the Laurie and Amy pairing very painful. I have been rooting for Jo and Laurie all along,and like you said it's the biggest flaw. I hoped against hope until the last few pages. Thank you for putting my exact same worries into words.
I am so glad to read Emma's and others opinions on the pairings off of Amy and Laurie and Jo and the professor. There was always a little niggle of discomfort in me about them but I guess it's no more than what happens in real life. We have to accept it as Alcott's plan for them all.
I loved the book, but I agree that Laurie and Amy/ Jo and Friedrich is a bit messed up. I thought from Jo's dance with Laurie up to when she said no to him that they were going to marry. I hated Jo for denying Laurie. I really wished to be her and correct her dreadful mistake.
A wonderful review! I agree Laurie and Jo should had ended up together and its so sad they didn't.
I deffinetly agree that the biggest flaw of this story is that Jo and Laurie did not end up together.
bless you for saying what we're ALL THINKING about Amy. go burn books like the heathen you are and leave my--*ahem* JO's boy alone.
I agree with the pairings seeming odd in the end and I understand that point considering that was alcott’s intention. From what I’ve heard, Alcott intended for Jo to never marry (as she passionately mentions throughout the novel). However, because of the time period, Alcott had to have married female characters in order for her novel to get published (hints: the professor). To read between the lines a bit, alcott’s rash ending to the novel with Jo getting married is an injustice to the original character arc of jo, so much as that her marrying the professor is essentially a joke. I believe Alcott did this as a sort of protest to the censored writing she was told to implement, which unexpectedly makes this book all the more of a feminist novel.
Spoiler: I totally agree that Jo and Laurie were meant for each other and got mad when they didn’t end up together
omg, I’m so glad I’m not alone on the Jo and Laurie thing! It made absolutely no sense🙄 but whatever Louisa, you do you
I love this review and if anyone asks me about this book again, I will forward them here. :-)
So agree! Jo and Laurie were meant for eachother and Mr. Bhaer was old and boring. Still loved the book tho.
I love and agree with this review, except for the fact that I am a huge Amy and Laurie fan, so I cannot understand your love for Jo and Laurie. Alas, great review, it captured mostly everything I felt about the book.
Thanks for the review, I really liked (havent read the book but I'm hoping to get it soon.)I was scrolling through some reviews for this books and when I saw the quote from Elf I immediately clicked on it😆
Totally agree! Jo and Laurie are the-classic-meant-to-be-couple and they are one like you’ve never seen! I can’t agree with you thinking Amy is a weakling because she is a strong feminist (as I am) but I agree, Laurie BELONGS to Jo
Love the elf reference
Dida wrote: "I feel like I'm missing out by having never read this, but your passion for it is nice to see and our tastes are very similar. I think I'll pick it up. Also I'm low key sad you didn't get the book ..."thank you!! i hope the universe is listening!!
Dolly wrote: "I loved your review and I must say it provided me much consolation that there are people who find the Laurie and Amy pairing very painful. I have been rooting for Jo and Laurie all along,and like y..."yes!!!
Eithne wrote: "I am so glad to read Emma's and others opinions on the pairings off of Amy and Laurie and Jo and the professor. There was always a little niggle of discomfort in me about them but I guess it's no m..."that's fair! although i think jo at least should have been unmarried :(
Lydia wrote: "I loved the book, but I agree that Laurie and Amy/ Jo and Friedrich is a bit messed up. I thought from Jo's dance with Laurie up to when she said no to him that they were going to marry. I hated Jo..."jo and laurie were both ridiculous for that one!!
Mandy wrote: "A wonderful review! I agree Laurie and Jo should had ended up together and its so sad they didn't."never not sad!
Mary wrote: "I deffinetly agree that the biggest flaw of this story is that Jo and Laurie did not end up together."it's a heartbreaker
Karly wrote: "bless you for saying what we're ALL THINKING about Amy. go burn books like the heathen you are and leave my--*ahem* JO's boy alone."PRECISELY
LaurenCampbell wrote: "I agree with the pairings seeming odd in the end and I understand that point considering that was alcott’s intention. From what I’ve heard, Alcott intended for Jo to never marry (as she passionatel..."i like this analysis but it does make for an unsatisfying reading experience!
Livia wrote: "Spoiler: I totally agree that Jo and Laurie were meant for each other and got mad when they didn’t end up together"very mad
madeline wrote: "omg, I’m so glad I’m not alone on the Jo and Laurie thing! It made absolutely no sense🙄 but whatever Louisa, you do you"go off i guess louisa!
Katy wrote: "I love this review and if anyone asks me about this book again, I will forward them here. :-)"i am flattered!!!
Alexandra wrote: "Alexandra Vryn I'm sorry but I just finished this book (Collins Classics edition) and I don't understand ! In the end, Meg and Mr Brooke are sitting in the March's living room with the whole family..."how odd!!!
Juliana Jenne wrote: "So agree! Jo and Laurie were meant for eachother and Mr. Bhaer was old and boring. Still loved the book tho."agree 100%
Zoë wrote: "I love and agree with this review, except for the fact that I am a huge Amy and Laurie fan, so I cannot understand your love for Jo and Laurie. Alas, great review, it captured mostly everything I f..."wowza!
Akira wrote: "Thanks for the review, I really liked (havent read the book but I'm hoping to get it soon.)I was scrolling through some reviews for this books and when I saw the quote from Elf I immediately clicke..."haha ty!
Audrey wrote: "Totally agree! Jo and Laurie are the-classic-meant-to-be-couple and they are one like you’ve never seen! I can’t agree with you thinking Amy is a weakling because she is a strong feminist (as I am)..."i think greta gerwig was kinder to amy than louisa may alcott was, i'll say that!
Ava wrote: "Love the elf reference"i try
