Have you ever watched a TV show that went on for a season too long? Well that’s how I felt about Little Women. Little Women is a classic novel by Lousia May Alcott. It was originally published as a magazine serial, and then in 2 volumes in the 1860s. Little Women tells the stories of the 4 March sisters, and their neighbor during the Civil War as they are growing up. Responsible Meg, tomboyish Jo, shy Beth, and artsy Amy have a very tight knit family unit with each other and their mother, Marmee. Their father is away fighting in the war, and the family, without a steady source of income, is poor. This is one of the first things we learn about the Marchs. Another prominent character in Little Women is the March’s neighbor, Laurie. Laurie and Jo become fast friends, and this is a significant relationship that ebbs and flows throughout the book. The first volume of Little Women follows the teenage years of the sisters and Laurie. The second volume chronicles their life as adults, and them settling down.
While the overall story was interesting, I did not enjoy the book very much. I found it to be boring, and often felt that entire chapters could be cut out and the plot would stay the same. It just went on too long. Some chapters were quite entertaining, which is what made me give it 2 stars instead of 1. However, these chapters were only minorly sprinkled throughout the book. I liked reading about Meg and Amy as adults, and the troubles that Beth faces. Most of the focus of the book however, was on Jo, who I found annoying. Some parts of the book were frustrating to read about, partly because they contradicted other ideas that had been shown previously. While I did like that the author made decisions that were surprising and not expected, some of it seemed forced and not genuine of the characters.
Overall I would only recommend this if you have a lot of time and want a book with chapters that are more or less their own little story. Otherwise, this is not a book I would recommend.
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