Little Women

I first started Louisa May Alcott's Little Women about fifteen years ago. I had learned a few basic things through osmosis: Jo likes to write, Beth dies, it takes place in Massachusetts. I made it about to Beth's brush with scarlet fever and stopped because I didn't want her to die. A few years later I received another copy of the book and made it about as far.

And so, for many years, the books sat on my shelf. One paperback and one hardcover, with bookmarks in nearly the same place. I carted them both from apartment to apartment and across the country, determined to finish the book one day.

A few weeks ago I was taking stock of my bookshelf to determine what I owned but hadn't read yet and decided that I was going to read Little Women once and for all. I would make it to the end, despite Beth's death, and I would finally learn what became of the other March sisters.

I ended up mostly enjoying the book. It got a little repetitive and a little preachy, especially in the first half. Nearly every chapter seemed to follow the same formula of daughter messes up, daughter learns a lesson, mother repeats the lesson in a sermon, family hugs and feels good.

The second half is more interesting as the sisters scatter and start to have more grown-up adventures. Mary learns to be a wife and mother instead of just a daughter. Jo teaches at a boarding school and meets a German professor. Amy goes traipsing around Europe and falls in love. And Beth finally dies

Ultimately this was a pleasant book. I am glad I didn't finish it when I was younger as I'm more able to take Marmee's sermons with a grain of salt now. But I'm glad I did finally get around to it. I may even track down Jo's Boys someday.

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