Little Women (Part One) Review
My thoughts as the curtains fall on four little women… Until the next instalment.
I have just finished part one of Little Women this morning. Though I am not proud to say that it has taken me roughly 3 months to read it, this has not been due to a lack of enjoyment. More of a reading slump on my part. Book one (as I’m sure the second installment will also be) has become one of my favourite books I’ve ever read. I guess I could say I took my time because I wanted to savour it.
If I had to describe the book in one word that word would be delightful. Nothing short of delightful. The characters and their love for each other drew me in from the very start, and they were such relatable and warm characters! From Amy’s use of pensive sugar eating as a coping mechanism for “interesting” anxiety, to Jo’s reluctance to be happy to see her sister leaving the nest and all the changes that would mean for her close-knit family. This book was an utter joy to read as I experienced the highs and lows of a year in the life of four “Little Women” and their mother during the American Civil War. The love of a family, strengthened in difficult times, a theme universal and timeless.
These girls and their neighbour Laurie (more like a brother to them) have such fun times, from picnics to falling (ever so slightly) in love, and get up to such mischief as to make them relatable little pilgrims in their quest to be good. Even their mother, who they see as so perfect and without mistake, has had her short falls to work through, as Jo (with her issues of anger) is especially relieved and encouraged to hear. The characters and the story of Little Women are not perfect, and I believe this is the key to its status as a classic. We can relate as readers to young women learning from their mistakes, yearning to be better, learning the harsh reality that life is filled with times of sadness and hardship as much as joy. But that love is often enough, the glue that holds us together in times of difficulty.
In my opinion there is nothing not to love about this book, and it should be required reading for everyone. I’m certainly glad I finally got around to reading the first part, and am so excited to read the second instalment and see what happens to the “Little Women” as they grow into adulthood.
5 Stars
