Pages: 217 (1435)
Blurb: Little Women is the delightful story of the four March girls and their approach towards womanhood.
Meg, the elder and most beautiful, shrugs off her vanity and social ambition, discovering fulfilment in romantic love. Boyish Jo on the other hand, with her contempt of all 'lovering', turns impetuously towards writing for solace. Gentle Beth rejects worldly interests, preferring to devote her life to her family, to the joy of music and to timidly aiding all who suffer in life. Amy, the youngest and most imperfect of the March girls, continually tries to overcome her selfishness and girlish pretensions, though she has a hard task before her.
The progress of these four 'little women' is narrated along the lines of Bunyan's pilgrim, and we are shown how - encountering struggles and learning important lessons along the way - each one attains her own Celestial City.
Thoughts: This was on my list of classics which I really wanted to read. It has been one of my favourite films (the naff 1990s version) and I felt drawn to read it. I loved it. It took me a while to get over the moralising and religious overtones but once I reminded myself it was of its' time, these elements ceased to bother me. I loved the character development of all the characters, which is impressive considering this is quite a short book. Even characters I disliked in the film I loved in the book! I really like the modern attitude of the Marches in instilling that love is behind relationships, not money, something many people I know could do well in learning. I am slightly disappointed that UK versions of the book are split into two parts (Good Wives being the name of the second), but it does mean I have a lovely new book to add to my collection. I would definitely say this is a must read for any young girl or woman as it deals with so many issues that we encounter when we are young and teenage (vanity, marrying well, selfishness). I found it very affirming and I'm 25.
