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A review by evitacademia
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I've been caught up with this book so long, it feels like a ritual to pick it up. It's probably the most comforting book to exist, it's warm and happy, but not ignoring all the troubles that exist. It's like a long sermon of morals and I think there's still many thoughts that are applicable today. There were also so many refreshing insights uncommon at the time the book was written, and thoughts that seemed timeless and oddly relatable. We always think we're so different than people 150 years ago. But this book tells you just how human they are.
The language is comfortable, honest, easy but elegant. It has a very distinctive style, always mixing lesson and leisure. What was really interesting was when the narrator would randomly say "I", but never revealing their identity. It's a nice little mystery.
Now to the stuff that kept me from giving it 5 stars. I didn't mind the vintage ordeal too much that sometimes bugs me about old books; manners I don't understand and hobbies that mean nothing to me like sewing. But what is still evident, and hard to avoid with a book this old, is stereotypes, and harmful expectations of women and men. Of course, this book is very progressive for its time, but every woman just steered toward their goal of getting married - even if they didn't want to end up as just married. The endings are not very diverse and it is a bit disappointing to see all the girls live basically the same life. Yes, it's said they're happy, but they were also expected to be. And, of course, there's all the housework and obeying your husband, knowing nothing of politics and philosophy and needing to depend on a man for that kind of education. Except they never were educated, none went to college. How likely is it, that every woman on earth ends up motherly?
Despite the recurring lack of feminism, it's still a giant. It's such important literary work, graceful and carries its length really well. Beth still brings me to tears.
"For love is the only thing that we can carry with us when we go, and it makes the end so easy."
The language is comfortable, honest, easy but elegant. It has a very distinctive style, always mixing lesson and leisure. What was really interesting was when the narrator would randomly say "I", but never revealing their identity. It's a nice little mystery.
Now to the stuff that kept me from giving it 5 stars. I didn't mind the vintage ordeal too much that sometimes bugs me about old books; manners I don't understand and hobbies that mean nothing to me like sewing. But what is still evident, and hard to avoid with a book this old, is stereotypes, and harmful expectations of women and men. Of course, this book is very progressive for its time, but every woman just steered toward their goal of getting married - even if they didn't want to end up as just married. The endings are not very diverse and it is a bit disappointing to see all the girls live basically the same life. Yes, it's said they're happy, but they were also expected to be. And, of course, there's all the housework and obeying your husband, knowing nothing of politics and philosophy and needing to depend on a man for that kind of education. Except they never were educated, none went to college. How likely is it, that every woman on earth ends up motherly?
Despite the recurring lack of feminism, it's still a giant. It's such important literary work, graceful and carries its length really well. Beth still brings me to tears.
"For love is the only thing that we can carry with us when we go, and it makes the end so easy."