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What are readers saying about Little Women?
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Peekablue posted a review at 2010-06-13 06:53:17.
(Language: English)
 
This review is from: Little Women (Illustrated Junior Library) (Hardcover) I'm sure there are plenty of reviews on the actual story, so I'll just comment on this particular edition of Little Women. I'm referring to the Grosset & Dunlap Illustrated Junior Library edition. I found this at a local Borders and was immediately attracted to the cover illustration. This is a beautiful book. There are many illustrations throughout the book, both in color and in back and white (the majority are in black and white). When I looked it up on Amazon, I was a little hesitant about buying this book because I had read reviews stating that it only contained the first half of the story (288 pages). The book I bought (at Borders) contains the entire story (643 pages). So, if you like the appearance of this particular edition, but are put off by the lack of the second half, it is available with the complete story. Just be careful when making your selection. 
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-05-06 11:34:57.
(Language: English)
The story of the 4 March sisters ...who have their faults and flaws but are still strong and determined....Alcott weaves a plot wherein sisters become each others' strength as well as weakness... the most beautiful part about this book is that Alcott has used her own personal experience with her three sisters which gives it an edge.the way in which she has shown the bond between the 4 sisters as well as their mother is remarkable..set in the backdrop of civil war.. little women clearly depicts the complexity that women possess... its worth a read but just once.. it makes you cry and also think ... pick up a copy and give it a try especially ladies and sisters...
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-09-22 06:10:05.
(Language: English)
While their father is away fighting in the Civil War, the March sisters (beautiful, girly-girl Meg, outspoken Jo, shy Beth, and spoiled Amy) live in a poor but loving home with their saintly mother. Laurie, the poor little rich boy who lives next door becomes like a brother to the girls. Lively and realistic, the characters are never too perfect; they each have their flaws and we love them all the more for it. Don't let the length scare you away. This one is an enduring classic for a reason. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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Susan posted a review at 2010-03-11 11:57:57.
(Language: English)
Little Women is a great book for young-adult girls.it's a matter of growing up,love and ambitions. the Protagonist,Joe,is the second daughter of the family.she's tall and a not-so-pretty, but her sense of humor and her love to read and write is what exactly makes her so lovely.she has three sisters and a neighbor,named Lourie,who is most of the time there in the book.it's so enjoyable to read about their fall outs and on the other hand how much they really care about each other.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-01-26 07:34:43.
(Language: English)
Alot different from what i figured it would be, maybe its becuase i am older, but i found it very sweet, nicey-nicey, and syrupy. Still good, especially the last 100 pages or so, those were my favorites. I didn't like how none of the girls accomplished their dreams, and of course like the other half of the world, i wish to goodness Jo would have married Laurie! It was a match made in heaven, after all. They were so stubborn and so much alike;they were destined to be together. But alas, Mr. Bhaer enters the picture and, Amy grows up. Oh well. Give this to your girls when they're 10, and they'll love it. Maybe, regardless of my 16 years, it was just a little too "good" for me :) Still, as classic, and begs to be read once in your life.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-01-17 05:15:45.
(Language: English)
Don't let the fact that this is a Civil War era book put you off!!!! While it did take me a couple tries to actually get past the first few chapters, I am thrilled I finished it! The characters are believable, and honestly I could really identify with many of them. I felt Alcott did an incredible service to the women in the story by marrying them to whom she did; it had to be hard to be a feminist during her time. Each of the women were truly happy in the end! Better than any chick flick book I can think of today. I love it! And I usually abhor books with happy endings; this time, however, I must make an exception.
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Tong posted a review at 2009-07-13 03:50:14.
(Language: English)
It is a fable of unconditional love to the family. I have a hard time to finish the book because it is too boring and not too convincing why all sisters were so kind and loving each others when they grew old (providing that I don't have sisters but two brothers in the house). This is a classic when you read it as a kid, but it may not be a great book to me as an adult. I am also not sure whether the kids nowadays would still believe this in reality, there are (particularly in Chinese) lots of nasty siblings who steal money from families, being a bump to laze around in parent's house or ask for freebies from their hardworking siblings.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-09-14 01:25:55.
(Language: English)
I enjoyed reading Little Women enormously. It is a pure and beautiful story about four sisters who help their mother cope with life during the American civil war, while their father, who is a clergyman, is away fighting the cause. The family lose their wealth but remain well respected; they befriend their neighbour, the rich Mr Lawrence who luckily enough has an orphaned grandson Laurie. It is not long before Laurie is involved in the girl?s imaginative adventures. I was well and truly hooked on the book at this point in my usual over romantisizing way, following the girl?s lives as they evolved into womanhood. I could truly emphasize with Jo and adore her strengths, as I would (with envy). Wonderful, wonderful book and I look forward to re reading it again in the future..Jules x
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Valeria posted a review at 2010-02-14 09:31:24.
(Language: English)
I enjoyed Little Women very much. I was expecting something very "proper" and was pleasantly surprised when I realized that the four March girls were depicted as real girls, with their qualities and their shortcomings. I think I'll vote for Amy as "best improvement", but Jo won my heart. She is the one I can identify with, not only because she really comes alive in the book, but by her relationship with Teddy. I had one of those when I was a teenager (with a sadder but similar ending). I recommend this book, not only as a classic, but also as a fun read.
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Meg posted a review at 2009-09-30 10:42:18.
(Language: English)
As a little girl (named Meg, no less!), this was my enduring favorite. I still read it at least once a year, even now as a grown-up. It's like reading a story of my own family, since I have a sister and grew up in New England. Jo is funny, smart and punchy with her quips about wanting to fight in the Civil War, taking care of her sisters, and writing. Meg is warm, caring, a bit of a fussy mother hen, and sweetly old-fashioned. Beth is a dear, one of the gentlest characters I've ever read about. And Amy is confident, artistic, and a bit selfish, though she does work on it! Fall in love with the girls for the first time or the hundredth - highly recommended!
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-01-13 09:48:52.
(Language: English)
I've read "Little Women" several times through the years - the first time when I was about 10 years old I guess and always enjoyed it. The story is simple and sweet, but I think it still carries a strong message about the strength in the bonds of women. Progressive for the time, Alcott presents in the March women different "types" - Meg, the pretty, domestic one; Jo, the tomboyish, independent rebel; Beth, the too-good-for-this-world moral angel; Amy, the flighty, spoiled, bratty princess - at least at first; and then Marmee, the redeemed wild child who is now their strength and moral compass. The men, while not maligned are almost incidental, serving as props to highlight the different personalities of the women. The characters are wonderfully developed, as we see them grow through the years. The setting is very well described - you can "see" the gardens and rooms. And again, having been written for young women, the writing is easy to read and follow, if a bit long-winded. Despite Jo's detailed character development, I feel her love story was rushed and not developed enough - as opposed to those of Meg and Amy. I imagine her relationship with Bhaer is delved into more in the sequel Little Men, which I haven't read yet. Although I like the book very much I think it suffers in comparison with Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice". Even though the time frame of "Little Women" - during and after the Civil War - is almost 100 years later than "Pride and Prejudice" - late 18th century/early 19th century - I think Austen's classic feels more relevant. I definitely recommend "Little Women" to everyone, not just pre-teen and teen girls. It's a beautiful, well-told and surprisingly progressive story.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-12-04 11:10:00.
(Language: English)
الملحون في عناق بموسيقى العالم إن السكون و الثبات يؤديان حثما إلى الإجترار , وهذا الإجترار سيؤدي إلى الموت , موت الإبداع , وهذا هو أكبر خطر على الملحون. ولذلك فإن الواجب يفرض العمل بقوة وصمود من أجل إسماع صوت الملحون في زمن كثر فيه الزعيق و الصخب الموسيقي . لهذه الأسباب , ولعوامل أخرى يعرفها المتذوق للفنون الأصيلة , أقترح على الجمهور العزيز هذا الإصدار الذي أردت أن يكون وثيقة تؤرخ لتجربة من التجارب التي مر بيها فن الملحون المغربي المعاصر . في هذا الألبوم سيجد عزيزي المولوع إجابات واضحة على بعض أسئلته المتعلقة بماهية الملحون المعاصر وخصوصياته وكذلك مضاهر صلاته بملحون الأمس أي ملحون القرون الأولى على المستوى الموسيقي. إننا أمام ملحون اليوم, ملحون يؤمن بيومنا هذا, وبزمننا هذا, ويؤمن كذلك - وهذا هو الأهم - بإنسان اليوم حيث ما كان في هذا العالم .......عالم اليوم. إلى كل غرباء هذا العالم و بالخصوص الغرباء في أوطانهم . إلى كل من يعشق الكلمة الهاذفة , و موسيقى العالم التي تهذب الذوق , وتحمل لنا رسائل في قالب فني جميل . إلى كل من يعشق الجمال و السلام. أهذي هذا الألبوم الذي يحمل حوار مع الكلمة, مع الإيقاع , مع الذات مع الآخر, ومن أجل هذا الإنسان يصدر هذا القرص المضغوط في زمننا هذا, ومكاننا هذا,...........في باريس التي أعتبرها عاصمتا لثقافة العالمية والثرات الإنساني , باريس التي علمتني مزيدا من التشبت بهويتي. سعيد المفتاحي ١٩ مارس ٢٠٠٧ مونت لاجولي , فرنسا
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-07-31 03:40:30.
(Language: English)
I read this book because it is a classic. And because of that, I didn't want to quit reading even though it was boring and annoying. I've read the whole book, and I'm now allowed to dislike it! The story was okay; four young girls making a living with their mother, while their father is at war. The friendship among them and to the boy next door is as good as it gets. The way they care for each other is something every living being would want. This little family is perfect, and so is their relation to the neighbors. But first of all; nothing really happens in the book. I usually kind of like the glimpse of an ordinary life. And I could've liked this novel too, but it gets boring especially when you add all the morality speeches at the end of each chapter. I don't mind a little moral, but it should've been toned down a notch. The characteristics of the girls were not good enough for me. Even after reading the whole 305 pages, I barely knew who was who. I'm not even sure what kind of boy Laurie was, and he was the only boy in the book. I didn't care that much for the language in the book either. Maybe I shouldn't say too much about this, since English is my second language, but I do have an opinion on this matter. I thought the language was a little too easy and way too old fashioned. The words were unusual for me, and the sentences were plain. I didn't read a single sentence or quote worth remembering. All in all, I did not like the book. I'm not sure whether to give the book 1 star (hate) or 2 (dislike), but as there are worse books out there I've landed on two stars.
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rachel posted a review at 2010-04-08 01:53:18.
(Language: English)
This timeless story of four young sisters growing up in Civil War-era New England is the sort you can re-read over and over, picking up new details every time... Jo, Meg, Amy and Beth March may face serious troubles, such as poverty and concern over their father, off fighting in the war; but no matter what, their unique personalities still result in endless daily squabbles and laughs...especially when their rich but shy and isolated young neighbor Laurie gets involved. If you enjoy this book, be sure to pick up "Little Men" and "Jo's Boys," which continue the sisters' stories as they mature and begin their own families.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-07-21 07:21:42.
(Language: English)
Little Women, Alcott's classic tale of four women, is a coming of age tour de force set during the first world war and addresses many issues including class, poverty, illness, women's rights and is a character driven novel told mostly from the tomboy Jo March's viewpoint. With deft attention to detail and careful character development, Alcott produces love stories that never spill over into sloppy sentiment and yet portrays unrequited love with unerring pain. A must read for any woman, of any age, but especially appropriate for teens and pre-teens.
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Emily posted a review at 2007-09-03 10:47:13.
(Language: English)
I originally read this book in elementary school. I don't know what possessed me to pay the book order money to do so, but it proved to be well worth it. This book is a classic for many obvious reasons. There is a reason why books like this endure so long. On one hand it is simply a great story about a group of sisters who are very different and yet care for each other beyond anything. Then we have the Civil War story. Granted, the story doesn't exactly focus in great detail on the war, but we get a good look at what life on the homefront would have been like. Thirdly, this is a book about people. Louisa May Alcott does a marvelous job of getting inside her characters' heads and exploring their relationships. Definitely a girly book, but then again there are so many. Romantic, funny, and heart-breaking, everyone should read this.
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A Reader posted a review at 2012-01-04 01:26:34.
(Language: English)
my goodness, it felt like this book would never end. I found that many parts in the book could have been left out. It was simply a little too long. dont get me wrong, I dont mind if the book is 700 or a thousand pages as long as it is 700 or a thousand intresting pages. as for the characters, I completely dispised amy. I thought she had everything too easily, which of course made me prefer and feel sorry for Jo. Even though I get that Jo and Laurie would not have been great together, and she is better off with the professor, Im still disapointed that Amy, world wonder, ended up with mr laurie. as for beth, I cant believe her death was resume in one sentence. other than that, it was a good girlie book that bring insight of what life was for those women at that time. but its is not one of my favorite. (58) I read this books a few years back, and I had to read it again this year for a class this time. I liked it, but it seemed longer this time, and I hated Amy more than before. I learned in my class that the second part was added, and Alcott hadnt planned it that way, which I liked, cuz little women would have been good with only the first part. still, good enough book, but again, VERY VERY long. (2)
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A Reader posted a review at 2013-03-22 03:35:46.
(Language: English)
Love this book!
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A Reader posted a review at 2011-03-31 09:12:18.
(Language: English)
I can hardly believe I'd never read this book until now. I really did enjoy it. Modern authors writing fiction about women ought to take a lesson from Alcott where it comes to character development. The descriptions of how these four sisters changed and grew over the course of the their youth and adulthood were compelling. Likewise, I appreciated how the storylines intertwined, and while this isn't a book of cliffhangers, it was unpredictable in a way that left me feeling happily satisfied.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-03-25 11:13:35.
(Language: English)
Louisa May Alcott's classic novel, derived from her own family life, tells the story of the March family, four daughters and their mother who are living in New England during the Civil War years. Their father is away in the Union Army as chaplain. We follow the adventures of spirited Jo, lovely Meg, gentle Beth, and romantic Amy. Four "little women" as they explore their talents, test their friendships, fall prey to selfish impulses and sometimes behave with great generosity as people do while achieving adulthood with all its attendant pleasures, frustrations, loves, losses, grief and joy. (The Movie: 1994/Genres: Drama,Romance and Adaptation Running Time: 1 hr. 55 min. Starring: Winona Ryder,Suzan Sarandon, Gabriel Byrne...Directed by: Gillian Armstrong-Mark Lewis)
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-08-08 04:51:43.
(Language: English)
It was okay. I didn't love it. Close to the end I pretty much just forced myself to finish it. After a while I really didn't care to much about all the petty little problems. The plot wasn't very strong, and when an author tries to write a book like that the characters have to be really interesting and there has to be something going an at all times or it gets boring. It was okay. Maybe if I read it when I was younger I would have liked it better, because I read it in 6th grade, and I found it babyish, but my mom read it when she was younger and loved it. If you're wondering wether to read it I'd say try it out and see of its for you.
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Nakita posted a review at 2010-03-13 03:02:05.
(Language: English)
I absouletly LOVED this book. I thought it was brilliant in every way. When i was assigned this book for a book report i was hesitent but after the first chapter i couldn't even put it down. Little Women truly shows the emotion of young girls growing up, it also showed sister's and there love for each other, but also the fights with sisters. I loved how it really did tell the story of a young teenage girl. Although it was written in a different period of time any teenage girl can read this book and see themselves in it. It is for me a "must read" book.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-07-14 02:30:03.
(Language: English)
Meg, Jo, Amy and Beth - four "little women" enduring hardships and enjoying adventures in Civil War New England The charming story of the March sisters, Little Women has been adored by generations. Readers have rooted for Laurie in his pursuit of Jo's hand, cried over little Beth's death, and dreamed of traveling through Europe with old Aunt March and Amy. Future writers have found inspiration in Jo's devotion to her writing. In this simple, enthralling tale, both parts of which are included here, Louisa May Alcott has created four of American literature's most beloved women. In her enlightening, thoughtful introduction, Elaine Showalter discusses Louisa May Alcott's influences, and her aspirations for Little Women, as well as the impact the novel has had on such women writers as Joyce Carol Oates and Cynthia Ozick.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-01-29 09:29:47.
(Language: English)
The book that made me want to be a writer. Louisa May Alcott was such an incredibly gifted writer. The characters are real and engaging and become your friends, your sisters. You see through the love struck eyes of Meg, the sensible, brave Jo, The sweet, gentle Beth, and the lively little firecracker Amy. You root with them through all their victories...you cheer Laurie on as he tries to capture Jo's heart...and you feel his sadness when Jo turns him down...and later Jo's sadness when she changes her mind...and it's too late Laurie has married another. And there are other events that just broke my heart, some that made me laugh, some that made me smile. And all of these events made me want to read about the March sisters again and again and again. I can't reccommend this book enough. I plan to buy it for my daughter in a couple of years and introduce her to the lovely March sisters.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-02-07 01:27:08.
(Language: English)
I was interested in a modern retelling of the story. The Little Women does not disappoint. Imagine the sisters (only named Green instead of March): Meg (the eldest), Joanna (the middle), and Amy (the youngest) - Beth only gets the briefest mention as a dearly departed painted turtle - placed in 1999. The girls discover that their mother, an English professor, had an affair with a graduate student (Janet Green is no Marmee). Their father, rather than punishing her, accepts her infidelity and forgives her. The girls, unable to forgive and disgusted with their parents' moral shortcomings, abandon them. Joanna and Amy pack up and move in with Meg, who is a junior at Yale. The three sisters share a dumpy New Haven apartment with roommate Teddy. Joanna gets a job at Starbucks after school to help make ends meet; Amy has troublemaking friends at her new high school; Meg deals with some personal issues and her new responsibilities as a foster parent while trying to keep up with her studies. Some elements of the story pay homage to Alcott, sometimes in surprising and unexpected minor details. Joanna (please don't call her Jo) is a writer, like her namesake, Jo March. In fact, the entire premise of the novel is that it is written by Joanna, with readers' notes by Amy and Meg interspersed throughout. Amy is an artist, just like Amy March. Certain events in the novel mimic events in the classic. Even Teddy seems quite similar to Alcott's Teddy, as he becomes a beloved older brother-type to the girls. While there are some character and plot similarities, this novel is also quite a departure from Alcott's. The girls, after all, are living at the end of the twentieth century, a life without parental guidance. They are all quite independent, educated, erudite, and much more colorful in their language and personalities. Literary and pop culture references abound, and the girls all have impressive vocabulary (cromulent is a favorite word). One wonders if the March girls would be anything like the Greens, were they placed in 1999 (and if Marmee were not so saintly). One thing is for sure: the Green sisters are just as likeable. The pacing of the story is excellent until this point. The novel's ending is predictable, and there are juicy parts leading up to it that are not fleshed out enough, particularly regarding Meg. Even though the conclusion falls short, overall The Little Women is funny, witty, and worth reading if you're an Alcott fan, but especially if you're someone who thought Little Women was too boring.
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