Title: Little Women
Author: Louisa May Alcott
Series: Word Cloud Classics, Little Women #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Classics, Contemporary, Strong women
Dates read: 2nd – 6th April 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Word Cloud Classics
Year: 1868
5th sentence, 74th page: The knowledge that her mother had a fault like hers, and tried to m end it, made her own easier to bear and strengthened her resolution to cure it, though forty years seemed rather a long time to watch and pray to a girl of fifteen.

No home library is complete without the classics! Little Women is a keepsake to be read and treasured.

When Little Women was first published in 1868, it became an instant bestseller. The book’s gentle lessons and charming story of four adventurous sisters coming of age in Civil War-era New England was originally written as a children’s book, but quickly captured the hearts and attention of readers of all ages. Now part of the Word Cloud Classics series, Little Women is a must-have addition to the libraries of all classic literature lovers.

I have been told to read this again and again over the years. And, as it turns out… I did actually read this as a child… I just didn’t quite remember the reading of this story. But, as soon as I started to sink into this amazing classic, I began to remember bits and pieces. Just enough that I wasn’t floored by some of the more tragic moments, but not enough so that there were no surprises left to me.

At the point of reading this story, I’m an adult and technically older than the little women… yet, there is still a great message and reminder of what it’s like to grow up throughout. Meg’s plight as a wife and new-mother, the ways in which she has to balance everything is something that I’m still constantly working with. And, there are aspects (such as motherhood) that I still have to experience and figure out. Yet, instead of instilling fear in me (which is what normally happens), it instilled a sense of calm and zen about the future. And a great sense of looking forwards.

I know that this is an ensemble novel, but, for me, this story has always been about Jo. Maybe it’s because I relate to her more than any of the other characters. Or maybe it’s just because I can see the most change in her as the story unfolds. But, whichever way it works. It is Jo that completely steals the show for me. She sweeps me away and makes my heart soar and cry in equal turns. There is just something about her journey that works so beautifully and makes you feel completely emotionally invested in her future happiness. At least, that’s how her character is for me. I don’t know that I’ve ever truly been so connected to a literary character, especially one who is in a classic novel.

Little Women is one of those books that just everyone needs to read. It is beautiful, uplifting and impossible to forget. There is a sense of ease to the writing that you don’t always find in novels written in the 1860s, which makes it a great starting classic for anyone who wants to start reading classics, but can’t quite find one to suit. But more than that, it is a story of family, love and finding your own happily ever after, whatever that may be. Something that I think we all need to learn to work towards.

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Image source: Amazon