Reviews

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

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estherdb's review against another edition

1.0

Horrendously boring and a book that - in my opinion - did not age well.

I can imagine I would've liked this book as a young girl, but now, as a twenty-something woman living in the post-me too era, not so much.
The moralising tone (and message at the end of each chapter) made me want to hurl the book across the room. "Being poor is great*, I mean, we have each other and it keeps us humble." "It's not okay to show that you have a strong personality and somewhat of a temper. If your sister burns the writing you put hours of work into, don't be cross, forgive her." (The latter especially vexed me, I wished I could've thrown Amy into the fire herself. Amy is an insufferable and selfish brat.)

* And yet, they still have a servant...

In addition, it is just highly boring. This is definitely meant as a moral tale for young girls back in the nineteenth/early twentieth century. Does that mean it is still an interesting read in the twenty-first century? Not unless you read it for "historical" reasons.

The book's main message; i.e. women ought to be kind, docile and serve men; deserves a big fat NOPE from me. I've said it before and I'll say it again: this book did not age well.

P.S.: this edition was beautiful, but not fit for much handling. The cover's edges lost their crispness and colour rather fast. It definitely is more of a bookcase/display book.