A review by essentiallynovel
Meg and Jo by Virginia Kantra

2.0

I finally read Little Women last year spring and honestly wondered why in the heck had I not picked it up earlier! I could totally see why it is beloved by many. So naturally, I got curious when a modern retelling released (there’s also Beth & Amy too), but I am saddened to say it just didn’t do it for me. It took a while for me to feel invested and I actually didn’t care much for where the characters were in terms of their individual stories (Jo is a sex-obsessed prep chef and food blogger?) and although I felt Meg’s situation was better portrayed, I don’t know, something lacked. Laurie is renamed Trey and mostly acts like a rich, entitled overgrown boy, which didn’t do much for me at all. Content includes sex (mostly closed door, both premarital and within marriage), profanity, brief alcoholism, and trigger warnings also include separation and unexpected pregnancy.

I wasn’t impressed by this retelling but I will probably read the partner novel, Beth & Amy, although approach it wary. Maybe that one will be better?? I’m only giving this one a half-hearted 2 out of 5. Basically, if you loved Little Women either 1) don’t read this or 2) go in with low expectations.