"Little Women"

Gu, Shannon

Honors English, A2, Huss

9/11/11

Book Review

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott is one of the most famous coming-of-age stories ever written. The story takes place during and after the Civil War, and tells the tale of the four March sisters' lives during that time. They all aspire to become mature adults, but many obstacles stand in their way; sometimes it's their vices, sometimes it's each other, and sometimes it's even themselves. However, they do not meddle and do nothing in the ten years portrayed in the book. All the experiences thrown at them bring about valuable lessons, and the sisters learn to utilize and cherish them. And of course, what's this book to be without a big portion of romance?

I give this book a 7 out of 10 mainly because it is too optimistic for my taste, has a lack of a major conflict, and the characters are somewhat unrealistic. However, the events in the story are 100% relatable because they are what people constantly experience in life: jealousy, anger, sadness, etc. and I love that part about it. With each chapter comes a different experience as well as a moral, and Alcott does a good job in portraying each experience through her characters. I recommend this book to girls of all ages or anyone who likes descriptive, romantic and classic stories; Little Women fits perfectly into all of those categories, and it is a must-read if you want to find a story that you can wholly relate to.