to think that Amy March is one of the most irritating literary characters ever.

[squoosh]

God she annoys me, throwing Jo's book in the fire, being a general brat and then sin of sins marrying Laurie when she had no business do any such thing.

I don't care what the subsequent books may say the Amy/Laurie union was a stupid idea.

They should have left her to drown in the icy river.

drudge I used to think the same, but she kicked ass when that solider came in and she rocked up from giving birth with a shotgun to save Scarlett.

I agree Poppy but it's all that goodness I can't stand. Still can't see what Scarlett saw in Ashley.

HOW did I not know that there is a sequel to, 'Daddy Long Legs?' HOW? I need it! Daddy Long Legs is one of my absolute favourites - I love Judy, I love Daddy, I love the cows and the crossness and the sweetness. And Daddy is young and sexy, not old and creepy.

Daddy Long Legs is creepy, creepy, creepy. Shadowy, silent benefactor.

I bet their marriage was all kind of dark shit.

Oh no, not creepy - I loved him!
That final bit when he is so ill and she goes in to see him!
Ooo and the bit where he gets stroppy about Judy liking Sallie McBride's brother!

Laurie and Jo not ending up together.. one of life's onsolved mysteries, I was devastated and thought I was the only one.
Meg pissed me off being a goody two shoes, Amy just didn't deserve Laurie, Jo pissed me off because she didnt end up with Laurie and settled for less, Beth pissed me off for dying so graciously and being so feeble. I have a love hate relationship with all of them.

I think Esther in Bleak House is supremely irritating. And narcissistic. Her children would have joined that " but we took you to stately homes" thread. And I love Bleak House.

Dorothea Casaubon drives me mad. Celia is much nicer. And Will Lasidlaw is just a wimp.

Maggie Tulliver is pretty annoying too.

But I agree about Dora, can't cry at her death.

I remember reading Little Women in Year 6 and all my friends watching the film when it came out on TV, and how the next day we all bunched together and wailed about how mean Jo was for refusing Laurie and how good-looking the young Christian Bale was (hmm, nothing's changed!)

Is Daddy's real name Master Jarvis? That always tickles me too, if I've remembered it correctly. He's only a couple of years older than Judy really; she just pictures him as being ancient.

I don't think Jo does settle for 'less' in marrying the Prof tbh - Laurie is basically a petulant little boy when he proposes, and she knows they'd drive each other mad. The Prof is a man. Laurie needs to grow up to be able to temper Jo's moods but in allowing him to do that, she grows away from him. Much as it pains me to admit it, I think she was right. And even when he's a rich old patriarch, she still pretty much babies him.

Jervis, I think - Master Jervie.

Ah. Jarvis is better! :)

Just like to say - I didn't realise there were 2 more books in the Katy series & am just half way through 'Clover' & have 'In the High Valley' nest.

Am loving 'Clover' - some great descriptive writing of Colorado. And that it was such a long way for her to travel.

I was outraged on reading Little Women because I desperately wanted Jo and Laurie to get together. I named DS3 Laurie partly after the Little Women Laurie (yes, I know he's Theodore really) because I envisioned him as this glorious, golden boy .

Haven't read whole thread - has anyone mentioned one of the best lines from Friends? Joey (natch): "How little are these Little Women? Are they, like, scary little? Because otherwise why would you bother?"

Mog - dd1 would have been Laurie, had she been ds! (And probably would have been called Teddy when tiny too).

You lot have made me start re-reading the series again now. I'd forgotten that lovely bit when Jo thinks she's talking to Laurie about his g'father's portrait, and she's actually talking to Mr Laurence himself.

We should do an abridged Little Women according to mumsnet.
Amy ends up a prostitute.
Jo and Laurie get together.
Beth lives.
Meg leaves the bastard.

Marmee stops being so bloody sanctimonious. And under NO circumstances should they have given there Christmas brekkie to the poor German immigrants.

ugh, 'their' not 'there'

I was on the tube when I read about Dog Monday.

Not the best place for it... I was literally sobbing into a handful of tissues.

There are loads of old school stories on Project Gutenberg look for L T Meade, Angela Brazil and the rest of Louisa Alcott's books.

I love a bit of Angela Brazil and her plucky English gels

Hurrah for Brenda, For the Honour of the School. They're very dated but good fun.

I missed this thread yesterday ! Decided to watch the film again as had not watched it for years. Thought it was a bit creepy the way Jo looked so young compared to the prof in his 40's. Think I just viewed it a bit differently watching it now as a mature woman. He seemed a bit predatory.
I loved Little Women growing up and as an only child I would have loved to have been part of a March family. Jo was my favourite character I would love to have been as spirited as her but in reality I was probably more like Beth.I too felt Jo should have ended up with Laurie. I did not have much sympathy years ago for Amy but watching it yesterday I did as she grew up and was a good match for Laurie.
I did read the sequels years ago but have completely forgotten what happened in them (obviously that good!) I am going to dig them out and reread.

They are dated, Squoosh, and there's a lot of lip service to boys being best but underneath that, they're stories of career women & strong, independent girls who take matters into their own hands without waiting for a man to come along & save them.

/But the film wasn't true to the book!

Little Dog Monday! I howl every time. And at Matthew saying Anne is 'my girl. My girl that I'm proud of.' Little Joyce, the 'wee white lady', yes. Oh, and I also always cry when Ruby Gillis dies, because she's so scared of death and she just wants to live, marry her beau and have lots of babies.

Elinor M Brent-Dyer, anyone? Joey and Madge and Robin? I do like how Madge makes all the decisions for her and Dick, and at the age of 24 goes off to the Tyrol with her 12 year old sister and starts a school. Sadly there is a lot in the books about needing a man's advice, but I love them anyway.

MrsWentworth has it right: Maggie Tulliver.

I hate Mill on the Floss so so much.

Writing writing writing hmm it is getting a bit complicated oh well carry on writing writing writing ... shit what do I do now? all these loose ends ... um, FLOOD. They're all dead. The End. Phew.

Fuck. Off.

Horry, was it you who summarized the opening chapter of The Return of The Native as

A moor. It gets dark.

?

Brilliant, both summaries.

Actually I find Clem v irritating too. And Tess. And both of Sue and Jude.