So I finally read Little Women (with spoilers)

[Flamebat]

hell of a struggle I might add - please someone who loves it tell me why?!

Anyway, googled Good Wives to see the outcome - and how did Jo NOT marry him eventually????

LOL!

You have to read Good Wives to find out
I have to say that GW was my least favourite of the books. I'd read LW about 3 times before I managed to make it through GW - only did so because someone bought me Little Men and Jo's Boys for Christmas and my mum hid them until I'd read GW!!

I love it, but I first read it as a child; don't know how I'd feel if I came to it now for the first time. I think that LW is more of a kids' book whereas GW is more aimed at 'young ladies'

She turned him down, but I can't remember why. Maybe she didn't fancy him He ended up marrying Amy, but I expect you knew that if you googled.

I have always loved it - every bit of it. It's hard to explain why, with something you've loved since you were a child. I always wanted to be Jo, of course, but I liked all of the characters, even Amy when she was being a pain in the arse.

You've made me want to go and read all 4 of them, now!

Because it makes you cry, what with Father being away and Mama being so lovely and all the Marches being so good and what happens to Beth. I guess you haven't seen the film with Susan Sarandon? I still weep buckets at that! Guess who Jo does marry, btw...

I love it so much DH bought me a first edition for my 30th birthday. Can't explain why I love it, I just do.

I think it probably is one of those you needed to read as a child. A bit like trying to read Malory Towers now

OF course there's a lot in it that's very pukey, and all the Patience and Goodness and Charity etc is irritating, but you have to cut through that, I think. And it's of its time, blah blah but you know that.

Jo didn't love him! Not like that.

Found GW the other day, was opening at random and reading bits I came across. Meg - good God can you imagine her in real life? Jo and Amy at least were spirited.

Yes coming to it as an adult not good.

As a child you are less bothered by the saccharine bits and not distracted from plot and action, which you must admit are GOOD!!

But they were so good together.

I think you are right, Tigerschick. In the US, Little Women and Good Wives were just one book, published under the first title.

Yes but that is the sting! The book would have been much more predictable schlock if they'd ended up together and you would have criticised from firmer ground!

I like Malory Towers now

also love Little Women but probably more because of the original film - it's just what i wanted Christmas to look like as a child

Maybe they have an affair in unpublished Book 5

I loved it, Mom bought it for me in hardback when I was about 10, I in turn gave it to DGD when she was 10, she has handed it back ready for the next girl in the family.

STOP
DO NOT READ MY POST TWO POSTS DOWN _ IT'S A SPOILER FOR GW AND I wasn't thinking. Have asked for it to be removed

[b lush]

It is meant to be schlock - hence the surprise at lack of marrying

Spoler warning in the title was for all of the books.

Malory towers I meant starting as an adult, not re-reading now

I can the problem though - money, great friendship - crappy basis for a marriage

I loved it, soo much wanted to be Jo. In my family my mum always read us the Chrstmas bit when they give their Christmas stuff to the poor German family every Christmas Eve. I also wrote an extended essay at University on Little Women and Good Wives as the first popular feminist novels. Think I may have revealed too much about my devotion.

Phew that's a relief about the spoilers! Lovely mumsnet towers have removed my post anyway - so now it looks like I've said something v rude about Louisa May Alcott and then thought better of it...

Do you not find 'Teddy' a bit neeedy though? rich but needy? That's why he can marry amy - because she needs him and they can form an equal parternship. He would never have had that with Jo -as Marmee points out repeatedly as I recall.

"Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents," grumbled Jo, lying on the rug.

I loved this from the off because in all the other "period" things I read (Katy, Jane Eyre, what have you) the girls, even the tomboyish ones, never did anything as graceless and normal as lying on a rug.

I erm....meant re-reading it now

I read them every year. Along with the St Clare's series.

I lurve LW and Good Wives, I always love any domestic details. I thought John Brooke was a bit of a sap, and hated how everyone wanted to be Jo (I liked Meg). I hated the doglike devotion to their dad despite him losing their money but apart from that, it's wonderful. Apparently, Louisa Alcott wrote a bonkbuster after that!

Omg, emskaboo, I did Little Women for my dissertation!! I only got a 2ii for it, which put me in a huff and ruined the book for me for about 14 years and counting. This thread has cured me though, I reckon, I really want to read them all again - can remember every word anyway!

So you aren't the only loon, emskabo!

emskaboo

That's what I meant too - re-reading as an adult you have the love as a child, but an adult coming to them fresh probably wouldn't "get" it