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ashleylm's review against another edition
3.0
This was sweet, but nostalgia aside, not exciting enough for me to give it more than a 3 (sorry, Louisa!)
It was a tantalizing mix of terribly old-fashioned attitudes (often without the author/characters realising that, and why should they, they were the prevailing attitudes at the time and for a good deal longer) and more modern approaches (which is the apparent point of the book). Unfortunately, very little happened ... I expect more of a compelling through-line in a novel, rather than this gentle depictions of uneventful picnics, dinners, chats, lessons, etc.
Good as comfort reading if you're sad/sick/tired, but otherwise you will likely be more engaged elsewhere.
(Note: 5 stars = amazing, wonderful, 4 = very good book, 3 = decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. I'm fairly good at picking for myself so end up with a lot of 4s).
It was a tantalizing mix of terribly old-fashioned attitudes (often without the author/characters realising that, and why should they, they were the prevailing attitudes at the time and for a good deal longer) and more modern approaches (which is the apparent point of the book). Unfortunately, very little happened ... I expect more of a compelling through-line in a novel, rather than this gentle depictions of uneventful picnics, dinners, chats, lessons, etc.
Good as comfort reading if you're sad/sick/tired, but otherwise you will likely be more engaged elsewhere.
(Note: 5 stars = amazing, wonderful, 4 = very good book, 3 = decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. I'm fairly good at picking for myself so end up with a lot of 4s).
lecterclarice's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
jennshelfishlife's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
r22's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.75
ssione5's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
princessleia4life's review against another edition
2.0
I love Louisa May Alcott’s writing but I just could not get into this book.
isaiahfraley's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
bhavnaalke's review against another edition
3.0
A beautiful book. I wish I had read it in my school days.
jesshc's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed revisiting this, which I remember enjoying very much as a child! It would be unfair, of course, to compare any of Alcott's books to her masterpiece Little Women. However, I found that while Little Women (and to an extent, Little Men) feel like timeless coming of age stories, this one doesn't hold up to the modern lens quite as well. For one, the racism toward the novel's Chinese characters (both in the narrative and by the characters) is deeply troubling as a modern reader. For another, Little Women is a story about sisterhood, ambition, and the role of women in 1860s America. Yes, there are some morals sprinkled in (and more so in Little Men), but each sister has a clear character arc. Eight Cousins feels like moralizing with a little bit of story rather than the other way around.
I enjoyed the relationships between Rose and her family members and think the bits about found family are really wonderful. The paragraphs on freeing the waist and eating wholesome food were heavy-handed and rather tiresome. That said, I do plan to read Rose In Bloom to see how it compares to my vague memories.
I enjoyed the relationships between Rose and her family members and think the bits about found family are really wonderful. The paragraphs on freeing the waist and eating wholesome food were heavy-handed and rather tiresome. That said, I do plan to read Rose In Bloom to see how it compares to my vague memories.