I am a big fan of Little Women. I did not read it until I was almost finished with college. It was a book I picked up on sale at the bookstore, and while I was buying the book, I was a bit embarrassed that as an almost graduate of college with a degree in English I had not yet read it. Almost with the first page of the story, I fell in love with each and every character. I identified most with Meg, being the oldest child myself and rather quiet and reserved. I wished I had been more daring and outrageous like Jo, more beautiful like Amy, or just plain good like Beth. I hoped one day I could be a mother like Marmee. Once the movie was released, I was able to relive the story every time I cleaned my apartment or when I just needed to hear voices in the background as I worked on my school work. I always hoped that my girls would love this timeless story as much as I do, but, alas, it has yet to happen. Maybe one day they will stumble across the book and decide to give it a try on their own, despite the size of the book, which is the reason they have brushed it aside to this point.
Because of my love of Alcott's story, I was intrigued when I found The Little Women Letters. I knew there had to be a connection to the original book and I was not disappointed in any way by this brilliant story that brought back my favorite little women, and reimagined their lives and their descendants in a whole new way.
The idea is that Jo's great-great granddaughter stumbles upon a series of letters in her mother's attic while she is searching for recipes from another long lost relative. Through these letters she learns first hand about her great-great grandmother, her sisters and their beautiful relationship, and her great love. It was amazing to read more about those little women and how their lives went on after their first story ended. And meanwhile, we, the readers, are introduced to four more remarkable modern day women: Lulu, Emma, Sophie, and Charlie. Three are blood sisters; one is a close friend who should be a sister. Quite in the same way as the original novel, we catch glimpses into the ordinary, yet extraordinary, lives of these four young women, each serving as a modern day parallel one of the original little women.
The novel is brilliant and I am so glad that I stumbled across this gem of a book in the bookstore. My only regret is that I did not read this treasure sooner. For any fan of Little Women this book is a must-read. I am going to happily place this book on my bookshelf next to my copy of Little Women that I bought all those years ago. Perhaps one day one of my own little women will stumble across both books and dare to give one, or both, a try. Should one choose to, her life will never be the same.
Happy reading,
:)Dodie
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