Little Women

Little Women

By Louisa Mary Alcott

464 pages

19 hours 20 minutes listening time

First half Grade B-

Second half Grade B+

I have been listening to this book for months, and months,

and MONTHS. I started it about 4 months ago, and I really had a hard time getting into it. I won't lie. I also had a VERY hard time with the very proper English, but hey, I'm a girl of the 2000's, even though I was born in the 80's but whatever. Either way, I had a hard time with it.

I added this book because when I was a little wee reader, my dad worked nights. But he was/is an awesome dad and even though he couldn't be there some nights because he was working on making a better life for us, he got an awesome babysitter for us at nights. Her name was Louise and she was a great person. Just a genuine great human being. She passed away when I was little and what I is that she fell and broke her hip. The little family she had, got her to the hospital and that is where she eventually passed away. However before she passed she touched the hearts of everyone on our block. When she passed, her family came and took what they wanted from the house and left the rest for us to rummage through. I only remember that it was raining that day and all her stuff was outside being rained on. I was able to save three things from that day; Little Women, Little Men and The Giving Tree. I still own all three books to this day. My dad got a little "everyday prayer" case and I can't remember what my brother got, but this is all I have left other than the memories I carry of dear Louise. The pictures here are of the book that I saved.

Before I actually give a review of this book though, I will have to say I think I am the ONLY person I know, well one of the only persons, that hasn't read this book. So many people I know read it when they were younger, and I really hope Lucy might want to read it while she is younger as opposed to almost 30, like me.

Ok so off to the review, and I really hope I don't spoil any of it for people who haven't read it.

So anyway, I think this book is somewhat similar to Anne of Green Gables, where everyone is just NICE and GOOD to each other. So many people pass through my day where I just want to shout out to them, DID YOU PARENTS NOT TEACH YOU ANYTHING???? Everyone was just so polite in this book. Now I know I might not be the nicest person, nor the most polite, but I will tell you, I try because I would rather be like the characters in this book as opposed to anyone on TV or even in real life.

Everyone that I talk to about this book loves Jo, but I am going to go against the grain and saying that Jo was not my favorite. I think my favorite was Beth, she just touched my heart and I was so sad at one part that I was crying in my car on my way to pick up my daughter.

And Laurie and Amy, can we talk about them? Except I don't even know what to say. I don't know if I like them at all. I mean as individuals, they are wonderful, however together, I am just unsure how I feel about that whole situation. I really wanted it to be Jo. It just seemed to be where they were headed...why did Jo have to make the choices that she did. And speaking of Jo....Jo and the professor...REALLY? I mean I totally saw it coming after she turned down Laurie, but it wasn't any less disappointing or odd for me.

The part that really captured me was when Meg is having problems with the twins and her marriage starts falling apart. It is SO easy for a new mom to totally wrap herself around her kid and not thinking twice. I am pretty sure when Meg goes and talks to her mom about her situation that had to have been my very most favorite part of the whole book. The mom gives the best advise and handled it perfectly.

There was so much about this book that I didn't know how I felt about, but you know, it all worked out. Jo was such a great character, but I won't lie, Beth was the one that touched my heart. She is the one that when I look at life say, maybe it won't always be like this, just LIVE life. LOVE life. ENJOY life.

I should have finished this book a long time ago. If I could have skipped the first 10 hours, then I probably would have finished it sooner. But either way, I did it, and this book really, truly, honestly contributed to the completion of "what books will complete my life" list. Although it took me FOREVER, it will stay with me for the rest of my life.

The following pictures are from books my cousin sent me. These books belonged to my grandma, whom passed away, and she had given them to my cousin. When my daughter was born, my cousin sent them to me to have. When my daughter is older, I will give them to her. I have two copies of a book that helped change my life. The fact that they are from two people that have helped shaped my life, means so much more. Now, I listened to the audio, because, you know how I do,but mostly because the copies that I own are so old, and have so much meaning to me that I couldn't bare to open them and ruin their pages with my finger smudges.