Until the recent Little Women movie, I have to admit I was rather unaware of the book. I knew it existed, but as one of the many classics I vaguely recognize the title of. I was completely unaware that this little book, which had been lingering on my shelves for some time, contained fragments of Little Women.

I had bought Sisters, first because I have two sisters myself and second because I wanted to try out this Vintage Mini series to see if they were as nice as the Little Black Classics (although they are about five times as expensive). Having seen the movie and making the connection, I wanted to read it.

It is a short read, selecting certain scenes of particular sisterhood between the sisters. The writing was nice, but the passages were rather short. I would however, like to read the full book sometimes. I am however, not really convinced of the Vintage Mini concept, and think I will just keep it at this one.

I can't really say anything that hasn't been said already. I do have a confession- this is the first time I've read Little Women. Sure, I've seen multiple adaptations. Greta Gerwig's version that recently came out made me realize I had never read the book. When Romance-opoly called for a YA book considered a classic I knew I had to read this one. I thought it was interesting reading what scenes didn't make it to the various adaptations. It's interesting to see what each version chooses to highlight from the source material. Recommended.
I read this Romance-opoly Beau Boulevard moon track

I have seen a few not-so-great reviews about this audiodrama. Some hated the voice cast, while others were bothered that it's an abridged dramatization rather than the novel verbatim.  I do not have those complaints.  I enjoyed the voice work and the dramatization. 

This was a wonderful story and I loved listening to it.  I feel like I got the full story even though it was a dramatization. And the cast brought the characters to life for me.  

Much of a muchness, but it's one that fits the book task for this square -- people being kind and charitable to the poor; especially to darling little children who are bearing their own poverty with preternatural meekness and patience.  Bottom line, if you've read the Christmas episode from Little Women, which of course is contained in this collection as well, you've read the basic model for about 3/4 of the other stories, too ... and given the semi-autobiographical background of Little Women, you've then also read a by far the most authentic expression of the theme.

That said, a sizeable portion of these stories are also either explicitly or implicitly set in New England (Boston and elsewhere), AND in at least one of them a turkey makes a fairly prominent appearance.  So I'd say we're well and truly within the parameters of the Thanksgiving square book task.

(Book: Read a book with an autumnal cover, set in New England, where a turkey shows up in the story, with a turkey or pumpkin on the cover, or with the theme of coming together to help a community or family in need.)

"Little Women" takes place during the American Civil War. The four March sisters (Meg, Jo, Amy, and Beth) are home with their mother (Marmee) and their maid Hannah while their father (known as Father) is away fighting. What I found interesting about the March family was how progressive the attitudes of the parents were and how that helped shaped their four daughters. 

So here's the thing. Amy is my favorite. I can't help it. I know a lot of book readers love Jo the best, but Jo always rubbed me the wrong way even when I was a kid. Because for all of Amy is selfish talk (no she was just a typical 12 year old girl), I found Jo maddening at times because she went into a temper anytime she didn't get her way. I also didn't buy who she ends up with at the end.

I found Amy's honesty refreshing (she knows she is vain and spoiled and tries to be better) and when she gets older, I thought it was pragmatic of her to say look I know I am beautiful and I know I will not be a poor man's wife. I got to love a character that is not trying to B.S. anyone. 

The flow actually works very well in this book. We initially start off when the girls' father is gone and then he circles back to him coming home. Then we jump start to the girls starting to grow up with the engagement of Meg to John Brooke and then their marriage. I do think the book does slow down a bit when it turns squarely to Meg and John's first years of marriage and them adjusting to life with twins. I thought there was a practical advice in their, but the book slows down and then jumps around a lot when it moves to Jo moving away to be a governess and writing. 

The setting of "Little Women" takes place in New England. We get a sense of the home they live in and the town as a whole. 

The ending always makes me sigh a little bit, but happy, because we always have "Little Men" to move onto next. I think what makes Little Women so great and so well loved centuries after Louisa May Alcott's death is simply that the characters (all of them) and the family resonate so much with readers. "Little Men" is good, but it doesn't hit me in the same sweet spot. I really didn't like "Jo's Boys" much at all and would like to just to think of different endings for the characters I grew to love through three books. 

That said, I am so not excited about the new movie coming out. I think it's because Greta Gerwig's directing bugs me and I don't want anyone to mess up the overall message of the book by trying to have Laurie and Jo really in love with each other or some other mess. No, as a girl I never thought they should be together. They would have murdered each other within a week.