Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm of two minds on this. I forgot I had read it a LONG time ago and that basically tells me everything I needed to know about this book.

It was so unremarkable that I completely forgot I read it.

Oops? Okay, let me caveat this a little. As an exercise in enjoying ostensibly good writing, I have no issues with this. In fact, I actually rather enjoyed myself in the way that I can enjoy any bucolic afternoon with my family, wrapping a big wholesome comforter around myself.

But as an exceptional tale full of fundamental conflicts and unerring excitement, as, say, Austen is good for, or the Bronte Sisters, I'm afraid this is kinda boring. I wanted our aspiring writer to keep writing the trashy stuff that sells, not wrap the subject around a big moral blanket and then point it back at this entire novel, proving to everyone that YES, you CAN write a thoroughly, awesomely MORAL novel in an interesting way without succumbing to anything sensational.

So, hats-off to Alcott. She wrote a very bucolic novel about sisters as they grow up and get married. Included herein are tons of moral lessons that may as well be a perfect Ladies Primer.

Is it good?

Yes. Very good. Sometimes it's even amusing and heartwarming.

But my goodness I started bouncing off the text a LOT. Boredom does that.

Now, where's my horror film line-up? I need an antidote!

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