Not really a book that was on my list to read, I happened to view the most recent movie iteration of this classic novel and wouldn't you know, I loved it! Books about mid-19th century adolescent girls are not usually my first area of interest, but I found the stories captivating and well-acted scenes engaging and felt I had to take a chance on the famous Little Women. And, frankly, I should have stuck with the movie!
Based on the popularity of this story, I won't share a summary of the plot. It's one of the most famous novels of all time and numerous film productions have been created. I'm still struggling to understand why the joy I received from the movie did not parallel my reading experience. With many books/movies, it's the opposite; the movie is cool but the book is so much richer and more detailed. While that may be true, I think the book just didn't pique my interest in the same way as the movie. It's also possible that, since I knew what was coming, that took away from the read. Though, I find this less likely as it's not really a mystery with a lot of twists and turns. In fact, the most recent film version (directed by Greta Gerwig) told the story in a non-chronological order; which I enjoyed more.
To be clear, the book is still an interesting read, and I do regret not reading at some point earlier in my life. It's hard not enjoy getting more detail and richer character development of the four sisters and learning more about their various plights growing up in the March house.
Perhaps what was most challenging about the novel was how dated it read. Nearly all the books I read tend to be from the last few decades so reading something written over 150 years ago did not stack up from an entertainment perspective. While the novel does move at a nice pace and the varying storylines keep the readers interest, there were times when pages (and pages) would go by without an interesting episode or anecdote.
Of course, I recommend reading the book, as it's a classic, if you have not done so. Alternatively, I really enjoyed the most recent movie version if you prefer to save yourself a bunch of hours!
