Just Finished: Little Women

I must confess that I had never read the unabridged version of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott before last month. Shocking, I know. And let me tell you - the full novel is massive! 40 something chapters and about 450 pages. Of course, it was technically two novels. Little Women was published in 1868 and the second half, Good Wives, was published in 1869. Put them together and you've got one big, but incredibly enjoyable, book!

I had an abridged version when I was young and I used to read it all the time. I saw the movie adaptation (the one with Winona Ryder, Susan Sarandon, Claire Danes, Kirsten Dunst, and Christian Bale) several times as well. I remember reading Little Men and I watched the TV show too. I'm also fairly certain I read Jo's Boys at some point too. Since a copy of Little Women came free on my Kobo I had no excuse not to read it - and I'm so happy I finally did.

For those of you who live under a rock and don't know what book I'm talking about I'll give you a little insight into what it's all about. Little Women follows four sisters - Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy - as they grow up in 19th century America. Their father is off at war and while they're quite poor in the monetary sense they have each other and they learn that sometimes that's all you need.

I remember now that Jo was a very influential character for me as a kid. She was passionate about reading and was always scribbling away at some "masterpiece." She had spirit and I found that my more grown up self still loves her and will count her as one of my favourite literary characters.

While I knew the general story and what would happen in the end, I still loved reading the full novel. Some of the holes I had in the story were filled - most importantly about little Amy. I always thought she was stuck up and dreadfully annoying. Not so. She does have her moments, of course, but she really is a sweet character. You can see that come through in the novel, especially after she goes abroad and realizes her feelings for Laurie.

Speaking of Laurie - even though I know, like Marmee did, that he and Jo weren't suited for each other, I always wish they would end up together. This got me thinking about how that situation would play out in modern times. I'm sure it would end up as a friends with benefits type situation and their strong friendship would never be the same. So, let's be thankful that they were "proper" in those times and Jo and Laurie could remain friends forever.

Since I read the book in May and that was International Chick Lit Month, I started thinking about how this book could be classified as chick lit or women's fiction. The story focuses on four female characters. We have humour sprinkled throughout, several love stories, fashion focused scenes, death and mourning, and even some career issues. The story concludes after all the girls are married and have children (apart from poor, sweet Beth of course) but getting to that point of being married was not really the main focus of the novel. Instead, it was the bond between the sisters and how they live their life together and apart that the reader focused on. Does anyone else see the connection to chick lit or am I completely off my rocker? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Fair warning - the next bit is a bit of a spoiler but since most people will already know this I'm going to talk about it anyway.

Even though I knew Beth died, it was still incredibly sad to read. I was actually expecting it a lot sooner but I suspect that is because I only read shorter versions and watched a compressed film. I hate that Amy wasn't able to say a final goodbye to her sister. Laurie didn't either and he was like a brother to her. Beth was so strong mentally and spiritually and didn't really fear death. She did her best to make things comfortable for her family as they tried to do the same for her. It was so sad and touching and I admit I teared up near the end of the novel during a scene between Mr. Laurence and Jo:

The old gentleman took Jo, with a whispered, "You must be my girl now," and a glance at the empty corner by the fire, that made Jo whisper back, "I'll try to fill her place, sir."

*sniff sniff* So sweet. And it really showed the impact Beth had on the lives around her, even if she didn't think she made much of a difference.

Reading Little Women reminded me that I do like reading classics every once and awhile and I plan on making a point of doing so a little more frequently. If you've never read this book I definitely suggest it. It's just such a wonderful and enjoyable read.

Happy reading :)

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Childhood Faves

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. They created this feature because they're "particularly fond of lists" and since I also enjoy lists, I've decided to start participating in this fun feature. This week's list is Top Ten Childhood Faves. Don't forget to check out their blog for a full list of everyone participating.

I decided to start with this week and Top Ten Childhood Faves because I've always been a huge reader. My mom used to read to my sister and I all the time and we just kept on going once we were able to read on our own. This list is a mix of both from when I was just a toddler up until the end of grade eight (that's when I decided childhood stops). Because I was such a book addict (ha..."was"...yeah, I still am) I had to create an Honourable Mentions part to this post because I couldn't settle on just ten! I hope you enjoy this list :)

1. Little House Books - Laura Ingalls Wilder
This favourite comes with a really amusing story. The nursery school I went to was accidentally sent a complete box set with a big book order. I was only four years old at the time but they obviously knew I was going to be an avid reader so the teacher told my mom she could have it. I'm so glad I got that set because it was one of my favourites growing up. I even read all the other books that were about her mom, daughter, and so on. They were definitely more fictionalized but I loved them just the same.

2. Anne of Green Gables Set - Lucy Maud Montgomery
If you looked for a Canadian girl who's never heard of Anne of Green Gables I'm sure you'd only come up with a handful. This is a classic that's been read many times over by many girls. I devoured all of the books in one summer and I've also watched the movies and even a few episodes of the animated series!

3. The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear - Audrey and Don Wood
I absolutely adored this picture book. It has the best story and some amazing artwork. This little mouse is trying to hide a gigantic strawberry from the bear with some hilarious results. If you're looking for a book for a young kid I definitely recommend you order this one!

4. Cinderella
Oh, Cinderella. What little girl doesn't fall in love with one of the Disney princesses? In my case, I adored Cinderella. When I was little my mom used to read me this story All. The. Time. From what I've been told, she would read it to me before bed and I would always fall asleep. It didn't matter if it was the first story or the third, without fail, I would fall into a Disney filled slumber after hearing the story of Cinderella and her glass slipper. While this story may appear as though I didn't like the book (I mean, who falls asleep during something they enjoy?) I like to think of it as a soothing story that was so comfortable and familiar that I was able to sleep soundly. :)

5. The Baby-Sitter's Club Series - Ann M. Martin
I loved loved loved this series when I was younger. There were so many to choose from at the library and I was always upset when one was missing. If I remember correctly, I had to make sure I read them in order. They were numbered for a reason! I think many girls grew up wanting to have a profitable babysitting  business just like Krisy, Claudia, Mary Anne, and Stacey. They seemed to have it all together! And the super specials? Fantastic. They were so much bigger with a much more involved storyline! When I used to work in a bookstore I always wanted to recommend this series but they're so outdated and hard to find that I never felt I could. Not to worry! You can now purchase updated and released versions of the books. Now, go find a twelve year old girl to give them to. And throw in the movie too...classic :)

6. Chronicles of Narnia - C.S. Lewis
I have to confess that I haven't actually read the entire series. I know, I know. It's on my list of favourites and I haven't read all the books. I fail. However! I have read up to Prince Caspian (did a book report on that one in grade seven. Complete with a map and a stuffed sword fighting mouse!) and always enjoyed the fantasy and magical feeling the books gave me. An enchanted wardrobe that led you to a whole other universe? Count me in.

7. Winnie the Pooh - A.A. Milne
The Bear with Little Brain. He is probably the best bear ever (though I'm sure some would argue with me. Any takers?) and most loved by many generations. I'm in my twenties and still love him. In fact, I have asked for the newest movie for Christmas! Now if that doesn't make me the coolest person ever, I don't know what will. I loved Pooh Bear so much that I actually did a speech on him in grade seven (that appears to have been a good year school project-wise for me). I may have even moved on to the second level - speaking in the gym - that year! (I was painfully shy so to read a speech to many people was a big deal for me.) The story about a boy and his bear is so classic that it's no wonder he's stuck around for so many years.

8. Harry Potter Series - J.K. Rowling
Whenever I read Harry Potter I am always thankful that my younger sister was at just the right age when they became popular. We weren't one of the early adopters but I think we were one of the first to jump on the bandwagon after the first three books were released. And, boy, am I ever glad we did. My sister and I are definitely a little obsessed (she's done the midnight line up to buy the books. I never went that far figuring that she'll stand in line, read the book, and then pass it onto me) and we're totally ok with that. These books are best sellers for a reason. The story is great and your imagination goes wild when reading them. Thank you J.K. Rowling for creating such an amazing world and allowing us to be a part of it.

9. Little Women  - Louisa May Alcott
No, I was not a crazy advanced reader. My grandmother bought me an abridged copy of the classic and I used to read it all the time. And I admit, I still have not read the full novel. It's currently open on my Kobo and is waiting patiently for me to get started. There's just something about a story of four sisters who were so different yet so similar that I really liked.

10. The Wonderful Pigs of Jillian Jiggs - Pheobe Gilman
Jillian Jiggs was great. There were a couple of books written about her crazy life but the one I remember most is the one where she makes all sorts of pigs out of old nylons. She had old pigs and young pigs, fat pigs and skinny pigs and she didn't want to sell any of them! The drawings and story were just downright adorable.

Honourable Mentions

- Berenstain Bears - Stan and Jan Berenstain
- Charlotte's Web - E.B. White
- Amelia Bedelia - Peggy Parish
- His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
- Circle of Magic  - Tamora Pierce

I hope you have enjoyed this massively long post and amusing (I hope) insight into my childhood. I sure had fun writing this and I came across two really amusing sites that any child of the nineties will appreciate. Check them out here and here and have a good laugh. I would love to hear what some of your favourites are too so please leave a comment!

Happy reading :)