Jo's Boys

"Rereading for the first time since I was like...8. Hated it. It is very apparent that Alcott was writing less from life experience in this book, as her characters have begun to lose their flavor and depth, which was what made her writing shine in the first place. <br/><br/>Specifically, I hate Laurie and Amy grown up. Their mannerisms are so super cringe ("my lord," "my lady"). I remembered that from before. I hate their picture-of-perfection daughter with equal vehemence. I feel like Alcott gave Bess absolutely no depth whatsoever, except to compare others against her and show how they were not the ideal human beings. <br/><br/>Additionally this entire book has this undercurrent of misogyny that I could not quite place but also could not get over. I think it was just the way the culture of the time carried itself into speech - girls getting married, men needing a wife, and of course, the existence of Bess. Nan is fighting those roles valiantly, and she is treated with respect as well, but she is treated as an enigma or an oddity rather than simply normal. And moreover, the way mothers have their hands so deeply in these children's love lives (Nat and Daisy, Bess and Dan). They need space to breathe. So basically, I think Jo was the only one who turned out to be a good mother (at least in the later years). I want to see Bess go off the deep end and come back with piercings and tattoo sleeves and listen to emo music and then have her parents still love her but just be slightly appalled at the turn of events. <br/><br/>Finally - Dan. Dan deserves so much better. This entire book should have been about him, really, because his is the character that grows and develops and changes and is the hero of a tragedy. Which is also part of why I hated Laurie and Amy, rather than Bess. You see, Laurie and Amy regard Bess as the picture of perfection and would this perceive Dan as the scum of the earth compared to their angel child. Amy and Laurie are so generous yet so elitist about their offspring. The book treats them with such grace when their actions speak otherwise. However, I have allowed this book to have 3 stars because Dan's story made me feel so strongly. <br/><br/>Also an issue I had here: preachiness. It did not stop. There were sermons for ages. And I think the best example or symbol of that preachiness is that Dan did not get his happy ending, not really, because actually he was kind of dreadfully wicked once (although Jo saw differently). Dan and Dolly and Stuffy. We could not dream of a reformed man who committed manslaughter ending up with a woman at all (singleness being a curse). The moralizing simply became too much. <br/><br/>Additionally, don't listen to the Spotify audiobook. They change narrators every chapter, and one or two narrators are great but the other one or two are super flat and expressionless. They read Alice's song with the most unexcited tone imaginable. <br/><br/>(was 4 stars) from first reading sometimes in the preteen years."

"Yes I do but I have to confess that I have only read two of her books"

"Great addion to the existing story"

"This was one of my favorites growing up. It's a long read but one that fully immerses you into the setting and characters. I always enjoyed the opening scene. I liked this even more than little women"

"Book from my childhood that has a favored place in my heart"

"Great sequel for a favorite book... loved following Jo's journey as a wife, mother and teacher!"