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Little Woman in Blue
May Alcott spends her days sewing blue shirts for Union soldiers, but she dreams of painting a masterpiece—which many say is impossible for a woman—and of finding love, too. When she reads her sister’s wildly popular novel, Little Women, she is stung by Louisa’s portrayal of her as “Amy,” the youngest of four sisters who trades her desire to succeed as an artist for the joys of hearth and home. Determined to prove her talent, May makes plans to move far from Massachusetts and make a life for herself with room for both watercolors and a wedding dress. Can she succeed? And if she does, what price will she have to pay? Based on May Alcott’s letters and diaries, as well as memoirs written by her neighbors, Little Woman in Blue puts May at the center of the story she might have told about sisterhood and rivalry in an extraordinary family.
280 pages, Paperback
First published September 15, 2015
12 people are currently reading
1041 people want to read
About the author
Jeannine Atkins
23 books47 followersJeannine Atkins is the author of Finding Wonders: Three Girls Who Changed Science, Grasping Mysteries: Girls Who Loved Math, and Little Woman in Blue: A Novel of May Alcott. She teaches in the MFA program at Simmons College. You can learn more on her website at http://www.Jeannineatkins.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
November 30, 2021
So yes, I do indeed very much appreciate that with her 2015 Little Woman in Blue, Jeannine Atkins presents a much more balanced and historically accurate and authentic feeling biographical fiction novel about (Abigail) May Alcott (who was the blueprint for Amy March in her older sister Louisa May Alcott's 1869/1870 novel Little Women) than I recently (and unfortunately) read in Elise Hooper's 2017 The Other Alcott (which in my opinion is a bit too much into depicting Louisa May Alcott as some kind of a nasty villain and her sister Abigail May like a type of damsel in distress and as such being rather constantly bullied by Louisa and not really ever remotely vain or even all that jealous of her older sister, which historically though, does seem to have at least sometimes been the case with regard to May Alcott), with Little Woman in Blue having Jeannine Atkins focus primarily on May's numerous struggles (both the successful and the non successful ones) to not only become trained as an artist but to also be recognised and approached as a a professional, on her sometimes fraught with a bit of jealousy and sibling rivalry but generally also always very much loving and warmly friendly relationship with her older sister Louisa, and Little Woman in Blue of course but sadly concluding with how May Alcott finally does find and experience artistic success and sweet wedded happiness in Europe with Swiss tobacco merchant Ernst Nieriker (only to die of medical complications in 1979 after the birth of their first child).
However, while with regard to Jeannine Atkins' presented contents, Little Woman in Blue is generally (and in my humble opinion) to be considered as four to perhaps even five stars, I must admit that I just have not really managed to all that much narrationally enjoy how Atkins has stylistically told her story of Abigail May Alcott, finding the text of Little Woman in Blue rather boring, lacking in any kind of emotionality (and yes, even for the oh so many featured scenarios where emotions and personal feelings would be making total sense and in fact kind of even be required and necessary).
And with the result of the former being that to and for me, Little Woman in Blue thus presents stylistically way too much showing and not nearly enough telling, and with the at times rather major instances of quite tedious and unnecessary information dropping, of hitting readers proverbially on the head with superfluous details and so much so that sometimes, May's own story actually seems rather to be lost in an avalanche of facts, facts and more facts, truly, at around page 160 or so of Little Woman in Blue I was totally losing both my reading joy and my patience and decided to skim through the remainder of Jeannine Atkins printed words (and to also only consider a three star maximum ranking for Little Woman in Blue, as texts that are stylistically monotonous and lack emotionality and in particular where the latter is a must, this really does both frustrate and annoy me and to greatly diminish possible reading pleasure).
However, while with regard to Jeannine Atkins' presented contents, Little Woman in Blue is generally (and in my humble opinion) to be considered as four to perhaps even five stars, I must admit that I just have not really managed to all that much narrationally enjoy how Atkins has stylistically told her story of Abigail May Alcott, finding the text of Little Woman in Blue rather boring, lacking in any kind of emotionality (and yes, even for the oh so many featured scenarios where emotions and personal feelings would be making total sense and in fact kind of even be required and necessary).
And with the result of the former being that to and for me, Little Woman in Blue thus presents stylistically way too much showing and not nearly enough telling, and with the at times rather major instances of quite tedious and unnecessary information dropping, of hitting readers proverbially on the head with superfluous details and so much so that sometimes, May's own story actually seems rather to be lost in an avalanche of facts, facts and more facts, truly, at around page 160 or so of Little Woman in Blue I was totally losing both my reading joy and my patience and decided to skim through the remainder of Jeannine Atkins printed words (and to also only consider a three star maximum ranking for Little Woman in Blue, as texts that are stylistically monotonous and lack emotionality and in particular where the latter is a must, this really does both frustrate and annoy me and to greatly diminish possible reading pleasure).
September 22, 2015
Please refrain from throwing pencils at me, but I despise Little Women. I think it is silly, saccharine drivel. Because of this, I was reluctant to pick up LITTLE WOMAN IN BLUE, but I’m so glad I did. Atkins delivers a marvelous reimagining of the very human story behind one of America’s most beloved novels.
Artists are often jealous by nature. They wish heartily for one another’s success when they’re struggling, and then covet it when another achieves a certain level of status. Equal parts self-doubt and ego, artists experience an incessant war within the psyche. Atkins fully animates these competitions and struggles, giving an unflinching glimpse into the tensions of a being a woman in the nineteenth century, in a working class family, in a nation at war. LITTLE WOMAN IN BLUE portrays these conflicts of sister and world with just the right touch–never burdening the reader with too much hopelessness, while creating intrigue and bringing the well-known writers and thinkers of Concord, Massachusetts to vivid life.
Throughout the reading of the novel I was often tempted to look online for May’s full life story, but I’m happy that I waited until I finished. LITTLE WOMAN IN BLUE is the Little Women I have always wanted, and for those who enjoy literature of this time period, and complicated female protagonists, I highly recommend it.
Artists are often jealous by nature. They wish heartily for one another’s success when they’re struggling, and then covet it when another achieves a certain level of status. Equal parts self-doubt and ego, artists experience an incessant war within the psyche. Atkins fully animates these competitions and struggles, giving an unflinching glimpse into the tensions of a being a woman in the nineteenth century, in a working class family, in a nation at war. LITTLE WOMAN IN BLUE portrays these conflicts of sister and world with just the right touch–never burdening the reader with too much hopelessness, while creating intrigue and bringing the well-known writers and thinkers of Concord, Massachusetts to vivid life.
Throughout the reading of the novel I was often tempted to look online for May’s full life story, but I’m happy that I waited until I finished. LITTLE WOMAN IN BLUE is the Little Women I have always wanted, and for those who enjoy literature of this time period, and complicated female protagonists, I highly recommend it.
September 16, 2015
Giveaway @ Let Them Read Books!
I sure do love all of the books coming out about lesser known women in history. May Alcott may have already been known to many, but I had no idea Louisa Alcott had a sister who was just as talented as she was--and I'm sure many lovers of Little Women don't know either if they only went by Louisa's portrayal of May as Amy in the book. Jeannine Atkins has shone a spotlight on the other talented Alcott sister, exploring the nature of sisterhood, the effects of fame on a relationship, and the emergence of the modern woman.
The story takes us from the family's loving home in Massachusetts, where Louisa is a struggling writer and May a budding young artist, to the museums and art enclaves of Paris and London. Both women are dedicated to their craft, but while the somber and avowedly single Louisa is taken seriously, May has to fight to make the world believe that a pretty, fun-loving woman who yearns for a partner and children can still be a talented and dedicated artist, and there is no bigger doubter than her own sister. When Little Women is published, Louisa is catapulted into the spotlight, but May finds herself held down by her sister's unfavorable portrayal of her in the novel, and by her sister's dismissal of her artistic ability. Determined to prove Louisa and the world wrong, May seizes the opportunity to take her work to the next level by studying the masters in Europe.
In Paris and London, May embraces her work and her independence. She meets many artists who will be recognizable to the reader and who will have an influence on her work. She learns to take risks and develop her own style, and her hard work pays off when not one but two of her pieces are admitted into the prestigious Paris Salon. But through it all, she still yearns for her sister to acknowledge her merits, and she yearns for a man who will love her for who she is and be supportive of her career. Even as she watches her friends get married and give up their own dreams of success, she never compromises on hers. When she's just about given up hope that she will have a family of her own to go along with her career, love comes calling, and May will have to determine if she has the courage to step into the unknown and reach for the life she's always wanted.
I love reading fiction about artists. Artists see the world through a different lens, and everything around them has potential for immortalization through a painting. Their world is full of colors and emotions, as is this book. I loved meeting all of the famous artists May rubbed elbows with, as well as the writers the Alcott family knew back in Massachusetts. Today's reader will identify strongly with May's desire to have it all--a career and a family and to look good while doing it--while Louisa May Alcott lovers may be surprised that a woman who found fame and fortune by her own dedication to her art, and who was a staunch feminist, would be so dismissive and discouraging of another woman's desire for the same, and her own sister, no less. May's desire for recognition and personal fulfillment is a driving force, as it is for many of us, but it is not the whole of her. Ms. Atkins has created a well-rounded portrayal of a woman who knew what she wanted but was still plagued by doubts, who wanted to be taken seriously on her own yet still yearned for acceptance and companionship.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, though it did take me a little while to become accustomed to the author's style. I found it to be a little choppy or "jumpy" in the beginning, with some paragraphs starting out in one time or place and then advancing months or even years and ending up in a different place in the same paragraph. But when you have a lifetime to cover in 326 pages, you have to make some concessions. And the writing smoothed out and settled down as May's journey really kicked into gear. This is a loving tribute to a woman who should not have been relegated to her sister's shadow, who deserves to be remembered for her own accomplishments, and who deserves to be known for her true self rather than Amy March. It's an emotional and inspiring story, sure to satisfy women's historical fiction lovers and a must-read for fans of Little Women.
I sure do love all of the books coming out about lesser known women in history. May Alcott may have already been known to many, but I had no idea Louisa Alcott had a sister who was just as talented as she was--and I'm sure many lovers of Little Women don't know either if they only went by Louisa's portrayal of May as Amy in the book. Jeannine Atkins has shone a spotlight on the other talented Alcott sister, exploring the nature of sisterhood, the effects of fame on a relationship, and the emergence of the modern woman.
The story takes us from the family's loving home in Massachusetts, where Louisa is a struggling writer and May a budding young artist, to the museums and art enclaves of Paris and London. Both women are dedicated to their craft, but while the somber and avowedly single Louisa is taken seriously, May has to fight to make the world believe that a pretty, fun-loving woman who yearns for a partner and children can still be a talented and dedicated artist, and there is no bigger doubter than her own sister. When Little Women is published, Louisa is catapulted into the spotlight, but May finds herself held down by her sister's unfavorable portrayal of her in the novel, and by her sister's dismissal of her artistic ability. Determined to prove Louisa and the world wrong, May seizes the opportunity to take her work to the next level by studying the masters in Europe.
In Paris and London, May embraces her work and her independence. She meets many artists who will be recognizable to the reader and who will have an influence on her work. She learns to take risks and develop her own style, and her hard work pays off when not one but two of her pieces are admitted into the prestigious Paris Salon. But through it all, she still yearns for her sister to acknowledge her merits, and she yearns for a man who will love her for who she is and be supportive of her career. Even as she watches her friends get married and give up their own dreams of success, she never compromises on hers. When she's just about given up hope that she will have a family of her own to go along with her career, love comes calling, and May will have to determine if she has the courage to step into the unknown and reach for the life she's always wanted.
I love reading fiction about artists. Artists see the world through a different lens, and everything around them has potential for immortalization through a painting. Their world is full of colors and emotions, as is this book. I loved meeting all of the famous artists May rubbed elbows with, as well as the writers the Alcott family knew back in Massachusetts. Today's reader will identify strongly with May's desire to have it all--a career and a family and to look good while doing it--while Louisa May Alcott lovers may be surprised that a woman who found fame and fortune by her own dedication to her art, and who was a staunch feminist, would be so dismissive and discouraging of another woman's desire for the same, and her own sister, no less. May's desire for recognition and personal fulfillment is a driving force, as it is for many of us, but it is not the whole of her. Ms. Atkins has created a well-rounded portrayal of a woman who knew what she wanted but was still plagued by doubts, who wanted to be taken seriously on her own yet still yearned for acceptance and companionship.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, though it did take me a little while to become accustomed to the author's style. I found it to be a little choppy or "jumpy" in the beginning, with some paragraphs starting out in one time or place and then advancing months or even years and ending up in a different place in the same paragraph. But when you have a lifetime to cover in 326 pages, you have to make some concessions. And the writing smoothed out and settled down as May's journey really kicked into gear. This is a loving tribute to a woman who should not have been relegated to her sister's shadow, who deserves to be remembered for her own accomplishments, and who deserves to be known for her true self rather than Amy March. It's an emotional and inspiring story, sure to satisfy women's historical fiction lovers and a must-read for fans of Little Women.
September 15, 2015
4 stars!
Wow, this book really took me back. I read Little Women and Little Men back when I was a teenager. What good books they were, and they weren't required! I got a little thrown when the character names were different, then I realized this was a true book about the real Alcott sisters (well, from what the author could find through research) and how the books got published and how their life really was. It was also confusing me, because I didn't remember the dad ever being around, I always thought he was off to war to or something.
It was nice to reminisce as I loved those books growing up and to see how the sisters, well some of them, really lived and grew up.
I think the author wrote a nice story, I'm not sure how much is real and how much is fiction, but I liked it all the same. I was thoroughly entertained and found the story to be very enjoyable. I would definitely recommend the book!
Thanks She Writes Press and Net Galley for providing me this free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
Wow, this book really took me back. I read Little Women and Little Men back when I was a teenager. What good books they were, and they weren't required! I got a little thrown when the character names were different, then I realized this was a true book about the real Alcott sisters (well, from what the author could find through research) and how the books got published and how their life really was. It was also confusing me, because I didn't remember the dad ever being around, I always thought he was off to war to or something.
It was nice to reminisce as I loved those books growing up and to see how the sisters, well some of them, really lived and grew up.
I think the author wrote a nice story, I'm not sure how much is real and how much is fiction, but I liked it all the same. I was thoroughly entertained and found the story to be very enjoyable. I would definitely recommend the book!
Thanks She Writes Press and Net Galley for providing me this free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
August 7, 2015
Dear Readers:
I loved LITTLE WOMEN as a girl, and I still do. But as the years passed and I learned more about Louisa May Alcott’s real family, I read her novel with different eyes. I learned that the real youngest sister, May Alcott, worked diligently at her art, as well as enjoying flirtations. I saw some of May’s paintings displayed in Orchard House, the historic home in Massachusetts devoted to the family’s history. As I recognized May’s talent, I wondered why Louisa downplayed her dedication in the portrait of a young artist in her novel. I hope you’ll read LITTLE WOMAN IN BLUE and cheer for the sister who never stopped believing she deserved to have both romance and creative work.
May you find joy in love and work, too! Jeannine Atkins
I loved LITTLE WOMEN as a girl, and I still do. But as the years passed and I learned more about Louisa May Alcott’s real family, I read her novel with different eyes. I learned that the real youngest sister, May Alcott, worked diligently at her art, as well as enjoying flirtations. I saw some of May’s paintings displayed in Orchard House, the historic home in Massachusetts devoted to the family’s history. As I recognized May’s talent, I wondered why Louisa downplayed her dedication in the portrait of a young artist in her novel. I hope you’ll read LITTLE WOMAN IN BLUE and cheer for the sister who never stopped believing she deserved to have both romance and creative work.
May you find joy in love and work, too! Jeannine Atkins
September 22, 2015
4.5 stars
A wonderful glimpse of the real family behind Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, we are treated to a more rounded view of all the characters. Unlike Meg, Anna doesn't just aim to be respectable and think too much of her own position; Louisa goes off to nurse wounded soldiers, as Jo wanted to do; Beth worries about being forgotten, and May, unlike Amy, doesn't give up on her art but teaches, takes lessons, and searches for life and love with all her heart. Marmee is more than just a gentle, well-spoken woman with a heart for her neighbors, and Father is more than a passing figure.
We get a real sense of May's childhood, the strangeness of it all, and yet parts of it seem so familiar. This really shows how fictionalized the story was, with edges ground off and pieces left out.
What kept me from giving this a full 5 stars is the slight distance I felt between myself and the characters. When reading Little Women, for instance, it's almost as if I'm there in the room, watching Jo and Amy quarrel or pursue their dreams. Here, it seemed more like watching them on television, but I still felt the pang of distance, the loneliness that comes from no-one understanding, the joy in creation, the misunderstandings that lay unspoken, and the dichotomy of both loving and hating that only a sibling can truly feel, and - for the first time - I began to feel I understood some of the artwork that May studied.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy from NetGalley and She Writes Press in exchange for an honest review.
A wonderful glimpse of the real family behind Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, we are treated to a more rounded view of all the characters. Unlike Meg, Anna doesn't just aim to be respectable and think too much of her own position; Louisa goes off to nurse wounded soldiers, as Jo wanted to do; Beth worries about being forgotten, and May, unlike Amy, doesn't give up on her art but teaches, takes lessons, and searches for life and love with all her heart. Marmee is more than just a gentle, well-spoken woman with a heart for her neighbors, and Father is more than a passing figure.
We get a real sense of May's childhood, the strangeness of it all, and yet parts of it seem so familiar. This really shows how fictionalized the story was, with edges ground off and pieces left out.
What kept me from giving this a full 5 stars is the slight distance I felt between myself and the characters. When reading Little Women, for instance, it's almost as if I'm there in the room, watching Jo and Amy quarrel or pursue their dreams. Here, it seemed more like watching them on television, but I still felt the pang of distance, the loneliness that comes from no-one understanding, the joy in creation, the misunderstandings that lay unspoken, and the dichotomy of both loving and hating that only a sibling can truly feel, and - for the first time - I began to feel I understood some of the artwork that May studied.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy from NetGalley and She Writes Press in exchange for an honest review.
July 7, 2016
I thought this was a great book. I really enjoyed reading it. I know there is a long gap between start to finish, but I had to wait a while to get a copy because it was a library book and other people wanted it. When I was able to read it the book was hard to put down. I thought the characters and plot were very well written. I thought it was a great and unique idea to write a book about Louisa May Alcott's youngest sister May. I never really knew much about her and now I want to learn more. I hope Jeannine Atkins continues to write books. Love her writing style.
August 25, 2018
I'm lucky. I toured the Orchard House in Concord MA where Louisa May Alcott wrote Little Woman, and in the gift shop I saw the paperback book called Little Woman in Blue. The tour guide suggested I'd enjoy the book, and that it was written by a woman who had been a docent for Orchard House and thoroughly researched the story of May Alcott. The book is slow-going at first with detailed setting and descriptions of life in Concord and Boston in the 1880s and on. But the slow pace was perfect in showing the pace that women lived during that time when the writers and philosophers and artists of the area became famous and succeeded, while the women stayed "in their place." Louisa became famous for pushing through that colonial/Victorian ceiling, but her lesser known sister, May, worked her own artistic path to success. Atkins book makes May (Amy in Louisa's book) a much more alive, bright, splendid being who struggled with the joy of creating art (even though women weren't supposed to) and the desire to find love and happiness with a family.
August 1, 2016
I was very dissapointed in this book. I heard so many bloggers and reviewers laud it to the skies when it first came out. However, the story plods without the "lilt" of even the Allcott biography that I got about 4 decades back.
Sure, they came from poverty; that was the life if a transendetalist of the time. Sure, women were still seen as simpering fools and made fun of even by other women. Sure, their lack of goid food, warm clothes and intelligent teachers made life hard. And, for sure, there was backbiting and class envy...there still is.
However, I have no sympathy for trying to watch the 19th century with 21st century glasses. Atkins has some insight, but her prose is stilted and forced. This is not a good book.
Sure, they came from poverty; that was the life if a transendetalist of the time. Sure, women were still seen as simpering fools and made fun of even by other women. Sure, their lack of goid food, warm clothes and intelligent teachers made life hard. And, for sure, there was backbiting and class envy...there still is.
However, I have no sympathy for trying to watch the 19th century with 21st century glasses. Atkins has some insight, but her prose is stilted and forced. This is not a good book.
December 16, 2018
The writing style of this book was really rushed and choppy. The character relationships and interactions lacked depth and realism. I had trouble even liking the main character, though I appreciated the feminist tones of her personality. She was extremely vain and ungrateful. I think the real May Alcott would have been just as horrified of this version of her as the one in Little Women! The second half of the book is much better. The author's depiction of life as an artist is the most believable and well-written. I enjoyed that the most. But otherwise, this book wasn't my favourite.
Want to read
September 1, 2015AAGH. I have not yet read this book, but I really want to, so I had meant to mark it as "to-read" on Goodreads, but I was using my iPad instead of my laptop...and I just realized today that it had somehow been marked as "read" and with a rating of 2 stars! I have NO idea how that happened, but I am horribly embarrassed about it.
Going to go hide in a corner of shame now...
Going to go hide in a corner of shame now...
December 31, 2023
"I didn't want to impress you. I wanted you to know me." (May)
"We're sisters. Of course I know you." (Louisa)
GASPING CHOKING SOBBING.
abigail may alcott is the air i breathe. i cannot describe my absolute LOVE toward her. i connected with amy march a lot in little women (she was always my favourite) but reading about her real life in little women in blue was WAYY BETTER. it was amazing to be able to see her true perspective on louisa and just life overall. she’s very overshadowed and dismissed in little women and so to have her as the main character was incredible.
this book gave me a WHOLE new perspective on little miss louisa may alcott (WHO IS A HUGE HATER BTW!!!!) she was so condescending and selfish and always shunning may for having aspirations that louisa didn’t feel were ‘worthy’ (AHEM: “just because my dreams are different than yours doesn’t mean they’re unimportant.”) AND THE PREFACE SHE WROTE FOR MAY???? the fury i felt. she literally shot down may’s chance at fame because she was jealous and patronising. nevermind the fact that little women completely butchered may alcott and louisa made her out to be a selfish, pampered brat who wanted the best or nothing at all, even though all may wanted was to have jo as a loving sister. AMY DESERVER BETTER. AND DONT EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE FACT THAT AMY MARRIED LAURIE EVEN THOUGH THE REAL LAURIE TREATED MAY HORRIBLY AND LITERALLY LEFT HER??? and louisa knew all of this while writing little women. that would’ve been my last straw no joke.
“Did Louisa think she wouldn't care that she'd engaged her paper girl to a fellow who'd really left May? She'd set the proposal in Europe, where she'd never been. Worst of all, this girl gave up making art, saying, "I want to be great, or nothing."
the nerve on louisa may alcott i am FUMING.
anyway may alcott’s real life was so inspiring. travelling europe, pursuing her passion for art, spending her days painting and socialising, writing a travel guide, living in paris with her loving husband and newborn daughter. I CANT. and then dying with so many dreams unlived, and yet being content. SHE DIED AT 39. AFTER GIVING BIRTH TO A GIRL NAMED AFTER LOUISA. ON DECEMBER 29TH. THE DAY AFTER MY BIRTHDAY.
she literally named her daughter louisa. and louisa never bothered to visit her in paris until she had already died. THE INJUSTICE THAT WAS DONE TO MAY I CANT.
abigail may alcott is my roman empire and i will think about her until the day i die.
"We're sisters. Of course I know you." (Louisa)
GASPING CHOKING SOBBING.
abigail may alcott is the air i breathe. i cannot describe my absolute LOVE toward her. i connected with amy march a lot in little women (she was always my favourite) but reading about her real life in little women in blue was WAYY BETTER. it was amazing to be able to see her true perspective on louisa and just life overall. she’s very overshadowed and dismissed in little women and so to have her as the main character was incredible.
this book gave me a WHOLE new perspective on little miss louisa may alcott (WHO IS A HUGE HATER BTW!!!!) she was so condescending and selfish and always shunning may for having aspirations that louisa didn’t feel were ‘worthy’ (AHEM: “just because my dreams are different than yours doesn’t mean they’re unimportant.”) AND THE PREFACE SHE WROTE FOR MAY???? the fury i felt. she literally shot down may’s chance at fame because she was jealous and patronising. nevermind the fact that little women completely butchered may alcott and louisa made her out to be a selfish, pampered brat who wanted the best or nothing at all, even though all may wanted was to have jo as a loving sister. AMY DESERVER BETTER. AND DONT EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE FACT THAT AMY MARRIED LAURIE EVEN THOUGH THE REAL LAURIE TREATED MAY HORRIBLY AND LITERALLY LEFT HER??? and louisa knew all of this while writing little women. that would’ve been my last straw no joke.
“Did Louisa think she wouldn't care that she'd engaged her paper girl to a fellow who'd really left May? She'd set the proposal in Europe, where she'd never been. Worst of all, this girl gave up making art, saying, "I want to be great, or nothing."
the nerve on louisa may alcott i am FUMING.
anyway may alcott’s real life was so inspiring. travelling europe, pursuing her passion for art, spending her days painting and socialising, writing a travel guide, living in paris with her loving husband and newborn daughter. I CANT. and then dying with so many dreams unlived, and yet being content. SHE DIED AT 39. AFTER GIVING BIRTH TO A GIRL NAMED AFTER LOUISA. ON DECEMBER 29TH. THE DAY AFTER MY BIRTHDAY.
she literally named her daughter louisa. and louisa never bothered to visit her in paris until she had already died. THE INJUSTICE THAT WAS DONE TO MAY I CANT.
abigail may alcott is my roman empire and i will think about her until the day i die.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2023
I read The Other Alcott in 2021, which is also about May Alcott, so I was excited to read this one as well. I know all about the Alcotts so I know the story already but I enjoy reading about it in fiction form. May was an artist and her life was sadly cut short. She could have done so much more in the art world. I did enjoy the mention of her art student Daniel Chester French although I wish the author would have said why he was famous in the author's note. He supervised the carving of the Lincoln Memorial. I did cry at the end. May had a daughter that died in 1975 and was raised by Louisa May Alcott for nine years of her life.
-"Mother says it's the people who aren't seen who do most of the world's good work."
-"But Mother says that making sacrifices makes you stronger."
"So does doing what you love."
-"Mother says it's the people who aren't seen who do most of the world's good work."
-"But Mother says that making sacrifices makes you stronger."
"So does doing what you love."
August 20, 2025
I feel bad for leaving such a bad rating to Little Woman In Blue because I like the idea behind it, I can tell it's well-researched and I have nothing particular against Jeannine Atkins's writing but it was so slooooow. It dragged so much, I could never connect with this book no matter how sympathetic I am with those characters and how I like some aspects of the story.
I've tried but it was really a chore to come back to this book and I had to fight with myself to finish it.
I've tried but it was really a chore to come back to this book and I had to fight with myself to finish it.
December 27, 2018
To be fair, I'm usually not a huge "historical fiction" person anyway, and I really liked parts of this book, but overall I didn't enjoy it. Most of the book didn't really grab me and pull me in, but there were a few really good chapters. It was interesting to read about the struggles of women artists and see glimpses into May's world.
November 4, 2015
I can only recognize love when it disappears….Artist and writers. We only see the meaning or shape of things when they’re over.
I came into this book without ever reading Little Women by Louisa Alcott and I was captured by the dreams of Louisa and her sister May. With one sisters burden with fame and the other seeking fame, tension is sure to abound. During the Alcott’s time in history, women were not captured by a dream of being a writer or an artist’s so it was a delight to see how a dream can bring hope and determination.
The relationship between the two sisters was a pendulum at times but one that remained faithful. I may have to see now what all the fuss is about Little Women for myself.
A Special Thank You to She Writes Press and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
I came into this book without ever reading Little Women by Louisa Alcott and I was captured by the dreams of Louisa and her sister May. With one sisters burden with fame and the other seeking fame, tension is sure to abound. During the Alcott’s time in history, women were not captured by a dream of being a writer or an artist’s so it was a delight to see how a dream can bring hope and determination.
The relationship between the two sisters was a pendulum at times but one that remained faithful. I may have to see now what all the fuss is about Little Women for myself.
A Special Thank You to She Writes Press and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
March 15, 2020
At first, I wished this was a biography rather than a fictionalized novel version of May Alcott's story, and I think it was because I didn't love the portrayal of Louisa. But as I got further into the book and May travels to Europe and starts coming into her own as an artist, I really started to like the story. I loved all of the mentions of various artists and works of art and had fun googling images as I went along. It got better, for me, once May was away from her family, living and succeeding on her own in Europe.
September 2, 2015
Thanks She Writes Press and netgalley for this arc.
So much happens in her life! May had a hard life but a eventful one also. She never gave up her dreams. Loved how Atkins made May come alive.
So much happens in her life! May had a hard life but a eventful one also. She never gave up her dreams. Loved how Atkins made May come alive.
October 11, 2021
I read another novel of May Alcott's life last year. I like this one better: May doesn't seem bitter.
September 11, 2015
LOVED this book and think pretty much everyone I know should read it and will love it too.
An up-front disclaimer: I got an ARC of this book directly from the author, who is a friend of mine. That said, the raptures and raves below are 100% my true opinion of this book, although (believe it or not), I've done my best to rein it in a bit in my attempt to write a cogent, succinct (oops - not sure I managed that) review.
To say that I am impressed with Jeannine Atkins's latest book, a piece of adult historical fiction chronicling the adult life of (Abigail) May Alcott, the youngest of the Alcott sisters, forever painted in common memory as the spoiled, selfish Amy March in Little Women, is a massive understatement.
In some ways, it would be more accurate to say that I have been absorbed by it, by the story itself and by the way in which Jeannine tells it. It's extraordinarily well-crafted, in close third person focusing on May, but in such a way that it's nearly impossible not to identify with her as strongly as if seeing things directly through her eyes. There was the night I started reading it, when I put it down at a point where May is tremendously frustrated and stifled, her inner rage boiling over into an attempted act of destruction . . . and I was so cranky that I didn't know what to do with myself. I hadn't been cranky when I started reading, but I identified with May so closely - and with some of the causes of her anger, such as family obligations and societal expectations (even though those don't affect me in nearly the same way as did hers) - that I was pretty much unbearable for the night. My poor sweetheart didn't know what to do with me.
The next day found me reading most of the book, though I stopped at a happy point. I knew enough of May's life to know she died after childbirth, and therefore stopped reading when she got married, so as to avoid freaking my lover out by replacing crankiness with sorrow. That I saved for a time the following day, when he was off teaching a class. It allowed me to be as sad and sniffly as I wanted without him becoming agitated on my behalf. I should add here that we both know Jeannine personally, and I didn't want him to be upset with her for making me cry.
And the book is a fine balance of detail and gaps, enough for you to go on without filling in every possible bit of information. Spare, lovely prose reflecting that Jeannine is at the height of her craft in this story, bringing the youngest Alcott to life with dignity, respect, and no small measure of love.
What the book is about
1. The life and times of May Alcott (later Nieriker), who became a fine artist despite biases at the time against women pursuing art in a serious manner. She was a contemporary of Mary Cassatt and Berthe Morisot, both of whom fell in with the Impressionists, and had pieces shown at the Salon in Paris on two occasions.
2. What it's like to have to compete for artistic space in an artistic family. Her father Bronson was published, as was her sister, Louisa. The family valued the written word far more than artwork, and May had to fight to make her way in the world - and within her own family. She also had to fight against the morals with which she was raised in the Alcott home, which repudiated the acquisition of wealth. (Her father was an interesting man, to say the least.)
Here's an exchange between May and her neighbor, Julian Hawthorn (son of Nathaniel):
. . . She said, "How can I paint when I've seen prints borrowed from the Emersons but not a real brushstroke from Michelangelo's hand? No one expects Louisa to write without having read great books."
"Surely you're not serious about art."
"I hope you don't say that because I'm a woman."
"I don't believe a single painting in the Louvre was made by one."
3. The relationship between two strong-willed sisters, with the extra wrinkle being that both of them were seeking actual acclaim in their professions (and at a time when the word "profession" didn't usually attach to women to begin with).
For example, May sold a book of sketches of the homes in Concord, Massachusetts, where the Alcotts lived among Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Nathaniel Hawthorne. Her publisher asked Louisa to write a short preface, since Louisa was by then famous for Little Women.
. . . When a wide, flat package addressed to her arrived one afternoon, May screamed. She wanted to remember this moment forever. While Mother looked for Louisa, May ran upstairs to brush her hair, run some ecru lace through it, and put on her new boots. Ready now, she tore the brown paper to reveal a book almost as large as a tea tray. The title on the violet cloth was printed in gold. She opened the book to a page with her name and the title written in Gothic lettering woven through a wreath of flowers and grapes she'd drawn.
She turned the pleasantly hefty pages to each of her drawings, then flipped back the pages to read the preface. Her face stiffened as she read Louisa's words calling the book the work of a student, having no artistic merit, valuable only because it referenced important places in the artist's birthplace. May let the book fall on her lap. "How could you call me a student? And the book worthwhile only for the places it depicts?"
"What's wrong with being called a student? You've referred to yourself that way, wanting to go to Rome or paris and learn from professionals," Louisa said.
"I've been working for years! And I'm a teacher, too, with pupils who look up to me."
"I thought you'd be pleased that I called it a labor of love."
"Which it is, but more. Don't you think there can be room in a family for two famous people?"
"I never courted glory. I don't think of posterity, but wrote to earn a living. And to make people see what is possible for an Alcott."
"Girls!" Mother squeezed both of their arms. "This is a happy day."
May pulled away. As she turned, the delicate heel of her boot cracked.
The fact that Louisa based Little Women largely on her own family wasn't lost on her family, and when May found her name scrambled to Amy, then saw how Amy was depicted (which the general public assumed was the gospel, naturally), well, . . . you can just imagine. Only you shouldn't. You should read Jeannine's book instead.
There still manages to be strong family attachment between them, despite their rivalry, and yet there's always an edge, and May is always (like Amy on the ice) seeking her elder sister's attention, love, and approval. That Louisa deliberately withholds some of those things is one of the sources of frustration in May's life.
4. How hard it is for women to "have it all." They could paint OR have families, and most who painted at all put their work aside once they married. May appeared to be positioned to change that reality in her own life, but for the small issue of her death. Nonetheless, the difficulty of being a professional artist and a mother at the same time - especially in an age before family planning was a thing - really comes across.
This particular issue isn't something that has gone away over time when it comes to female artists. as I'm well aware that many contemporary female artists who are mothers are looked at as less than serious about their art (even when that's clear B.S.). Here's a link to an article from this May about this very issue.
5. In a related issue, how constrained women have been (then and now) in expressing their emotions.
. . . Louisa's voice softened. "Of course, you take care of so much now, May. Mothers says it's the people who aren't seen who do most of the world's good work."
"She may be right. You know I admire her more than anyone. But I don't want to be as angry as she is."
"Angry? Our dear Marmee never raises her voice!"
"She counts under her breath. And tells us good lessons. But I don't think those are what have ground down her teeth."
"She's a good woman!"
"Can't good women get angry? I love Mother with all my heart, but do you think she was ever truly happy?"(p. 79)
6. Sexism. In one scene, May and Mary consult discuss May's entry in the Paris Salon, and whether it has a chance of being accepted that year.
"My humble bowl of fruit can't stand out among all the grand ideas."
"Noble ideas can get wearisome. One can hope, but we shouldn't expect fairness. The juries are fickle, not known for honesty or even knowing anything about art."
"I don't suppose it helps us that all are men."
"I've heard that when one votes for a woman, the others jeer, 'Is she pretty?' We have more opportunities here than at home, but still the Académie des Beaux-Arts is closed to women, and their students are the only ones eligible for some of the important prizes."
One of the most beautiful things about this book is that even though all of those things listed above are completely accurate and are part of the story, they aren't actually intrusive as you read. It was more that once I put this book down and found myself thinking about it repeatedly, I started finding all these themes and thoughts that are decidedly there throughout.
It is my opinion that Little Woman in Blue by Jeannine Atkins, available September 15, 2015 from She Writes Press (paperback or e-book only), is the book for every woman I know. And would be great for book clubs everywhere - especially those who loved books like Loving Frank by Nancy Horan. And should also be nominated for awards, for its lovely prose and well-told story, resurrecting the life of May Alcott Nieriker.
An up-front disclaimer: I got an ARC of this book directly from the author, who is a friend of mine. That said, the raptures and raves below are 100% my true opinion of this book, although (believe it or not), I've done my best to rein it in a bit in my attempt to write a cogent, succinct (oops - not sure I managed that) review.
To say that I am impressed with Jeannine Atkins's latest book, a piece of adult historical fiction chronicling the adult life of (Abigail) May Alcott, the youngest of the Alcott sisters, forever painted in common memory as the spoiled, selfish Amy March in Little Women, is a massive understatement.
In some ways, it would be more accurate to say that I have been absorbed by it, by the story itself and by the way in which Jeannine tells it. It's extraordinarily well-crafted, in close third person focusing on May, but in such a way that it's nearly impossible not to identify with her as strongly as if seeing things directly through her eyes. There was the night I started reading it, when I put it down at a point where May is tremendously frustrated and stifled, her inner rage boiling over into an attempted act of destruction . . . and I was so cranky that I didn't know what to do with myself. I hadn't been cranky when I started reading, but I identified with May so closely - and with some of the causes of her anger, such as family obligations and societal expectations (even though those don't affect me in nearly the same way as did hers) - that I was pretty much unbearable for the night. My poor sweetheart didn't know what to do with me.
The next day found me reading most of the book, though I stopped at a happy point. I knew enough of May's life to know she died after childbirth, and therefore stopped reading when she got married, so as to avoid freaking my lover out by replacing crankiness with sorrow. That I saved for a time the following day, when he was off teaching a class. It allowed me to be as sad and sniffly as I wanted without him becoming agitated on my behalf. I should add here that we both know Jeannine personally, and I didn't want him to be upset with her for making me cry.
And the book is a fine balance of detail and gaps, enough for you to go on without filling in every possible bit of information. Spare, lovely prose reflecting that Jeannine is at the height of her craft in this story, bringing the youngest Alcott to life with dignity, respect, and no small measure of love.
What the book is about
1. The life and times of May Alcott (later Nieriker), who became a fine artist despite biases at the time against women pursuing art in a serious manner. She was a contemporary of Mary Cassatt and Berthe Morisot, both of whom fell in with the Impressionists, and had pieces shown at the Salon in Paris on two occasions.
2. What it's like to have to compete for artistic space in an artistic family. Her father Bronson was published, as was her sister, Louisa. The family valued the written word far more than artwork, and May had to fight to make her way in the world - and within her own family. She also had to fight against the morals with which she was raised in the Alcott home, which repudiated the acquisition of wealth. (Her father was an interesting man, to say the least.)
Here's an exchange between May and her neighbor, Julian Hawthorn (son of Nathaniel):
. . . She said, "How can I paint when I've seen prints borrowed from the Emersons but not a real brushstroke from Michelangelo's hand? No one expects Louisa to write without having read great books."
"Surely you're not serious about art."
"I hope you don't say that because I'm a woman."
"I don't believe a single painting in the Louvre was made by one."
3. The relationship between two strong-willed sisters, with the extra wrinkle being that both of them were seeking actual acclaim in their professions (and at a time when the word "profession" didn't usually attach to women to begin with).
For example, May sold a book of sketches of the homes in Concord, Massachusetts, where the Alcotts lived among Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Nathaniel Hawthorne. Her publisher asked Louisa to write a short preface, since Louisa was by then famous for Little Women.
. . . When a wide, flat package addressed to her arrived one afternoon, May screamed. She wanted to remember this moment forever. While Mother looked for Louisa, May ran upstairs to brush her hair, run some ecru lace through it, and put on her new boots. Ready now, she tore the brown paper to reveal a book almost as large as a tea tray. The title on the violet cloth was printed in gold. She opened the book to a page with her name and the title written in Gothic lettering woven through a wreath of flowers and grapes she'd drawn.
She turned the pleasantly hefty pages to each of her drawings, then flipped back the pages to read the preface. Her face stiffened as she read Louisa's words calling the book the work of a student, having no artistic merit, valuable only because it referenced important places in the artist's birthplace. May let the book fall on her lap. "How could you call me a student? And the book worthwhile only for the places it depicts?"
"What's wrong with being called a student? You've referred to yourself that way, wanting to go to Rome or paris and learn from professionals," Louisa said.
"I've been working for years! And I'm a teacher, too, with pupils who look up to me."
"I thought you'd be pleased that I called it a labor of love."
"Which it is, but more. Don't you think there can be room in a family for two famous people?"
"I never courted glory. I don't think of posterity, but wrote to earn a living. And to make people see what is possible for an Alcott."
"Girls!" Mother squeezed both of their arms. "This is a happy day."
May pulled away. As she turned, the delicate heel of her boot cracked.
The fact that Louisa based Little Women largely on her own family wasn't lost on her family, and when May found her name scrambled to Amy, then saw how Amy was depicted (which the general public assumed was the gospel, naturally), well, . . . you can just imagine. Only you shouldn't. You should read Jeannine's book instead.
There still manages to be strong family attachment between them, despite their rivalry, and yet there's always an edge, and May is always (like Amy on the ice) seeking her elder sister's attention, love, and approval. That Louisa deliberately withholds some of those things is one of the sources of frustration in May's life.
4. How hard it is for women to "have it all." They could paint OR have families, and most who painted at all put their work aside once they married. May appeared to be positioned to change that reality in her own life, but for the small issue of her death. Nonetheless, the difficulty of being a professional artist and a mother at the same time - especially in an age before family planning was a thing - really comes across.
This particular issue isn't something that has gone away over time when it comes to female artists. as I'm well aware that many contemporary female artists who are mothers are looked at as less than serious about their art (even when that's clear B.S.). Here's a link to an article from this May about this very issue.
5. In a related issue, how constrained women have been (then and now) in expressing their emotions.
. . . Louisa's voice softened. "Of course, you take care of so much now, May. Mothers says it's the people who aren't seen who do most of the world's good work."
"She may be right. You know I admire her more than anyone. But I don't want to be as angry as she is."
"Angry? Our dear Marmee never raises her voice!"
"She counts under her breath. And tells us good lessons. But I don't think those are what have ground down her teeth."
"She's a good woman!"
"Can't good women get angry? I love Mother with all my heart, but do you think she was ever truly happy?"(p. 79)
6. Sexism. In one scene, May and Mary consult discuss May's entry in the Paris Salon, and whether it has a chance of being accepted that year.
"My humble bowl of fruit can't stand out among all the grand ideas."
"Noble ideas can get wearisome. One can hope, but we shouldn't expect fairness. The juries are fickle, not known for honesty or even knowing anything about art."
"I don't suppose it helps us that all are men."
"I've heard that when one votes for a woman, the others jeer, 'Is she pretty?' We have more opportunities here than at home, but still the Académie des Beaux-Arts is closed to women, and their students are the only ones eligible for some of the important prizes."
One of the most beautiful things about this book is that even though all of those things listed above are completely accurate and are part of the story, they aren't actually intrusive as you read. It was more that once I put this book down and found myself thinking about it repeatedly, I started finding all these themes and thoughts that are decidedly there throughout.
It is my opinion that Little Woman in Blue by Jeannine Atkins, available September 15, 2015 from She Writes Press (paperback or e-book only), is the book for every woman I know. And would be great for book clubs everywhere - especially those who loved books like Loving Frank by Nancy Horan. And should also be nominated for awards, for its lovely prose and well-told story, resurrecting the life of May Alcott Nieriker.
April 25, 2025
I'm a fan of Louisa May Alcotts books and have always enjoyed reading about how her stories tie to her family life. When other nonfiction books were published surrounding the Little Woman characters, I started reading them. I read Jo and Laurie, Marmee, and more recently, The Other Alcott. This last book intrigued me. I had no idea that May Alcott, Amy in Little Women, was an artist and author inher own right. That was when I picked up Little Woman In Blue.
I wanted more of a factual account of May and since the author was basing the book off of diaries and letters, I thought this was going to give me what I wanted. I enjoyed reading this version, but was disappointed with the writing. The words were flat; they didn't come to life for me. I did cry at the end, but I didn't feel for May, Ernst or Louisa in this book as I wanted to. I find May's story to be so interesting, I wanted to feel like I was walking in their shoes, but I couldn't.
For me, this book is between 3 1/2 and 4 stars.
I wanted more of a factual account of May and since the author was basing the book off of diaries and letters, I thought this was going to give me what I wanted. I enjoyed reading this version, but was disappointed with the writing. The words were flat; they didn't come to life for me. I did cry at the end, but I didn't feel for May, Ernst or Louisa in this book as I wanted to. I find May's story to be so interesting, I wanted to feel like I was walking in their shoes, but I couldn't.
For me, this book is between 3 1/2 and 4 stars.
May 16, 2018
"May Alcott was Louisa May's youngest sister, the inspiration for Amy in Little Women, Little Men, and Jo's Boys. This novel about her adult life is impressive in the way it uses what I, at least, know of the Alcotts' lives. There are lots of small details, like the reference to Louisa's childhood birthday party at which she had to give away all the little cakes to her guests and didn't get one herself, that I'd heard of. Or recognized from Louisa's books, which, remember, had some connection to her life. There's also playing off the books. May in Little Woman in Blue is unhappy with how she is portrayed in Little Women. And, when you think about it, who wouldn't be?
This book is a marvelous mind game for readers who have knowledge of the source material.
Excerpt from Original Content
This book is a marvelous mind game for readers who have knowledge of the source material.
Excerpt from Original Content
July 6, 2017
Interesting look into the life of (Abigail) May Alcott, younger sister of Louisa May Alcott. (May was their mother's maiden name). While this book is not a biography, it tells the reader about May's life. I had incorrectly believed this was a book about Louisa May Alcott's life. It also explains each of the Alcott sisters was an inspiration for the March sisters in Little Women- Anna was Meg, Louisa was Jo, deceased sister Elizabeth was Beth, and May was Amy. The book also explored May's interest as a woman who wanted to be a successful painter. A good read for anyone who wants some insight into the Alcott family, or to learn more about a female painter who seems to be forgotten about in modern times.
November 25, 2018
I enjoyed the fluidity with which his author blended history and fiction. Her use of real names for the characters didn’t feel over the top or contrived. Highlights for me were May’s involvement in her two publications and her art career, including (especially) Europe. One thing: was Louisa quite so negative toward her and generally all of the time? She was drawn as SUCH a negative Nancy in this novel. However, I appreciate the nuance in the sisterly relationship between the protagonist, May, and her famous sister, Louisa.
February 11, 2018
Very creative telling of Mat Alcott ' fictionalized life. It makes it easy to imagine May as tall and confident as her sister Louisa.The life of the Alcott girls was complicated by their father who chose a profession with little monetary compensation .
Illness affected the people everywhere in the 19th century . This story gives us an opportunity to think about how things might have gone.
Illness affected the people everywhere in the 19th century . This story gives us an opportunity to think about how things might have gone.
September 2, 2019
I loved this portrait of a historical figure who is often pushed to the back due to her famous sister. I loved how this book used actual historical evidence to flush out May Alcott and set her apart from her sister Louisa's portrayal of her in Little Women. May Alcott's relationship with her sister(s) is just as complicated as it presently is for any set of sisters without brothers. I loved this story and was truly saddened when it ended.
July 12, 2017
May Alcott, the other talented Alcott sister, struggles to balance her desire to have a family and her driving need to create art. In her life's journey she travels from Concord to Boston to Paris, crossing paths with notable intellectuals and artists like Thoreau, Emerson, Mary Cassatt and Berthe Morisot. Fans of Little Women will enjoy this historical novel.
June 14, 2017
Anyone who visits the Alcott house in Concord, MA must wonder about the Alcott family; they clearly provided the models for “Little Women”, a beloved classic I have re-read many times.
Louisa May Alcott gave her father only a small role in “Little Women”, and it always seemed to me that she portrayed Amy/May the least favorably among other family members. This novel provides a more extensive and positive account of her life, based on the relatively little that is known about her, and filling in the gaps in available information in plausible ways.
This is an engaging read set in a fascinating period of American history. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know May’s story from her own point of view! Highly recommended.
Louisa May Alcott gave her father only a small role in “Little Women”, and it always seemed to me that she portrayed Amy/May the least favorably among other family members. This novel provides a more extensive and positive account of her life, based on the relatively little that is known about her, and filling in the gaps in available information in plausible ways.
This is an engaging read set in a fascinating period of American history. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know May’s story from her own point of view! Highly recommended.
December 24, 2018
3.5 stars
January 1, 2019
I loved this book! Her research was amazing and I learned so much as well as enjoyed the story. I bought Little Men and am currently reading Little Women as well!
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