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Remixed Classics #1
So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix
Four young Black sisters come of age during the American Civil War in So Many Beginnings, a warm and powerful YA remix of the classic novel Little Women, by national bestselling author Bethany C. Morrow.
North Carolina, 1863. As the American Civil War rages on, the Freedpeople's Colony of Roanoke Island is blossoming, a haven for the recently emancipated. Black people have begun building a community of their own, a refuge from the shadow of the "old life." It is where the March family has finally been able to safely put down roots with four young daughters:
Meg, a teacher who longs to find love and start a family of her own.
Jo, a writer whose words are too powerful to be contained.
Beth, a talented seamstress searching for a higher purpose.
Amy, a dancer eager to explore life outside her family's home.
As the four March sisters come into their own as independent young women, they will face first love, health struggles, heartbreak, and new horizons. But they will face it all together.
North Carolina, 1863. As the American Civil War rages on, the Freedpeople's Colony of Roanoke Island is blossoming, a haven for the recently emancipated. Black people have begun building a community of their own, a refuge from the shadow of the "old life." It is where the March family has finally been able to safely put down roots with four young daughters:
Meg, a teacher who longs to find love and start a family of her own.
Jo, a writer whose words are too powerful to be contained.
Beth, a talented seamstress searching for a higher purpose.
Amy, a dancer eager to explore life outside her family's home.
As the four March sisters come into their own as independent young women, they will face first love, health struggles, heartbreak, and new horizons. But they will face it all together.
297 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 7, 2021
219 people are currently reading
14324 people want to read
About the author
Bethany C. Morrow
15 books1,435 followersBethany C Morrow is a national bestselling author.
Her young adult novels include A Song Below Water, A Chorus Rises, and the Little Women remix, So Many Beginnings, and she is editor/contributor to the young adult anthology Take The Mic, which won the 2020 ILA Social Justice in Literature award.
Her adult novels include Mem, and the social horror, Cherish Farrah. Her upcoming release, The Body, is a churchianity horror.
Honored as SLJ Gold Selections, a Locus, Fiyah, and Audie finalist for Best YA Novel, and an Indies Introduce and Indie next pick, her work has been featured in The LA Times, Forbes, Bustle, Buzzfeed, and more. She is included on USA TODAY's list of 100 Black novelists and fiction writers you should read.
Her young adult novels include A Song Below Water, A Chorus Rises, and the Little Women remix, So Many Beginnings, and she is editor/contributor to the young adult anthology Take The Mic, which won the 2020 ILA Social Justice in Literature award.
Her adult novels include Mem, and the social horror, Cherish Farrah. Her upcoming release, The Body, is a churchianity horror.
Honored as SLJ Gold Selections, a Locus, Fiyah, and Audie finalist for Best YA Novel, and an Indies Introduce and Indie next pick, her work has been featured in The LA Times, Forbes, Bustle, Buzzfeed, and more. She is included on USA TODAY's list of 100 Black novelists and fiction writers you should read.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 844 reviews
October 1, 2023
Read it. Like it. Negative racist reviews can suck it.
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This cover is GORGEOUS, and I am so very excited to read what sounds like an amazing book. Little Women was one of my favorites growing up, and this sounds like it will be a stellar retelling.
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So Many Beginnings is a solid retelling of Little Women, thoughtful, well-researched, and true to the original story in a way that a lot of retellings of this story aren't, in my opinion. This isn't just a story about 4 sisters living alone with their mom and having adventures and misadventures. It's also the story of a family living in a limbo of uncertainty, as the American Civil War rages on elsewhere. It's about making due with what they have, and relying on each other for strengths and comfort. So Many Beginnings is perhaps more explicit about those themes than the original Little Women, but it still captures the same dynamic, as well as the dynamic of the sisters--Meg, dutiful and kind but trying to find a life for herself, Jo, the brash and "unladylike" writer with ambitions beyond the life she leads, Beth/Bethlehem, the gentle and artistic sister struggling with grave health concerns, and Amy/Amethyst, the beautiful and charismatic youngest child, hungry for accolades and the finer things of life. The dynamics of their developing relationships with the men in their life, their generosity to those in their community, their love and worry for their absent father--all ring true to the original story. Jo's asexual identity adds queer rep to a story already brimming with Black representation, Black history, and Black joy, and feels much more satisfying for her character than pinning her down to domestic bliss as in the original series.
This wasn't necessarily a quick read for me, but I am glad I read it. I learned more Black history, such as the existence of freedmen's colonies in the American South during the War and enjoyed the story, in both its familiarity and its newness. Plus, that cover illustrations is absolutely gorgeous!
#23for23
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This cover is GORGEOUS, and I am so very excited to read what sounds like an amazing book. Little Women was one of my favorites growing up, and this sounds like it will be a stellar retelling.
***************************************************************
So Many Beginnings is a solid retelling of Little Women, thoughtful, well-researched, and true to the original story in a way that a lot of retellings of this story aren't, in my opinion. This isn't just a story about 4 sisters living alone with their mom and having adventures and misadventures. It's also the story of a family living in a limbo of uncertainty, as the American Civil War rages on elsewhere. It's about making due with what they have, and relying on each other for strengths and comfort. So Many Beginnings is perhaps more explicit about those themes than the original Little Women, but it still captures the same dynamic, as well as the dynamic of the sisters--Meg, dutiful and kind but trying to find a life for herself, Jo, the brash and "unladylike" writer with ambitions beyond the life she leads, Beth/Bethlehem, the gentle and artistic sister struggling with grave health concerns, and Amy/Amethyst, the beautiful and charismatic youngest child, hungry for accolades and the finer things of life. The dynamics of their developing relationships with the men in their life, their generosity to those in their community, their love and worry for their absent father--all ring true to the original story. Jo's asexual identity adds queer rep to a story already brimming with Black representation, Black history, and Black joy, and feels much more satisfying for her character than pinning her down to domestic bliss as in the original series.
This wasn't necessarily a quick read for me, but I am glad I read it. I learned more Black history, such as the existence of freedmen's colonies in the American South during the War and enjoyed the story, in both its familiarity and its newness. Plus, that cover illustrations is absolutely gorgeous!
#23for23
May 3, 2022
This is the Modern Mrs Darcy Book Club May 2022 selection.
This sophisticated “remixed” classic keeps the familial love of Louisa Alcott’s Little Women and sheds the rest to tell a new story of four Black sisters starting over in 1863 North Carolina. In her fresh and nuanced version, Morrow moves the March family south to the Freedpeople Colony on Roanoke Island, where they’re recovering from the trauma of enslavement (which Morrow offers glimpses of) and struggling to build new lives. The irrepressible March sisters—teacher Meg, writer Jo, seamstress Beth, and dancer Amy—are vividly characterized. Morrow retains many of the young women’s personality traits from the original, while plunging them into new situations and challenges in the colony. The sisters’ love anchors the story throughout, giving the book a gentle feel though Morrow’s update deftly tackles painful topics as she sheds light on a lesser-known chapter of American history. Don’t miss the author’s note.
This sophisticated “remixed” classic keeps the familial love of Louisa Alcott’s Little Women and sheds the rest to tell a new story of four Black sisters starting over in 1863 North Carolina. In her fresh and nuanced version, Morrow moves the March family south to the Freedpeople Colony on Roanoke Island, where they’re recovering from the trauma of enslavement (which Morrow offers glimpses of) and struggling to build new lives. The irrepressible March sisters—teacher Meg, writer Jo, seamstress Beth, and dancer Amy—are vividly characterized. Morrow retains many of the young women’s personality traits from the original, while plunging them into new situations and challenges in the colony. The sisters’ love anchors the story throughout, giving the book a gentle feel though Morrow’s update deftly tackles painful topics as she sheds light on a lesser-known chapter of American history. Don’t miss the author’s note.
July 23, 2021
For background you should know I'm a big lover of the original Little Women (book and films!) and have been since I was a kid. When I heard about this project, I was cautiously optimistic and very curious to see how this beloved classic might be adapted to follow a Black family of sisters during the Civil War era (the same time period as the original). And I have to say, So Many Beginnings does this very well! It stays true to the heart and tone of the original, but is also something all its own.
Fans of Little Women will enjoy seeing the clever adaptations of the story, but even readers coming to this fresh will come to love this family of very different young women who love each other a great deal. It's a story about four sisters, each with their own personality and interests. So Many Beginnings really nails the characterization in a way that feels authentic, and even the language and style of the prose feel consistent with the tone of the original. But there are differences, and it was cool to see how those played out.
The family is living in the Roanoke colony set up for the formerly enslaved. We get a lot of real historical context here of things that happened (good and bad) in the post-Civil War era. The early part of the book felt a little muddled to me and so it took a bit to fully get into it, but I ended up loving what Morrow did with the story. I want to talk about the changes she made, so mild spoilers ahead for those who are sensitive to them! If you're familiar with the story and don't mind knowing the differences ahead of time, you might find this interesting. If not, stop here and come back later!
************SPOILERS AHEAD***************
Similar to the original, Meg is a homebody who really just wants to be a wife and mother. Early on she has a potential long distance suitor that fizzles out, and later in the book you realize that was setting things up for Amy to have a wealthy love interest who was previously involved with one of her sisters. This gives her story arc something similar to the original (though in this case Amy is a dancer who goes to Boston for training) while not infringing on the different approach to the Jo/Lorie arc. (more on that later) Meg ends up falling for a local boy who does lawn care in town, even though Jo didn't think he was smart enough for her. I liked the way this adapted the original story with John.
Jo becomes a writer of nonfiction, talking about the plight of Black people in America and philosophizing. She eventually is offered the opportunity to write her own slave narrative, mirroring the original Jo writing sensational tales before writing something more autobiographical. But in this case, Jo ends up turning down the publishing offer when they want her to write in a lower dialect because people "wouldn't believe" she grew up speaking proper English while enslaved. The book does a great job of weaving in tidbits like that that really occurred. Another cool change here is Jo is probably meant to be asexual! She loves Lorie, but doesn't want a physical relationship and they end up in sort of a platonic partnership. It's really lovely and an interesting take.
Beth is ill in this rendition as well, but based on her symptoms and the discussions surrounding it I'm pretty sure she's meant to have sickle cell anemia. Which again, is a clever way to address a chronic illness that does affect members of the Black community, and the issues of white medical professionals thinking she was lying because her symptoms would come and go. Instead of dying, Beth decides to emigrate to Liberia and there's a line that nods to the original where she would miss her family "even in heaven". There's also some subtext where you could read Beth as queer, though it's not explicit.
I really enjoyed reading this and thought the author did a really great job of doing something fresh and interesting while respecting original text. Definitely one I would recommend! The audio narration is very good as well. It's narrated by Adenrele Ojo who is just wonderful. If you aren't used to more formal language, it might take you awhile to adjust since as I said, the prose is very reminiscent of the original Little Women. I received an audio copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Fans of Little Women will enjoy seeing the clever adaptations of the story, but even readers coming to this fresh will come to love this family of very different young women who love each other a great deal. It's a story about four sisters, each with their own personality and interests. So Many Beginnings really nails the characterization in a way that feels authentic, and even the language and style of the prose feel consistent with the tone of the original. But there are differences, and it was cool to see how those played out.
The family is living in the Roanoke colony set up for the formerly enslaved. We get a lot of real historical context here of things that happened (good and bad) in the post-Civil War era. The early part of the book felt a little muddled to me and so it took a bit to fully get into it, but I ended up loving what Morrow did with the story. I want to talk about the changes she made, so mild spoilers ahead for those who are sensitive to them! If you're familiar with the story and don't mind knowing the differences ahead of time, you might find this interesting. If not, stop here and come back later!
************SPOILERS AHEAD***************
Similar to the original, Meg is a homebody who really just wants to be a wife and mother. Early on she has a potential long distance suitor that fizzles out, and later in the book you realize that was setting things up for Amy to have a wealthy love interest who was previously involved with one of her sisters. This gives her story arc something similar to the original (though in this case Amy is a dancer who goes to Boston for training) while not infringing on the different approach to the Jo/Lorie arc. (more on that later) Meg ends up falling for a local boy who does lawn care in town, even though Jo didn't think he was smart enough for her. I liked the way this adapted the original story with John.
Jo becomes a writer of nonfiction, talking about the plight of Black people in America and philosophizing. She eventually is offered the opportunity to write her own slave narrative, mirroring the original Jo writing sensational tales before writing something more autobiographical. But in this case, Jo ends up turning down the publishing offer when they want her to write in a lower dialect because people "wouldn't believe" she grew up speaking proper English while enslaved. The book does a great job of weaving in tidbits like that that really occurred. Another cool change here is Jo is probably meant to be asexual! She loves Lorie, but doesn't want a physical relationship and they end up in sort of a platonic partnership. It's really lovely and an interesting take.
Beth is ill in this rendition as well, but based on her symptoms and the discussions surrounding it I'm pretty sure she's meant to have sickle cell anemia. Which again, is a clever way to address a chronic illness that does affect members of the Black community, and the issues of white medical professionals thinking she was lying because her symptoms would come and go. Instead of dying, Beth decides to emigrate to Liberia and there's a line that nods to the original where she would miss her family "even in heaven". There's also some subtext where you could read Beth as queer, though it's not explicit.
I really enjoyed reading this and thought the author did a really great job of doing something fresh and interesting while respecting original text. Definitely one I would recommend! The audio narration is very good as well. It's narrated by Adenrele Ojo who is just wonderful. If you aren't used to more formal language, it might take you awhile to adjust since as I said, the prose is very reminiscent of the original Little Women. I received an audio copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
February 5, 2022
I certainly was very much looking forward to reading So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix and so much so that I ended up ordering a copy for myself (and this even though I am actually supposed to be on a grudgingly imposed no book buying diet for January and February due to mostly a lack of shelving space).
For yes and certainly, the online reviews for So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix have generally, have mostly been pretty much glowingly positive and laudatory with regard to the author, with regard to Bethany C. Morrow penning a story that supposedly is both sufficiently similar to Louisa May Alcott's Little Women to be a true and readable, honouring Alcott's authorship retelling and at the same time also original enough to represent a novel text.
And also, and no, I most definitely do not consider Bethany C. Morrow making her So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix into a story featuring an African American March Family in any way as a problematic case of author appropriation. Because honestly, why should So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix pose issues regarding appropriation by Bethany C. Morrow because the characters are African American while the many contemporary Little Women retellings where the March sisters are Caucasian but often rather mean, dysfunctional and seemingly only interested in boys and sex are supposedly fine and nothing of significance?
However and sorry, but after reading an online interview with Bethany C. Morrow where she admits (and rather smugly so in my opinion) to in fact not ever having read Little Women and basically because she, because Morrow seems to think that Louisa May Alcott's story is ONLY meant for Caucasian, for White readers and somehow locks out and excludes African Americans/Canadians (which I for one totally find ridiculous, since for me, Little Women and especially the sisterly and family bonds portrayed by Louisa May Alcott with regard to the four March sisters are universal and not at all based on ethnicity and specific cultures), well, I have decided to not immediately read So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix and to also when I do finally consider getting to it, to peruse So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix with quite a bit of frustration and critical annoyance. Because if Bethany C. Morrow has really not read Little Women and is titling her So Many Beginnings as a remix of Little Women, well, I both find this rather academically dishonest (and indeed, even if according to the interview I read, Morrow has used not Louisa May Alcott's Little Women novel but the 1994 Little Women movie starring Winona Ryder as Jo as her main source) and Bethany C. Morrow's whole attitude towards both Louisa May Alcott and towards Little Women as a novel pretty majorly problematic.
And finally, if I do end up enjoying and appreciating So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix, while my present decision of no star rating will most likely change and increase, this would also not in any way ever erase my angry frustration and disappointment with Bethany C. Morrow in my opinion totally disrespecting and denigrating Louisa May Alcott as an author by using her Little Women thematics in So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix without ever considering actually reading Little Women.
EDITED TO ADD FEBRUARY 5, 2022
So yes, I have now had the opportunity to read So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix from cover to cover, and I am still pretty much conflicted regarding my general and final star ranking. For while many reviewers do majorly wax poetic and claim that Bethany C. Morrow is returning to the classics with her supposed "remix" of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women novel, featuring a historical fiction young adult story of four teenaged African American sisters (and their joys, as well as their many trials) during the time of the American Civil War, well, how can one actually suggest this (that Bethany C. Morrow is in fact returning to the classics and reimagining, retelling Louisa May Alcott's classic text) when Morrow has in fact admitted to (and like already pointed out above) not having read Little Women and that the many thematic similarities between So Many Beginning: A Little Women Remix and Little Women seem more likely to come from her, from Bethany C. Morrow having watched many of the Little Women films?
And indeed, even though I have in fact really enjoyed reading So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix and appreciate the 19th century American history lessons being offered and that being emancipated does not suddenly get rid of and totally mitigate the scars of slavery for African Americans, my textual appreciation of Bethany C. Morrow's writing (and that I also do rather like feeling just a wee bit personally uncomfortable as a White reader encountering So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix with regard to the far-reaching tentacles of slavery and that this obviously and naturally has had a very long and negative effect on the formerly enslaved which emancipation cannot and will not suddenly erase), my final star rating just cannot and will not go higher than three stars. Because no, I just cannot simply forget (and forgive) that Bethany C. Morrow has never bothered to read Little Women and that she also (even though she has admitted to never in fact having perused Louisa May Alcott's classic tale) seems to think that Little Women is somehow not a story for African Americans (even though she obviously sees nothing wrong with penning a very similar type of tale in many ways with So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix and even uses many of the same names and similar scenarios).
For yes and certainly, the online reviews for So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix have generally, have mostly been pretty much glowingly positive and laudatory with regard to the author, with regard to Bethany C. Morrow penning a story that supposedly is both sufficiently similar to Louisa May Alcott's Little Women to be a true and readable, honouring Alcott's authorship retelling and at the same time also original enough to represent a novel text.
And also, and no, I most definitely do not consider Bethany C. Morrow making her So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix into a story featuring an African American March Family in any way as a problematic case of author appropriation. Because honestly, why should So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix pose issues regarding appropriation by Bethany C. Morrow because the characters are African American while the many contemporary Little Women retellings where the March sisters are Caucasian but often rather mean, dysfunctional and seemingly only interested in boys and sex are supposedly fine and nothing of significance?
However and sorry, but after reading an online interview with Bethany C. Morrow where she admits (and rather smugly so in my opinion) to in fact not ever having read Little Women and basically because she, because Morrow seems to think that Louisa May Alcott's story is ONLY meant for Caucasian, for White readers and somehow locks out and excludes African Americans/Canadians (which I for one totally find ridiculous, since for me, Little Women and especially the sisterly and family bonds portrayed by Louisa May Alcott with regard to the four March sisters are universal and not at all based on ethnicity and specific cultures), well, I have decided to not immediately read So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix and to also when I do finally consider getting to it, to peruse So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix with quite a bit of frustration and critical annoyance. Because if Bethany C. Morrow has really not read Little Women and is titling her So Many Beginnings as a remix of Little Women, well, I both find this rather academically dishonest (and indeed, even if according to the interview I read, Morrow has used not Louisa May Alcott's Little Women novel but the 1994 Little Women movie starring Winona Ryder as Jo as her main source) and Bethany C. Morrow's whole attitude towards both Louisa May Alcott and towards Little Women as a novel pretty majorly problematic.
And finally, if I do end up enjoying and appreciating So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix, while my present decision of no star rating will most likely change and increase, this would also not in any way ever erase my angry frustration and disappointment with Bethany C. Morrow in my opinion totally disrespecting and denigrating Louisa May Alcott as an author by using her Little Women thematics in So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix without ever considering actually reading Little Women.
EDITED TO ADD FEBRUARY 5, 2022
So yes, I have now had the opportunity to read So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix from cover to cover, and I am still pretty much conflicted regarding my general and final star ranking. For while many reviewers do majorly wax poetic and claim that Bethany C. Morrow is returning to the classics with her supposed "remix" of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women novel, featuring a historical fiction young adult story of four teenaged African American sisters (and their joys, as well as their many trials) during the time of the American Civil War, well, how can one actually suggest this (that Bethany C. Morrow is in fact returning to the classics and reimagining, retelling Louisa May Alcott's classic text) when Morrow has in fact admitted to (and like already pointed out above) not having read Little Women and that the many thematic similarities between So Many Beginning: A Little Women Remix and Little Women seem more likely to come from her, from Bethany C. Morrow having watched many of the Little Women films?
And indeed, even though I have in fact really enjoyed reading So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix and appreciate the 19th century American history lessons being offered and that being emancipated does not suddenly get rid of and totally mitigate the scars of slavery for African Americans, my textual appreciation of Bethany C. Morrow's writing (and that I also do rather like feeling just a wee bit personally uncomfortable as a White reader encountering So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix with regard to the far-reaching tentacles of slavery and that this obviously and naturally has had a very long and negative effect on the formerly enslaved which emancipation cannot and will not suddenly erase), my final star rating just cannot and will not go higher than three stars. Because no, I just cannot simply forget (and forgive) that Bethany C. Morrow has never bothered to read Little Women and that she also (even though she has admitted to never in fact having perused Louisa May Alcott's classic tale) seems to think that Little Women is somehow not a story for African Americans (even though she obviously sees nothing wrong with penning a very similar type of tale in many ways with So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix and even uses many of the same names and similar scenarios).
Want to read
December 2, 2020AAAHHHHHHHH I'M SO EXCITED. THAT I JUST CAN'T HIDE IT. I LOVED LITTLE WOMEN AND WRITING IT IN A DIFFERENT CONTEXT IS GENIUS. AND BTW, THIS DOESN'T COUNT AS CULTURAL APPROPRIATION, LADS.
November 26, 2021
There is so much that one can appreciate about So Manny Beginnings. It definitely is a remix and not direct retelling that covers so many different facets of American history that are often left out of classrooms. However, there were a few structural things that I didn't enjoy about the novel. 3.5 stars
Prior to reading this book, I had the honor of listening to Morrow speak about this book. During that conversation she made sure to reiterate to listeners not to expect a direct retelling of Little Women. Fortunately for me, I've never read the original text so my expectations of a direct retelling were never there. The novel still does focus on the four sisters Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy and the relationship that they share during and after the Civil War. Morrow does a great job crafting each sister, giving them each a distinct personality with a robust back story. One of the most important aspects of this novel is understanding that Morrow does develop a distinct narrative under a similar structure to Little Women. There is some deep diving into topics that directly relate to the Black experience that aren't taught in schools, in addition to debunking certain ideas that people traditional hold about the Civil War i.e. "the North is good, but the South is bad." As an individual that has acquired a degree in history and has taught the subject enough to know how revisionist history is often at play, I really appreciated this aspect of the novel. Morrow isn't just making characters diverse for the sake of making them diverse; there is careful consideration to what their real life experiences would have been during this specific time in history.
There were two things that I struggled with after completing this novel: the length and the narrative voice. In my opinion, Morrow has an extremely distinct voice and way about writing that isn't necessarily my favorite. This is the second novel that I've read by her and I'm pretty sure that her writing style may always be a point of contention for me. There were parts of the book that were made extremely dry by the writing and in some aspects just a tad bit clunky. I also wish that this book was just a tad bit longer. There was so much more that I wanted to know about the sisters and the mother especially since it takes course over many years.
Overall, I think that this is definitely a novel worth picking up. Morrow explores some interesting themes that are extremely important to what the US is currently facing in response to CRT. I'll be interested in seeing what else comes from this Classics Remixed series.
Prior to reading this book, I had the honor of listening to Morrow speak about this book. During that conversation she made sure to reiterate to listeners not to expect a direct retelling of Little Women. Fortunately for me, I've never read the original text so my expectations of a direct retelling were never there. The novel still does focus on the four sisters Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy and the relationship that they share during and after the Civil War. Morrow does a great job crafting each sister, giving them each a distinct personality with a robust back story. One of the most important aspects of this novel is understanding that Morrow does develop a distinct narrative under a similar structure to Little Women. There is some deep diving into topics that directly relate to the Black experience that aren't taught in schools, in addition to debunking certain ideas that people traditional hold about the Civil War i.e. "the North is good, but the South is bad." As an individual that has acquired a degree in history and has taught the subject enough to know how revisionist history is often at play, I really appreciated this aspect of the novel. Morrow isn't just making characters diverse for the sake of making them diverse; there is careful consideration to what their real life experiences would have been during this specific time in history.
There were two things that I struggled with after completing this novel: the length and the narrative voice. In my opinion, Morrow has an extremely distinct voice and way about writing that isn't necessarily my favorite. This is the second novel that I've read by her and I'm pretty sure that her writing style may always be a point of contention for me. There were parts of the book that were made extremely dry by the writing and in some aspects just a tad bit clunky. I also wish that this book was just a tad bit longer. There was so much more that I wanted to know about the sisters and the mother especially since it takes course over many years.
Overall, I think that this is definitely a novel worth picking up. Morrow explores some interesting themes that are extremely important to what the US is currently facing in response to CRT. I'll be interested in seeing what else comes from this Classics Remixed series.
September 3, 2021
This retelling of "Little Women" is set in the Freedmen's Colony of Roanoke Island and in Boston. Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy are all present and accounted for as is family friend Lorie. The March family has been recently emancipated and their trauma from slavery is clearly communicated. I really liked many of the choices that the author made in this fresh narrative. The prose, however, was clunky and weighed down with the views of the 1619 Project. Not my cup of tea, but I am glad I took the time to read it.
Thank you to Feiwel & Friends and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Feiwel & Friends and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
September 12, 2021
Such a gorgeous reimagining of Little Women. Exactly what I was hoping for from the "remixed classics": a book that adds so much value of its own, while still keeping the heart and feel of the original story. Absolutely stunning.
July 29, 2021
Y'all aren't ready for this. Full review to come.
September 5, 2023
3.5 stars- I struggled with the writing in this, but I really liked the way the plot & characters were interpreted in this "remix" and I think the themes it highlighted by changing up the characters & setting were outstanding. Recommended!
August 1, 2021
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Now I liked the original version of Little Women but I'll admit that the characters easily annoyed me in certain situations. That being said, I was actually pretty excited to dive into this retelling which might sound weird but I wanted to see if the girls would be exactly the same as before or completely different.
These girls were way more likable than the original version. I'm sorry but Amy's character was so freaking annoying before and in this one she seemed way more normal and such. Then there's Meg, who knew what she wanted and would actually go for it. Unlike the original version who seemed to car more about the opinions from other people and wanted what they had or whatever.
As for Jo? She's been my favorite since the very beginning and I adored her and Laurie's relationship. I also think I got hints that she was asexual? Which, yes girl - I loved every second of it and it definitely made sense in my mind that she would be. Last, but not least, our girl Beth. If you've read the original version, then you know what happens to her. All I'm going to say is that Beth is a force in this one. Yes, she still gets sick but it takes a different route and I enjoyed that a bit more. Other than the doctors thinking she was faking it all but then again - that made sense too because doctors tend to think that about anyone who isn't showing symptoms all the freaking time.
Other than all that jazz, well, I think it's just safe to say that I really enjoyed this one and I can't wait for the next retelling in my life. Thank you Bethany for taking the time to write this because it was freaking addictive.
Now I liked the original version of Little Women but I'll admit that the characters easily annoyed me in certain situations. That being said, I was actually pretty excited to dive into this retelling which might sound weird but I wanted to see if the girls would be exactly the same as before or completely different.
These girls were way more likable than the original version. I'm sorry but Amy's character was so freaking annoying before and in this one she seemed way more normal and such. Then there's Meg, who knew what she wanted and would actually go for it. Unlike the original version who seemed to car more about the opinions from other people and wanted what they had or whatever.
As for Jo? She's been my favorite since the very beginning and I adored her and Laurie's relationship. I also think I got hints that she was asexual? Which, yes girl - I loved every second of it and it definitely made sense in my mind that she would be. Last, but not least, our girl Beth. If you've read the original version, then you know what happens to her. All I'm going to say is that Beth is a force in this one. Yes, she still gets sick but it takes a different route and I enjoyed that a bit more. Other than the doctors thinking she was faking it all but then again - that made sense too because doctors tend to think that about anyone who isn't showing symptoms all the freaking time.
Other than all that jazz, well, I think it's just safe to say that I really enjoyed this one and I can't wait for the next retelling in my life. Thank you Bethany for taking the time to write this because it was freaking addictive.
October 4, 2023
Jo is canon aroace in this one and I am living for it!! Also a QPR!! Hell yes.
So Many Beginnings is a remix of Little Women set in 1863 in the Freedmen's Colony of Roanoke Island during the Civil War. The March family has finally been able to put down roots and the four March sisters are exploring all the colony has to offer them.
I really loved this remix. It had elements from the original I expected, but the overall storyline does somewhat diverge. I feel like I really got to see these characters shine in a different time period. The historical background Morrow added by setting this in the Freedmen's Colony was amazing. I didn't know this colony existed and this story highlighted it so well.
I loved the sisters so much. Their relationships and their familial bond is the center of this story and I love it so much. I loved seeing them all grow and explore new things/situations. The depiction of chronic illness with Beth was really well done. I just feel so much for Beth.
Overall, I think this is an improvement on the original, which is one of the few classics I enjoyed.
Rep: Black aroace (most likely demiromantic) female MC, chronically ill Black cishet female MC, two Black cishet female MCs, various Black side characters.
CWs: Racism, slavery, chronic illness. Moderate: Mentions of war. Minor: Violence and gun violence.
So Many Beginnings is a remix of Little Women set in 1863 in the Freedmen's Colony of Roanoke Island during the Civil War. The March family has finally been able to put down roots and the four March sisters are exploring all the colony has to offer them.
I really loved this remix. It had elements from the original I expected, but the overall storyline does somewhat diverge. I feel like I really got to see these characters shine in a different time period. The historical background Morrow added by setting this in the Freedmen's Colony was amazing. I didn't know this colony existed and this story highlighted it so well.
I loved the sisters so much. Their relationships and their familial bond is the center of this story and I love it so much. I loved seeing them all grow and explore new things/situations. The depiction of chronic illness with Beth was really well done. I just feel so much for Beth.
Overall, I think this is an improvement on the original, which is one of the few classics I enjoyed.
Rep: Black aroace (most likely demiromantic) female MC, chronically ill Black cishet female MC, two Black cishet female MCs, various Black side characters.
CWs: Racism, slavery, chronic illness. Moderate: Mentions of war. Minor: Violence and gun violence.
August 9, 2020
This is cultural appropriation of a classic novel. It isn't yours to reclaim. It is Louisa May Alcott's.
September 6, 2023
I’ve said before that I will always cry over Beth March, no matter what, and this book proved me right, but in a totally unexpected way.
I’m getting ahead of myself, though. So Many Beginnings, as the subtitle indicates, remixes Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women by keeping the Civil War timeline but setting the story in Roanoke Island’s Freedpeople’s Colony and centering on a recently liberated Black March family. And you guys, it’s brilliant.
The way that Morrow synthesizes the original material with the new context without sacrificing either is truly incredible. The March sisters’ aspirations, struggles, and victories are (obviously) quite a bit more compelling in this scenario, and the histories Morrow weaves for each one make so much sense in light of both Alcott’s characterization and their reimagined circumstances. For instance, Meg’s position as a teacher in the colony is both a nod to OG Meg’s governess occupation and to this Meg’s backstory as the “companion” to her enslaver’s daughter: forced into acting as a “playmate” for the privileged girl, Meg received an (compulsory and deeply twisted) education that she can now reclaim.
There are so many details like that in this book, so many examples of strikingly skillful plotting (and researching – see Morrow’s author note at the end of the novel). It simultaneously does and doesn’t feel like a brand-new Little Women. The girls’ original personalities are preserved, but they are given more depth, more direction, and more dignity. They clearly homage the source material, but they are unmistakably and gloriously their own. In fact, while I deeply love the original, I probably prefer these March sisters, and I’m extremely grateful to Morrow for writing them the way that she did. Every slight change she made feels authentic and fitting and right, like she’s doing each girl’s character the full justice that one or another of them always seems to be denied, whether in the original or in the screen adaptations. Just look what we get in this book:
✥ a Meg (Margaret) who’s given just as much narrative focus and significance as any of the other sisters
✥ a Jo (Joanna) who doesn’t take literally every single opportunity to antagonize Amy, is still “fiery” but doesn’t indulge a pitifully explosive temper, and isn’t generally obnoxious
✥ a Beth (Bethlehem 😭) who’s three-dimensional and confident without sacrificing any of the original’s selflessness and gentleness
✥ an Amy (Amethyst) who isn’t written as immature, bratty, or selfish, whose childhood is cherished instead of chided, and who is allowed to grow graciously and seamlessly into adulthood
The care that Morrow took with each sister actually makes me emotional. No one outshines anyone else. No one is ever pitted against anyone else. (Jo and Amy, for instance, still bicker a bit more than the other sisters do, but it’s really more banter than anything else. They clearly adore each other and, unlike in the original, are comfortable instead of embarrassed expressing that to each other. ) This novel truly celebrates every single sister in a way that no other version of this story I’ve experienced ever has.
To close, I need to talk for a moment about the way that Morrow wrote Beth, specifically, because it means the world to me. Beth has always been my favorite sister, and the fact that I now get to experience a version of her story that ends like this one does – well, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I will always cry over Beth March. But, this time, I cried for a very different reason than I’m used to.
As to quibbles, I have very few. Initially, I wasn’t jiving with Morrow’s writing, as it felt a bit clunky and one-dimensional (a problem I ran into with the only other one of her books I’ve read, A Song Below Water). That quickly changed, however, and I strongly recommend giving the novel a chance if it’s not grabbing you from the outset. At times, the vehemence of Morrow’s rhetoric made me uncomfortable, but that’s appropriate. She’s not gentle with white Americans, but a novel about the Civil War is hardly the place (if ever there is one) to coddle white emotions or assuage white guilt.
In sum, then: read this book. Just do.
P.S. Beth’s letter to Jo towards the end?! Shut up?! I cried tears?!
S O B B I N G
4.5 stars
I’m getting ahead of myself, though. So Many Beginnings, as the subtitle indicates, remixes Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women by keeping the Civil War timeline but setting the story in Roanoke Island’s Freedpeople’s Colony and centering on a recently liberated Black March family. And you guys, it’s brilliant.
The way that Morrow synthesizes the original material with the new context without sacrificing either is truly incredible. The March sisters’ aspirations, struggles, and victories are (obviously) quite a bit more compelling in this scenario, and the histories Morrow weaves for each one make so much sense in light of both Alcott’s characterization and their reimagined circumstances. For instance, Meg’s position as a teacher in the colony is both a nod to OG Meg’s governess occupation and to this Meg’s backstory as the “companion” to her enslaver’s daughter: forced into acting as a “playmate” for the privileged girl, Meg received an (compulsory and deeply twisted) education that she can now reclaim.
There are so many details like that in this book, so many examples of strikingly skillful plotting (and researching – see Morrow’s author note at the end of the novel). It simultaneously does and doesn’t feel like a brand-new Little Women. The girls’ original personalities are preserved, but they are given more depth, more direction, and more dignity. They clearly homage the source material, but they are unmistakably and gloriously their own. In fact, while I deeply love the original, I probably prefer these March sisters, and I’m extremely grateful to Morrow for writing them the way that she did. Every slight change she made feels authentic and fitting and right, like she’s doing each girl’s character the full justice that one or another of them always seems to be denied, whether in the original or in the screen adaptations. Just look what we get in this book:
✥ a Meg (Margaret) who’s given just as much narrative focus and significance as any of the other sisters
✥ a Jo (Joanna) who doesn’t take literally every single opportunity to antagonize Amy, is still “fiery” but doesn’t indulge a pitifully explosive temper, and isn’t generally obnoxious
✥ a Beth (Bethlehem 😭) who’s three-dimensional and confident without sacrificing any of the original’s selflessness and gentleness
✥ an Amy (Amethyst) who isn’t written as immature, bratty, or selfish, whose childhood is cherished instead of chided, and who is allowed to grow graciously and seamlessly into adulthood
The care that Morrow took with each sister actually makes me emotional. No one outshines anyone else. No one is ever pitted against anyone else. (Jo and Amy, for instance, still bicker a bit more than the other sisters do, but it’s really more banter than anything else. They clearly adore each other and, unlike in the original, are comfortable instead of embarrassed expressing that to each other. ) This novel truly celebrates every single sister in a way that no other version of this story I’ve experienced ever has.
To close, I need to talk for a moment about the way that Morrow wrote Beth, specifically, because it means the world to me. Beth has always been my favorite sister, and the fact that I now get to experience a version of her story that ends like this one does – well, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I will always cry over Beth March. But, this time, I cried for a very different reason than I’m used to.
As to quibbles, I have very few. Initially, I wasn’t jiving with Morrow’s writing, as it felt a bit clunky and one-dimensional (a problem I ran into with the only other one of her books I’ve read, A Song Below Water). That quickly changed, however, and I strongly recommend giving the novel a chance if it’s not grabbing you from the outset. At times, the vehemence of Morrow’s rhetoric made me uncomfortable, but that’s appropriate. She’s not gentle with white Americans, but a novel about the Civil War is hardly the place (if ever there is one) to coddle white emotions or assuage white guilt.
In sum, then: read this book. Just do.
P.S. Beth’s letter to Jo towards the end?! Shut up?! I cried tears?!
If I have seemed too quiet over these years, I hope my sisters will come to see that I have listened to you. I have learned from you. There could be no Liberia for me, if there had been no Meg, or Jo, or Amy.
S O B B I N G
4.5 stars
December 22, 2021
Utterly charming. Beautifully told. Love the setting change and the depth of history. A fantastic story in its own right.
October 15, 2021
Meg: a proper teacher.
Jo: a passionate writer.
Beth: a gentle seamstress.
Amy: a lively dancer.
The four young March sisters are coming of age in the Freedpeople's Colony of Roanoke Island during the American Civil War in So Many Beginnings by author Bethany C. Morrow.
Yes, hearing that this YA historical novel is A Little Women Remix certainly got my attention. But that isn't the reason I read it. I tend not to jump at retellings of classics. On the rare occasions when I do try them, I bear in mind that the two stories are separate works.
I didn't pick up this book with nostalgia, expecting to "relive" Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. And I think others who love that classic should know that this remix isn't merely or essentially a work of fanfiction with brown faces swapped in for white ones.
This is a different story. A different narrative. And I read it for its difference.
Not for its difference from Alcott's novel but for its difference from a lot of newer fiction set in the Civil War era. Not a humble story from the perspective of noble abolitionist characters or the perspective of "slaves runnin' away from Massa." But a story that includes different elements of American history that are too rarely taught or considered and the challenges that surround them.
The reality is that believing slavery is wrong isn't synonymous with accepting and fully respecting all people. And there's a difference between emancipation (from slavery) and freedom (to truly live).
I read this book specifically because it deals with that difference.
Now, as a work of fiction, the novel felt more like a sketch than a full picture to me at times. That's understandable, given that there are four sisters' and their mother's experiences to cover over a few years in one book, and this wasn't the time for a 500 or 600-page novel. Also, the perspectives switch around between characters during the scenes—something I didn't used to notice in fiction but that I now find a little distracting if I'm not prepared for it.
Nevertheless, I appreciate that I couldn't predict everything the characters would think and say or every turn their days and lives would take. The plot and characters kept me curious, and the achingly beautiful parts kept me on my toes.
I'd recommend this read for young adults and adults alike who can appreciate an unsugarcoated but ultimately warm and thought-provoking story of dissimilar individuals who make up a strong family.
Jo: a passionate writer.
Beth: a gentle seamstress.
Amy: a lively dancer.
The four young March sisters are coming of age in the Freedpeople's Colony of Roanoke Island during the American Civil War in So Many Beginnings by author Bethany C. Morrow.
Yes, hearing that this YA historical novel is A Little Women Remix certainly got my attention. But that isn't the reason I read it. I tend not to jump at retellings of classics. On the rare occasions when I do try them, I bear in mind that the two stories are separate works.
I didn't pick up this book with nostalgia, expecting to "relive" Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. And I think others who love that classic should know that this remix isn't merely or essentially a work of fanfiction with brown faces swapped in for white ones.
This is a different story. A different narrative. And I read it for its difference.
Not for its difference from Alcott's novel but for its difference from a lot of newer fiction set in the Civil War era. Not a humble story from the perspective of noble abolitionist characters or the perspective of "slaves runnin' away from Massa." But a story that includes different elements of American history that are too rarely taught or considered and the challenges that surround them.
The reality is that believing slavery is wrong isn't synonymous with accepting and fully respecting all people. And there's a difference between emancipation (from slavery) and freedom (to truly live).
I read this book specifically because it deals with that difference.
Now, as a work of fiction, the novel felt more like a sketch than a full picture to me at times. That's understandable, given that there are four sisters' and their mother's experiences to cover over a few years in one book, and this wasn't the time for a 500 or 600-page novel. Also, the perspectives switch around between characters during the scenes—something I didn't used to notice in fiction but that I now find a little distracting if I'm not prepared for it.
Nevertheless, I appreciate that I couldn't predict everything the characters would think and say or every turn their days and lives would take. The plot and characters kept me curious, and the achingly beautiful parts kept me on my toes.
I'd recommend this read for young adults and adults alike who can appreciate an unsugarcoated but ultimately warm and thought-provoking story of dissimilar individuals who make up a strong family.
September 8, 2021
No, you don't understand. I'm. Not. Okay. Not after that ending. I want more. I want to see Amy dazzle the world, and Jo rip it apart with her words, and Beth continue being sweet, and Meg find her true happiness. I want to see the world develop in acceptance and racism begin to dwindle. I want more. Why can't we have more?
Bethany C. Morrow is such a beautiful writer. Her words drip like honey. I need to read her other things sometime soon. She has a way with words and plots and characters that blows me away. This is a book I will be thinking about for a long time.
Bethany C. Morrow is such a beautiful writer. Her words drip like honey. I need to read her other things sometime soon. She has a way with words and plots and characters that blows me away. This is a book I will be thinking about for a long time.
October 15, 2021
This was going to be one of the easiest five stars of my life until Part II.
SMB takes the bones of LITTLE WOMEN and elevates it in a way that I haven't seen in a retelling before, although this is more of a character retelling than a plot retelling. Morrow seamlessly avoid the biggest pitfall in LW retellings, which have a tendency to flanderize the sisters into "boring", "feisty", "nice", and "annoying", by making each of the sisters incredibly complex. And the way that the trauma from the March family's prior enslavement and how it still impacts them? SO WELL DONE! My favorite would have to be Amy (who I loathed when I first read the baby's first classics version in middle school but tends to be my favorite in retellings) but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved Meg in this--she's the hardest sister to adapt for retellings since her arc is about wanting to get married. Morrow handles her with care and made me love her. I also loved Jo, but that was to be expected. Beth...is still the hardest sister to sell me on in retellings that don't include the manuscript scene but I really loved her too! The way that her illness was handled was done so well; same with the relationship between Jo and Lorie.
Unfortunately the hasty time jump and super short length of Part II made me knock this down from a 5+ favorites rating to a plain 5 stars--it felt like an extended epilogue and took up much, much less of the book than Part I, separating the sisters but not allowing us enough time to see how they've really changed in the three years. This book could have been a hundred pages longer and covered that time in-depth and it would have fixed all of my issues with this book.
If you like Little Women, read this. If you didn't like Little Women, read this. If you haven't read Little Women, read this. Part I is a masterpiece, Part II still good but not as good as it could have been, and the book as a whole is phenomenal.
SMB takes the bones of LITTLE WOMEN and elevates it in a way that I haven't seen in a retelling before, although this is more of a character retelling than a plot retelling. Morrow seamlessly avoid the biggest pitfall in LW retellings, which have a tendency to flanderize the sisters into "boring", "feisty", "nice", and "annoying", by making each of the sisters incredibly complex. And the way that the trauma from the March family's prior enslavement and how it still impacts them? SO WELL DONE! My favorite would have to be Amy (who I loathed when I first read the baby's first classics version in middle school but tends to be my favorite in retellings) but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved Meg in this--she's the hardest sister to adapt for retellings since her arc is about wanting to get married. Morrow handles her with care and made me love her. I also loved Jo, but that was to be expected. Beth...is still the hardest sister to sell me on in retellings that don't include the manuscript scene but I really loved her too! The way that her illness was handled was done so well; same with the relationship between Jo and Lorie.
Unfortunately the hasty time jump and super short length of Part II made me knock this down from a 5+ favorites rating to a plain 5 stars--it felt like an extended epilogue and took up much, much less of the book than Part I, separating the sisters but not allowing us enough time to see how they've really changed in the three years. This book could have been a hundred pages longer and covered that time in-depth and it would have fixed all of my issues with this book.
If you like Little Women, read this. If you didn't like Little Women, read this. If you haven't read Little Women, read this. Part I is a masterpiece, Part II still good but not as good as it could have been, and the book as a whole is phenomenal.
June 28, 2021
Wow, I was excited to read this just because I like Little Women, but this really knocked my socks off. For starters, I had never learned about the Freedmen's Colony on Roanoke Island but that was such an interesting setting for this book and I'm so glad to have learned a bit about it. But then I loved how thoughtfully and sensitively these characters were adapted--the concept that as a slave, Jo was thought by white people to be mute because she knew that she'd get in trouble if she said the things that were on her mind, so she just...didn't talk...and then after being freed getting to be more like the outspoken Jo from the original books......*sob* Really moving, especially as her family encourages her to explore her burgeoning writing talent. Whew!! And the new layers of Beth's illness here, I don't want to spoil it but it's so smart and beautiful. And just seeing a family like the Marches who are so emotionally intelligent and compassionate, and seeing the way they talk about the experience of slavery and ongoing racism was honestly revelatory to me; I've read a lot of books about the Civil War/race/etc and had never read some of these ideas expressed quite this way before.
The idea of a "Little Women remix" could have been so pat but instead this is a truly new and moving book, worth reading whether or not you've read/enjoyed the original book. Really stunning.
The idea of a "Little Women remix" could have been so pat but instead this is a truly new and moving book, worth reading whether or not you've read/enjoyed the original book. Really stunning.
October 10, 2021
There’s room on the shelf for remixes, revisits, reimaginings - ideally when the finished version is well-crafted, from drafting through editing. This published version of Little Women as told through the freedpeople’s lens fails to hit its intended mark, reading more like an accusatory early draft in search of targets and happy ending rewrites normally satisfied by fan fiction rather than the important expose of “meticulously researched” historical events tragically obscured for centuries promised by the author. A scene at the close of this book’s story feels close to real life: writer and would-be publisher meet over book’s current draft. Writer refuses to make requested changes, personally and professionally affronted by the publisher’s phrasing. Tones of intent are perceived as racist and hurtful - and yes on both sides of this conversation, just like in real life. Rather than working together to address issues and release a balanced book into the world, writer grabs draft and runs; editor/publisher spits angry accusations. Both are left hurting at opposite ends of the story, wounds unhealed. Did this happen here? Were editors hesitant in asking for layered rewrites, clearer sentence structures, less messaging and more story depth because they - and the writer - perceived the project as unapproachable, unassailable. To edit would be to restrict vs. assist in amplifying? Or did they not care enough, and let this version find its audience. May the conversation resume - with other players dedicated to rewriting wrongs, historical and fictional. Love the idea of this new remixing classics series, disappointed by its first foray, hopeful it will do the work with better results the next time around.
March 15, 2021
GAH I just typed a whole review and the app just crashed 😭 Knew I should’ve copy pasted just in case. Anyway, I loved this book a lot. Little Women is one of my childhood faves, and I appreciated that this remix paid homage to the original (Mr. March!) while being something completely fresh and new and wonderful. It breathed new life into an old classic, and I really enjoyed this so much.
Amy (Amethyst!!) was less insufferable in this version, which I always appreciate. Beth (Bethlehem!) had a great storyline, and I wanted to know more about her in Part II of the book.
Jo was as fiery and amazing as ever, and I really liked her relationship with Lorie. It was so special and unique. Certain scenes had me cheering for her (the book!!! Her salons!!) for sure. And I really admire Meg for knowing what she wants and going after it, and not paying attention to other people’s opinions of her life goals.
As with any version I read/watch, the relationship between the sisters, and with their mother, are always my favorite parts. Having the March family be previously enslaved and now living on Roanoke Island Freedpeople’s colony (brb want to go do more research now had zero idea about this!!! 🤓) was really powerful, and heart wrenching. Particularly Meg’s flashbacks to her old life.
Amy (Amethyst!!) was less insufferable in this version, which I always appreciate. Beth (Bethlehem!) had a great storyline, and I wanted to know more about her in Part II of the book.
Jo was as fiery and amazing as ever, and I really liked her relationship with Lorie. It was so special and unique. Certain scenes had me cheering for her (the book!!! Her salons!!) for sure. And I really admire Meg for knowing what she wants and going after it, and not paying attention to other people’s opinions of her life goals.
As with any version I read/watch, the relationship between the sisters, and with their mother, are always my favorite parts. Having the March family be previously enslaved and now living on Roanoke Island Freedpeople’s colony (brb want to go do more research now had zero idea about this!!! 🤓) was really powerful, and heart wrenching. Particularly Meg’s flashbacks to her old life.
October 4, 2021
This wasn't SUPER close to the original, but close enough, I think? Whatever that means. Meg was still GREAT and allowed to really, really be herself and want what she wants.
Everything about being former slaves and what it meant to live as a Black person in/after the Civil War was really really impactful.
Everything about being former slaves and what it meant to live as a Black person in/after the Civil War was really really impactful.
June 24, 2021
Feels good, feels right.
This is a "what if Little Women were about a Black family?" fanfiction.
It's not Little Women, obviously. It doesn't have the length of the original, or the episodic pace, or spend as much time on whimsical one-off adventures or Pilgrim's Progress.
Things it DOES have include:
Overall, this book does a lot of things differently, of course. But it really did give me the feeling that you know, this IS pretty much what the March family would end up doing if they WERE born into this situation. I enjoyed it a lot.
This is a "what if Little Women were about a Black family?" fanfiction.
It's not Little Women, obviously. It doesn't have the length of the original, or the episodic pace, or spend as much time on whimsical one-off adventures or Pilgrim's Progress.
Things it DOES have include:
• A similar regularly-sermonizing style. This time the sermons are mostly about abolition and post-bellum injustices, as I'm sure you can imagine. There is some Christianity sprinkled in there as well, but not nearly as much.
• GOOD and accurate family vibes. Honestly, the sisters in this are a lot less annoying overall than the Little Women sisters. Less realistic? Probably. But it still conveys a powerful, loving bond among the whole family in the same way the original does.
• Very good Jo and "Lorie" vibes. This is one of the most uniquely standout things about the original, and this book does quite a good job of spinning its own thing off in a way that's new but still preserves the feeling of the Laurie/Jo bond.
• Historical details! It took me, as a kid, a LONG time to figure out what time period Little Women was even set in. Sure the dad was away at war, but which one? This book certainly doesn't have that ambiguity, and we get to learn about the lives of people freed from slavery and the challenges they still had to face in a way that my history books, at least, did not cover very much.
• Growing pains. This book is a lot less painful, too, than the original, which honestly is kind of nice. I prefer my fanfiction not to hold me down and take a scalpel to my soul. But there are still those themes of transition, growing up, and finding your place in the world.
Overall, this book does a lot of things differently, of course. But it really did give me the feeling that you know, this IS pretty much what the March family would end up doing if they WERE born into this situation. I enjoyed it a lot.
May 12, 2021
This is very tender and sweet. Probably will do a lot for you if you're into 1) Civil War/antebellum time period, 2) Little Women already or 3) Black retellings of "classics". As someone very into 2 and 3, it was super wholesome and layered for YA. Plus—
April 27, 2022
I love Jo’s aro/ace vibes. I especially love that her and Lorie are platonic soulmates. He’ll follow her anywhere and everywhere, asking for nothing more than what she can give. And that needs to be more normalized.
July 18, 2023
rating: 3.5 stars
TWs & Rep: https://booktriggerwarnings.com/So_Ma...
*note* i read this book having not read louisa may alcott's little women prior, but i having watched the 1994 movie, therefore knowing the plot, characters, etc.
although this wasn't my favorite read of all time, i'm glad i read it. i really enjoyed learning about a part/perspective of history that is often left out of history books. although, what really bothered me about this book and prevents me from rating it higher was the pacing/speed. it started off very slow and was very very hard to get into with their being many, many boring parts. i felt like i just wasn't reading as much because i had little interest in reading something that seemed to just drag on. while it did improve as the story went on and i got to know the characters a little bit more, i felt like the ending had the opposite problem - it seemed rushed and definitely could've been longer and more detailed.
one thing i did like was some of the changes from the original story. for example, i really liked that the representation was great all around too. personally, i feel like first person point-a-view would've made the characters much stronger and more personal but that is a little thing. overall, i'm not mad i read this one and would recommend :)
TWs & Rep: https://booktriggerwarnings.com/So_Ma...
*note* i read this book having not read louisa may alcott's little women prior, but i having watched the 1994 movie, therefore knowing the plot, characters, etc.
although this wasn't my favorite read of all time, i'm glad i read it. i really enjoyed learning about a part/perspective of history that is often left out of history books. although, what really bothered me about this book and prevents me from rating it higher was the pacing/speed. it started off very slow and was very very hard to get into with their being many, many boring parts. i felt like i just wasn't reading as much because i had little interest in reading something that seemed to just drag on. while it did improve as the story went on and i got to know the characters a little bit more, i felt like the ending had the opposite problem - it seemed rushed and definitely could've been longer and more detailed.
one thing i did like was some of the changes from the original story. for example, i really liked that the representation was great all around too. personally, i feel like first person point-a-view would've made the characters much stronger and more personal but that is a little thing. overall, i'm not mad i read this one and would recommend :)
September 10, 2021
I really liked the concept of remixing and diversifying some of our favorite classics. Little Women is a story I have enjoyed and I was excited to see it be reimagined as a family with four sisters recently freed from slavery. I liked the way that the book didn’t shy away from tough issues. I also liked that I could see pieces of the familiar characters, but that they also felt like their own characters with their own important stories to tell. Jo and Lorie were adorable and I really loved their friendship and piece of this story. While the original is amazing, I will admit to being selfishly glad to not cry through the ending of this book. I really think this was a unique story to tell, I don’t think I have read anything quite like this about freed Black people and the continuing struggles they had during and post Civil War. And this author did this project justice with a good voice for story telling.
January 17, 2022
*2.5*
What I Loved: This book made me want to have dinner with the March family! I loved the distinct personalities and backstories of each March sister. But most importantly, this book goes to show how many gaps there are in my education about the Civil War/Reconstruction period. The author portrays the Black experience during this time period in a way that I haven't read in YA before. Sadly, many of the issues are still present in society today.
What I Didn't Love: This book never grabbed my attention. If it weren't for being my book club selection, I would not have finished it. I didn't dislike anything specific, I just found it boring.
What I Loved: This book made me want to have dinner with the March family! I loved the distinct personalities and backstories of each March sister. But most importantly, this book goes to show how many gaps there are in my education about the Civil War/Reconstruction period. The author portrays the Black experience during this time period in a way that I haven't read in YA before. Sadly, many of the issues are still present in society today.
What I Didn't Love: This book never grabbed my attention. If it weren't for being my book club selection, I would not have finished it. I didn't dislike anything specific, I just found it boring.
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February 22, 2023
A super cute retelling of Little Women!
I really liked this retelling/remix. Jo is finally given the ace rep she so rightfully deserves, Amy is not as annoying as she was in the original, Beth is sickly but an accomplished seamstress, and Meg is stolid and yet determined to find love.
They're on Roanoke Island in the middle of the Civil War, and have escaped from slavery to live in the freed colony—the politics and realities of which are handled very nicely (even if there were a lot of modern phrases used). The March family is determined to put down roots, as their mother knows that family is resistance and freedom, all wrapped together.
Overall, a cozy yet realistic retelling that brought so much joy to my heart.
I really liked this retelling/remix. Jo is finally given the ace rep she so rightfully deserves, Amy is not as annoying as she was in the original, Beth is sickly but an accomplished seamstress, and Meg is stolid and yet determined to find love.
They're on Roanoke Island in the middle of the Civil War, and have escaped from slavery to live in the freed colony—the politics and realities of which are handled very nicely (even if there were a lot of modern phrases used). The March family is determined to put down roots, as their mother knows that family is resistance and freedom, all wrapped together.
Overall, a cozy yet realistic retelling that brought so much joy to my heart.
Want to read
August 12, 2022As a die-hard fan of Little Women seeing that this little remix exists is just... amazing.
I need to read it ASAP because Little Women really is my favorite book of all times.
I need to read it ASAP because Little Women really is my favorite book of all times.
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