Little Women - again

Last week I went to see the much-lauded, latest film version of ‘Little Women’. Expecting to be under-whelmed, I actually loved it. So much so that I have pulled out from my book shelves my old hardback editions of all four of Louisa M Alcott’s novels in the series and plan to re-read them all. I can’t remember how I was introduced to the books because as a young girl in Derby – from my signature in the front of each of the books, I can have been no more than eight or nine years old – how could I ever have found them? But I loved the first one so much that I went on to save up and buy all four.

I like to think that it wasn’t just the fairy tale sisterhood that enchanted me, nor the romance, but the headstrong independence of the heroine, Jo March. At the time, I would have had no idea that Louisa May Alcott was such a 19th century radical. From an early age, she was an abolitionist. ‘Little Women’ is semi-autobiographical as Louisa was also a feminist, committed to never marrying, and with a depressive father (not away at the war) forcing his wife and daughters to take any work they could to keep the family afloat. Louisa thought ‘Little Women’ to be “so dull” but fortunately, readers loved it and it delivered her financial independence and the opportunity to go on writing her preferred ‘thriller’ novels.

One particular curiosity from the film was its ‘Very Mild Threat’ rating’. I can’t help but wonder if that is due to Laurie’s persistence in trying to marry Jo?!