Good Wives
Time has brought changes to the March household – home of the girls Jo, Amy, Beth and Meg, introduced in Louisa May Alcott's classic novel Little Women.
Having returned safely from war, Mr March has become a trusted and beloved minister in the local parish. Home, too, is young John Brooke, whose plans for a shared life with Meg, however modest and poor that life may turn out to be, make the eldest March girl think herself the happiest soul in Christendom. The young lovers will live in a charming little house dubbed 'The Dovecote,' with its front lawn the size of a handkerchief.
Life promises adventures and fulfillment for the other March girls, as well – for not only are their talents developing, but they are growing older and more accomplished in the complicated matter of living their own lives. Tomboyish Jo's curly crop is lengthening into long coils, and she is learning to carry herself with ease – if not quite with grace. Beth has grown slender, pale, and more quiet than ever, with beautiful eyes brimming with kindness. And Amy, the flower of the family, at sixteen already has the air and bearing of a full-gown woman, and exerts an indescribable charm – especially on young men...
About the Little Women Series
Books in series order
- 1.Little Women
- 2.Good Wives
- 3.Little Men
- 4.Jo's Boys
Reading age: 10+ years
This series should be read in order.
Set in Massachusetts towards the end of the American Civil War, Louisa May Alcott's semi-autobiographical 'Little Women' series has long been considered a staple of girls' literature alongside books such as L.M. Montgomery's 'Anne of Green Gables' and 'What Katy Did' by Susan Coolidge.
The tales centre on the four March girls who, struggling against poverty, await the return of their beloved father from the Civil War that rages further south. Meg, the eldest, is pretty but swayed by material temptations and looking for love; Jo is a good-hearted tomboy who longs to be a professional writer (based heavily on the author, Louisa May's own childhood tendencies); Beth is a shy, sweet music lover, always putting others' needs before her own; and Amy, the youngest, is precocious and a little selfish but very social and elegant.
Even though money is short, times are tough and they bicker as all siblings tend to, their infectious sense of fun sweeps everyone up in their adventures – including Laurie, the boy next door. And through sisterly squabbles, their happy times and sad ones too, the sisters discover that growing up is sometimes very hard to do.