I’ve never read Little Women, nor do I plan to, but I’m familiar with the story (from retellings and the newest movie). This might be my favorite version yet because it keeps the same feel of the original story and characters we are familiar with, while offering a completely new perspective. It challenges the reader to look at this same time in history from the perspective not of a middle class white family, but a recently enslaved Black family who are now trying to make a life for themselves in an experimental colony of freedpeople on Roanoke island.

The basic points of the story are still recognizable to lovers of the original story: the March sisters and their relationship is still core to the story, dad is still away at war, Lorie still shows up, and Mammy is still holding everything together at home. But there are enough differences that I wanted to keep reading to find how the story ended for these March sisters. This is a well-researched book that shines light on a part of American history that I knew nothing about and skillfully ties it together with a beloved American classic. I definitely recommend whether you know the story of Little Women or not