If you are looking for some family-friendly escapism, then Louisa May Alcott’s [b:Little Women|1934|Little Women|Louisa May Alcott|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1562690475l/1934._SY75_.jpg|3244642] is a pretty solid pick. I have a fond memory of reading an abridged version when I was a kid, but this was my first full read-through of the original book.

Similar in terms of wholesomeness, perhaps with an added dash of saccharine flavoring, this novel reminded me a lot to Lucy Maud Montgomery’s [b:Anne of Green Gables|8127|Anne of Green Gables (Anne of Green Gables, #1)|L.M. Montgomery|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1390789015l/8127._SY75_.jpg|3464264]. Both feature coming-of-age stories of young women who experience varying highs and lows in life, though it is probably fair to say young Anne probably would not exist without her predecessors—Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy.

While it’s easy to write these four little women off as caricatures of now popular female tropes, I think Alcott was pretty ahead of her time in terms of showcasing different forms of “strong” women. My favorite parts of this book centered on the conflict between the sisters—namely Jo and Amy who reminded me a great deal of me and my own sister.

Overall, this is a pretty solid story. My only critique would be with how neat and quickly quarrels could sometimes be resolved. In this respect, I may actually have enjoyed Greta Gerwig’s 2019 film adaptation more than the source material (oops). That said, this novel is definitely great entertainment, and has my recommendation.

Rating: 3.5 stars