Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: A Hopeful Heart: Louisa May Alcott Before Little Women

Author: Deborah Noyes

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 4/5

Recommended For...: biography, little women

Publication Date: October 6, 2020

Genre: Biography

Recommended Age: 15+ (sexism mentioned)

Publisher: Schwartz & Wade Books

Pages: 304

Synopsis: Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy. How did these cherished characters come to be? Louisa May Alcott, the author of one of the most famous "girl" books of all time, was anything but a well-mannered young lady. A tomboy as well as a ravenous reader, Louisa took comfort in fictional characters that were as passionate and willful as she was--and whose wild imaginations were a match for her own. She was often found roaming the woods near her home in Concord, Massachusetts, or exploring the natural world in the company of the great Transcendentalist thinkers Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. Here is a beautiful portrait of Louisa May Alcott, a woman influenced by her father, a penniless philosopher, her mother, with whom she shared a great connection, and, of course, her three sisters. Featuring unique indigo illustrations, Deborah Noyes unveils how Louisa's natural spirit, loving family, and unconventional circumstances inspired the timeless masterpiece that is Little Women.

Review: For the most part this was a great biography novel. The book goes into Alcott's life before Little Women and I thought the story telling was compelling. I can see a lot of what I imagine Jo to be from Little Women and I'm even more excited to read Little Women one day. If you're into women who helped pioneer for women's rights today then this is the book for you.

Verdict: A great book on a great author.