Louisa May Alcott

Good Wives

A Story for Girls, Being a Sequel for Little Women

clara

But her reverence for genius received a severe shock that night, and it took her some time to recover from the discovery that the great creatures were only men and women, after all.

I'm not afraid, but it seems as if I should be home-sick for you even in heaven

these hearts of ours are curious and contrary things, and time and nature work their will in spite of us.

I'm happy as I am, and love my liberty too well to be in a hurry to give it up for any mortal man.

Love is the only thing that we can carry with us when we go, and it makes the end so easy.

Good wives.

Mi ha un po’ deluso rispetto al primo libro, probabilmente perchè molto incentrato sulle sorelle che mettono su famiglia e devono essere mogli e donne perfette (ma riconosco anche che è un libro dell’800…..). 

È incredibile quanto mi sia sentita rappresentata da Jo, e fa strano pensare che le nostre esperienze possano essere cosí simili nonostante le epoche storiche diverse.  

mirta <3

Mi ha un po’ deluso rispetto al primo libro, probabilmente perchè molto incentrato sulle sorelle che mettono su famiglia e devono essere mogli e donne perfette (ma riconosco anche che è un libro dell’800…..). 

È incredibile quanto mi sia sentita rappresentata da Jo, e fa strano pensare che le nostre esperienze possano essere cosí simili nonostante le epoche storiche diverse.  



'Life and love are very precious when both are in full bloom' With four lively, attractive women in one house and a dashing young bachelor in the neighbouring one, romance can only be a matter of time. As Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy become young women, they take separate paths in life, following their dreams, finding love, becoming wives, and travelling the world. But the tie that binds the sisters brings them together when tragedy strikes, for only with each other can they find the comfort they need. Also in Virago Classic Children's Books: Little Women, Little Men, Jo's Boys

Jasmine Stanway

I haven’t read this book since I was about 15 or 16, and reading it again- I’m sitting here crying now that it’s over. I just adore this story so much, and the films have always been very dear to my heart; but I forgot how truly beautiful the book itself is. It always inspires me to keep alive in my aspirations, even if I don’t reach them as soon as I’d like. It’s a gift to the world of books that can never really be overrated 💛

The second story about the March family. Three years on from 'Little women' the March girls and their friend Laurie are young adults with their futures ahead of them. Although they all face painful trials along the way - from Meg's sad lesson in housekeeping to Laurie's disappointment in love and a tragedy which touches them all - each of the girls finally finds happiness, if not always in the way they expect.

Ayden

Good wives is included in my edition of little women 
So though I was disappointed about not reading a continuation it was nice rereading a book I love

Irene Alegre

It's fascinating to see so many people hate this book with intensity – I'm in the minority here. I much preferred reading Good Wives than Little Women.

I didn't read Little Women as a child or teenager, and I've never seen the entire film, so I wasn't passionately invested in any of the relationship dynamics that form during the first part of the story. As the 30 year old woman I am, I didn't ship any couples, I didn't think Laurie and Jo were meant to be together, and I didn't hate Amy. I felt a cool level of compassion towards all characters, but found their little childhood adventures rather boring. 

However, I found Good Wives a great exercise of character growth and progression, wisdom and strong core values. These characters are all flawed, and they make mistakes, but they learn from them because they strive to be good. I found the depicted dynamics very realistic – Meg and John's, for instance –, and I totally saw the compatibility between Jo and the clumsy but charming Professor. It's funny to see Meg grow into a mother and deal with all that comes with that, or get into Jo's head and listen to the mixed feelings about writing shitty – but commercial – books, which has been an internal conflict of mine as well. 

As for Amy and Beth, I was amazed at the first one's growth into someone mature and sensible, calm and graceful, and at the braveness of the second one, who faces death quietly after struggling to accept the fact that she will have no future and dealing with jealousy towards those who do.

Yes, there is a religious agenda – and I am so not religious – but I believe christian values (or any religious values) are still very valid, and striving to be good never hurt anyone. And as for the sexism in the book, yes, I sort of cringed at some points, but I'm able to understand it within its context. I will definitely encourage my children to read this when they reach a certain age, and I am sure that anyone can take one or two good things from it.

Julie Viravaux

Little Women, Part 2

Flavia Louise

3 stars
I enjoyed listening to this but didn't like it as much as I liked Little Women.

Little women, part II

Good wives

Justine Rose

This book on its own is possibly a 4 star read for me, but the bind up that I have is both Little Women and Good Wives together, and since that’s how I read them, the story as a whole was more of a 5 star read.

Pippa 

4.5✨

Beautiful. Made me tear up at the end! I loved it so much!!!

Xenia

Tarannum Kamlani

Priyanka Pal

Tracy K

Kate

Redwineandbookplease

Carmen Maria

'As they sat together in the twilight, talking over their small plans, the future always grew so beautiful and bright'Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy have grown up together in Orchard House with their friend Laurie next door, and now it's time for them to go out and find their places in the big wide world, to do the great and marvellous things they've dreamed of and discover their 'castles in the air'. They each find themselves tested, and fall in love, but when tragedy strikes they find their best comfort is in each other, and home.BACKSTORY- Learn more about the unusual author and have a go at making jam!

Good Wives

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