"Good Wives" by Louisa May Alcott

With great anticipation and excitement, I began reading “Good Wives” the sequel to one of my adolescent favorite books “Little Women”.  “Good Wives”, set three years after “Little Women” continues to follow the lives of the March sisters: Meg, Jo, Amy and Beth. 

The first third of the novel was disappointing.  While Alcott remains faithful to each characters unique traits and charms, the storyline lacks cohesion. Several of the first chapters serve as individual vignettes describing events within the lives of each sister.  For example, chapters dedicated to Amy’s artistic booth at a local fair, Amy and Jo’s neighborly house calls and Meg’s domestic argument over financial issues.  Rather than moving the story along, many of the details within these chapters appear trivial.  Significant plot events such as the birth of the Meg’s twins, are referred to in an abrupt, off-handed manner.

The novel begins to take shape upon Amy’s departure to Europe and Jo’s temporary position as a children’s tutor in New York.   At this point, readers start to witness these characters’ transformation from young girls into young women.  While many fans of “Little Women” may initially be disappointed when Jo rejects Laurie’s romantic advances; his romance with Amy is the novel’s highlight.  With picturesque Europe as the perfect romantic backdrop, Amy and Laurie’s friendship gradually and believably blossom into love.  Not only does their relationship change but their characters become more evolved.  Amy changes from a flighty, materialistic young girl to a tender, sensible young woman.  In fact her wise advice to Laurie “Love Jo all your days, if you choose, but don’t let it spoil you, for it is wicked to throw away so many good gifts because you can’t have the one you want.” guides Laurie on a path of self-discovery and growth.

Jo also experiences significant growth, especially following her beloved sister Beth’s death.  While her deep pain is described with sensitivity, her romance with the aged Professor Bhaer is less convincing.  Although Professor Bhaer is a kind and decent man, Jo’s connection with him is not well-developed and seems more like a convenient plot device to tie up loose ends.

Alcott preserves her descriptive writing and keen insights into human nature, especially Marmee’s maternal advice given to each daughter.  Despite “Good Wives” disappointing beginning and ending, Alcott’s writing style will continue to captivate readers; however, the novel’s weaknesses make it clearly apparent why “Little Women” is a treasured classic and “Good Wives” holds a relatively obscure position in literary history.