Date Finished: October 12, 2015
Book Acquisition: Literally could not tell you...nearly two decades ago.
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Beth died on the plane. I feel like I should publicly apologize to woman in seat 36B because I cannot imagine that the constant sniffling and generous dripping of tears onto the tray table made her 6 AM flight relaxing. Really the entire books has made me leaked slow tears (some sweet, some sad). The poor flight attendants on both my flights kept offering me tissues and napkins to comfort me. Clearly they’ve never read Little Women BECAUSE THERE IS NO BEING COMFORTED. I was hesitant to reread this book because while I’ve always loved it, I remember being literally appalled that Laurie ended up with Amy when he was very clearly meant for Jo. One of the best parts of the book is Laurie and Jo’s friendship and nonsense and it seems like they would have romped together splendidly for the rest of time.
Blessedly, this time I was not so offended. Admittedly, Jo rejecting Laurie made me cry a small pail of tears (also on the plane this morning) but it seems like the rational thing to do, honestly. Marmee said to Jo at some point that Laurie and Jo wouldn’t suit because they’re too chaotic together and I think that really struck me as wise this time around. Additionally, I am now in possession of a male best friend myself and that has VASTLY changed my perspective. Daniel and I have romped and been silly for many years but we would be HORRENDOUS in a relationship. Since we’re not in a relationship we’re able to be less annoyed by things that would, personally, make me murder a significant other (Daniel’s yo-yo diets and workaholic tendacies, my inability to confine my belongings to any reasonable space and need to possess ALL THE ANIMALS). As Daniel is less likely to trend to killing another person, I would probably just drive him to his own death, really.
With Jo and Laurie not a reasonable coupling, I guess it made sense to pair him up with Amy. He needed to be kept in the family, Beth was dead, and the Meg/John coupling is literally too perfect to imagine any other way. Any sense of wronged schoolyard justice I felt (Amy the brat being fabulously rich and happy) largely melted away in the last two pages of the book where it was revealed that Amy had her own sickly little Beth. CUE THE WATERWORKS, PEOPLE.
Another reason I felt less angry and the Laurie/Jo loss is because Bhaer makes me SO DAMN HAPPY. SO DAMN HAPPY. HE IS THE PERFECT MAN. I don’t know if it’s my ovaries going out of control or what but the fact that he so loves children and plays all the silly children games just gets to me. Really gets to me. And when he comes to visit and he and Jo are so awkward and weird I just GAH. Plus, I think Bhaer represents Jo’s complimentary chaos. It seems so obvious to Adult Allison how it’s possible to have good and bad chaos combinations but Younger Allison really felt that Bhaer unnecessarily tames Jo. Younger Allison was so wrong about that and many other thing.
The problem with reading my favorite books from childhood is that I compare the current boyfriend to the hero of my books. Thomas got broken up with because he wasn’t Gilbert from Anne of Green Gables. I’m feeling very antsy about Kyle because he’s not Bhaer. Why are there not Gilberts or Bhaers, damnit?! And where is the romantic hero of my own life? How will I know when/if he gets here?! Motherfucking adulthood bullshit.
