Jo's Boys

 

By Louisa May Alcott

 

Jo’s boys is the final novel chronicling the adventures and misadventures of the March family, following Little Women and Little Men. It was a pleasure to read and my favourite of the three books.

 

Taking off ten years after Little Men, we revisit Plumfield and learn what became of all Jo’s Little Men.

Jo is such an intelligent, beautiful and witty character; it was lovely to read all about her successes.

 

My favourite quote is from Nelly: 'Quality, not quantity, wins the day, you know. Our brains may be smaller, but I don't see that they fall short of what is required of them; and if I'm not mistaken, the largest-headed man in our class is the dullest,'

I don’t know about the smaller brains part but that was what they thought back then. It made me laugh though.

 

Alcott visits the issue of women's suffrage which is wonderful. I love that Jo has raised such strong and independent women, something that wasn’t around much in those days.

 

The last sentence ends the March journey well: " And now having endeavored to suit every one by many weddings, few deaths, and as much prosperity as the eternal fitness of things will permit, let the music stop, the lights die out, and the curtain fall forever on the March family."