7/15/14. Wanted to like this, but not remembering much about Little Women detracted and got tiresome. Read about 1/3 and lost interest. Characters seems shallow and not going anywhere. 3 sisters annoy each other and compete in life, one a stable bride to be, one a flighty actress to be, one trying to find herself. Shoe gets caught up in some letter so from their great grandma Jo March, of little women fame. Couldn't keep my interest. I am usually leery of retellings of well-loved tales. If the original author did a good job, then why revisit the classic ? There is a flourishing cottage industry of re-visiting the novels of Jane Austen, for instance, where I have yet to find anything that appeals to me.This story is a modern take on "Little Women" and as such I approached it with some suspicion. But I enjoyed the book and would not hesitate to recommend it to readers with an interest in British-based chick lit. The novel follows 3 young women, their parents and lovers, in present-day London. Emma, the oldest and most responsible daughter, is preparing her wedding. Lulu, the middle daughter, can't figure out what to do with her life and generally feels like an odd duck out. The youngest and prettiest daughter is pursuing a career as an actress and just generally rolls through life buoyed by her charm and zest for life. Lulu discovers some letters from her great-great-grandmother, who clearly is the "Jo" from Little Women. The book "worked" for me for two reasons.First of all, the book is inspired by "Little Women" but is not a slavish retelling. There are enough differences to make the book interesting. For instance, the parents go through a marriage crisis that is wholly absent from LW. Emma indulges in a flight of frivolity that Meg March would never succomb to. The girls have a friend/roommate, Charlie, who is a very different type of girl (rich, shy, introverted). The person that we would think represents Prof. Baehr turns out to be not destined to become Lulu's admirer. So the book had enough new narrative elements to keep me engaged.The second reason why I liked the book is that I thought the endless squabblings and teasings were witty. There was nothing nasty about the way these siblings tease each other, it was just fun to read. These are characters who care about each other, even when they get on each other's nerves. No dysfunctional communication, no hidden traumas... just a "rather nice" family, as they describe themselves.
What do You think about Le Lettere Segrete Di Jo (2011)?
A fabulous read. Very true to Little Women and the characters were so likeable. Highly recommended.
—nelly1145
If you've read and loved Little Women, this book is a must read!
—Kaibeth
