A Rose in Bloom by Louisa May Alcott

Monday, January 14, 2008

Challenge: 19th Century Women Authors
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After reading Eight Cousins, I promptly decided to read the sequel and see if it was as charming. And Alcott has a pretty good handle on charming. The book takes up six year after Eight Cousins as Rose returns from two years abroad with her guardian, Uncle Alec, and best friend and maid, Phebe. Naturally she is as beautiful and sweet as ever, Phebe is even more beautiful and an accomplished singer; well the whole scenario is just begging for romance. And Alcott does not disappoint. Rose's problem is that she is an heiress and doubts the motives behind the protestations of many of her swains. One stands above the others: her cousin, Charlie. But Charlie has his own problems and the romance does not follow to a smooth conclusion. However, much of the story is predictable including the one who finally wins Rose's heart. While I still liked the book, I found the language a bit too flowery as in this last paragraph: "Please God, we will!" he answered fervently and, looking at her as she stood there in the spring sunshine, glowing with the tender happiness, high hopes, and earnest purposes that make life beautiful and sacred, he felt that now the last leaf had folded back, the golden heart lay open to the light, and his Rose had bloomed." Gag. I guess I'm not much of a romanticist. I enjoyed much more when the book makes gentle fun of Steve and his fiance', Mac's fumbling at his first formal ball; and Aunt Myra's hypochondria. Alcott also manages to quote a number of passages from Emerson and Thoreau, who were her neighbors in Concord and throws in some valuable life's lessons as well. So while this is a very worthwhile book that I liked better than Little Women, Eight Cousins remains my favorite. Besides, the cover of this book looks like a Harlequin Romance. Jeez.
Rating: 4
Posted by Framed at 9:19 PM

9 comments:
Heather said...
GAG is right! The style of book is so alien to us now isn't it?
1/16/2008 10:16 AM
Bookfool said...
LOL! I love you two guys gagging. I've never even heard of these two books and I don't know if I could handle them. I gagged on one of her books - can't remember the name - and gave up.
1/17/2008 8:15 PM
Carrie K said...
Oh no! I must have read them pre-gag reflex because I love them all. They're my go-to comfort books. Please God that I will never lose the tender happy feelings of my youth - wow, that really is hard to sustain/read. ;) I still love them though.
1/18/2008 5:09 PM
Sherry said...
I just read a set of books by another author in which the 1990's heroine travels trough time back to the 1890's, and the author makes the point that "gentlemen" and "ladies" of that time really did talk that way and treat each other with much more respect and less cynicism and informality than we are accustomed to hearing.
1/19/2008 9:56 AM
Laura said...
All of Alcott's books were favorites of mine when I was in elementary school, but I find that I haven't enjoyed them as much as an adult. Probably due to innocence being replaced with cynicism.But I still remember Eight Cousins and A Rose in Bloom as two of my favorites that I recommend others try.
1/19/2008 12:16 PM
nessie said...
I hate when they ruin the book with the cover. I will includ it in my awful book cover section.
1/19/2008 4:34 PM
Tristi Pinkston said...
It all depends on the version of the book you get. My copy has a really nice cover.Oh, and please don't gag! That was the writing style of the time and it's part of our literary education to be familiar with that. It's not necessary that we enjoy it, but it's important that we know that the portion wasn't just badly written -- it was very well written for the time it was in.And yes, I'm getting passionate again here. :)
1/20/2008 3:07 PM
Framed said...
Yeah, but . . . How's that for a well-thought-out and intelligent rebuttal?Let me just say that I loved "Eight Cousins". Alcott waxes a little sentimental but you can't help but agree when she's talking about the beauty of youth. And I didn't mind the dialogues in "Rose" (Rose is great when she's putting her suitors in their places), but I thought that last paragraph was over the top. And I have every intention of reading "Jo's Boys." Any romance in that?
1/21/2008 4:39 PM
Anonymous said...
i really love this book. but i just hate not knowing who she marrys! but thats the same with all alcotts books.