The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott
by Kelly O’Connor McNees
★★★☆
This book explores the fictional romantic life of Louisa May Alcott, the author of Little Women. I’ve read a few books in this vein and some are better than others. We, as readers, tend to be fascinated with the private lives of authors, especially when they’re shrouded in mystery.
This book has a bad case of Darcyitis in my opinion. What, you’re a strong-willed female who’s met a man who is insufferable? How awful! Hark, he’s not what he seemed at first and you might be falling for him? Totally unexpected!
Let me be clear, I didn’t dislike this book; I actually enjoyed most of it. I think my main problem with it was that I felt like I’ve read many similar books. I also grew up loving Little Women and this didn’t add to that love, it kind of detracted from it.
I loved Louisa’s strong will in the book, but not her stubborn pride and rude attitude. She refuses to listen when someone wants to explain themselves, she’s sometimes a real jerk to her sisters, and she thinks she’s better than everyone else because she’s a writer.
****SPOILERS****
We’re supposed to be invested in the love story, but to me it made Louisa appear wishy-washy, which contradicted her otherwise strong personality. She wanted the man, but then she didn’t, but then she did, but not if that meant she had to marry him and give up her freedom. It’s hard to care about the relationship when it wasn’t her priority. I don’t think it’s bad, AT ALL, that it wasn’t her priority, I just didn’t want to read about the romance part. I get that man or writing is a hard decision, but I’d rather read about her time as a single woman writing in Boston and making a name for herself.
Also, I could be mistaken, but I couldn’t find a single thing online that indicates Louisa’s older sister Anna had a beau that died, only that she met and married someone, just like Meg did in Little Women. If that’s the case, then it seems McNees just took Jane Austen’s sister’s story, killing off the author’s sister’s man before they have a chance to marry.
****SPOILERS OVER****
In the end, I think I would have enjoyed this more if it was a historical fiction book that had nothing to do with Alcott. Actually I would have enjoyed reading a real biography of the author more than anything. I think her life was fascinating, but I didn’t like having to guess what was fact and what was fiction. I will say that this has made me re-read Little Women, but I can’t connect the Louisa in this with the one who wrote that sweet story.
“Anticipation bent her like an archer’s bow.”
