Marmee
A Novel
-
-
4.7 • 10 Ratings
-
-
- $11.99
Publisher Description
From the author of Caroline, a revealing retelling of Louisa May Alcott’s beloved Little Women, from the perspective of Margaret “Marmee” March, about the larger real-world challenges behind the cozy domestic concerns cherished by generations of readers.
“Dazzling… Marmee carries her own secrets and sharp edges in a story that will sweep you away and leave you wishing for more.” — Patti Callahan Henry
In 1861, war is raging in the South, but in Concord, Massachusetts, Margaret March has her own battles to fight. With her husband serving as an army chaplain, the comfort and security of Margaret’s four daughters— Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy—now rest on her shoulders alone. Money is tight and every month, her husband sends less and less of his salary with no explanation. Worst of all, Margaret harbors the secret that these financial hardships are largely her fault, thanks to a disastrous mistake made over a decade ago which wiped out her family’s fortune and snatched away her daughters’ chances for the education they deserve.
Yet even with all that weighs upon her, Margaret longs to do more—for the war effort, for the poor, for the cause of abolition, and most of all, for her daughters. Living by her watchwords, “Hope and keep busy,” she fills her days with humdrum charity work to keep her worries at bay. All of that is interrupted when Margaret receives a telegram from the War Department, summoning her to her husband’s bedside in Washington, D.C. While she is away, her daughter Beth falls dangerously ill, forcing Margaret to confront the possibility that the price of her own generosity toward others may be her daughter’s life.
A stunning portrait of the paragon of virtue known as Marmee, a wife left behind, a mother pushed to the brink, a woman with secrets.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Miller (Caroline: Little House, Revisited) offers another tepid retelling of an American classic, this time from the perspective of Little Women mother Margaret "Marmee" March. Marmee writes in her diary on Christmas Eve in 1861 of how she wishes to give her daughters treats but has no money from her husband Amos, who has been gone four months as an army chaplain. Marmee misses him dearly, though she has her hands full doing charity work and stretching his paychecks to keep their home in Concord, Mass. What follows hews closely to Alcott's original as Marmee describes their lives in the community and how she and the girls come to the aid of the starving Hummel family. Their neighbors, the generous Mr. Laurence and his grandson, nicknamed Laurie, are unexpected delights to their days, but other entries are weighed by the war news, the spiteful Aunt March, and thoughts about her stillborn child. Marmee feels guilt, too, over her temper, adding to her worries over their financial straits that keep Jo and Meg working instead of at school (just how this happened is revealed near the end). Though overlong and light on new angles to the old story, Miller convincingly captures Marmee's world and offers a bit of insight on the character. Die-hard Little Women fans might find this intriguing.
