Friday, June 28, 2013

Review: March

March
By Geraldine Brooks
Penguin 2005
280 pages
From my shelves

March

Millions of young readers have fallen in love with the little women of the March family and the novels that tell their story. But Little Women focuses heavily on the children themselves. While Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy grow and change, their father is absent for most of the book and their mother is presented through the worshipful eyes of children. In March, Geraldine Brooks imagines the patriarch of the March family as he grows up, falls in love with Margaret Day, and learns about the terrible realities of slavery and war.

When you approach beloved characters and give them a rewrite, you can expect to get some angry responses. Many readers hate the things that Brooks does with the beloved characters of Marmee and Mr. March. But I think she has made them human. In Little Women, Marmee is endlessly patient and loving which is, of course, how we like to remember our mothers. But in this version of their story, Marmee has a terrible temper and is not afraid to use it to stand up for what she believes to be right and alienate people in the process. Mr. March has character flaws as well - he is often oblivious to the feelings of others and acts without considering the consequences for those closest to him. Their marriage is not without turmoil, especially when Marmee learns the details of her husband's past and his true experiences during the war.

Brooks is an incredible writer. She creates rich characters and gives the readers a very true sense of time and place. You may feel like you know about slavery and the Civil War but this author will make you feel anew just how dark and awful that time period was. I've read many books about this era in our country, but still felt like setting down the book multiple times because I was overwhelmed by the cruelty of slaveholders and soldiers and the hopelessness of slaves and the people whose lives were ruined by a terrible war. 

March  is a slight book, but it's not a quick read. Ms. Brooks brings a dark time to life with terrible clarity while focusing on one flawed man, one woman trying to hold a family together, and one marriage that struggles to survive the turbulence of a long time apart and closely held secrets. If you love Little Women, read March to find new depth in a favorite story. If you thought that Little Women was a simplistic book for children, read March to discover what really happened to the parents of one of literature's most beloved families.


Other books by Geraldine Brooks: Year of Wonders, People of the Book 

10 comments:

  1. Yay for Brooks! I don't believe I've read this. The synopsis doesn't sound familiar but the cover sure is.

    Speaking of Brooks: I'm giving away a signed copy of Caleb's Crossing for my blogoversary!

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    1. Yay for Brooks indeed. I must head over to your blog - that is my kind of giveaway! :)

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  2. Funny to see you post about March when I *just* grabbed Year of Wonders off my bookshelf this morning. I read and loved her nonfiction books Nine Parts of Desire in college (trust me, I got a lot of weird looks with that title). I'm hoping I enjoy her fiction as much.

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    1. It seems like we are moving in opposite directions! I have one more of her novels to read and then I will probably check out her non-fiction. I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed those books and I hope you enjoy Year of Wonders!

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  3. I love Brooks, People of the Book is my favourite of hers. I've been a bit scared to read this one as I love LW, even if Marmee is too good to be true, but your positive review is a good sign. I think I will give it a go after all :)

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    1. It's really dark and the March marriage is sort of a mess in places. I think you have to gauge just how committed you are to the March family as imagined by Alcott. Let me know what you think if you decide to pick it up!

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  4. What a wonderful and well-written review! I agree on all counts. I reviewed this book in December but I'm not sure my review was as deeply-felt as yours. This is the only book I've read of hers... seeing as you've read most of her fiction, what else do you recommend?

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    1. Thank you so much Kelly.
      I liked Year of Wonders, but the ending didn't seem to fit with the rest of the book. I would start with People of the Book - it's my favorite of hers so far!

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  5. This is the only book of hers that I haven't read.

    Thanks for the review, and thanks for stopping by my blog and commenting on The Lavender Garden. I loved it.

    Elizabeth
    Silver's Reviews

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    1. I hope you will be picking it up! It's a great read.

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