Jo And Laurie

Book Review ✨ 

Authors : Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz 

Pages : 365

My Ratings 🌟🌟🌟🌟

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There are times when it's awfully difficult to accept endings we are given by creators of fictions whether it be a movie, poetry or especially a novel. In a movie, we connect to the characters of the plot in span of two or three hours, similarly in a poem we spend shorter amount of time. But it's different in case of a novel, the readers spend relatively invest more time dwelling in the plot, characters and their progress and we make home to the characters in our minds and heart, we feel for them equally as they do. And when readers are not given a satisfactory ending to the fate of their beloved characters especially the protagonist, we live rest of our lives in agony.

To move on from the original endings, many readers skilled in penmanship themselves, twist the story to their likings. Yes I'm talking about Wattpad 😂 You have no idea how many times Wattpad FanFics have given me Solace!!!! I absolutely love this platform and I am always in awe of people who spin the most loved stories and that too very skillfully as the original author!

Jo and Laurie was similar Solace to me. Even though my heart goes to the headstrong Jo who would never let any man decide her life, still the hopeless romantic part of me always never felt happy with her ending. Deep down, I wasn't satisfied with ending for Jo herself because she deserved so much more. I certainly do not think that she needed a man to end her story properly but rather not alone. I hated to see her when she saw Amy and Laurie married just before she wrote that letter to Laurie!! And hence Jo and Laurie is a welcoming story for several other readers and myself.

I certainly enjoyed reading the whole story. I smiled, laughed as I had while reading Little Women, I also felt awful towards second half of the book (can't mention what part without spoiling it) and Yesssss!!!! I'm utterly ecstatic with the ending. To give you an idea of the narrative of Jo and Laurie, it starts right after Jo has attained success with Little Women and publishing house demands sequel Good Wives to give proper ending to the March sisters. The tale is beautifully written and explicated by Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz. I loved flipping through the pages about March family, the Orchard House, Concord and beloved Laurie. I mean, we all need a Laurie in our lives! Whether it'd be as a best friend, companion or just a person around whom we can be simply our own self.

I'd insist you give this book a try especially if you loved Little Women as a book or the recent movie. There are few book adaptations that leaves an impression on me and this adaptation from Greta Gerwig made me feel everything I loved about the book in technicolor.

There are many people who wouldn't like this book as it might be too cheesy for fans of Louisa May Alcott and others who always wanted Jo & Laurie together would love this. When it comes to me, I'm divided over both such things. But as I said, I'm always in awe of people who can make us feel happy about our favorite stories and I felt the same way while reading this! Hence I appreciate the work both the authoress Margaret Stohl and Melissa de la Cruz for bringing the joy of reading March family again!! I loved that they wrote some content of the book being inspired from real life of Ms Alcott.

While rating this, I was again divided whether it's a 4 or 5 star read. There were times I felt like the Louisa Alcott touch was missing and the Jo she herself created was rather dominating and appeasing. Hence I decided on 4 stars, but I applaud the efforts put into the story and our dearest characters. 

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