March: Pulitzer Prize Winner (A Novel)

I really enjoyed this novel of new and interesting aspects of the country in the Civil War era. The Little Women twist made it special.

March by Geraldine Brooks is a deeply evocative historical novel that reimagines the untold story of Mr. March, the absent father from Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. It masterfully explores themes of war, morality, and the struggle to reconcile lofty ideals with the harsh realities of life. I was drawn to this novel by Brooks’ reputation as a writer, and it did not disappoint.The story chronicles Mr. March’s experiences during the Civil War as a chaplain, his battles with his conscience, and the steep cost of his idealism. Brooks’s ability to vividly capture the historical setting and delve into the moral complexities of the time is truly remarkable. Through her nuanced portrayal, the novel completely transformed my perception of Mr. March. Reading Little Women as a child, I viewed him through the lens of youthful idealism; this book, however, presents him with the depth and imperfections of someone grappling with the brutal truths of war—a shift I could only appreciate with the maturity and insight adulthood brings.March is a powerful reimagining of a beloved story, one that offers fresh perspectives on a classic tale while standing as a compelling work in its own right. I highly recommend it to readers who enjoy literary historical fiction or thought-provoking explorations of timeless moral dilemmas.

I remember reading "Little Women" as a young girl. I loved that book. This book took me back and allowed me to get to know the girls' father. Mr. March became a real person with a story of his own. This book completes the story for me. It is as beautifully written as Alcott's and fully deserving of the Pulitzer.

Geraldine Brook’s novel fills in a side of the story that is absent from Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. These are the experiences of Mr. March, the father of Meg, Jo, Amy, and Beth, and Marmee’s husband, who was a peddler before the Civil War and a chaplain for the Union Army during the war.As a young man, before he met Marmee, March was a traveling salesman who spent time in the South. Because he was a book lover, he caught the attention of a plantation owner who shared the same interests and loved to discuss literature. He was invited to stay for a while in the man’s house. He became acquainted with the household members, including the enslaved people. One such girl was Grace, for whom he held a strong admiration. He met the children of the house workers and wanted to improve their lives by teaching them to read. In his idealism, he never saw how he set himself up against his benefactor. His actions forever altered the course of his life and brought suffering to Grace.Years later, after March married Marmee and became a chaplain, he was determined to help in a cause he firmly believed in. He and Marmee had provided a resting place on the Underground Railroad, but he wanted to do more. He left Marmee and his family to work in the Union Army, comforting the soldiers and the injured. He found himself stationed in Southern houses taken over by the Union. One day, he was sent to the very same Southern plantation where he had angered the owner years ago. He found Grace altered only in her circumstances, not in her inherent dignity and courage.I found this novel profoundly moving, with vivid depictions of the precarious lives of enslaved peoples and the injustices they suffered. The story is haunting and will linger with the reader long after finishing the book. The novel is a must-read for history lovers and historical fiction fans.

Did not like the main character, a man willing to leave his family and run off to help when the civil war broke out. Even when he finally got so ill he had to come home, he went back as soon as he recovered, again leaving his family to fend for themselves. There was also quite a lot of gruesome detail about how the slaves were treated. I think most of us know just how they were treated, but don’t care to read about so much of it. Other than that, the book was well written as her books usually are, I just wasn’t happy about such a poor excuse of a husband and father.

I found March to be very well crafted, weaving the protagonist’s past and present seamlessly to move the plot forward, and a very compelling page-turner. The episode of rebels raiding the farm and kidnapping slaves with tragic results is heart-racing. The last part of the book, told from the wife’s perspective, rounds out the psychologies at play and adds satisfying layers to the story. It is beautifully descriptive without being florid and reveals certain Civil War aspects I didn’t know about before.However, even though both in the Little Women novel and in the real Alcott family there were very progressive and radical views for the time, March just seemed far too modernistically “woke” to be truly believable. There is a lot of contrivance and overall a certain soapiness to the story. The all-wise slave woman Grace is portrayed as a near saint, and overly prescient and high-minded for the situation. Mr. March is noble, but his degree of naivete was unbelievable to me. The character of Marmee was downright unlikeable – an overwrought, childish martyr – how could she possibly have elicited such love and devotion from Mr. March? (She’s a total reinvention of the beloved Little Women character.)I recommend March as an interesting, enjoyable and engaging read; it does effectively explore life-changing challenges to morality and beliefs as well as the complex interplay in a marriage. But I don’t find the depth or layers to the story that other readers have. And – a Pulitzer prize winner? I don’t think so.

Anyone who grew up reading "Little Women," as I did, will devour this book. I raced through it in just two sittings. Pulitzer Prize worthy? Absolutely!

The main character of the book is taken from Little Women, and it tells tales of his service as a chaplain during the Civil War. It’s extremely well written, and terrific story!