Maggie: A Girl of the Streets and Other Short Fiction

Let me first state that I do not own this specific edition of Maggie, and that I am only reviewing the actual story of Maggie: A Girl of the Streets. I wasn't going to review this book since it is not the one that I own; however, after reading a previous review I decided that I had to review it. First, this book is pretty much about what everyone said it is about. It is about a family living in the slums of turn-of-the-century New York. The protagonist of the book is a young girl named Maggie, whom is full of dreams and aspirations, unlike her loser relatives. Her main dream is to meet a good man and fall in love with him and start a family, to live happily ever after. However, the fellow that she chooses to fall in love with is a loser whom ends up leaving Maggie. Her family, not yet satisfied with all the harm that they caused Maggie during her childhood, disowns Maggie and drives her to her doom. I won't spoil the ending, but let's just say that it doesn't end well for Maggie. It is extremely sad and disappointing to realize what Maggie could've been so much more. She was a beautiful and moral girl. Instead, she ends in tragedy. Now, the previous reviewer stated that this book cannot be a classic because it is too short. I wasn't aware that there is a length requirements for classics. Also, the outdated slang and cussing is outdated because the story takes place in turn-of-the-century New York. I personally felt that this slang added greatly to the feel of the story. You, the reader, should be the judge on the quality of this novel. Do not let poor reviews detract you from picking it up and giving it a good read. I am confident that if you focus on what Maggie could have been, it will make it easier for you to enjoy the story.

I read Maggie: A Girl of the Streets in about an hour and a half, but it didn't seem nearly that long, and I was sad when it was over. It's a very tragic story, and the reader feels real sympathy and pity for Maggie, making the end of the story even more sad. While I haven't read all of the other stories, the two that I have read were excellent. The Bride Comes to Yellow Sky was absolutely wonderful, and it's a testament to what love can do for someone. I read The Open Boat the other day, and I was impressed with that one as well. The camaraderie of the men in the boat was unparalled, and it really made me feel for them. As for the other stories, I haven't read them yet, but I will shortly. Highly recommended.