Rose in Bloom

This is the kind of book you wish would go on forever. It defines the word classic in every way. Everytime I read it, I fall in love with Rose, Mac, Uncle Alec and the others over and over again. It is one of my most favourite books (and seriously, in my opinion and in the opinion of many others I'm sure, it is BETTER than Little Women!!) It doesn't matter if you're young or old..... NEVER PASS THIS BOOK UP!! You will laugh, you will cry, and like me, you will wish it would never end.

For all those who thought that Rose's story ended with Eight Cousins here is the truth about what happened to these beloved characters.The innocence found in the first book is slowly lifted here as Rose enters into the real world after her return from Europe. All but one of the characters from the first book make a return in this charming sequel.The cousins are older as well and have found love. The heartwarming challeneges these lovers go through are refreshing in their innocence. Even Jamie is not immune to the talk of love and his innocene candor on the matter is very amusing.Rose In Bloom answers many questions one has at the end of cousins. Yet like any fan will know not everyone can be happy with all the outcomes of the sequel.A great book for fans of Eight Cousins.

When I was a kid, my parents bought me the hardback version of Louisa May Alcott's books ~~ but the series didn't include this book. I have always loved "The Eight Cousins" and when I found out about this one ~~ I was a kid then ~~ I fell in love with Rose and her cousins even more. Now that I am an adult, I still love this book.Rose isn't a sickly child anymore and she's on the threshold of becoming a fine woman ~~ and two of her cousins were in love with her. This book talks about her journey into adulthood and the dilemma she faced in choosing her husband ~~ and it's a wonderfully written book.I highly recommend this book to everyone who has read "The Little Women" or even "The Eight Cousins" as Alcott's writing style is timeless. This is a classic book that I bought for my own children to read. This should be in everyone's library.

The story of Rose and how she comes of age is certainly idealized, but don't we need more ideals these days? She is rich and rather sheltered, but she faces the same peer pressure, the same temptations with boys, the same problems with friends and romance. Even Charlie's struggle with drinking is as fresh and relevant today as it was then. She also promotes an independent, even feminist, attitude, but without losing sight of the importance of feminine talents and virtues. I didn't discover this book until I was in my 20s, even though I had been a Little Women fan since childhood, but since then I've read "Eight Cousins" and other Alcott classics, and I wouldn't be without them. My daughter is learning to read now, and I can't wait to introduce her to Rose!

I love Louisa May Alcott, and I love this book. I have read every published piece of Alcott that I can find, and I am always awed by her literacy, fluency in storytelling, and purity of the characters portrayed in her writing. I love following Rose as she begins to grow up, and watching her struggle to maintain the high standards and principles that her wholesome upbringing has given her. While the grown-up world of Alcott is still pretty pure by today's standards, the essential elements are there: avarice, insincerity, and superficiality. This is a book I read and enjoyed when I was 10, and still love at 25. There are lessons to be learned about being true to oneself, and an illustration that life's ephemeral pleasures need not become lifetime distractions. If you don't give this to your child to read for all the reasons above, give it to him or her knowing that it may make them curious about some wonderful authors of the Enlightenment period - such as Emerson and Thoreau. When I was ten, I wanted to read Emerson's essays, like Heroism and Love, because Alcott introduced me to the literature in a way that piqued my curiousity. That in itself, is a wonderful reason to read this worthy book.