An Old-Fashioned Girl: A Book Review

I supposed I am a bit late on the Louisa May Alcott train. However, one can not blame me for she seemed rather old fashioned when I was a child. My taste were more geared to fantasy at that age. So I did not have the enlightening experience of reading Little Women until my 20th year, which I rather regret since it is such a touching story. But it is not just a children's tale, I believe adults can still enjoy Alcott's little life lesson and young women can still learn a thing or two from her stories. However, very few, even those who loved the book, look further into her works nowadays. Therefore, I decided to give An Old-Fashioned Girl a go and see if it followed the high praise I attributed to Alcott's best know book.

It did not disappoint. An Old-Fashion Girl starts off with little Polly Milton, a country girl, visiting her rich, city friend, Fanny Shaw. Though Fanny laughs at her little friend's modesty and traditional ways, the little girl finds a way into all the Shaw's hearts, even Fanny's younger, foolish brother Tom. We follow Polly through a couple of winters with he Shaws, teaching them valuable lessons and standing up for herself along the way, before the story skips ahead to where she is a beautiful young working woman moving permanently to the city. As Fanny is introduced to society and works to be a young lady, Polly is busy teaching music lessons to earn a living and keeping an eye on Tom, who in his later years has become quite the "dandy." Polly struggles to find happiness in her busy, hard new life, while the Shaws attempt to tempt her into simply living with them and forgetting her goal to earn her own way in the world. Just when all seems well, disaster strikes the Shaw household and poor Polly is the only one who may be able to guide them out of it.

An Old-Fashion Girl is the perfect summer read. It will make you laugh and cry, has surprise and romance hidden beneath its pages. Plus, it is just a feel good book. After you're done reading it, you will feel all warm inside. I also highly recommend mothers to offer it as a read for young girls, it may not have all of the flashy fantasy adventures I enjoyed as a child, but it is sweet, funny, and filled with little lessons that can make anyone smile.