from Google
“When Polly Milton visits Fanny Shaw and her wealthy family in the city for the first time, she’s overwhelmed by the modern and fashionable world around her. She doesn’t wear fancy clothes, go to popular shows, or even talk the way the girls in town do. Although her new friends consider her quaint and “countrified”, Polly clings to her simple clothes and plain manners, and in time wins the hearts of the entire Shaw family. But even a country girl can be tempted by the flirtations, excitement, and intrigues of the city. Can an old-fashioned girl remain true to her principles and still find work, happiness, and love in a thoroughly modern city?” ~from Goodreads.com
Title: An Old-Fashioned Girl
Author: Louisa May Alcott
Genre(s): Historical Fiction
Rating: ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ (four stars)
Romance Content: The second half of the book was all about romance. I don’t recall a lot of kisses, etc, but it was too much for me.
Recommended age range: First half- 8+, Second half- 15+ (or not at all if you don’t care for romance)
My Review:
This is going to be one of my absolute favorite books. That’s what I was thinking during the first part of this book. It was simply perfect! The lessons were wonderful, the characters were darling (okay, so some of them were mean sometimes, but I still love them), and it was pure delight to read. I loved it! I decided that I was going to let all of my friends borrow it, and add it to my read-again-and-again Goodreads shelf… you get the idea.
Well, after I read a little less than half way through, that all changed. I loved Polly and her friends until they grew up, and then, at the “Six Years Later” chapter, I was disappointed. (Okay, maybe I’m being a bit melodramatic, but… I’m disappointed! And I wish they hadn’t grown up! To give Ms. Alcott some grace, though, it wasn’t all horrible after that chapter… but I still didn’t like it as much) Why, you ask? Well, the romance. It was almost a love triangle (although I’m not that familiar with those, I’m pretty sure that’s what it was)! To most people, this probably wouldn’t be a problem- they’d probably love it!- but to me, it was way overboard. It just went on and on! Polly’s depressed, Fanny’s depressed, but then it all comes out well and everyone lives happily ever after because they found their true loves… 😛 Yeah, I was not impressed.
Oh, and another thing, Polly was very good (practically perfect) in the first half (actually, for basically the whole book), but it doesn’t talk much about Christ or if she was a Christian. I found that a bit odd.
Well, after that ranty review, I do have to say that this book certainly does have many redeeming factors. That’s why I gave it four stars. I would simply suggest reading only the first half or so. 😉
((sorry to all those who adore this book. ;)))
Great Books for God's Girls 
You make me want to read just the first half. Okay, that was probably the point of your review. 😉 Well, mission accomplished!
Well, it wasn’t necessarily the point of my review, but that was my favorite part of the book, so… 😉
I’ve had this book on my bookshelf for years. I found it at a thrift store and bought it after reading the first page… I had the same thought “this character is so sweet- I’m going to live her!” Then I got the book home and never read it 😂 About the second half of the book… I’m a hopeless romantic, so I would probably enjoy it 😂 Anyway, thank you for this review! Youve inspired me to dust it off and read it. 😊
*going to love her
You’re welcome! I hope you enjoy it!
I have never read “Old Fashioned Girl” . My sister has the book since she was a young girl.
Marilyn
That’s great! 🙂
You just answered something I had been wondering about!! 😀 I read this book several years ago — maybe ten or so — and it is one of the few Alcott books I haven’t gone back and re-read. I remember liking it until about halfway through, and then skipping through the last half of it…..but I couldn’t remember why. I actually have it in my pile of “to be re-read” books this year, and I keep moving it down, because all I remember is NOT liking it. Although I was thinking it was only because of the length, or maybe I was too young to fully enjoy it ( I *think* I was 11 when I read it. Maybe a bit younger.). Now I am thinking it was probably because of guy/girl relation ships, because when I was younger I didn’t want to read about it at ALL =) I even skipped parts in the old Elsie Dinsmore series by Martha Finley because of it.
I think I am remembering that Polly didn’t get married in the end of the story though, because that always disappointed me. even though I didn’t like the relationship aspect. But my memory could be faulty and that might be a totally different book……
Anyhow, have you read any of Ms. Alcott’s other books? “Eight Cousins; or The Aunt Hill” is one I’ve always enjoyed. I didn’t enjoy the sequel as much (“Rose in Bloom”) but the first one is wonderful. And you don’t have to read the second one — I didn’t, until last year, and actually never knew a sequel existed =P
I’m glad I helped you figure it out! 🙂 And I can’t remember if Polly got married or not, either… I actually read this book a while ago and pulled the review out of the archives for this post. 😉
No, I haven’t read “Eight Cousins” or it’s sequel before. It sounds interesting!
This looks like a (mostly) good book. I do like some romance in books, but definitely in moderation and in Christian circumstances. Too much is definitely not good.
I recognize the authors name…. Do you know what else she wrote? Maybe Little Women… (I haven’t read that.)
Good review! (:
Yes, I believe Ms. Alcott wrote Little Women and Little Men, along with some lesser-known books. 🙂
Oh ok, that make sense. (: