Review: So Many Beginnings (Remixed Classics #2) by Bethany C. Morrow

Posted September 7, 2021 by Lisa Mandina in Review / 2 Comments

I received this book for free from Bookish First in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review:  So Many Beginnings (Remixed Classics #2) by Bethany C. MorrowSo Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix by Bethany C. Morrow
Series: Remixed Classics #2
Published by Feiwel & Friends on September 7, 2021
Genres: YA Historical Fiction, YA Retelling
Pages: 304
Source: Bookish First
Format: Hardcover
My Rating: four-stars
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Synopsis:

Four young Black sisters come of age during the American Civil War in So Many Beginnings, a warm and powerful YA remix of the classic novel Little Women by national bestselling author Bethany C. Morrow. 

North Carolina, 1863. As the American Civil War rages on, the Freedmen’s Colony of Roanoke Island is blossoming, a haven for the recently emancipated. Black people have begun building a community of their own, a refuge from the shadow of the old life. It is where the March family has finally been able to safely put down roots with four young daughters:

Meg, a teacher who longs to find love and start a family of her own.

Jo, a writer whose words are too powerful to be contained.

Beth, a talented seamstress searching for a higher purpose.

Amy, a dancer eager to explore life outside her family’s home.

As the four March sisters come into their own as independent young women, they will face first love, health struggles, heartbreak, and new horizons. But they will face it all together.

My Review:

So to be honest, I have never read the book Little Women, and until the newest movie came out, what is it two years ago now? I hand never seen a movie either. I knew the story only a teeny tiny bit, enough to kind of read the retelling that Anna Todd did, and enough that I was definitely intrigued on this #ownvoices take. Now one reason I never read it, I might have tried, but the writing style used in the story is not one that I usually enjoy that much. But, as much as that was a little bit negative for me reading this, the way the author told the story and the time period and characters and all of that totally kept me in to the story and really enjoying it anyway.

It was really interesting to see how the author wove in civil war history for the story. What I really liked and something the author comments in the author’s note at the end is about how there is a lot of things we don’t know about history because of who has always been the one telling the story. And who is left out. I never knew about colonies like the Roanoke one, or anything like that. There was also the pamphlet that one character had about getting sponsored to return to Liberia. That was really interesting and made me think, a lot. I think it was such a great idea to take a well known story like this and just fill in the different people and their time period. While it had a lot of new things to learn and read and experience, having the Little Women aspect guiding the story was a way to keep it familiar and make it maybe easier to read.

While Jo and Lorie have always been a sore spot for me, I like the way the author handled that situation in this book, without necessarily changing it to give me the HEA I wanted for the two of the, but still making it end so that I could smile at their story. A really wonderful retelling that I can’t wait to share with my students in my library!

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2 responses to “Review: So Many Beginnings (Remixed Classics #2) by Bethany C. Morrow

  1. Danielle Hammelef

    I’m glad you were able to read this book from Bookish First. I read Little Women in high school and remember enjoying the character Jo best but the book never became one of my favorites because the writing style seemed too formal, if that makes sense. When I read the first look of this retelling, I didn’t enjoy the writing style either, but it was probably due to my preference of first person POV now. I know not every book is for everyone, so I’m sure lots of your students will enjoy this gorgeous book and the historical backmatter too.

    • Lisa Mandina

      I’m just like you, I really prefer first person POV too. I feel too much outside the story with third person. Yeah, that’s what I couldn’t think to say, the writing is formal. That’s it exactly! The story was good though, so I’ll definitely recommend it.

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