This book had a hard time finding a consistent tone. The main character was hard to like for the first half, being almost too perfect for the life situations she found herself in. By the second half I loved it, and it had come together very well. ( )

This was an interesting mix, the first half of Christie finding out how to find and keep a job as a young woman with few opportunities had a very strong social message and didn't feel much like a novel. The second half was much more of the Little Women style moral tale with a heavy does of the socially responsible Christian viewpoint and a somewhat overwrought love story. That all being said, I did enjoy reading it. It was not particularly sophisticated and could get heavy handed at times but there was alot of gripping drama that really engaged me. The one chapter that left me cold was the Carrolls and the supposed hereditary madness plot line that just seemed like so much bosh. I know that was common thought at the time but I just could not take it seriously as I was clearly meant to.

A beautiful tribute to working women. It did slow down a bit in the nursing section (I'm sure Alcott had better experiences to share but maybe they were all in her memoir?). But, all in all, a nice work-- equal too and, perhaps, ahead of its time. ( )

A great, sorta rambling story about one woman's life, with asides about slavery, women's rights, the Civil War, religion (with Rev. Power, Alcott's impression of the real-life Theodore Parker) and life in general. Worth reading...makes me want to check out Susan Cheever's new biography of Alcott. ( )

This was a wonderful book, full of the determination of one young woman to find employment that is both financially acceptable and satisfying. It shows us how difficult it was back then and how limited the field was for any woman to find work in society back then. The main character is young, and we watch as she finds her way through a maze of menial jobs.