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A review by thephdivabooks
Meg and Jo by Virginia Kantra
4.0
Inspired by Little Women, Virginia Kantra’s Meg & Jo is a modern take on the classic novel many of us grew up loving. Charming, nostalgic, and fun!
Given the large differences in daily life and gender dynamics that 150 years will bring, Meg & Jo feels fresh and different. If you haven’t read Little Women, you’ll still enjoy this book. It works as a standalone. In fact if it weren’t for the names of the sisters being so iconic to the original book, I’m not sure I would have picked up on this being a reimagining of Little Women, in part due to the way Kantra splits up the stories into a focus on Meg and Jo in this book, and a focus on Beth and Amy in the sequel.
In this retelling, Meg is a stay-at-home mom to toddler twins, and let’s just say she has her hands full. Meg married her love John and gave up her career to be a full-time mom, but she’s not sure she’s happy. Meanwhile Jo sought independence, moving to New York City and working as a prep cook at a fancy NYC restaurant and running her own food blog. Jo’s life may sound like it is going well, but an affair with her tattooed boss at the restaurant threatens to topple her life. Is there a future for Jo and her Michelin-star chef boyfriend? Especially when Jo is keeping a few secrets from him.
When Meg & Jo’s mother falls ill, Meg and Jo set their troubles aside to return home and care for their mother, younger sisters Amy and Beth, and keep the family farm running. And their North Carolina farm isn’t just a return to family, it also means a return to a few other troubles they thought were long left behind.
I personally liked that this was a reimagining of these characters in modern times with modern issues, rather than a straight retelling of the original story. I felt that the characters were true to their inspiration, but we saw them facing the same sorts of challenges that women today face. Jo struggles with balancing love, career ambitions, and concerns over her chosen career paths, while Meg struggles with how to support her husband and family and be true to herself. I went into the book most interested in Jo as a character, but found I really enjoyed the reimagined, modern Meg. Her story really shines and felt relatable.
Full of laughs and great moments, this book delivered on it’s promises!
Given the large differences in daily life and gender dynamics that 150 years will bring, Meg & Jo feels fresh and different. If you haven’t read Little Women, you’ll still enjoy this book. It works as a standalone. In fact if it weren’t for the names of the sisters being so iconic to the original book, I’m not sure I would have picked up on this being a reimagining of Little Women, in part due to the way Kantra splits up the stories into a focus on Meg and Jo in this book, and a focus on Beth and Amy in the sequel.
In this retelling, Meg is a stay-at-home mom to toddler twins, and let’s just say she has her hands full. Meg married her love John and gave up her career to be a full-time mom, but she’s not sure she’s happy. Meanwhile Jo sought independence, moving to New York City and working as a prep cook at a fancy NYC restaurant and running her own food blog. Jo’s life may sound like it is going well, but an affair with her tattooed boss at the restaurant threatens to topple her life. Is there a future for Jo and her Michelin-star chef boyfriend? Especially when Jo is keeping a few secrets from him.
When Meg & Jo’s mother falls ill, Meg and Jo set their troubles aside to return home and care for their mother, younger sisters Amy and Beth, and keep the family farm running. And their North Carolina farm isn’t just a return to family, it also means a return to a few other troubles they thought were long left behind.
I personally liked that this was a reimagining of these characters in modern times with modern issues, rather than a straight retelling of the original story. I felt that the characters were true to their inspiration, but we saw them facing the same sorts of challenges that women today face. Jo struggles with balancing love, career ambitions, and concerns over her chosen career paths, while Meg struggles with how to support her husband and family and be true to herself. I went into the book most interested in Jo as a character, but found I really enjoyed the reimagined, modern Meg. Her story really shines and felt relatable.
Full of laughs and great moments, this book delivered on it’s promises!