Rose in Bloom

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Appropriate for: Ages 10+

Genre: Classic Romance Novel

Length: 344 pages

Year of Publication: 1876

In this beautiful and satisfyingly romantic sequel to Eight Cousins, Louisa May Alcott follows the sweet, young, nineteenth-century heiress, Rose Campbell, through the experiences that bring her from girlhood into womanhood. In the opening chapter, Rose returns to America with her uncle and friend, Phebe, from two years abroad. These two years have brought changes in the two young women as well as in the seven cousins back home on the “Aunt-Hill.” As Rose becomes reacquainted with her seven cousins—now nearly all young men—she discovers that some have changed for good and others for ill. She also discovers that several of her aunts have been speculating about her marriage to one or the other of her handsome cousins in order to keep her fortune in the family. When one of the young men actually falls in love with her, Rose must learn how to handle the love of a young man and how to read the feelings of her own heart. She also learns to discern what makes a man a true gentleman. This new element of romance brings new struggles and joys to the life of twenty-year-old Rose. However, through these struggles and the other new experiences of this young, ambitious woman, the bud that was once the little girl from Eight Cousins begins to bloom, becoming a woman of true virtue.

As Rose in Bloom is one of my favorite books, I struggle to find a true cause for criticism in the abundance of beauty that this book offers. However, one objection that I wrestled with when I read this novel for the first time several years ago was the prospect of Rose marrying one of her cousins. This being generally unheard of in my day and age, I was initially rather scandalized at the thought. One must not ignore historical context, however. In the nineteenth century, the marriage of cousins was not yet unacceptable. Please, before you read this book, drill this fact into your brain. Otherwise, the entire story will be ruined for you.

In addition, it must be noted that the subject matter of this book is slightly heavier than its predecessor, Eight Cousins. Most of the young characters are now in their twenties and, therefore, face the trials and temptations of young adults. One of the young men in particular struggles with alcohol addiction, bringing an element to this book that is more serious than any seen in Eight Cousins. This cousin is also described smoking. However, Alcott gives her heroine, Rose, an admirable distaste for this young man’s way of life and examines the true ugliness of such a life without discipline. This novel also sees the tragic death of a character—another element that makes this novel less of a children’s book and more appropriate for young adults.

From a Christian perspective, another objection to this novel is the absence of Jesus Christ from the lives of the characters and other small ways in which Alcott’s transcendentalist worldview shows through. Although Rose and her relatives often refer to “God” and “being good,” they seem to have no strong foundation for their desires to “be good” other than to please and help each other. The characters also speak and act as if they can make themselves good. To the Christian, however, humans are sinners and need Jesus Christ in order to be truly good. Good works cannot save anyone; they are only the fruit of a life changed by Christ. As long as the reader understands this, however, Alcott’s discussion of “being good” is not harmful. Instead, she explores the lives of her characters in a way that expands the reader’s understanding of what a truly beautiful and virtuous life looks like—an image that would be nearly spot-on if Christ had not been left out of the picture. (For more discussion on the concept of goodness, see my 2010 blog post “Be Good.”)

Despite these few objections, I strongly recommend this novel to any ambitious young reader looking for a good classic romance. Obviously, this genre of novel would generally lend itself to young ladies rather than to the boys, but I would caution parents against giving this book to a lady who is not old or mature enough for romance—even though this romance is very innocent and lighthearted. Miss Alcott handles Rose’s romance tastefully and offers wholesome advice to her readers through the medium of this little book; however, I would still not recommend the Eight Cousins sequel to children under the age of ten due to the more mature elements and subject matter mentioned above.

In closing, I think I can easily say that Rose in Bloom is one of the most refreshing and heartwarming romances that I have read in a long time. Written in Alcott’s intelligent, humorous, and engaging style, this book presents a beautiful image of true womanhood, true manhood, and true love. In addition, I have found that this is a novel worth reading over and over again because, although it is as sweet as sugar, it is wholesome at the core and good for the soul.

Eight Cousins

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Appropriate for: All ages

Genre: Children’s Novel

Length: 292 pages

Year of Publication: 1875

Set in nineteenth-century Boston, Louisa May Alcott’s Eight Cousins—originally published serially—follows a year in the life of young Rose Campbell. Rose, a sweet and delicate thirteen-year-old, is an orphan. She never knew her late mother, and her father recently passed away, so she is now subject to the care of her aunts and uncles and the attention of her seven boy cousins. There is a problem, though: Rose is dreadfully afraid of boys. How will she ever manage among a throng of young, energetic lads? The efforts of her great aunts to restore her to health and happiness being fruitless, her legal guardian, Uncle Alec, takes over Rose’s “bringing up” upon his return from overseas. Uncle Alec, a bachelor and a seafaring doctor with innovative views on raising children, makes a deal with the aunts: they must give him a year to try his best to bring Rose back to health and happiness, and, if his methods prove ineffective, he must hand her over to someone else’s care at the end of the year. As Rose soon discovers, Uncle Alec’s methods may actually be more practical than anyone ever imagined—and boys may not be as bad as she thought. Through numerous adventures with her uncle and seven rambunctious cousins, Rose learns what true happiness is and begins to recognize what it means to be truly rich—rich not in money and possessions but in virtue and love.

I wish they still published books like this. Sure, it may feel a bit moralizing at times, and the plot may not be exactly riveting, but this book has some beautiful elements that make it worth more than all contemporary children’s books put together. One objection I do have to this book is the absence of Jesus Christ in the lives of the characters. While Rose and other characters often talk about “being good,” they speak as if they have the ability to “be good” on their own—as if they can purify themselves. In the Christian worldview, however, humans are subject to the sinful nature. Without Christ, no one can be delivered from that nature. (For more discussion on the concept of goodness, see my 2010 blog post “Be Good.”)

Despite the absence of this foundational concept, I still find it refreshing to read a book that champions morals, virtue, the beauty of family, and true friendship. The children in this book actually respect their elders, and Alcott clearly praises the adults who are active in the lives of the eight cousins. This book shows that, even in an imperfect world with imperfect people, families can still thrive.

Eight Cousins easily falls in the category of wholesome children’s literature. Although I would rank this book somewhere below The Chronicles of Narnia, it’s right up there with works like the Little House series, Little Women, The Secret Garden, and the Caddie Woodlawn books. In comparison to many modern works of fiction for children, this book has a lot of meat in it. It’s not just air and sugar like some contemporary works. It has substance. Although the reading level of this novel may be somewhat advanced for younger children, I highly recommend Eight Cousins to readers of all ages. Parents, read it aloud to your young kids. Teens, why not give it a shot? It may not be a thrilling story, but it is beautiful. It will make you smile—and maybe even laugh out loud. If you give it the time of day, you’ll find yourself caught up in the lives of some lively and lovely characters and falling in love with Alcott’s witty and engaging voice.