Beyond the Book: Rose in Bloom

I’m doing a book review today on an older book, but if you give it a chance I think you’d love it. Bear in mind that it’s really a young adult book. First a blurb and then my review.

Blurb: In this sequel to Eight Cousins, Rose Campbell returns to the “Aunt Hill” after two years of traveling around the world. Suddenly, she is surrounded by male admirers, all expecting her to marry them. But before she marries anyone, Rose is determined to establish herself as an independent young woman. Besides, she suspects that some of her friends like her more her money than for herself. How can Rose tell who her real friends are? Is there anyone she can count on?

My Review:

I bet you’d like to know why I just read a young adult book written in the nineteenth century. Isn’t the language archaic? Isn’t the subject matter irrelevant in the modern world? Yes to the first question, no to the second.

It’s true that in the nineteenth century their language was a bit more formal than our own. It’s also true that they put words together in a slightly different way than we do. They didn’t know much about brevity either. I think they got paid by the number of words they wrote which might explain their wordiness.

However, and it’s a big however, the story line is excellent. Rose in Bloom is the sequel to Eight Cousins. Rose, whose parents died, is sent to live with her Uncle Alec where she meets and becomes a part of her family that she hadn’t known. The eight cousins are seven boys and Rose. Rose in Bloom is the story of what happens when the cousins grow up. 

I hate giving summaries of books, so I’ll just say that Rose in Bloom is a romance, a coming of age story, and is filled with attitudes and values that really matter. This is what I think Alcott wanted us to learn from the story.

First, be true to yourself. Don’t let people pressure you to do something you don’t want to do.

Second, think of other people and do things for them, not just yourself.

Third, be kind. 

Fourth, avoid bad things that tempt you to do wrong.

I wish that all people were taught these things as they were growing up. It would make such a difference in our world. So, encourage your young adult to read Rose in Bloom. I think if they can get past the formal language, they’d love the story. They’d also love Eight Cousins.

Would you read an old YA book?