MARCH- by geraldine brooks

In all honesty, I finished this book several weeks ago. In fact, I'm almost done with my next book (which both Andrea and Nora already posted about). For some reason, it's taken me a little longer then usual to get around to reviewing this one. I suppose I could blame it on my recent move- that's convenient.

To the point. March is a book I picked up close to a year ago. I'd heard a little about it, and while at the New England Mobile Book Fair, I grabbed it in order to spend enough to get a stamp. What I knew going in, was that it was based on "Little Women," and described the story of their father, Mr. March. While "Little Women" focused mainly on Marmee and the four girls with brief visits from Mr. March, March was the opposite, focusing on Mr. March with brief visits from his family. Brooks looked to Alcott's own father and based the character of Mr. March largely on him. This storyline gave a comforting familiarity to the book, and at the same time introduced a new element.

March's character is an idealistic chaplain who, at forty something, leaves his home and family in Concord, MA to join the young soldiers in the battlefields of the Civil War. After some challenging time in the fields, he ends up on a plantation that's being rented by a northerner who pays previous slaves for their labor. March is in charge of educating these "ex" slaves, and is horrified at the perceived lack of change in their treatment. While at times March's idealism borders on obnoxious, the strong beliefs that are the foundation for this idealism are good character traits. The book goes on to describe his early years as a traveling merchant, meeting and courting Marmee, his relationship with a slave woman, and his illness with malaria.

Told mostly in the first person, the book switches to Marmee's point of view for a few chapters towards the end. This gives her the opportunity to share her experiences while March is away at war, and also allows Brooks to tie back into "Little Women."

Netflix rating? 4.5/5 stars