Rose in Bloom (original 1876; edition 1955)

Set in the late 1800s, ROSE IN BLOOM is the sequel to ‘Eight Cousins’ and covers Rose’s journey into adulthood and the dilemma she faced in choosing her husband.

After two years of travelling abroad Rose has returned home to the USA. Now she is nineteen Rose has come into her inheritance and has the young men calling around as young, rich and pretty girls are very popular. However Rose is a strong-minded woman and her head is not turned easily; she wants to use her money for good. Rose is not the only character from ‘Eight Cousins’ to have grown up. The boy cousins who at first terrified her in book one are now eligible young men themselves, and have been encouraged by Rose’s aunts to woo Rose to keep the money in the family.

The main cousinly contenders are the polite and caring Archie, good time Charlie and Mac the swot, but only one will win Rose’s heart after she has to face some distressing hardships.

I did not enjoy ROSE IN BLOOM as much as the first book, but it is still well worth reading. Rose learned some important lessons before she accepted that all she could hope to do is live life to the best of her ability, always be kind, be true to herself and keep good friends close.

Previously read - listened to the Recorded Books audio cassette edition. I had much the same reaction to this as I did to Eight Cousins - I know I loved it when I was younger, but parts of it just grated on me now. Alcott's so sincere and the characters all take themselves so seriously that it's cloying. However, I know I loved it for years so I'm rating it based on that rather than my current assessment. ( )

Sweet Rose is much reviewed; I add my own here simply as a reminder to myself. Rose is still sweet when she returns home at twenty-one after several years abroad with her uncle and friend. All the aunts would like to plant this Rose in their own home gardens and look with fondness on any perceived attraction between their various sons and their much-loved niece. Rose knows exactly what she is looking for, though, for she’s had an example since childhood from her guardian, Uncle Alec –

”…to me, love isn’t all. I must look up, not down, trust and honor with my whole heart, and find strength and integrity to lean on.”

Ms. Alcott’s characters have grown into their own, much as you’d expect to see them after reading [Eight Cousins]. All in all, I think I prefer the first book over this one. But both are nice examples of didactic fiction from the mid-19th century. ( )

After spending two years travelling around Europe, Rose, her companion Phoebe and her Uncle Alex come home. Coming out in society, suddenly Rose has many admirers, but feeling unsure as to who really cares for her and who just sees the heiress, she decides that she must make her own way in the world before she can decide on marriage. Deciding to put her money to good use she turns to charitable works.

Of course her seven male cousins are on hand to escort her and Phoebe to dances, parties and social events, and the various aunts have high hopes that Rose will fall in love with one of these cousins. Charlie, or Prince as he is called appears to be the one who has stolen Rose’s heart. Unfortunately Charlie has a weakness for alcohol and would rather spend his time in play than in any serious undertaking. Another of Rose’s cousins, Mac, waits and watches patiently as he too is in love with her.

Rose In Bloom by Louisa May Alcott is overly sentimental and more than a little preachy. I never fully connected to Rose, as I found she never quite reached the depths that is found in the March girls of Little Women, but this story paints a clear picture of the manners and mores of the times, and what was expected of young people of a certain class. This is a book that totally charmed and captivated me when I was young, but reading it with my jaded eyes today, I mostly found it moralistic and rather dated. ( )

Set in the late 1800s, ROSE IN BLOOM is the sequel to ‘Eight Cousins’ and covers Rose’s journey into adulthood and the dilemma she faced in choosing her husband.

After two years of travelling abroad Rose has returned home to the USA. Now she is nineteen Rose has come into her inheritance and has the young men calling around as young, rich and pretty girls are very popular. However Rose is a strong-minded woman and her head is not turned easily; she wants to use her money for good. Rose is not the only character from ‘Eight Cousins’ to have grown up. The boy cousins who at first terrified her in book one are now eligible young men themselves, and have been encouraged by Rose’s aunts to woo Rose to keep the money in the family.

The main cousinly contenders are the polite and caring Archie, good time Charlie and Mac the swot, but only one will win Rose’s heart after she has to face some distressing hardships.

I did not enjoy ROSE IN BLOOM as much as the first book, but it is still well worth reading. Rose learned some important lessons before she accepted that all she could hope to do is live life to the best of her ability, always be kind, be true to herself and keep good friends close. ( )