Article contributed by Erin Fagan
In most Little Women adaptations, Beth and Amy March take a backseat in their older sister’s tale and are limited in their roles. But in Beth and Amy, Virginia Kantra’s new novel, the two sisters come alive and take centre stage in this modern adaptation. As a sequel to Kantra’s first book, Meg and Jo, we meet back with the March family at a new set of crossroads and a different set of voices. A love letter to the younger siblings of the world, this heartfelt adaptation will capture your heart right away.
Three years after the events of Meg and Jo, the younger March sisters are out in the world, making names for themselves. Amy is an up-and-coming handbag designer in New York City, trying to prove to her family and the world that she is a force to be reckoned with. She is determined to escape older sister Jo’s shadow, while constantly reminded of her unrequited feelings and history with Jo’s ex. Beth is out on the road, touring with the famous country singer, Colt Henderson and getting used to life in the spotlight. It should be her dream come true, but the music career is taking a toll on her relationship and health. As they both head home to celebrate Jo and Eric’s wedding, they both are thrown right back into the roles they always played growing up while grappling with who they want to be. Beth and Amy must try to reconcile these new lives, identities, and secrets they are building with the roles that they play so naturally with their family. Their sisters had their opportunity to share their stories, now it is Beth and Amy’s turn.
I loved the first book about the March sisters, and Beth and Amy did not disappoint! It was nice to see the younger two have more of a focus in a Little Women adaptation. Both girls felt so real in the modern age, while also staying truthful to the original material. Unlike Meg and Jo, who felt very connected from the start of their novel, Amy and Beth start off very distant from each other. They were never friends growing up and are still very different, which is evident in their narrations. However, their distinct voices never feel disjointed and their journeys compliment each other very well. Their sibling dynamic is so relatable. However, the roles that are expected of them are such flat representations of who they really are. It was really interesting to see how they responded to those roles and how they influenced their relationships.
Both Beth and Amy are incredibly sympathetic and enjoyable characters because they were given so much more depth than their original Little Women characterisation. They often talk about the roles that each sister fell into growing up, which also happen to be the roles that they play in all adaptations. Beth is the good one, and Amy is the baby. Usually, they are very static characters from Jo’s point of view, and while they felt true to their origins, they had much more agency. The emphasis on the roles they play in their family felt like a direct response to other iterations, poking gentle fun at their usual roles in adaptations.
I never really liked Amy March in previous adaptations but though she was still jealous and a bit spoiled in this adaptation, her motivations and overall personality were much more clear and sympathetic. Beth never usually gets the chance to have a plotline beyond her caring nature and her tragic ending. While she was still always motivated to help others before herself, she has so much more life and autonomy. Kantra took important moments to their characters, such as Amy falling into the lake and Beth getting sick, but adapted it into clever twists and thoughtful growth. She especially addresses Beth’s health issues with incredible care and depth as we see it develop both from Beth’s point of view and Amy’s outside perspective.
One surprise that was a nice touch was the addition of their mother in Abby’s own chapters. In the first book, her life was changing completely with her time in the hospital and her decision to separate from her absent husband. This book explores the effects of that year and what it is like to be the mother to four very different adult women while running a farm and building a life by herself. The town and her family all expect so much from her, especially after she asked her husband to move out. Abby’s reflection on life and her present conflicts create an interesting opposition to both Beth and Amy who are also struggling with independence, desires, and romance.
It can be difficult sometimes to adapt a classic novel into modern times and keep the spirit intact yet also fresh but Kantra delivers. I would highly recommend reading Meg and Jo first if you haven’t already because it sets up a lot of the background for Beth and Amy and you get to know the sisters very differently. Both novels are stories about the ebbs and flows of family, and about staying connected even during times of turmoil. This novel reminds me of a polaroid of a family dinner, where everyone gathers together for a moment of joy. They invited readers in like we are part of the family and treat us to a warm meal of support and hope. It was very sentimental and captured the spirit of Little Women so well. Kantra breathes refreshing life into these classic figures and these modern women are strong, messy, and just delightful to get to know.
If you are a fan of Little Women, or even just a fan of cosy yet realistic hometown family stories, you will love this series!
Beth and Amy is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of May 25th 2021.
Will you be picking up Beth and Amy? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
Four sisters face new beginnings in this heartfelt modern take on Little Women by New York Times bestselling author Virginia Kantra.
Amy March is more like her older sister Jo than she’d like to admit. An up-and-coming designer in New York’s competitive fashion industry, ambitious Amy is determined to get out of her sisters’ shadow and keep her distance from their North Carolina hometown. But when Jo’s wedding forces her home, she must face what she really wants…and confront the One Big Mistake that could upend her life and forever change her relationship with Jo.
Gentle, unassuming Beth grew up as the good girl of the family. A talented singer-songwriter, she’s overcome her painful anxiety to tour with country superstar Colt Henderson. But life on the road has taken its toll on her health and their relationship. Maybe a break to attend her sister’s wedding will get her out of her funk. But Beth realizes that what she’s looking for and what she needs are two very different things….
With the March women reunited, this time with growing careers and families, they must once again learn to lean on one another as they juggle the changes coming their way.
