Book Review: "The Inheritance" by Louisa May Alcott

Title: The Inheritance
Author: Louisa May Alcott
Pages: 177
Personal Rating: 4/5
Number Read this Year:4
Total Pages read This year:992

From the front Flap of Cover: Set in an English country Manor, the story follows the turbulant fortunes of Edith Adelon, an impoverished Italian orphan whose loyalty and beauty win her the patronage of wealthy friends until a jealous rival contrives to rob her of her position. In the locket around her neck, she carried a deep secret about her natural birthright. But an even greater truth lies hidden in Edith's heart- her deep reverance for the kind, and noble Lord Percy, the only friend who can save her fromt he decietful, envious machinations of Lady Ida.

Personal thoughts and review:
This was Louisa May Alcott's (Author of Little Women)very FIRST book, it was found at Harvard University, with the words "My First Novel written at seventeen- High St.Boston" on a piece of paper that was pasted on the inside of a notebook. This piece of work, the very first book written by Alcott, was found in the Houghton Library, by the writers of "The Selcted Letters of Louisa May Alcott", as they commenced research for their book. This was in 1988. And 9 years later "The Inheritance" was published.

While this book was short of length, the knowledge that it is the first novel written by such an acclaimed author, makes it so special.

I enjoyed it very much. I only gave it a 4/5, for it's length, and sometimes it feels as though it is filled with holes, the plot and character development is thin. However, the thought that it is her very first book written at the ripe young age of 17 is amazing!! I can't imagine the excitement of those who were standing in the rare manuscript library at a prestigous college, looking for letters to fulfill material for one work, and stumbling across something as great as an entire novel that was never published, not only just an entire novel, but her VERY first one, written before she was ever publsihed. Amazing!!