This is the second time I’ve read this book and I actually like it a lot more now than I did when I read it first. I think I was weirded out at how cousins could marry and fall in love. But once I got past that I ended up loving the character of Mac. I think the way he loves Rose is so tender and beautiful!

I have several aunts who are readers. And they have always looked after me when it comes to sending books they think I'd like my way. Particularly during my formative reading years. To this day, many of the books nearest and dearest to my heart came to me in the mail from one of my aunts. When I was twelve or so, my Aunt Becky sent me a lesser known book (which I had never heard of) by a very well known author (which I had). The book was ROSE IN BLOOM and it was actually the first book I ever read by Louisa May Alcott. It is also actually a sequel to her earlier book Eight Cousins. I didn't know this at the time, though, and so I cracked it open completely unaware of what to expect in the way of the writing, the style, or the characters. I've since gone back and read Eight Cousins, but, perhaps simply because I read it first, or perhaps because it feels like a slightly more mature and focused character-driven story, ROSE IN BLOOM has always been my favorite. I've read it many times, though I realized it's been quite a few years since I picked it up last. But Rose's coming of age story, her love for her family, and the important dilemmas she faces never fail to make me feel nostalgic and want to return to spend more time with her.

Rose Campbell has been traveling abroad with her Uncle Alec and her maid, friend, and companion Phebe for the last several years. Now she has come of age, come into her inheritance, and come home to Aunt Hill--the family stronghold--to reacquaint herself with her seven male cousins as well as her family's expectations that she settle down and marry one of them at once. But Rose has grown up quite a bit in the intervening years and is not at all sure she's ready for matrimony. Surprising the whole clan by insisting upon establishing herself as an independent woman before choosing a husband, she holds their uneasiness and disapproval at bay and takes her own time evaluating her options and settling on a course of action. Meanwhile, the various aunts are in various states of uproar and decline. Her former maid and now friend Phebe is caught uncomfortably between two worlds as she is forced to determine what she will do with her life now that Rose has no official need of her and she has little money of her own. And then there are the boys. The seven boys who've unexpectedly grown into men and who are each so very different and each have their own unique relationship with their cousin Rose. Their wildly different personalities, habits, and desires at times clash with their parents' wishes and their choices, along with Rose's, dramatically affect every member of the Campbell family over the course of the novel.

I'm always amazed at how few people I know have actually read (or even heard of) this book. I realize it will always be overshadowed by Little Women, but ROSE IN BLOOM is a perfectly lovely, sweet read about a kind, thoughtful, and forward-thinking young woman and how she comes of age and learns several important things about herself and the world around her and is a force for good in binding the wayward members of her family together. The opening passage, to give you a feel for what's in store:

Three young men stood together on a wharf one bright October day awaiting the arrival of an ocean steamer with an impatience which found a vent in lively skirmishes with a small lad, who pervaded the premises like a will-o'-the-wisp and afforded much amusement to the other groups assembled there.

"They are the Campbells, waiting for their cousin, who has been abroad several years with her uncle, the doctor," whispered one lady to another as the handsomest of the young men touched his hat to her as he passed, lugging the boy, whom he had just rescued from a little expedition down among the piles.

"Which is that?" asked the stranger.

"Prince Charlie, as he's called--a fine fellow, the most promising of the seven, but a little fast, people say," answered the first speaker with a shake of the head.

"Are the others his brothers?"

'No, cousins. The elder is Archie, a most exemplary young man. He has just gone into business with the merchant uncle and bids fair to be an honor to his family. The other, with the eyeglasses and no gloves, is Mac, the odd one, just out of college."

"And the boy?"

"Oh, he is Jamie, the youngest brother of Archibald, and the pet of the whole family. Mercy on us--he'll be in if they don't hold on to him!"

I do love those boys. Upstanding Archie, quiet Mac, princely Charlie, the beanpole brothers Will and Geordie, dandy Steve, and impish Jamie. When I first read it, this book reminded me quite a bit of Anne of Green Gables and, though overall a less complicated and somewhat rosier tale, it is not without its heart-wrenching moments and instances of tragedy. I appreciated the way Alcott addressed the many vices and challenges young men and women in their early twenties face and it never fails to surprise me how those hurdles have not changed so very much since this book was first published in 1876. It's interesting to me that it is so often billed as a children's book, as the themes it explores seem much older to me. Particularly as Rose does, in the end, come to an informed (if painful and complicated) decision as to where her heart lies. But then I read it first when I was twelve, and again every couple of years after that, and gained something new every time I did. How sad it must be to never re-read good books and never experience that unforgettable moment of realization that both you and the book have brought more to the table than was there the last time you met. Recommended, unsurprisingly, for fans of Alcott, Montgomery, and Eva Ibbotson.

Ależ to było nudne i moralizatorskie. „Ośmioro kuzynów” bardzo mi się podobało, a tu zawód. Mam wrażenie, że Alcott najlepiej wychodzi pisanie o dzieciach i ich psotach, bo wtedy tak tego moralizatorstwa nie czuć jako nachalnego. Kiedy jednak jej bohaterowie wchodzą w dorosłość… Moralizatorstwo stanowi połowę książki i fabuła się gdzieś gubi. To samo czułam przy „Dobrych żonach”.

When I first read this in high school I rated it 5 stars. Now as a grad student I’d rate it 4.5.
I absolutely love this book. The romance in all 3 couples is sweet and wholesome, but especially Rose's. It’s not as deep or funny as Austen, and the social commentary is not as layered and the writing isn’t so subtle, which makes it suitable for a younger audience. But I love the concept of following a large family with lots of cousins and aunts and the drama that ensues between them and their different personalities and careers and romances and household dynamics. Really need this set in the contemporary world with a Muslim family!

The problems I have with this book all go hand in hand. The book is not subtle at all lol. Miss Alcott really tried so hard to deliver several messages of righteousness, advocating for philanthropy and good company and God-consciousness. Which I’m honestly cool with, I love a book that doesn’t shy away from sending a wholesome valuable message, especially one that involves God. The problem is how explicit it was lol. I love rose but she’s definitely a Mary sue. Her only flaw is that she doesn’t have a special talent, but then her uncle convinces her that her talent is that she does so much good and takes care of so many people and is so generous. Mary Sue. I still like her but it was annoying how often the book explicitly said she was a good role model for other girls. And the book also put down some French romance novels that were apparently pollution to young minds…like, I don’t doubt this, but saying that in your own novel speaks to a lack tact/art

a book every young woman should read. I cried.

A continuation of the story of Rose from Eight Cousins. When Rose and Phebe return from a couple of years abroad in the company of Dr. Alec, they find many changes in the family they left behind. Of course they are all older, but it also seems as though there are other changes, both positive and negative.

Rose struggles with the burden of her inheritance and the best way to use it; she is also upset that so many people see her money but not her personality, especially the young men - even those in her own family who want to see her wealth "kept in the family." So they want her to choose a husband from among her cousins, while Rose sees her cousins more as brothers than potential mates.

Phebe is learning to use the gift of her voice, and renders the family a sacrificial service that changes their perception of her from workhouse girl to revered daughter.

A good ending to the Eight Cousins saga - a little sad in a couple of places, but satisfying in the end.

Valutazione 3,5

5+ stars (8/10 hearts). Oh, this book. It’s even better than n  Eight Cousinsn—MUCH better. Such a beautiful story of coming-of-age and young-womanhood! It made me cry… and it’s just so beautiful and satisfying!

This book is set when Rose is 21, so five/six years after EC. Rose is a beautiful MC, and honestly an inspiration. I love her humility, her love, her wisdom, and her femininity. She just got better since book one. Archie is even more wonderful as a man than he was as a boy. And Mac! Oh, Mac, how well he turned out! What a great, good-hearted, worthy man he turned out to be. Everyone else is pretty much the same as in the other book.

While book one is more of a Juvenile Fiction/Middle Grade book, this one is aimed more at young women between 16 and 25. Like An Old-Fashioned Girl, it tackles the popular occupations and lifestyles of girls of Alcott’s time, and proposes a much better way of life. While some label the book’s message as “feminism,” it’s actually simply common sense—a woman wasn’t created to dress up like a doll and shop, flirt, entertain herself, or gossip. While awaiting marriage, a woman can and should develop her talents and learn how to make her life worthwhile, so that if marriage is not for her, she isn’t wasting her life waiting for it. It is true that one or two of Rose’s comments are somewhat “feminist,” yet the point of the book is not “let’s not marry and build a career” but “let’s not do nothing with our lives and throw ourselves away on the first good-looking boy who comes after us, but wait and find the RIGHT kind of man to marry.”

The plot of this story is really Rose’s blossoming, and it is beautifully written. Starting off with Rose as a young woman with plenty of money and “going out” into society, this gives a glimpse of the life Rose could live—endless parties and outings, reckless spending of money, and constant relationship with shallow, weak, or wicked people. As she is pretty and wealthy, it’s assumed she will continue in this lifestyle until she finds a good-looking dude whom she’ll marry and then settle down with. Instead, Rose chooses to leave “society” and devote herself to studying, doing charity work, and growing into an accomplished woman, while waiting for her Mr. Right to appear—a good, strong man with a loving heart, an excellent character, and a worthwhile occupation.

One of the best parts of the plot is Charlie & Rose’s relationship. Charlie is a gambler and a drunkard—not by drinking constantly but by being unable to touch a drop without going on until he’s fully drunk. He loves Rose and wants her to be his wife so she can help him combat his demons. The story beautifully shows Rose’s hesitation between what is right and best. Should she ally herself with Charlie and put herself into a heartbreaking relationship with a man who cannot control himself or keep his word, with the precarious hope that someday he’ll grow strong? Their story is heartbreaking, yet so thought provoking and an excellent warning.

The themes and message of this book, although hinted above, can be recapped again: How should a young woman live while awaiting marriage? What is the purpose of marriage? How solemn and important is it? Can it be rushed into with just anyone as a partner? What makes a worthwhile person?

Overall, this is a beautiful, thought-provoking, important book I think every single young woman should read, more than once.

Content: The romantic content in this book is very slight, although much of the plot involves romance. There’s some handholding, perhaps a baise-main or two, a hint of a kiss. There’s a couple mentions of gods & goddesses; some euphemisms; drinking & gambling (condemned).

A Favourite Quote: “...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. I have had it so far, and I know I could not live without it.”
“Your ideal is a high one. Do you hope to find it, Rose?”...
“Yes,” she answered, with a face full of the beautiful confidence in virtue, the instinctive desire for the best which so many of us lose too soon, to find again after life's great lessons are well learned. “I do hope to find it, because I try do hope to find it, because I try not to be unreasonable and expect perfection. Smile if you will, but I won't give up my hero yet.”
A Favourite Beautiful Quote: “...for there was a certain sylvan freshness about him, as he sat there full of the reposeful strength the hills seemed to have given, the wholesome cheerfulness days of air and sunshine put into a man, and the clear, bright look of one who had caught glimpses of a new world from the mountain-top.”
A Favourite Humorous Quote: “[A]s everybody rose en masse, [Aunt Plenty] said as impressively as extreme agitation would allow, while she put her glasses on upside-down, and seized a lace tidy instead of her handkerchief,—‘Stop! all stay here, and let me receive Alec. Remember his weak state, and be calm, quite calm, as I am.’
“‘Yes, aunt, certainly,’ was the general murmur of assent: but it was as impossible to obey as it would have been to keep feathers still in a gale; and one irresistible impulse carried the whole roomful into the hall, to behold Aunt Plenty beautifully illustrate her own theory of composure by waving the tidy wildly, rushing into Dr. Alec's arms, and laughing and crying with an hysterical abandonment which even Aunt Myra could not have surpassed.”

A few years ago I read Eight Cousins and Rose in Bloom. I had them both on my e-ink, so I decided to re-read Rose in Bloom.
I liked it better than I did last time and greatly admired Rose. Perhaps it was because I understood more of it than I did when I was 8-10ish. At that age, Eight Cousins was much preferable, and Rose in Bloom was just a good sequel.
May I say that I love Mac, and I'm so happy with how everything turned out but because I knew what was going to happen the whole time I was kinda thinking 'hurry up.' I couldn't wait for Mac!
Charlie... it's so sad, especially if you have just read Eight Cousins and then to read how Prince's story played out.
I'm glad about  Kitty and Steve ending up together, and the 'three weddings' thing is excellent
As for Archie and Pheobe, that is a lovely story and perhaps the sweetest love story I've ever read.
Content: none, other than mention of being a bit drunk, but it is treated as wrong

Finally got around to reading this. It was enjoyable, though not quite as much as Eight Cousins. There was also a little bit of a creep factor with all the aunts expecting Rose to marry one of her cousins and keep her fortune in the family.

Exactly the book I needed to read right now.

This is a very sweet and elegant resolve to the tender story begun in Eight Cousins. I preferred the pace and plot of this text to that of it's counterpart but enjoyed both immensely. While it is quite obvious who LMA desires us to fall in love with for Rose, immediately - and especially if you have read Eight Cousins, she takes the reader down a very interesting road to get us where it should end. In the end, the human and character development of all of the principals is more realistic, even if Rose's reactions to her cousins are not. (Let's be honest, most of LMA's heroines are rather Pollyanna) The comparison between Charlie and Mac's wooing is meant to be similar to that of Rose's father and Uncle Alec. Rose does well to help us understand her conflict but LMA keeps us in constant fear that the wrong choice will be made. While I will share Eight Cousins with my children as soon as they are able to sit long enough to enjoy it, I will hold this one back until they are in their teens and more prepared for Charlie and his vices as well as being more predisposed to enjoying what is a genuine love story.