The Inheritance

( 12 )

Overview

Here at last is the book "Jo" wrote. Generations of fans have longed to plumb that first romance, hinted at so captivatingly on the pages of Little Women, Alcott's autobiographical classic. Now, after nearly one hundred fifty years spent among archived family documents, Louisa May Alcott's debut novel finally reaches its eager public. Set in an English country manor, the story follows the turbulent fortunes of Edith Adelon, an impoverished Italian orphan whose loyalty and beauty win her the patronage of wealthy ...
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More About This Book

Overview

Here at last is the book "Jo" wrote. Generations of fans have longed to plumb that first romance, hinted at so captivatingly on the pages of Little Women, Alcott's autobiographical classic. Now, after nearly one hundred fifty years spent among archived family documents, Louisa May Alcott's debut novel finally reaches its eager public. Set in an English country manor, the story follows the turbulent 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 carries a deep secret about her natural birthright. But an even greater truth lies hidden in Edith's heart - her deep reverence for the kind and noble Lord Percy, the only friend who can save her from the deceitful, envious machinations of Lady Ida. Reminiscent of Jane Austen in its charms, this chaste but stirringly passionate novel affirms the conquering power of both love and courtesy.

Set in the lavish English court of Jane Austen's time, this previously unpublished work by a 17-year-old Louisa May Alcott tells the story of Edith Adelon, an impoverished Italian orphan, who wields the persuasive charms of virtue, beauty and loyalty to win her true birthright--the eponymous inheritance--as well as the affections of her champion, Lord Percy. LG Main Selection. TV & motion picture rights licensed by Cosgrove Meurer Productions, Alliance Production, Ltd., and Televist. 176 pp. 150,000 print. (Literature/Criticism)

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Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly - Cahners\\Publishers_Weekly
Dutton compares Alcott's recently discovered, charming first novel (written in 1849, when she was just 17) to those of Jane Austen. The comparison is apt, even if Alcott, though impressively accomplished for her age, can't match Austen for smart dialogue or lived-in characters. In fact, the novel is pure romance and reads like a fairy tale. Set in a manor house somewhere in England, it tells of two virtuous lovers separated by rank and the machinations of a jealous interloper. Alcott's heroine is a lovely Italian orphan with a mysterious past (and the wonderfully un-Italian name of Edith Adelon). The hero, Lord Percy ("Would to heaven I were a peasant"), is chivalrous, handsome and resigned to a life of loneliness after the loss of an early love. Will fate bring them together? Of course it will. Meanwhile, Alcott trots her characters through a delightful series of vignettes: an overheard garden colloquy, a candlelight boating party, a revealing round of tableaux vivants, a discovered theft, a deathbed promise-and the inevitable unearthing of a missing will that explains Edith's lineage. Alcott handles all of this machinery with aplomb and winning earnestness. According to the scholars who recently found the manuscript in Harvard's Houghton Library, The Inheritance is the novel Jo March writes in Little Women. Whether this is true or not, The Inheritance proves that years before Alcott invented the young adult novel, she could already give voice to the preoccupations and fantasies of the "little women" who would become her most enduring subjects.
Children's Literature - Gisela Jernigan
When two researchers were looking through some of the Alcott family documents, they came across a manuscript titled in Louisa's hand, "My first novel written at seventeen." They soon realized that this romantic novel must be the very "poor little romance" that Jo March wrote and sent off "into the big busy world to try its fate" in the classic Little Women. This "little romance." now published for the first time, is set in an English country manor in early Victorian times. It tells the dramatic story of Edith Adelon, a poor, but beautiful, talented, and above all, virtuous Italian orphan, who was adopted by a wealthy English family as a child. After many misunderstandings brought about by Lady Ida, a malicious and envious family member, Edith becomes even more esteemed by her adopted family and wins the love of a handsome, kind neighbor, Lord Percy. Alcott fans should enjoy reading this early work that reveals hints of how her more mature, skilled works will be written.
School Library Journal
YA -- Alcott's first novel, written at age 17 and discovered in 1988, is a delightful rags-to-riches ramble in the life of orphan Edith Adelon, who is taken in by Lord and Lady Hamilton to serve as a companion to their young daughter, Amy. When Lord Hamilton dies, Edith is treated as a servant in the householduntil she saves Amy's life. Purer than pure, young Edith takes the slights and verbal abuses of her jealous rival, Lady Ida, while Lord Percy, an older, wiser, and sadder friend of young Lord Arthur Hamilton and the reason for Lady Ida's jealousy, looks on in his attempts to love Edith from a distance. Set on an aristocratic English manor in the 19th century, the plot twists and turns its way to a "happily ever after" ending. Even though characters are stereotyped and the plot is at times contrived, this precursor of Little Women is sure to be popular among budding readers of Jane Austen or sprouting young writers looking for desirable role models. This squeaky-clean novel written by an outstanding author at the beginning of her career is a desirable addition to any YA collection.Dottie Kraft, formerly at Fairfax County Public Schools, VA
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780140436662
  • Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
  • Publication date: 2/28/1998
  • Pages: 208
  • Sales rank: 219,368
  • Age range: 12 - 17 Years
  • Product dimensions: 5.18 (w) x 7.78 (h) x 0.60 (d)

Customer Reviews

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Sort by: Showing all of 12 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted May 2, 2000

    The Inheritance

    In 'The Inheritance,' by Louisa May Alcott, the main character, Edith, is a lonely girl brought into a rich home so that she could be friends with Amy, the youngest daughter. Edith catches the eye of the handsome Lord Percy while he visits with the family. The jealous Lady Ida, one of the ladies of the house, loves Lord Percy and feels that Edith is not of high enough blood to marry him. Lady Ida steals money from Amy's mother and then tries to have Edith thrown out of the house by blaming the missing money on her. Edith is too kind to suggest who she thinks has taken the money; and experiences many conflicts from being thrown out to losing a great friendship. The content of the book is filled with great description. Alcott takes you along as she opens the scenes: 'In a green park, where troops of bright-eyed deer lay sleeping under drooping trees and a clear lake mirrored in its bosom the flowers that grew upon it's edge...' The mood is set during the opening scene. The book is filled with scene after vivid scene, making the reader awe of the author's style and talent to entice one to read on, keeping up your couriosity until the end. 'The Inheritance' is a splendid young adult love novel just right for the romantic type. To absorb all that happens in this tale, its best to read it twice. The second time is much more enjoyable. The author writes beautifully for a 17-year-old.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 13, 2002

    Fascinating and Exquisite Novel made to Grab the fellow Romantic.

    The Novel 'The Inheritance' was written to intrigue the persons who read and underestood the words on the pages. The characters were mysterious and the betrayel was real. I would describe a tale such as this a total world of irony and passion.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 20, 2001

    One of her best.

    Louisa May Alcott has been a favorite author of mine since I first started to read her books. The Inheritance is one of the best books she has ever written. It goes to show that although being 'good' is not always an easy thing, it is well worth it in the end. This novel is another great version of the Cinderella story. (Although well casted, the movie version of it could have followed the novel more accurately though.)

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 14, 2011

    I Also Recommend:

    Little Women (Barnes & Noble Classics Series)
    Rose in Bloom
    Eight Cousins
    An Old-Fashioned Girl

    Wonderful First Novel

    This book makes it clear that Alcott took her own advice to "Read good books, love good things, and cultivate soul and body as wisely as possible." This book is marvelous for a 17 year old to have written. While without the same level of maturity and sophistication of her later work, The Inheritance is a riveting, albeit short, read. I wish it had been a little longer. Scott's influence is apperent, and also some Bronte and dare I say Austen. In our era of some many bad copycat novels written by experienced authors it is wonderful to find a good original story written by a teenager. No Alcott collection would be complete without this book.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 13, 2006

    ok but not great

    This book takes place in Rome in a country setting with the main characters, Amy, Edith, Arthur, Lord Percy, Lady Ida, Lady Hamilton, and Lord Arlington. Amy is 17 and is very ill so all of her friends are trying to give her the best that she can have. Edith is adopted by Lady Hamilton so her niece, Amy, can have a playmate. As time goes by Lord Arlington begins to fall in love with Edith then she rejects him. I would not recommend this book to boys because it could be considered a love story. Some girls may like it and some may not. For me personally I didn't care for it that much. But others could like it.

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted June 23, 2005

    Not bad at all!

    The story was OK, it just seemed to take forever for Edith to find her lover. She also sometimes seemed more meek and quiet than some of Alcott's heroines are, so that took a bit of getting use to. I know the point was to picture her virtuous as you read, but there is a fine line between being spineless and being mannerly. It was a quick read, and I wish there was more.

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted September 4, 2002

    the inheritance

    its a graet loiusa may alcott novel ive read little women christines girls christines boys and girls by louisa may alcott theyre all grar books

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  • Anonymous

    Posted August 11, 2000

    A Great Story

    It was an wonderful book. I encourge you to read it.

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted December 2, 2010

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  • Anonymous

    Posted January 5, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted February 24, 2009

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 6, 2011

    No text was provided for this review.

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