So Many Beginnings

So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix is a historical fiction young adult novel by American writer Bethany C. Morrow. The book was published by Macmillan on September 7, 2021, and is Volume 2 of the Remixed Classics series.^[1]

So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix

Author	Bethany C. Morrow
Language	English
Series	Remixed Classics
Release number	2
Genre	Young adult, historical fiction
Set in	North Carolina, United States, 1863
Publisher	Macmillan Publishers
Publication date	2020-09-07
Publication place	United States
Media type	Print
ISBN	9781250815507
OCLC	1277274390
Preceded by	A Clash of Steel: A Treasure Island Remix
Followed by	Travelers Along the Way: A Robin Hood Remix
Website	us.macmillan.com/books/9781250815507

Plot

Shortly after Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, sisters Joanne, Bethlehem, Amethyst, and Margaret, and their mother live with other freedmen on a Roanoke Island colony, amid the backdrop of the Civil War.^[2]

Background

Morrow was approached with the offer to write an adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women.^[3] She worked to craft a story unrelated to the original novel that would reflect the concerns of an African American family in 1863, and made the Civil War central to the plot. Morrow heavily referenced Patricia C. Click's Time Full of Trial to inform her rendering of the historical events of the time.^[1] She stated that the project represented her intention to "challenge the canon".^[4]

Reception

So Many Beginnings received positive reception. In a starred review, Publishers Weekly said of the book, "a beloved story gains new meaning through the lens of enduring Black resilience, love, and hope."^[5] Norah Piehl of Booklist praised the book in a starred review: "Morrow's nuanced take on what life was like for newly freed Black people at this time will prompt readers to reconsider the simplistic good vs. evil, North vs. South mythologies that characterize too many Civil War narratives."^[6] In a less positive review, Rachelle Hampton of Slate wrote that "at times the book strains under the weight of educating, rather than entertaining" but also stated "that doesn't mean Morrow's version isn't without its own charms...She manages to make a familiar story entirely hers...their stories are their own and in some ways make Alcott's version more satisfying."^[7]