Great or Nothing, Joy McCullough
Great or Nothing, Joy McCullough
List: $25.00 | Sale: $17.50
Club: $12.50

Great or Nothing

Author: Joy McCullough, Caroline Tung Richmond, Tess Sharpe, Jessica Spotswood

Narrator: Saskia Maarleveld, Joy McCullough, Tess Sharpe, Erin Spencer

Unabridged: 9 hr 48 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 03/08/2022


Synopsis

A reimagining of Little Women set in 1942, when the United States is suddenly embroiled in the second World War, this story, told from each March sister's point of view, is one of grief, love, and self-discovery.

In the fall of 1942, the United States is still reeling from the attack on Pearl Harbor. While the US starts sending troops to the front, the March family of Concord, Massachusetts grieves their own enormous loss: the death of their daughter, Beth.

Under the strain of their grief, Beth's remaining sisters fracture, each going their own way with Jo nursing her wounds and building planes in Connecticut, Meg holding down the home front with Marmee, and Amy living a secret life as a Red Cross volunteer in London--the same city where one Mr. Theodore Laurence is stationed as an army pilot.

Each March sister's point of view is written by a separate author, three in prose and Beth's in verse, still holding the family together from beyond the grave. Woven together, these threads tell a story of finding one's way in a world undergoing catastrophic change.

About The Author

Tess Sharpe lives deep in the backwoods with a pack of dogs. She is the author of many books for children, teens and adults, including the critically acclaimed YA novel Far From You and the Jurassic World prequel, The Evolution of Claire. She is also the co-editor of Toil & Trouble, a feminist anthology about witches. Jessica Spotswood is the author of the fantasy trilogy The Cahill Witch Chronicles and the contemporary novels Wild Swans and The Last Summer of the Garrett Girls. She is the editor of A Tyranny of Petticoats and The Radical Element and co-editor of Toil & Trouble. Jess lives in Washington, DC, where she works for the DC Public Library.Caroline Tung Richmond is the award-winning author of The Only Thing to Fear, The Darkest Hour, and Hungry Hearts. She is also the program director of We Need Diverse Books. A self-proclaimed history nerd and cookie connoisseur, Caroline lives in Maryland with her family.Joy McCullough's debut YA novel Blood Water Paint won honors such as the National Book Award longlist and finalist for the ALA Morris Award. Her debut MG novel, A Field Guide to Getting Lost is a JLG Selection. She writes books from her home in the Seattle area, where she lives with her husband and two children.


Reviews

Goodreads review by AnnaScott on February 10, 2022

This is such an intriguing concept. A beloved classic set during World War II? Perfect. Unfortunately, while the idea is perfect the execution was not. Let’s start with the pros. I loved how this book was written, with a different author writing a different sister. Their writing styles really meshed......more

Goodreads review by Amanda on February 24, 2022

Oh how I wanted to like this book so much more than I did. The concept is perfect, the shifting historical time period works well, even the four sisters being written by different authors worked better than I originally thought it would. But the plot and some of the characterization simply fell flat......more

Goodreads review by Literary on March 14, 2022

A wonderful reworking of Little Women set in the US in 1942, and told from each March sister's POV. Creative and absorbing, and a must-read for anyone who loves the original. Highly recommended! Thanks to the authors, Random House Children's, Delacorte Press, and Netgalley for the ARC; opinions are......more

Goodreads review by Book Concierge on June 27, 2022

This re-imagined Little Women set during World War II began when Jessica Spotswood posted a story idea she found daunting on Twitter. Her fellow authors joined with her to flesh out this story where Jo is queer and working in a factory, Amy has run away to join the Red Cross in London, Meg is a......more

Goodreads review by QNPoohBear on June 20, 2022

As a standalone story about sisters grieving the loss of their wonderful, perfect, GOOD sister and coming to terms with the changes WWII brings to their lives, this is a pretty decent novel. As a standalone queer romance, it's a cute short story. What I liked: The historical details about how WWII aff......more


Quotes

Praise for Great or Nothing:

"Poignant, clever, and heartfelt, this story pulls at the complicated tapestry that is family, and finds certain bonds are unbreakable."-- Stacey Lee, NYT bestselling author of Reese's Book Club pick, The Downstairs Girl

"Fans of Little Women--and of WWII narratives--will devour this inventive and touching exploration of possibilities for the world's most beloved siblings."--L.M. Elliott, author of Under a War-torn Sky and Hamilton and Peggy! A Revolutionary Friendship

"The WWII Little Women retelling that made me cry the whole way through . . . I will be shoving Great or Nothing in everyone’s face when it comes out . . .  I am obsessed."--Books Before Boys

"A must-read for Louisa May Alcott fans and anyone who believes in the power of sisterhood."--Booklist

"Gives these much-loved sisters new energy and a satisfying sense of agency."--PW

"Readers will feel unique connections to each sister and their motivations, heartbreaks and joys. This is a compelling and tender historical coming-of-age novel with wide appeal."--BookPage

"Refreshingly acerbic."--Kirkus Reviews