#just read it
it’s6:57 pm and iwaizumi’s room is scattered with papers. a mixture of you, iwaizumi’s, and oikawa’s names cover them along with dozens of red marks indicating incorrect answers. the debate between the three of you as to whether or not x equals 2 or 17 is cut short when the door swings open, revealing a small woman holding a plate of fruit and crackers.
“hajime, i brought you and- oh tooru you’re here too!” her eyes flicker as a mischievous grin takes over her lips. “i thought it was just you two… i’ll be going now!” her giggle fills the room as she wiggles her eyebrows at her son, which earns her an infamous iwaizumi glare.
oikawa interrupts the silence that follows the absence of iwaizumi’s mother, stuffing his face with grapes and muttering a barely comprehensible, “what was that about?”
papers crinkle when iwaizumi begins busying himself to avoid your gaze. he crushes used sheets, scribbles on new ones as if he’s actually working, and rearranges his pencils before grumbling. “she thinks we’re dating.” you don’t miss the way his eyes quickly widen and cheeks flush when he changes the subject. what he doesn’t know is his fumbling distracted oikawa, not you. but second year finals are more important than what just happened, and you return to your studies.
I had tears in my eyes… This series* has to be one of the best I have ever read. Alcott took me through the lives of three* women; Meg, Jo and Amy, from childhood to adulthood and showed how they faced problems and certainly in Jo’s case - showed how to help others.
For me, Jo’s Boys was my favourite (admittedly I cried most in this, but only at the end in one big gush) because I knew the characters and had gained the affection that a lot of readers find wells up in their heart (even though the characters are fictional…). I was physically pleased that so many of them succeeded in life; Emil survived, Nat became an accomplished violinist*, Dan found an honest reason to live*, Tommy finds the right ‘little woman’ & profession and both Rob & Teddy (and Professor Bhaer) support Jo so much - the blood family within the college family just give you more and more reasons to smile and laugh.
Without giving too much away, these are some of the best books I’ve ever read. They are wonderful reads and are full of morals, taught through every day situations - or one off, life threatening situations. If I didn’t have such a long 'to read’ list, I’d read them all again.
*SPOILERS
- I refer to it as a series because 'Good Wives’ is actually a separate book, however it is often put as a sort of 'part 2’ in Little Women, which would make it a trilogy. I see them as four books - some see them as three - each to their own.
- There were four sisters to begin with, but little Beth dies, it’s incredibly upsetting. :(
- Nat also married Daisy - his accomplishments and willingness to wait while abroad for two years convinced Daisy’s mother (Meg) that he was right for her daughter.
- Dan had been in prison and the only thing to keep him alive and sane was a little picture of Bess (AKA Princess - she was incredibly pretty, sweet, quiet, kind and everyone loved her), Amy’s daughter. This little affection gave him a reason to live for others, not for himself. We discover at the end he was shot and killed defending his friends, the Indians.
- Also, Nan stays in medicine, Demi marries Alice and gets an honest job in publishing and John dies. A lot die. Be prepared.
Here’s some Kai'Sa and Taliyah (Kaliyah) because they are my brain rot too and have so much potential
