Rating: 
Summary: a very 19th century romance...VERY
Review: It's not a bad book, it's just that it's...typical. And not typical Alcott: typical 1800s romance. Edith is passive, good, and beautiful - the triple whammy of the melodramatic heroine. All the classic trappings are here - from the conniving rival to the lost inheritance (hence the title.) But if you can stomach all that, it's not a bad book. Alcott, even at this young age, is an engaging writer. And yes, one can see the buds of her later writing style - with an emphasis on family and self-sacrifice. It simply surprised me that Alcott - no conformist herself - would write such a stereotypical character as Edith. The value of this book is mainly because Alcott wrote it - not because it's a memorable book in its own right. I finished this book in one swallow. Too bad there wasn't more to chew...
Rating: 
Summary: It was one of the best books I've ever read!
Review: It's such a heart-warming, touching novel. I was extremely touched while reading it for the first time and I could not put it down. It's one novel I can read over and over again without getting tired of it. :)
Rating: 
Summary: An unworthy "Inheritance"
Review: Louisa May Alcott did it all, from dark thrillers and tragedies to the laid-back family of "Little Women." But it's not surprising that Alcott practically buried her first novel, "The Inheritance," which she wrote at the age of seventeen -- a gooey, cliched romance with a sickly-sweet heroine and a Tall Dark Handsome Man with a Tragic Past.
Edith Adelon is a penniless Italian orphan who lives on a rambling estate belonging to the wealthy, aristocratic Hamiltons. She was brought there at an early age to be the companion to daughter Amy. Edith's humility and goodness make her a favorite in that place, except to a relative of Lady Hamilton's, Ida Clare. Ida is not wealthy, though she is an aristocrat, and (by the standards of the day) is aging to old-maid-hood.
Things change drastically with the arrival of Lord Percy, a pal of Amy's brother Arthur. Despite Percy's broken heart, he begins to fall in love with Edith -- except Ida is determined to have him for herself. Around the time Edith nobly rejects her suitor (because they aren't on the same social level), a series of thefts are committed -- and she is the main suspect.
It's not hard to see why Alcott buried this novel in a trunk -- by the time she was a serious writer, it would have been painful to have people read this book. It's drips with gooey sentimentality and quite a few romantic cliches of the time -- the secret legacy, the rigid class system (where lowly peasants adore the nobility), the tragic secrets, the nasty nemesis who never does anything really evil, and the backdrops that are uniformly beautiful and majestic.
While Alcott's writing at this point was also quite cliched, it's also quite pretty. Assuming that you don't start rolling your eyes at the idea of a moonlit half-castle-half-mansion surrounded by green fields and a lake, that is. But once a bit of disbelief is suspended, the writing does seem quite lovely. The dialogue, however, is ridiculously ornate and self-deprecating.
Unfortunately, Alcott stumbles all over herself when she writes the characters -- Edith is a revoltingly sweet wilting lily, as well as being one of those people whose humility becomes almost a personality defect. She has no flaws, just virtues -- she's beautiful, swoons, and sings like an angel. She even takes soup to the sick. Lord Percy is not much better -- virtuous, sensitive, tragic, and utterly dull. And the flat supporting characters all serve merely to gush about how sweet and lovely Edith is, except for the tepidly malicious Ida.
Though it was later remade into a solid TV movie, "The Inheritance" is one of those very few Louisa May Alcott stories that deserves to have stayed buried. It has none of the charm of "Little Women," nor the cliched but well-written thrills of "Long Fatal Love Chase." Revoltingly sweet and cliched, this reads almost like a parody of the romantic genre.
Rating:
Summary: Her girlish scribbles
Review: Louisa May Alcott wrote this sugary book when she was only seventeen, and you can really tell from the writing. Her heroine Edith is beautiful, noble, humble, a perfect musician and singer, and everyone worships her; ditto with the hero, who has been nursing a broken heart until he sees Edith.
The plot is very predictable and kind of boring. Basically the bad girl called Ida is trying to wreck Edith's life so she can marry the hero, and everyone finds out the truth about Edith's parentage. Lots of syrupy speeches and gooey looks and oh-so-noble pale men with wilting lily women. It's all very cliched, as if Alcott had to get the romantic novels of the day out of her system. I love Louisa May's fiction so much, but this was a youthful dud.
On a small side note, there was a really wonderful version of this movie out in the late 90s, which only sort of resembles the book, and it's on DVD here on amazon! So check that out instead.
Rating: 
Summary: True Nobility
Review: Pure love, selfless virtue, the highest honor and respect dwelling among jealousy, vengeful pride, deceit, bitterness, and brash passion--this is the setting for a beautiful story set in the lonely nineteenth century English countryside. The humble orphan Edith and the gentle, honorable Lord Percy awed me as two characters who best illustrate friendship and sacrificial love. Their silent strength reminds me of that Bible verse, "a soft answer turns away wrath." Although The Inheritance is slightly too perfect and too cliched, this mystery-love story presents a picture of true nobility-unselfish consideration of others, which is too little seen nowadays.
Rating:
Summary: Can be read by young adults and adults too!!!
Review: The beauty of this book is that it can be read by all. It is set in an English country manor. It is about weatlh, honor, and birthright. The main character Edith is one the reader will want to be like. It was written in 1849 and believed to be Loiusa May Alcott's first piece of work. I have read it with some of my sixth graders and discussed it with them. Adults and young adults will love it
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Summary: A romantic fantasy.
Review: The Inheritance is a wonderful story in which Edith Adelon learns the true story of birth. Discovering such truths however is only as useful as she will make it. This book tells of her reactions and choices.This was Louisa May Alcott's first novel. It shows her newness, but also shows her potential. (I believe that this potential is fulfilled in her later novels: Little Women, and Little Men.) I enjoyed this book immensely. It proved to be a very romantic fantasy. Edith's character is beautifully and articulately written. The innocence Alcott has given her is priceless. Something that seems almost too good to be true, but proves that it is in the end. The other characters in the book are also very interesting. They are all very life like in their qualities. As I read the book, I gave them all the images of people I know, or have known in my life. That is how realistic Alcott made the characters in this book. I was able to create the images of real people in my mind as I read the book. Lady Ida's haughtiness irritated me so much. At times, I truly wished I could have yelled at her for being so rude and spiteful towards Edith. Then there was Amy. She was innocent herself, but in a sense that she could not see the whole truth of everything that happened around her. Her innocence was more of an ignorance, but, not in necessarily in a bad way. Edith's innocence was pure. It was innocence in the fact that she thought well of everyone around her. In her eyes, not a person she knew could do any harm. There is also Lord Percy. He is truly a gentleman. Finally there is Arlington, Amy's brother. Arlington may mean well, but he too, like his sister, can be blind to the emotions of those around him. My favorite quote from the book is: "...'She has refused the wealth and rank I offered her and would not listen to me. Love, some other image, has a place within her heart. Whose is it, Percy? Tell me that.' 'I cannot read the secrets of her heart, Arlington, but I trust whoever may be cherished there will prove worthy of the love of one so beautiful and sinless.' (found on page 101) I believe that this quote shows the character of Edith and the kindness of Lord Percy.
Rating:
Summary: A typical love story with an obvious conclusion.
Review: The Inheritance was much like other love stories, with good triumphing over Evil. However, it was easy reading and contained good character descriptions and believable circumstances. Anyone who agrees (or disagrees) and would like to help me review this book for school, please e-mail your thoughts.
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Summary: The annoyance of perfection
Review: The Inheritance, by Lousia May Alcott, tells the life of an orphan who's never known her family. The beautiful and pure Edith Adelon is an Italian orphan living with the rich aristocrats the Hamilton's. This beautiful orphan is the nicest and most humble out of the characters, and is disliked by the not-so-pretty cousin, sort of like a Cinderella story. But how could such a beautiful and talented young girl be so boring?
Nineteenth century stories are all about, beautiful young girls looking for a marriage of wealth, and handsome young men (there are never any non good-looking ones). Edith lives with the beautiful Amy, her equally handsome brother Arthur, the mean but still beautiful cousin Ida, and Lady Hamiliton. Edith is the friend and governess of the beautiful Amy. But, her position quickly changes when Edith saves Amy's life when she was hanging off a cliff. The heroic event won her a true place into the Hamilton Household.
One thing that really got on my nerves was Edith. How could someone be so perfect, beautiful, talented, and loyal to even her worst enemy? Sure, it's a book of course, but how could someone be the epitome of perfection and still get the guy? She is kind-hearted to the sickly and has an amazing voice. Her personality is so perfect, and quickly becomes one of the characters that you can't stand. No wonder why Lady Ida was so jealous, I would be too! Edith then becomes the love interest of the honorable Lord Percy and makes Lady Ida incredibly envious. Even the married Lord Arlington has a crush on Edith. Lord Arlington proposes twice to Edith, but she says "No" each time.
But somehow, a mysterious stranger gives her a package that tells Edith her true heritage. She's not a poor orphan at all! The elder Arthur Hamilton, Arthur's older brother, secretly married Edith's mom, and in fact Edith is of nobility! She's a descendant of the Hamilton's! It was such a random part of the book to have such a wonderful thing play into Edith's life. It wasn't strategically or carefully placed into the book, it was like Louisa May Alcott wasn't able to find a place to put that part in her book. But of course, like in any Cinderella story, Edith's family doesn't believe her and thinks Edith is a thief. Stealing a necklace that shows Edith her true Heritage. Wow, this is so repetitive to every story I've read before. "To be so bitterly deceived in one whom we have loved and cherished from a child, one whom we thought so innocent and true." It's so weird to find that now after how much they loved her and she's so pure, they can't believe her?
Wow, one hundred and fifty years after the book was written it was finally released. I've read Little Women, and The Inheritance, is nowhere near the greatness of it. But, of course, there is always a bad book in every collection. I would prefer watching the television movie instead of reading the book anyday.
Good thing the book wasn't very long, I don't know how long I would last reading about the perfectly beautiful Edith. Sure its cute, but it has as much cuteness as a five-year-old. The dialogue was also extremely cheesy, and truthfully, I would not recommend this book to anyone except my nine-year-old cousin.
Rating:
Summary: The Lost Book
Review: The Inheritence is a must read for any Alcott reader. Since it is her first book out in a century, I think its an important book for any Alcott readers library. IF you are familiar with Alcott than you will be able to tell that this is one of her earliest works - it is not as refined, but it still holds the warmth that give her characters life. I'm so glad that this story was found in the archives and was published after years of dust.
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