Rating: 
Summary: Good youthful effort by Alcott
Review: According to a note on the text in the Penguin Classics edition, "The Inheritance" was written by Louisa May Alcott when she was only 17 years old. This novel tells the story of Edith Adelon, an Italian orphan who lives with the aristocratic Hamilton family. This is a sentimental, romantic story about love, treachery, and a family secret. Class stratification is a significant theme.Yes, the characters are fairly shallow, the plot is predictable, and the dialogue is often very stiff and corny. But I found "The Inheritance" quite charming and enjoyable. The mild suspense leads ultimately to a satisfying conclusion. Along the way are some memorable scenes, such as a sequence involving the creation of historical tableaux. The Penguin Classics edition includes an excellent, substantial introduction by Joel Myerson and Daniel Shealy. They discuss Alcott's remarkable life and career and place "The Inheritance" in literary and cultural context.
Rating: 
Summary: The Greatest Love
Review: Alcott's first novel is a tale of the greatest love one human being can show another--that of friendship, respect, and honor. I find Lord Percy and Edith model characters of the way men and women should treat each other (both sexes). Excellent picker-upper-of-a-story, too. How can you not helped but be inspired by their examples, especially in contrast to Lady Ida and Lord Arlington. 5-stars in my book--it's a keeper!
Rating:
Summary: A Charming Romance
Review: For a young lady at seventeen, I was impressed by the writing which obviously developed more as she grew up. This book was charming and it deserves five stars for the well character development and the plot which took me so far into the lives of everyone involved. As for the plot, I was astonished how much I was taken into each of the lives and empathized for the protagonists. The love and desire Lord Percy possessed for Edith was not only noble, but it encouraged me that there are still those who seek righteousness and purity. The story was simply delightful and I like to think Miss Alcott enjoyed the writing very much uplifting pure and innocent love. Bravo to the youth writer and to those who love sweet stories of true love or of classic writings, this is a charming romance to read.
Rating: 
Summary: Be Sure to Read This...If You're Applying for Sainthood
Review: I just have to set the record straight; I am a huge fan of nineteenth century fiction. Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, and Dickens are the staples of my overflowing bookshelf. Therefore, I had to give Alcott's book three stars just because of the Romanticism and stunning descriptions that pervade the story. Alcott proves herself a budding author and literary spirit through this, her earliest work. Now, with the praise out of the way, I can get into the reason I wrote this review. I found the character of Edith so sickeningly good and sweet and holy and pious yada yada yada that I grew to despise the heroine. She was terribly spineless and so afraid of dislike from her contemporaries that she backed down from situations, preferring to sit in her room and cry. In fact, there were always tears "shining in her lovely eyes." UGH!!!
The characters were so stereotypical. Lord Percy was good and noble (and decidedly dull), the quintessential hero for his perfect lady love; Edith. Lady Ida was the jealous spinster desperately seeking for a husband who, suprise suprise, eventually repents her jealous ways in the forgiving arms of Edith. Amy was naieve and bubbling over with enthusiasm that eventually became nauseating, and the rest of the characters aren't even worth mentioning, they all eventually better themselves through the pure heart of Edith.
This book isn't bad, on the contrary, if you enjoy nineteenth century romanticism it makes for a quick read. The characters and unoriginality of the plot leave much to be desired, but, for, Alcott's seventeen year old attempt, it makes for an enjoyable hour's read.
Rating: 
Summary: 19th-century teenage fantasy
Review: I love Louisa May Alcott's work, from her dark delvings into the human soul to her revenge tales to the wholesome family chronicles. Sadly, I could not love this book. Anyone who reads it will be unsurprised that Alcott wrote it at the age of seventeen -- it reads like the summertime fantasies of a teen longing for love and a Tall Dark Handsome Man with a Tragic Past. The heroine, Edith Adelon, is a penniless Italian orphan who lives on a rambling estate belonging to the Hamiltons, filthy rich aristocrats. Edith's humility and goodness make her a favorite in that place, of everyone except Lady Ida. Ida is not wealthy, though she is an aristocrat, and (by the standards of the day) is aging to old-maid-hood. Enter Lord Percy, a friend of the family, and a Tall Dark Handsome Man with a Tragic Past. He and Edith fall in love, until a hidden secret threatens to change all of their lives. I can see why this dripping-with-sentiment little novel was buried away for so long. Alcott would never have been able to stand it being read when she was a serious writer; it reads almost like a parody, but with the dead seriousness of the bad work. It is also saddled with terrible characterization and a storyline that would make a seasoned reader cry. There is also a rather alarming message about social classes and whether they should be defied. The main problems are the characters. They are pretty much two-dimensional stereotypes; the good ones are completely devoted to one another because of random acts of utter goodness that they did in the past, or simply because they say or do something that seems selfless and noble. The bad ones lurk in the background, making not-so-devious plans out of sheer malice. Edith is beautiful, self-sacrificial, humble, sweet, virtuous, brave -- essentially, she's all good things. She never so much as trips on her skirt, and we're even treated to the stereotypical "bringing soup to the sick." Percy is the male counterpart in every way: handsome in a wussy kind of way, chivalrous, sensitive, tragic, willing to shatter class boundaries for the one he loves, virtuous, self-sacrificial, strong'n'silent, brave -- yep, he's all good things as well. Both of them are so good and saintly that it's difficult to sympathize with them. Lady Ida is cartoonish in her badness, but she's also the most three-dimensional character in that she has a reason for acting as she does, even if we're not supposed to care because it's her own fault. Lord and Lady Hamilton are the usual stiff uppa-clahss parents; Amy is pretty dull in her relentless enthusiasm and girlishness. The plotline itself is like an update of Cinderella with a few improbable twists. When Edith discovers The Secret, her response is so unrealistic and saintly that you'll have to swallow a groan; so is her protection of the ridiculously-tempted boy Louis. Likewise, Lady Hamilton's response to Edith's saving Amy's life is simply ludicrous. The book lacks her trademark humor, wit, and passion, the little quirks and embarrassments and snatches of humor that make her characters human. They blush, they shed tears, they flit around or glide or stride. But they don't emote. The dialogue is earnestly comedic, using phrases and words that no one would actually use. (Percy's comment about a Edith's love "sanctifying" a scarf is particularly funny) Why two stars? One is because Louisa is Louisa -- she gets an extra star for that alone. The second is because there is some truly breathtaking descriptive scenes in this book. But if you read this book, then "Long Fatal Love Chase," then "Behind a Mask," then "Little Women," then you will get an idea of how her writing changes. My recommendation? Read it if you're a die-hard fan of Louisa's works. Otherwise, pass it by and watch the TV movie, or read "Little Women."
Rating:
Summary: A good fast enjoyable read.
Review: I really enjoyed Little Women so when I heard of a newly discovered Louisa May Alcott novel I decided to pick it up asnd read. For people who enjoy rading Ms. Alcott's books this is a good novel. It can be very black and white at times but, it has a interesting heroine. It has all the elements of gothic literature - a long hid secret, a run down building, etc.
For the beginning of her writing adventure, she wrote this at 17!, it has staying power. A good fast enjoyable read.
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: The Greatest Love
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: 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.
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