Louisa May Alcott was a 19th century American novelist. Her novels Little Women and Jo's Boys are her best-known works. Alcott became a strong feminist and abolitionist. In 1862-63 she worked as a nurse in the Union Hospital in Georgetown D C. A modern Mephistopheles is a story full of psychological tension and drama. It explores a poor failing writer's price for giving his devotion to another. The novel touches on the subjects of sexuality and drug abuse. Alcott gives her reader a study in human evil and the horrible consequences.
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Most helpful customer reviews
By R. Chaffey
Format:Paperback
"A Modern Mephistopheles" is supposedly meant to be shocking and harrowing. One reason, because it was written by Louisa May Alcott, best known for docile moral tales such as "Little Women". One other reason, is because it contains descriptions of drug use and nefarious affairs. Yet there is little shocking about "A Modern Mephistopheles" except for how disappointing it truly is.
I was intrigued by this novel through the desciption given on the back. It seemed to be, and is, a departure from what we've known from Alcott. It is a tale of a failed poet Felix Canaris, who mysteriously takes up with Jasper Helwyze (nice play on a name) and is a "modern" mephistopheles because the poet has made a deal with the "devil". Canaris eventually marries and Helwyze even has control over his wife. In the end they want to escape his clutches, but it may be too late for them to be saved.
"A Modern Mephistopheles" is a poorly written update of "Faust" in disguise as a mysterious and shocking thriller. The characters are poorly written and developed. One never feels any connection with the four main characters; that of the two men and the ladies who inhabit their world. Helwyze never seems devilish enough even if he "ruins" the life of Canaris and his wife Gladys. It is filled with quotes from various sources (that are never given) that don't allow Alcott's story to speak for itself. Perhaps the reason that it can't speak for itself is because it is trying to hard to be "Faust"; since the main characters directly refer to this masterpiece several times. One is much better off reading the original than settling for this less-than-second-best remake.
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
I read Little Women in school and laughed all the way through it! I promised myself that I would never read Alcott's work again. But when I came across this book, I decided to give it a chance. This is NOT Little Women. This is an insightful, harrowing novel that is by no means for children. This book is a treasure! One you will want to read again and again!
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.0 out of 5 stars
2 reviews
7 of 13 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Chilling... Beautiful... Evocative
Jan 26 1998
By A Customer
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
I read Little Women in school and laughed all the way through it! I promised myself that I would never read Alcott's work again. But when I came across this book, I decided to give it a chance. This is NOT Little Women. This is an insightful, harrowing novel that is by no means for children. This book is a treasure! One you will want to read again and again!
1 of 6 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
Hardly Devilish at All
Jun 22 2004
By R. Chaffey
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
"A Modern Mephistopheles" is supposedly meant to be shocking and harrowing. One reason, because it was written by Louisa May Alcott, best known for docile moral tales such as "Little Women". One other reason, is because it contains descriptions of drug use and nefarious affairs. Yet there is little shocking about "A Modern Mephistopheles" except for how disappointing it truly is.
I was intrigued by this novel through the desciption given on the back. It seemed to be, and is, a departure from what we've known from Alcott. It is a tale of a failed poet Felix Canaris, who mysteriously takes up with Jasper Helwyze (nice play on a name) and is a "modern" mephistopheles because the poet has made a deal with the "devil". Canaris eventually marries and Helwyze even has control over his wife. In the end they want to escape his clutches, but it may be too late for them to be saved.
"A Modern Mephistopheles" is a poorly written update of "Faust" in disguise as a mysterious and shocking thriller. The characters are poorly written and developed. One never feels any connection with the four main characters; that of the two men and the ladies who inhabit their world. Helwyze never seems devilish enough even if he "ruins" the life of Canaris and his wife Gladys. It is filled with quotes from various sources (that are never given) that don't allow Alcott's story to speak for itself. Perhaps the reason that it can't speak for itself is because it is trying to hard to be "Faust"; since the main characters directly refer to this masterpiece several times. One is much better off reading the original than settling for this less-than-second-best remake.
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