A Little in Love

Reviewed by: Carla McAllister - New Gloucester Public Library, New Gloucester, Maine, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: January 7, 2016

Review

Eponine is a young girl growing up in desperate times in a small French town in 1832. Worst of all, though, are her parents who are poverty-stricken, pickpockets and thieves of the highest caliber. They only cherish their children if they can return home with various and sundry valuables that can be sold to buy clothes and food for the family. Father shows the children absolutely no affection and Mother doesn't either unless they prove themselves to be worthy of a tiny hug or stroke by perfecting their pilfering skills. When a single mother with no way to care for her young daughter leaves the girl, named Cosette, with the family to be taken care of and sends money each month for her needs, Eponine's parents treat the girl as a slave, abusing and neglecting her, and use those monies to take care of the family's needs. When Mother has a baby boy, she leaves him on the floor to die and Eponine and Cosette come to his rescue. Eventually the family has to flee to Paris as Father has killed a man and Eponine finds herself on the streets. Deep down, she is ashamed of her family and herself. This book kept this reviewer riveted, sad though it is, as there are twists and turns and Eponine's kindness and true nature struggling to come to the fore is heartwarming to witness. I highly recommend this title.

Overall Book Score: excellent