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I read this book for a school project back in high school and have always loved Alcotts work. I recommend her three other books (that I read anyway) Little Women, Little Men, and Jo's Boys. I agree that Polly seems a bit too perfect and can vouch that the other three books mentioned don't have that problem so much. Hopefully I got my point across, because I left myself a bit confused here.
Polly's perfection is the only drawback of the book, in my opinion. Her character would had been more interesting if she was less kind, less selfless about people. She seemed to think caring for herself was a bad thing, that she had to care for and serve everyone but herself.
I have only read this and Little Women by Alcott, so I don't know how her other works are. I was about to buy Jack and Jill but I heard some pretty bad reviews and decided not to. I've also heard that Little Men is a little too rosy and idealized compared to Little Women... I think I should had given the books a chance though.
Why dont you read Eight Cousins and its sequel Rose in Bloom. I agree with you guys Polly is a BIT too perfect for my taste, she did not seem to have any special weakness or anything.
I like Polly very much, and I think Alcott always tries to show perfection through some of her characters (like Beth in Little Women, or Rose in Eight Cousins), but this is not a 'perfection' that one cannot reach. I mean, other authors show very unbelievable perfect characters, and THAT really is too much for me. But Polly's lovely and doesn't seem too perfect; her 'perfection' is totally reachable and that's one of the main characteristics of Alcott's writing style.
(Hope I've I got my point across too, since I don't speak English XD)