The novel follows the lives of four sisters detailing their passage from childhood to womanhood, and is loosely based on the author and her three sisters.

Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy March are four sisters living with their mother in New England.

Their father is away serving as a chaplain in the Civil War, and the sisters struggle to support themselves and keep their household running despite the fact that the family recently lost its fortune.

In the process, they become close friends with their wealthy neighbour.

As the girls grow older, each faces her own personal demons and moral challenges.

The girls are guided in their personal growth by their mother, and by their religious faith.

The family's tight bonds are forever changed when Meg falls in love....