History YMMV / EightCousins

** Charlie's alcoholism is handled with a sense of shame that is liable to strike readers as slightly OTT given the current understanding of it as a disease rather than purely a moral failure, as was the consensus then. Rose's nigh-anguished reaction when he comes in drunk on New Year's Eve (she can't even bring herself to say the word) is lampshaded by the narrator, approvingly, as the result of her unusually pure and idealistic mindset.
** Uncle Alec says that Rose's vanity is a flaw she must work to correct. The thing is, all she does is blush and thank him for saying she looks pretty. Later, the boys all tell off Rose for getting earrings and trying to hide them, because earrings are a symbol of vanity. She later gives them up to convince Charlie not to smoke. Quite a few cultures pierce children's ears when they are babies, and in the twenty-first century that are seen as commonplace.

** Alec bans corsets and patent medicines, encourages Rose to get fresh air and exercise, teaches her human biology and shows her how to manage her own accounts.

** Not to mention, when Kitty looks up to Rose as a CoolBigSis, Rose notices that she's [[TheDitz not the smartest crayon]] and tells her to study and improve her mind. And Kitty does.
** There's a great deal of period-specific twaddle in the first book about Rose's duty to be a good feminine influence on the boys - but as adults, when Charlie tries to build a relationship on this by claiming her as a MoralityChain, both Rose and the narrative firmly reject the idea.

** Also, Rose [[spoiler: firmly refusing Charlie's apologies when he screws up a little too much,in a scene that comes across as almost startlingly modern.]]

** The wildly condescending, cutesy treatment of the Chinese people and their culture (which was a thousand or so years older than Alcott's at that point). Rose, about to be introduced to a couple of merchants, specifically mentions being sure she'll laugh at 'their funny slanty eyes', and the otherwise unusually progressive Uncle Alec doesn't say a word. Specifically, newly-arrived teenager Fun See, nicknamed Mr. Tokio ([[ArtisticLicenseGeography ... UM]]), is described as a walking Literature/FuManchu cliché, and Rose refers to him as "a heathen Chinese". This does not, at least, seem to have been maliciously intended; by the sequel Fun has become engaged to Rose's ditzy comedy-relief friend Annabel, which is treated as a continuation of the merry joke ("By Confucius! Isn't that a sweet prospect?!" Mac laughs when asked to picture Annabel setting up housekeeping in Canton.)

** Uncle Alec says that Rose's vanity is a flaw she must work to correct. The thing is all she does is blush and thank him for saying she looks pretty. Later, the boys all tell off Rose for getting earrings and trying to hide them, because earrings are a symbol of vanity. She later gives them up to convince Charlie not to smoke. Quite a few cultures pierce children's ears when they are babies, and in the twenty-first century that are seen as commonplace.
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* FairForItsDay: By 19th-century standards, the book is quiteo modern:

** There's a great deal of period-specific twaddle in the first book about Rose's duty to be a good feminine influence on the boys - but as adults when Charlie ultimately tries to claim her as a MoralityChain both Rose and the narrative firmly reject the idea.

* There's a great deal of period-specific twaddle in the first book about Rose's duty to be a good feminine influence on the boys - but as adults when Charlie ultimately tries to claim her as a MoralityChain both Rose and the narrative firmly reject the idea.

** Also, Rose [[spoiler: firmly refusing Charlie's apologies when he screws up a little too much.]]

** Charlie's alcoholism is handled with a sense of shame that is liable to strike readers as slightly OTT given the current understanding of it as a disease rather than purely a moral failure. Rose's utterly horrified reaction when he confronts her drunk (she can't even bring herself to say the word) is actually lampshaded by the narrator as excessive, a product of her still-sheltered and naiive mindset.

** When Mac finds out that [[spoiler: Kitty's brother Alf is teasing Charlie and trying to force him to drink]], his reaction is pulling a BigDamnHeroes and [[spoiler: first ''knocking the drink away from Charlie'', ''screaming'' at Alf to stop, then calming down and standing up for Charlie among the guys]]. Considering that Mac is a quiet {{bookworm}}, [[BewareTheNiceOnes everyone's reaction was]] "[[OhCrap OH SHI--]]"

** The wildly condescending, cutesy treatment of the Chinese people and their culture. Rose, about to be introduced to a couple of merchants, specifically mentions being sure she'll laugh at 'their funny slanty eyes', and the otherwise unusually progressive Uncle Alec doesn't say a word. Specifically, newly-arrived teenager Fun See, nicknamed Mr. Tokio ([[ArtisticLicenseGeography ... UM]]), is described as a walking Literature/FuManchu cliché, and Rose refers to him as "a heathen Chinese". This does not, at least, seem to have been maliciously intended; by the sequel Fun has become engaged to Rose's ditzy comedy-relief friend Annabel, which is treated as a continuation of the merry joke ("By Confucius! Isn't that a sweet prospect?!" Mac laughs when asked to picture Annabel setting up housekeeping in Canton.)

* FairForItsDay: By 19th-century standards, the book is quite modern:

** The wildly condescending, cutesy treatment of the Chinese people and their culture. Rose, about to be introduced to a couple of merchants, specifically mentions being sure she'll laugh at 'their funny slanty eyes', and the otherwise unusually progressive Uncle Alec doesn't say a word. Specifically, newly-arrived teenager Fun See, nicknamed Mr. Tokio ([[ArtisticLicenseGeography ... UM]]), is described as a walking Literature/FuManchu cliché, and Rose refers to him as "a heathen Chinese". By the sequel Fun has become engaged to Rose's ditzy comedy-relief friend Annabel, which reads as an attempt to mitigate the earlier racism while still enjoying the joke ("By Confucius! Isn't that a sweet prospect?!" Mac laughs when asked to picture Annabel setting up housekeeping in Canton.)

** The wildly condescending, cutesy treatment of the Chinese people and their culture as frankly hilarious novelties; Rose, about to be introduced to a couple of merchants, specifically mentions being sure she'll laugh at 'their funny slanty eyes', and the otherwise unusually progressive Uncle Alec doesn't say a word. Specifically, newly-arrived teenager Fun See, nicknamed Mr. Tokio ([[ArtisticLicenseGeography ... UM]]), is described as a walking Literature/FuManchu cliché, and Rose refers to him as "a heathen Chinese". By the sequel Fun has become engaged to Rose's ditzy comedy-relief friend Annabel, which reads as an attempt to mitigate the earlier racism while still enjoying the joke ("By Confucius! Isn't that a sweet prospect?!" Mac laughs when asked to picture Annabel setting up housekeeping in Canton.)

** The wildly condescending, cutesy treatment of Chinese and their culture as frankly hilarious novelties; Rose, about to be introduced to a couple of merchants, specifically mentions being sure she'll laugh at 'their funny slanty eyes', and the otherwise unusually progressive Uncle Alec doesn't say a word. Specifically, newly-arrived teenager Fun See, nicknamed Mr. Tokio ([[ArtisticLicenseGeography ... UM]]), is described as a walking Literature/FuManchu cliché, and Rose refers to him as "a heathen Chinese". By the sequel Fun has become engaged to Rose's ditzy comedy-relief friend Annabel, which reads as an attempt to mitigate the earlier racism while still enjoying the joke ("By Confucius! Isn't that a sweet prospect?!" Mac laughs when asked to picture Annabel setting up housekeeping in Canton.)
** Not to mention the KissingCousins deal, where nobody bats an eyelid to the idea of Rose marrying any of her male paternal cousins. In fact, it's heavily encouraged by their aunts and uncles; Uncle Alec explicitly remarks to Uncle Mac that the boy cousins are really the only ones he thinks are suitable for her.

** The wildly condescending, cutesy treatment of Chinese and their culture as frankly hilarious novelties (Rose, about to be introduced to a couple of merchants, specifically mentions being sure she'll laugh at 'their funny slanty eyes'). Specifically newly-arrived Fun See, nicknamed Mr. Tokio ([[ArtisticLicenseGeography ... UM]]), is described as a walking Literature/FuManchu cliché, and Rose herself refers to him as "a heathen Chinese". By the sequel Fun has become engaged to Rose's ditzy friend Annabel, which reads as a sincere attempt to mitigate the earlier racism while still enjoying the joke ("By Confucius! Isn't that a sweet prospect?!" Mac laughs when asked to picture Annabel setting up housekeeping in Canton.)

** Fun See, nicknamed Mr. Tokio ([[ArtisticLicenseGeography ... UM]]), is described as a walking Literature/FuManchu cliché, and Rose herself refers to him as "a heathen Chinese".

** Fun See, nicknamed Mr. Tokio ([[YouFailGeographyForever ... UM]]), is described as a walking Literature/FuManchu cliché, and Rose herself refers to him as "a heathen Chinese".

* CrowningMomentOfAwesome:
** When Mac finds out that [[spoiler: Kitty's brother Alf is teasing Charlie and trying to force him to drink]], his reaction is pulling a BigDamnHeroes and [[spoiler: first ''knocking the drink away from Charlie'', ''screaming'' at Alf to stop, then calming down and standing up for Charlie among the guys]]. Considering that Mac is a quiet {{bookworm}}, [[BewareTheNiceOnes everyone's reaction was]] "[[OhCrap OH SHI--]]"
** Also, Rose [[spoiler: firmly refusing Charlie's apologies when he screws up a little too much.]]
** Phebe [[spoiler: nursing Uncle Alec back to health, pretty much bringing him back from the doors of death ''and'' finally earning the approval of the aunts.]]

* LesYay: Rose and Phebe, her maid, "[[HaveAGayOldTime enjoying each other like a pair of lovers]]."

** Fun See, nicknamed Mr. Tokio ([[YouFailGeographyForever ... UM]]), is described as a walking FuManchu cliché, and Rose herself refers to him as "a heathen Chinese".

* CrowningMomentOfAwesome: When Mac finds out that [[spoiler: Kitty's brother Alf is teasing Charlie and trying to force him to drink]], his reaction is pulling a BigDamnHeroes and [[spoiler: first ''knocking the drink away from Charlie'', then standing up for him among the guys]]. Considering that Mac is a quiet {{bookworm}}, [[BewareTheNiceOnes everyone's reaction was]] "[[OhCrap OH SHI--]]"

* FairForItsDay: Alec bans corsets and patent medicines, encourages Rose to get fresh air and exercise, teaches her human biology and shows her how to manage her own accounts. Phebe grows up to earn her own living as a choir singer [[spoiler:(even though she does give it up to marry Archie, she freely chooses to do so ''and'' there's the fact that she finally can start building a family of her own, which is important to her what with having been an orphan)]] and is treated as an equal by Rose, Alec, and the boys (if not the aunts). By 19th-century standards, that's quite modern.
** Not to mention, when Kitty looks up to Rose as a CoolBigSis, Rose notices and tells her to study and improve her mind. And Kitty does.

* ValuesDissonance: Fun See, nicknamed Mr. Tokio ([[YouFailGeographyForever ... UM]]), is described as a walking FuManchu cliché, and Rose herself refers to him as "a heathen Chinese".

* CrowningMomentOfAwesome: When Mac finds out that [[spoiler: Kitty's brother Alf is teasing Charlie and trying to force him to drink]], his reaction is pulling a BigDamnHeroes and [[spoiler: first ''knocking the drink away from Charlie'', then standing up for him among the guys.]] Considering that Mac is a quiet {{bookworm}}, [[BewareTheNiceOnes everyone was]] [[OhCrap OH SHI--]]

* FairForItsDay: Alec bans corsets and patent medicines, encourages Rose to get fresh air and exercise, teaches her human biology and shows her how to manage her own accounts. Phebe grows up to earn her own living as a choir singer [[spoiler:(even though she does give it up to marry Archie, though to be fair she freely chooses to do so ''and'' there's the fact that she finally can start building a family of her own, what with having been an orphan)]] and is treated as an equal by Rose, Alec and the boys (if not the aunts). By 19th-century standards, that's quite modern.
** Not to mention, when Kitty looks up at Rose as a CoolBigSis, Rose notices and tells her to study and improve her learnings. And Kitty does so.

* TearJerker: When Alec explains to Rose ''why'' he's her guardian, via [[spoiler: telling her about ThePromise he made to George right before he died.]]

** Not to mention the KissingCousins deal, where nobody bats an eyelid to the idea of Rose marrying any of her male paternal cousins. In fact, it's heavily encouraged by aunts and uncles.
* LesYay: Rose and Phebe, her maid, "[[HaveAGayOldTime enjoying each other like a pair of lovers]]."

** Not to mention, when Kitty looks up at rose as a CoolBigSis, Rose notices and tells her to study and improve her learnings. And Kitty does so.

** Not to mention the KissingCousins deal, where nobody bats an eyelid to the idea of Rose marrying any of her male paternal cousins. in fact, it's heavily encouraged by aunts and uncles.

* WorldOfWoobie

** Not to mention the KissingCousins deal, where nobody bats an eyelid to the idea of Rose marrying any of her male maternal cousins. in fact, it's heavily encouraged by aunts and uncles.

* FairForItsDay: Alec bans corsets and patent medicines, encourages Rose to get fresh air and exercise, teaches her human biology and shows her how to manage her own accounts. Phebe grows up to earn her own living as a choir singer [[spoiler:(even though she does give it up to marry Archie, though to be fair she freely chooses to do so ''and'' there's the fact that she finally has a familty of her own, what with having been an orphan)]] and is treated as an equal by Rose, Alec and the boys (if not the aunts). By 19th-century standards, that's quite modern.

* ValuesDissonance: Fun See, nicknamed Mr. Tokio (YouFailGeographyForever), is described as a walking FuManchu cliché, and Rose herself refers to him as "a heathen Chinese".

* FairForItsDay: Alec bans corsets and patent medicines, encourages Rose to get fresh air and exercise, teaches her human biology and shows her how to manage her own accounts. Phebe grows up to earn her own living as a choir singer [[spoiler:(even though she does give it up to marry Archie, though to be fair she freely chooses to do so)]] and is treated as an equal by Rose, Alec and the boys (if not the aunts). By 19th-century standards, that's quite modern.

* FairForItsDay: Alec bans corsets and patent medicines, encourages Rose to get fresh air and exercise, teaches her human biology and shows her how to manage her own accounts. Phebe grows up to earn her own living as a choir singer [[spoiler:(even though she does give it up to marry Archie)]] and is treated as an equal by Rose, Alec and the boys (if not the aunts). By 19th-century standards, that's quite modern.

* ValuesDissonance: Fun See, nicknamed Mr. Tokio (YouFailGeographyForever), described as a walking FuManchu cliché, and Rose herself refers to him as "a heathen Chinee".