The following is a list of fiction books which for some reason reminded me of a particular manga., whether it's due to the style of writing or the setting.

Louisa May Alcott : Eight Cousins

This one had always reminded me of Candy Candy by Igarashi Yumiko, due to some parallel in both the manga and the novel.

The heroine of this novel is Rose, a rather sickly and morose child who was sent to stay with her family at Aunt Hill (named so, due to the fact that the area is literally filled with aunts from this family). Living in the area are also her eight male cousins, who were of the same age as Rose. Under her Uncle Alec's care and with the attention of her cousins, Rose gradually bloomed.

The similarity within the novel and Candy Candy is mostly due to the presence of her cousins, some of them having traits which is quite similar to Archie, Anthony and Alistair. The fact that the family is quite wealthy as well as being of Scottish descent also features quite prominently in both storyline. Both the manga and the novel is a classic for the same reason, they transcend age as well as time.