Imagine living in a world where life is governed by intricate rituals; a world "balanced so precariously that its harmony [can] be shattered by a whisper" (Wharton); a world ruled by self-declared experts on form, propriety and family history – read: scandal –; where everything is labeled and yet, p...
other than the fact that i'd much rather read stories about the under-privileged than the over-privileged, i enjoyed this read. it was far more accessible than i expected, as well.
At times, I wanted to strangle Newland Archer for being so naive, so blind to what was happening around him. Especially from his sweet subservient fiancé. I really connected with Ellen and longed for her to have more scenes, rather than just hearing the rumors about her from various members of the ...
This beautifully-written classic tells the story of people trapped in the "eternal triangle of love". Edith Wharton skillfully details the lifestyle, customs and manners of upper-class New York society in the 1870s, in which every family seems to be related one way or another.Newland Archer, who is ...
Scandal and rebellion, or rather avoidance/denial of scandal and rebellion in snobbish New York society. Witty and perceptive; Wildean context and style.
“The immense accretion of flesh which had descended on her in middle life like a flood of lava on a doomed city had changed her from a plump active little woman with a neatly-turned foot and ankle into something as vast and august as a natural phenomenon.” Does writing get any finer than that? And ...
Another book for American lit part 2 ... the only book this semester that wasn't terrible! I loved the Martin Scorsese film version too -- visually spectacular.
Here is what I wrote in my journal at the time I read it: >>Once I started it, I plodded through it to the end. I had to read it in graduate school. I must say that I found the ending to be a poignant one. I initially resisted the novel because it appeared to be a "teacup tragedy." And the image of ...
Rating: 4.5* of fiveThe Book Report: Society marriages and mores of 1870s New York. Very beautifully constructed. Pusillanimous young lawyer marries frail, fainting flower with a rod of steel up her backside, falls in love with her cousin, and no one gets away happy.My Review: I've always said mixed...
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