Reviews - The House of Mirth

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1.86k reviews for:

The first time I read this book, I was very impressed by Edith Wharton and the awful pictures she paints of Lily Bart's life. This time, since I already knew what was going to happen, all I kept thinking was how mad I was at Lily Bart. I kept telling her, SUCK IT UP, WOMAN. CAN'T YOU SEE WHERE THIS IS GOING? She didn't listen to me.

[First read April, 2007]

reflexandresolve's review against another edition

4.0

reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

cttins's review against another edition

4.0

challenging emotional funny sad slow-paced

kstango's review against another edition

4.0

Took me way too long but i finally finished it! The unfortunate combination of school starting up and work and extracurriculars, plus the fact that the book is a bit older and the language more dense made it difficult for me to finish it in the time i wanted. However, that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it. I think Lily Bart is such a fascinating character, and I love what Edith Wharton was able to do that allowed me to see her in such an honest light. The book clearly shows its age, not only in its language, but in its portrayal of society at large, but that’s what makes it such a classic. I am really glad I read this book and challenged myself, because since i read Age of Innocence in high school i thought I’d never read Edith Wharton again. I am glad I went into it with no idea of the plot; I could see the ending coming and had to force myself to keep reading once I knew what would happen. However, I think that slowly creeping sense of dread is exactly the intention, and this work truly shows the hypocrisy and inexcusable behavior of the upper class. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who can accustom themself to the slightly archaic language, or anyone who is interested in reading about a female character that doesn’t fit the typical mold.