2.32k reviews for:

Ethan Frome

Edith Wharton

3.31 AVERAGE

akvegida's review against another edition

2.0

dark 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

hlipka's review against another edition

5.0

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Edith Wharton's tragic story captured my attention and I adored her use of poetic prose. This twisted fairy tale winds down several disturbing roads and haunting flashbacks. The wrenching ending completes the story very realistically even though we all want the fairy tale ending.

roaderrrrrr's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Very dense prose. I don’t know what I was expecting with that though. I really like the intro and how the story circles back to the present. I really like the ultimate tragedy of the story and how it seems to be cathartic. It makes the story feel relatable even if I’m reading this over a century after the original story was published.

irwinfinkle's review against another edition

5.0

emotional hopeful reflective relaxing sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

covublitz's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt

Moderate: Infidelity

Minor: Emotional abuse

rileykmac's review against another edition

3.0

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Middest of mid

fictional_ramblings's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

emmaj_xo's review against another edition

3.0

emotional sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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Undeniably beautifully written and this Librivox recording was beautifully read. The cold, snowy landscapes made this a fitting seasonal read. Whilst the story was bleak I personally found it very difficult to care at all for the protagonist. I’m not unable to empathise with flawed characters who make the wrong choices, but unfortunately Wharton didn’t make it work for me here. A shame, as I’d really enjoyed another novella of hers last year. 

v_de_quimper's review against another edition

4.5

dark sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Diverse cast of characters: No

innatejames's review against another edition

3.0

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Illicit love blooms after a couple brings the wife's cousin to live with them and help out with work.