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3.31 AVERAGE
3.31 AVERAGE
Completely depressing. I wish I could have washed my brain with bullet when I was finished with it.
My Recommendation: This was definitely worth a re-read all these years later. The fact that it's a fairly short novel without relatively simple prose makes it an easy and digestible read. I'm sure it can be read on so many different levels and I'd be interested in a comparison of Zenobia Frome to Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights, but that'll have to be for another day. I will say that I preferred The Age of Innocence slightly more than this, but I'm still interested in reading more of Wharton's work.
My Response: Similar to my reading of The Age of Innocence two years ago, I was pleasantly surprised by my reading of this. I read it in high school, but of course was not impressed and definitely didn't enjoy it, but now almost 20 years later, I get it. I'm going to keep slowly working through all the books I read in high school.
Not only was I able to appreciate the beautiful prose and stark setting thanks to living in Massachusetts now, I was also able to make connections from this to Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights, a connection I made last time I read Wharton too! The biggest parallel of the two works was the structure of the novel, a visiting traveler/worker has an interaction of some type with the protagonists and then gets the rest of the story from the locals. It's all third party he said she said with some basic observations, and it works.
Continue reading on my book blog at geoffwhaley.com.
My Response: Similar to my reading of The Age of Innocence two years ago, I was pleasantly surprised by my reading of this. I read it in high school, but of course was not impressed and definitely didn't enjoy it, but now almost 20 years later, I get it. I'm going to keep slowly working through all the books I read in high school.
Not only was I able to appreciate the beautiful prose and stark setting thanks to living in Massachusetts now, I was also able to make connections from this to Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights, a connection I made last time I read Wharton too! The biggest parallel of the two works was the structure of the novel, a visiting traveler/worker has an interaction of some type with the protagonists and then gets the rest of the story from the locals. It's all third party he said she said with some basic observations, and it works.
Continue reading on my book blog at geoffwhaley.com.
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
can't pass up a short classic!
the theme of this book seems to be "old-timey life is depressing," and i can't argue with that. if i had to go my whole life without knowing the concept of a hot shower or an insomnia cookies franchise, i'd be upset too.
generally this is a little saccharine, but it does a good job of presenting how impossible it can be to be happy and poor. even if it does feel like the lit equivalent of an afterschool special in doing it.
bottom line: feels like assigned reading! which i, a dork, don't hate.
the theme of this book seems to be "old-timey life is depressing," and i can't argue with that. if i had to go my whole life without knowing the concept of a hot shower or an insomnia cookies franchise, i'd be upset too.
generally this is a little saccharine, but it does a good job of presenting how impossible it can be to be happy and poor. even if it does feel like the lit equivalent of an afterschool special in doing it.
bottom line: feels like assigned reading! which i, a dork, don't hate.
emotional
sad
slow-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
Man is horny, hates women, and makes poor choices. Suffers consequences and drags women down with him. The end.
This book was incredible in terms of how bleak it managed to be. The story is fascinating despite how many times we've seen it before, but what's different is the ending. I don't want to spoil it for those who haven't read this book yet, but it's pretty surprising. Could've done without making Zeena totally intolerable since I think the one point she was shown with some humanity was when she cried over the pickle dish. Overall, I recommend it.
Simple plot, great prose! Ethan Frome is a little depressing (understatement of the year), but not enough to be truly heartbreaking. The conflict and tensions of the novel aren't new in any way, and only the beginning and end are real causes of intrigue, but the entirety of the middle (it was a slow-paced, sometimes gruelling middle) was written well to inevitably lead to a vivid imagery.
I'm not sure how I really feel about it, and I'm forcing myself not to be too cerebral and force an interpretation. Right now, immediately after reading it, I feel quite satisfied, entertained, a little sad, but also a bit detached from the book and its characters. The weird part, though, is that I will probably remember the final scenes of the novel for a while and it's not an image I am comfortable ingraining into memory (read: depressing).
I'm not sure how I really feel about it, and I'm forcing myself not to be too cerebral and force an interpretation. Right now, immediately after reading it, I feel quite satisfied, entertained, a little sad, but also a bit detached from the book and its characters. The weird part, though, is that I will probably remember the final scenes of the novel for a while and it's not an image I am comfortable ingraining into memory (read: depressing).
An entertaining novel despite the relentless pessimism and gloom that are so accurately presented. I did not enjoy the framing narrative and felt that this detracted from the impact of the main story.