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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
I loved the character of Lily Bart, even though she certainly got frustrating sometimes. She knew she wanted a life of luxury to truly be happy yet she didn't want to just marry a man for money. She had the opportunity a few times but could never quite go through with it. She hung on the fringes of high society and sometimes took the brunt for her friends. Yet even though she had the haughty attitude, she always stayed classy. She never wronged people the way they had wronged her and in the end she could never sell herself for material wealth. While I was somewhat unsatisfied by the ending, I still liked the book. I don't regret reading it at all and I think I would still recommend it to others.
Wharton writes well. My wife despises Wharton after high school experiences with _Ethan Frome_, so I was pleasantly surprised. I am also currently reading _Ragtime_ which is nearly the same era generation, and the differences between these two books is vast as the cultural differences between Wharton elite class and the working class grunts. Nevertheless, this still gives a unique perspective, and the phrasing, diction and descriptions are well done.
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
No matter how many times I read it, I'm always hoping that Lily will choose change over death. That's how good Edith Wharton is: I know perfectly well how it ends, but I'm still hoping.
challenging
dark
medium-paced
I did an in-depth analysis of the character of Lily Bart over on Booktube!
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
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
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
Oh, Jesus - what a stunning novel. I'm torn between this and the Age of Innocence as my favourite Wharton novel, but The House of Mirth is incredible. The way Wharton writes about the sheer brutality of New York society is incredibly poignant, and the most heartbreaking part is that Lily Bart suffers because she isn't ruthless enough. It's devastating.