A review by ehmannky
The Custom of the Country by Cynthia Griffin Wolff, Edith Wharton

challenging funny reflective 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

4.5

Undine has such "god forbid women do anything" energy, and it's enough to draw you into her petty dramas despite the fact she is the worst protagonist I've ever read a book about. All of Wharton's best books are when she's writing about the hypocrisies of the wealthy, New York-based society she lived in, and this book is no exception. You follow Undine, who has the brains and drive to thrive in the world of business but is condemned by her gender to frivolity and marriage, as she flits from husband to husband all in a desire to fill in a very distinctly American form of greed and desire for novelty. She's insensitive, she's shallow, she's greedy, and she lacks any feeling of true empathy, and she's such a compelling figure. 
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