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A review by d_iris
Fidelity by Susan Glaspell
5.0
200th review! Thank the Goddess I enjoyed the read.
I loved it. I cannot believe that this book isn't peddled about more as a classic or as "feminine studies" or the like. I thought that it was well written, if a little repetitive; I thought that the characters were well constructed even when boorish, misinformed and malevolent. I think Glaspell knew the story she wanted to tell and I think she told it incredibly well.
For me the lesson wasn't about romantic love at all, or the way society treats women who don't fall into step; it was more about the experience of watching a world and morphing it into the one you want to live in. It was about fickle truths and faiths that hold people together.
I loved Dean for his steadfast friendship that didn't cost anything. I loved Mrs. Williams for her stoic determination that she eventually understood was a hindrance. I loved Ted for his innocence, and Ruth for her simplicity. I hated the town for being so shallow and cruel. I loved Annie for embracing the future. I saw a lot of myself in a lot of the characters, because no character was 100% right or wrong. They each stood by what they believed to be the right thing. Whether what was right was everything or nothing, the characters felt that they had to choose one way or the other. It cost some characters more than others, but the price was the same. What you're willing to sacrifice for a world and a life that either means everything or nothing to you is entirely up to you to decide.
I loved the ending, and the life Ruth chose. I loved how she succeeded even when others only saw her as a failure. A relationship doesn't have to last a lifetime or forever to make is a success or worth having. If love is infinite, why limit it to one person or thing or way of life? The ending felt triumphant even if, outwardly, very little was accomplished.
I think this story is fantastic. 5/5
I loved it. I cannot believe that this book isn't peddled about more as a classic or as "feminine studies" or the like. I thought that it was well written, if a little repetitive; I thought that the characters were well constructed even when boorish, misinformed and malevolent. I think Glaspell knew the story she wanted to tell and I think she told it incredibly well.
For me the lesson wasn't about romantic love at all, or the way society treats women who don't fall into step; it was more about the experience of watching a world and morphing it into the one you want to live in. It was about fickle truths and faiths that hold people together.
I loved Dean for his steadfast friendship that didn't cost anything. I loved Mrs. Williams for her stoic determination that she eventually understood was a hindrance. I loved Ted for his innocence, and Ruth for her simplicity. I hated the town for being so shallow and cruel. I loved Annie for embracing the future. I saw a lot of myself in a lot of the characters, because no character was 100% right or wrong. They each stood by what they believed to be the right thing. Whether what was right was everything or nothing, the characters felt that they had to choose one way or the other. It cost some characters more than others, but the price was the same. What you're willing to sacrifice for a world and a life that either means everything or nothing to you is entirely up to you to decide.
I loved the ending, and the life Ruth chose. I loved how she succeeded even when others only saw her as a failure. A relationship doesn't have to last a lifetime or forever to make is a success or worth having. If love is infinite, why limit it to one person or thing or way of life? The ending felt triumphant even if, outwardly, very little was accomplished.
I think this story is fantastic. 5/5