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alexisreading23 's review for:
The House of Mirth
by Edith Wharton
Edith Wharton's pen is as observant as her eye must have been, and is as always, eloquent in its crafting and criticism of New York high society in the late nineteenth-century. Our heroine is Lily Bart, a beautiful and charming heiress with all the grace of a society darling and none of the inheritance. As Lily turns 29, she is faced with the looming threat of time as opportunities to marry and secure a safe future for herself pass her by, one by one.
Described as such, it would be easy to imagine that Lily might be an exasperating protagonist at times: both perfect and eternally committed to dismissing the chances that life floats her away. However, that is not the case. As the novel progressed, I grew to admire and respect Lily's integrity and I felt very deeply for her predicament. Wharton brilliantly portrays the hypocrisy and shallowness of her social milieu and the unspoken, rigid rules that women must live by or else sacrifice their acceptance into the inner sanctum of social respectability. As Lily's degradation grew more intense, I was all the more indignant at the actions of others as well as the misfortune of her circumstances. This was a wonderful read, Wharton at her best, and I'm very glad I picked it up.
Described as such, it would be easy to imagine that Lily might be an exasperating protagonist at times: both perfect and eternally committed to dismissing the chances that life floats her away. However, that is not the case. As the novel progressed, I grew to admire and respect Lily's integrity and I felt very deeply for her predicament. Wharton brilliantly portrays the hypocrisy and shallowness of her social milieu and the unspoken, rigid rules that women must live by or else sacrifice their acceptance into the inner sanctum of social respectability. As Lily's degradation grew more intense, I was all the more indignant at the actions of others as well as the misfortune of her circumstances. This was a wonderful read, Wharton at her best, and I'm very glad I picked it up.