Reviews

Lonelier and more melancholic than I was anticipating or hoping for. Not at all bad but also definitely has the feel of a book I'd pick apart in Nat 5 English and have a lifelong hatred for afterwards.

historic_chronicles's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

"She had always thought of love as something confused and furtive, and he made it as bright and open as the summer air."

Charity Royall has often felt her past looming over her like a dark shadow, reminding her of her humble and unfavorable beginnings before the Royall family accepted her into their home. Despite this, the proud and naïve Charity yearns for more outside of the peaceful town of North Dormer.

When the ambitious and highly educated Lucius Harnley arrives from the city, a passionate awakening takes over Charity as the summer erupts into romance, heartbreak and betrayal.

Edith Wharton is a favoured author of mine, for that while her work was written over a hundred years ago in most cases, her intense understanding of emotion and the realism in which her characters narrate, still ring true to this day.

This novel is daring, complex, with Wharton skillfully capturing the psyche of the female mind. Vulnerable and thought-provoking, the delicate story of Charity Royall was a perfect companion for me in these final days of summer.