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bibliotequeish's review against another edition
3.0
Stephen Glennard sells his private letters from his former lover (who died a famous writer) to a publisher to fund his marriage. He then feels the ramifications of his actions when his now wife finds out about his betrayal towards a woman who once loved him.
A fast read about betrayal and forgiveness.
kaileycool's review against another edition
5.0
Raised more questions than it answered, which is the best thing a book can do. Most notably for me, Wharton raises my favorite question asked by female writers of her period: is it better to realize our greatest desires or is true joy only possible outside of the move toward fulfillment? It brings to mind the dilemma at the background of most of Kate Chopin's work - the irreconcilable natures of the "life that is within and the life that is without."
ricefun's review against another edition
4.0
In my quest to immerse myself in Wharton in 2013, I was lucky to choose to read her earliest novel first in my marathon of Wharton works. I can see some of the literary stretching and testing that later turns into to Wharton's brilliantly full-bodied characters and stories. I was surprised to learn in the Epilogue of the copy I own that the story became shockingly autobiographical, because Wharton's only lover saved and sold for petty profit the letters she wrote to him. A sorry character, he did give contemporary readers the gift of having the opportunity to peer into Wharton's private thoughts.
boose's review against another edition
4.0
bunun wharton'ın ilk novellası olduğuna inanamadım, o kadar başarılı yazılmış ki. kankası henry james'in hikayelerindeki yazarların sırlarını ortaya çıkarmasından hoşlanmış diye yorumladımmmm
elizafiedler's review against another edition
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
colettieb's review against another edition
4.0
Edith Wharton books go. down. smooth. Especially this one, partly because it was so short. Granted, I didn't like Ethan Frome, but anything she's written about morally bankrupt rich people in New York City? I'm IN. And I'm ready for PRETTY DRESSES and COMMUTER TRAINS and UNHAPPY MARRIAGES.
elliegail's review against another edition
3.0
This feels like the sort of book I'm going to have to read a second time to truly appreciate. I love Wharton's style of writing- I just wish there had been more of it! I wanted there to be more development of the plot and characters. Her writing style is so rich and vivid, it felt a bit jarring, almost as if I was jumping around a lot, between scenes.
missapples's review against another edition
5.0
The nature of the conflict and the way the main characters acted upon it, seemed completely archaic to me, a contemporary reader, but Wharton managed to keep the story interesting. Her observations of a human character are acute and though her prose is dense, it runs smoothly. I especially enjoy her descriptions of everyday life. The Gilded Age novels written today can never capture all details in full, since the authors live in a completely different world. Wharton knows her world. Take a ride in a hansom (the 19th century version of a taxi) for example: if you lifted the lid, the cabby automatically assumed you had something to tell him and slowed down in order to hear you. Details like that make Wharton's novels a real treasure for anyone interested in this period.
manorclassics's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I wasn't sure what to make of this one. It probably wasn't the best place to start with Edith Wharton but I did like her writing style, which put me a bit in mind of Henry James. The storyline was interesting and I enjoyed reading about Glennard's struggles. Overall just ok but I will definitely try some more Wharton in the future.
More from me at my blog https://grantleighmanorlibrary.wordpress.com/
More from me at my blog https://grantleighmanorlibrary.wordpress.com/
xenxenwithlove's review against another edition
4.0
The end seemed to come from left field, but otherwise, I loved it.