Reviews with content warning for Suicide - The Custom of the Country

Reviews tagging 'Suicide'

The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton

12 reviews

edwardian_girl_next_door's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.25

One of THE most devastating books I have read in a long time. Set in the 1910s, The Custom of the Country follows the rise of the vain, materialistic, unscrupulous, and ambitious Undine Spragg through New York society. We follow the wide swath of destruction cut by Undine on her mission for glory. The character development of the primary and secondary characters was fantastic; even the background characters were fully worked out and gave an air of cohesiveness to the story. You get the impression that Wharton enjoyed putting witty stereotypes of New York elite into such a book! As another reviewer said, they hated this book in the best way possible, and I can't help but agree. Absolutely brutal and exquisitely tragic; would read again.

Not included in content warning options but worth noting: divorce, child custody battle, child neglect

Content Warnings

toffishay's review against another edition

Go to review page

funny medium-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

4.25

Undine is a terrible person...and I just kept turning the page to see what nonsense she'd get into and out of next! As always with Edith Wharton the writing is great. Some of Undine's motivations are stated explicitly when they could have been left at subtext. But I don't see that as a weakness and, if anything, it mirrors Undine's loud character. She's unabashed in what she wants and will stop at nothing to get it. It was a really funny book too and the satire is spot on. There were a few occasions where I chuckled out loud!

What makes this so good is that Undine is simple in her desires, but not made totally one-dimensional. You understand what lies beneath and we see the motivation of her actions even when Undine doesn't let herself feel them. And there are some very sad moments that I won't spoil here, but that add weight to Undine's decisions. This is her life that she's treating like a game and other people are left holding the cards.

Content Warnings

ehmannky's review against another edition

Go to review page

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.

Content Warnings

atamano's review against another edition

Go to review page

reflective slow-paced

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

4.25

Content Warnings

kathryn_saulinas's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous funny fast-paced

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

5.0

Content Warnings

emma_reading_love's review against another edition

Go to review page

challenging funny reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

“What is Undine going to do next?” That’s the question that kept me reading this page-turner. I’ve never read a book by Wharton, and wow, this one was amazing. It was a fast-paced social critique that kept getting more compelling as it went along. Sometimes books about NYC social climbers tend to feel too gossipy or shallow for me. Instead, this story has occupied my thoughts, and I’m already planning a re-read in the future. I’m reading this along with the Novel Pairings Podcast’s “Wharton in Winter”, and I’m excited for the continuing study and social connection around these characters.

Content Warnings