Comments on: The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

By: How Far is the Ocean from Here, Amy Shearn | Words To Mouth

How Far is the Ocean from Here, Amy Shearn | Words To Mouth — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 02:50:42 +0000

[...] The House of Mirth, Edith Wharton ~ “It is so wonderful. If you just want to spend a weekend at home weeping, I highly recommend it,” says Amy. [...]

By: Rebecca Reid

Rebecca Reid — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:27:24 +0000

Amanda, lol! definitely the sinus infection! This would be an interesting one for a book club.

By: Amanda

Amanda — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 02:39:05 +0000

Oddly enough, I didn’t catch the “playing cards” symbolism until I went back and re-read your review just now! I blame my complete ignorance on the sinus infection, haha. But seriously, that’s a really good parallel and theme that goes through there, I’ll definitely have to bring it up when we meet on the 11th.

By: Rebecca Reid

Rebecca Reid — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 04:58:11 +0000

Eva, Yes, I thought she was pretty foolish, but I felt kind of torn. I haven’t read Vanity Fair, must do so….

By: Eva

Eva — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 13:48:03 +0000

I read this maybe four years ago, but I remember thinking she was a fool. Her materialism didn’t really bother me, but I read Vanity Fair around the same time, so compared to Becky Sharp Lily was an angel, lol.

By: Rebecca Reid

Rebecca Reid — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 23:29:10 +0000

@Chain Reader: I was torn between thinking Lily was stuck in her circumstance and thinking she should just stop being greedy and settle for shabbiness, as had Gerty Farrish. Did you think Gerty Farrish was similar to Lily, or was she a different social class? I guess I have a hard time understanding the repression of the time because “social class,” especially for single woman, isn’t the same anymore.

I agree that it was just wonderful characterization! I loved that!

By: Chain Reader

Chain Reader — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 04:52:11 +0000

Great review! I love the satire of the title.
I very much felt that Lily was a victim of her circumstances and that if she had been brought up in a different time or place, she would have been an intelligent, productive member of society. Her choices were so limited, that I think she couldn’t help but make stupid ones–she was trapped.

By: Rebecca Reid

Rebecca Reid — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 20:47:49 +0000

@Becca: I like Age of Innocence so much better for the societal constraints, though. This one was more a balance between society’s constraints and Lily’s own foolish choices. At any rate, that sounds like an interesting thesis. I’ll bet reading the novel so many years after such intense study would be interesting.
@Literate Housewife: I don’t usually read other reviews of books I’m about to review, but I did and saw the Bible verse. I hadn’t realized Wharton had taken her title from it, but I’m sure now she had!
@Chris: yes, Lily was so dumb most of the time. If you love Wharton’s writing, I’d say give Age of Innocence a try. I loved that one and thought it was more beautiful than depressing….
@Amanda: I guess I can see how the prose would be difficult, but at the same time, it’s not that bad. I wouldn’t say this is the best Wharton novel, though. But I’d be really interested in a group discussion about it. I hope the reading goes well for you!
@Diana: thanks for the recommendation.

By: Diana Raab

Diana Raab — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 19:05:04 +0000

Hi Rebecca,

Great book and great review.
I think you might also be interested in my memoir, “Regina’s Closet: Finding My Grandmother’s Secret Journal,” which just won the 2008 Indie Award for Excellence in Memoir.

It is a quick read and also highly recommended for book clubs as there is a Reader’s Guide available on-line.

Cheers,
Diana
http://www.dianaraab.com

By: Amanda

Amanda — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 02:47:02 +0000

Hi Rebecca - I haven’t read this one yet but my classic lit book club is going to be reading this for our October selection. Honestly, I can’t say I’m looking forward to it. I can’t remember if we read Edith Wharton or just watched movies based on her books in high school, but I remember being very bored either way. The prose is supposed to be tough in this one, and it’s in a time period that I don’t often enjoy, so I’m leery but definitely willing to give it a try. i was really leery of Grapes of Wrath as well, and it turned out to be one of the best books I’ve ever read. So you never know, right? In the next couple months I should have my own review out for this one.
-Amanda

By: Chris

Chris — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 01:13:59 +0000

While I sometimes felt sorry for Lily, I felt she made dumb decisions constantly. She also had a terrible sense of timing. I reviewed this one just last year. Not a happy book but I loved Wharton’s writing.

By: Literate Housewife

Literate Housewife — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 00:09:56 +0000

I haven’t read the book, but I’ve seen the movie. Gillian Anderson sold me on it, but it was far from mirthful, too. I haven’t picked up the book mainly for that reason. It sounds like I’ve made the right choice. Great review. Like Becca said, I think you captured the essence of the novel. I really enjoyed your discussion about that Bible verse.

By: Becca

Becca — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 22:55:10 +0000

You’ve written an excellent review of this novel, which I read and studied rather extensively for my college senior thesis. The thesis was based on looking at women’s role in the history of American society as portrayed in American literaure. Since I was writing it in the late early 1980’s it was weighted on the side of feminism, and so I came down quite heavily on the societal limits to women’s freedom. I should go back and re-read this book again, with the perspecitve of 25 years, and see if my views have changed.