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blusocket's review against another edition
I enjoyed the short stories more than Ethan Frome itself; the story of a man stymied by class barriers and a manipulative, miserable wife who pursues a romance with his wife's younger relative (who is economically dependent on their family!) just doesn't work well for me as a tragic romance. Wharton's portraits of the tragedy and absurdity of the middle and upper classes were much more compelling.
blulady's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
julialou's review against another edition
5.0
The five stars are for “The Touchstone” and “Xingu,” some of my new favorite short stories. The others I would give 3s and 4s.
olivehead's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-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
3.25
margaret21's review against another edition
4.0
Ethan Frome, a poor New England farmer lives with his austere, sickly, hypochondriac wife and their help, his wife's cousin, Mattie. Every day is a struggle. Ethan becomes obsessed with this young woman, and the story explores his story to its dreadful conclusion. The landscape, Ethan's longings and despair, his bitter isolation are all explored in a book which, despite its bleakness, is hard to put down.
amberzieg's review against another edition
4.0
Sadness. The ultimate feeling I have upon leaving behind Ethan Frome is one of infinite sadness. Sadness for people stuck - stuck in poverty, stuck in relationships that lack even friendliness, let alone love, stuck in a life they can never leave behind. To watch the transformation of Ethan and Mattie from people filled with such passion to people so broken and alone filled me with such an ache.
That's the kind of story Ethan Frome is - one that leaves me aching. Aching with sadness for happiness lost, aching with gratitude and love for my own life (and love), aching to grab those near to me and shower them with affection simply because we are all here together.
It is a story full of starkness. Stark imagery of a stark landscape, stark people stuck in a place of dark and harrowing winter. But there's a sort of stark beauty, as well, in people that go on living.
That's the kind of story Ethan Frome is - one that leaves me aching. Aching with sadness for happiness lost, aching with gratitude and love for my own life (and love), aching to grab those near to me and shower them with affection simply because we are all here together.
It is a story full of starkness. Stark imagery of a stark landscape, stark people stuck in a place of dark and harrowing winter. But there's a sort of stark beauty, as well, in people that go on living.
bookcloudgazer's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
annelives's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 /5 stars
If you like reading depressing stories about terrible people, then Ethan Frome is the story for you.
If you like reading depressing stories about terrible people, then Ethan Frome is the story for you.
occultmemorysystem's review against another edition
4.0
Another Edith Wharton novel, another entry in my "This made me want to shoot myself (in a good way)" diary! Honestly, Ethan Frome itself is my least favorite thing I've read by her, but the short stories "The Pretext" and "Xingu" are so fantastic, and in such different ways. I was devastated and heartbroken by "The Pretext"; I giggled all the way through "Xingu", and completely cracked up at one point. I liked the other stories in this edition also, and as for Ethan Frome itself: to say it's my least favorite Edith Wharton is like saying it's my least favorite flavor of ice cream. It's still delicious.