The Age of Innocence in Bound Together

Aug 14, 2017 Chrissie rated it did not like it

Shelves: love, disliked, usa, audible-uk, hf, classics, 2017-read, returned

I am dumping this after listening to half. I cannot bear it another minute longer. My displeasure is with the book. I have no criticism whatsoever with how the audiobook was read. David Horovitch reads the audiobook very well.

Edith Wharton does accurately depict upper class NYC society of the 1870s. I will even go so far as to say her depiction is astute. We are delivered "The Gilded Age" in miniature. It was Mark Twain who coined the phrase in the 1920s saying that the last decades of the 19th I am dumping this after listening to half. I cannot bear it another minute longer. My displeasure is with the book. I have no criticism whatsoever with how the audiobook was read. David Horovitch reads the audiobook very well.

Edith Wharton does accurately depict upper class NYC society of the 1870s. I will even go so far as to say her depiction is astute. We are delivered "The Gilded Age" in miniature. It was Mark Twain who coined the phrase in the 1920s saying that the last decades of the 19th century had been a period that glittered on the surface but was corrupt underneath. And sad. Life is no longer to be lived joyously but restricted by senseless social mores. So, I am not criticizing Wharton's depiction, I am merely voicing my opinion that the book in its total accuracy is a book without zest. Love is without passion, boring and insipid.

Newland Archer is to marry Mary Welland. She is pretty and it is a perfect society match. Or is it? When you are head over heels in love do you need to convince yourself that what you are feeling is love? In comes Mary's cousin, Ellen Olenska, separated from her husband the bad Count Olenski. Do you hear my mocking tone? Good! The story is predictable from the start. On dumping the book, I (view spoiler)

If I am going to be given a love story I want passion.

At the start, I was hoping that Ellen´s scorn and disregard for convention might possibly save the story. No, she wasn’t enough. Wharton's message is for me only a veiled critique rather than an outright condemnation. Look at the title - Age of Innocence! The book was the author’s twelfth novel, written after the First World War when she was in her fifties. Wharton’s nostalgia, love of and for times past, robs the book of vigor.

In that I have given the two books I have read by Edith Wharton, this and Ethan Frome, both one star, ~~I will not be reading more by this author~~. I have gone on and read more. Summer I have given four stars, The House of Mirth three and her short story Xingu three too. ...more

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May 08, 2015 Irene rated it really liked it

I thoroughly enjoyed the mix of humor and social commentary, of respect for an old social order and openness to evolving norms, the historical setting and the lovely writing in this classic novel.

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Nov 23, 2011 Meera rated it really liked it

Shelves: classic, 1001, lifetime-reading-plan, hive2013

This is a novel that I’ve wanted to read for a long time. I thought I would like it, since I had liked House of Mirth, but what surprised me was that when I dedicated time to sit down and read it, I didn’t want to stop reading it. The world of Archer Newland and his ilk didn’t seem that remote to me. I’m looking forward to reading more Wharton books in the future. (view spoiler) ...more

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Dec 01, 2012 Bucket rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: classic, reviewed, culture, 1001-read-all-editions, literary, love, women, pulitzer-winners

Much of this novel reminded me of Pride and Prejudice. However, I like this so much better. Now, Wharton has the benefit of having written this more than 100 years later than Austen wrote Pride and Prejudice.

Wharton was also writing about a time period almost 50 years in her past, giving her the benefit of reflection and judgment - in other words, she could identify the absurdities and poke fun at them without being shocking. Austen also pokes fun at her minor characters, but the difference for ...more

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Sep 20, 2011 Ellen Librarian rated it liked it

I enjoyed this book quite a bit but I would have loved it if the characters
had felt more three dimensional rather than like stick figures there to demonstrate the author's social commentary. ...more

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