Ethan Frome | Litsy

pick

Ethan Frome is one of those books I‘ve been aware of for a long time without knowing anything about the story - I don‘t know what I was expecting from it, but it was nothing like what I got! A cold, bleak rural landscape, a claustrophobic poverty stricken household of 3 mismatched people and a desperation in each of them that leads to terrible consequences. It is beautifully written and deeply affecting.
#WhartonBuddyRead

Leftcoastzen Love your review! 1w

TrishB Great review 👍🏻 1w

Graywacke How lucky you were to have no expectations. 1w

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LeahBergen Great review! I loved this when I first read it and need to revisit it soon. 1w

Cathythoughts Great review! I hadn‘t read it before either .. very powerful book. 1w

batsy Yes, lovely review! And what @LeahBergen said—I want to reread it at some point because I found it quite affecting the first time. 1w

CarolynM @Leftcoastzen @TrishB Thank you😘😘 1w

CarolynM @Graywacke Yes, I think it had such an impact on me because I was so surprised by it. 1w

CarolynM @Cathythoughts Thank you😘 It was good to read it with you and the group. I enjoyed everyone‘s comments. 1w

CarolynM @LeahBergen @batsy Thank you😘😘 I think the surprise of it gave it extra impact for me, but I also think it would repay rereading. I‘ll be interested in what you both think if you do read it again. 1w

Amiable This is one of those books I‘ve been intending to read forever. 😬 4d

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Cathythoughts

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

pick

I loved this book. Ethan‘s presence took me in completely from the very beginning ..
‘ But when winter shut down on Starkfield, and the village lay under a sheet of snow perpetually renewed from the pale skies, I began to see what life there- or rather it‘s negation- must have been in Ethan Frome‘s young manhood.‘

The impact of this story is unforgettable. Crystal clear , brilliant writing.
#Whartonbuddyread

Megabooks I still remember this from high school. Just read a modern retelling.

The Smash-Up

Cathythoughts @Megabooks It‘s my first time reading it. I don‘t know if I‘m ready for a retelling , but I‘ll definitely have a look at your book 👍🏻❤️ 1w

LeahBergen Lovely review! I must revisit this book one day; it‘s an old favourite. 😊 1w

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Cathythoughts @LeahBergen Thanks! It‘s so good , I loved it. 1w

Tamra I love this classic tragedy. ❤️🥲 That cover is wonderful! 1w

Cathythoughts @Tamra I love the cover too. The three main characters are there ( and the fourth, the snowy winter cold ) 1w

CarolynM Lovely review❤️ 1w

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Graywacke

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

pick

This left my high school mind with a warped view of Wharton. Unwilling or unable to see the masterpiece, I came away with “droll”, and a sled. Starkville, MA is far away from the New York elite. And it‘s winter and there‘s no money - and these define Ethan‘s marriage and spoken words. And drive his impulsive pursuit of the dancing Mattie Silver. After a slow start, I got really into this sparse shadowy cold world. Great stuff. #whartonbuddyread

Lcsmcat

BarbaraBB I loved this one. 1w

Cathythoughts Great review. I loved this one too. 1w

Graywacke @BarbaraBB @Cathythoughts it‘s such a perfectly executed little thing. 1w

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Lcsmcat

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

(I thought I‘d start with a little levity, because that‘s all we‘re going to get.) Is this the anti-Romeo & Juliet, or at least Wharton‘s response to that romantic trope? An argument against the belief that suffering makes one noble? Or just a bleak view of human nature? I‘ll post some favorite quotes below. #whartonbuddyread

Lcsmcat @jewright @Louise @Sace @Suet624 @arubabookwoman @Currey @catebutler @Catherine_Willoughby @crazeedi @mdm139 @emilyhaldi @rubyslippersreads @KathyWheeler @llwheeler @CarolynM @Cathythoughts @BookishTrish @graywacke @leftcoastzen 1w

Lcsmcat “my heart tightened at the thought of the hard compulsions of the poor.” 1w

Lcsmcat “It‘s horrible for them all,” I murmured. 1w

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Lcsmcat “and the way they are now, I don‘t see‘s there‘s much difference between the Fromes up at the farm and the Fromes down in the graveyard; ‘cept that down there they‘re all quiet, and the women have got to hold their tongues.” 1w

Lcsmcat “She had taken everything else from him, and now she meant to take the one thing that made up for it all.” 1w

Currey Yep, great quotes. Even on the second reading it still packs a punch of utter despair. When I wrote my brief review upon my first reading I said: “he had no choices and still managed to make the wrong one” 1w

Lcsmcat @Currey Love that quote from your review! 1w

Currey @Lcsmcat and Wharton gives us a glimpse of what would have happened to our beautiful horse rider without euthanasia in The Fruit of the Tree…not only did the sleigh ride destroy all hope, but it destroyed all beauty, in mind as well as body. 1w

Lcsmcat @Currey Good point. One wonders how long she had been thinking about the subject. 1w

Graywacke @Currey The Fruit of the Tree had a a memorable sleigh ride too. A curious Wharton symbol for romance. 1w

Lcsmcat @Graywacke It makes me wonder if she was contemplating the scenario and then working it out with different variations. “What if they died? Didn‘t die? What if they were rich? Or poor?” Like she really needed/wanted to explore the idea of what makes life worth living, or not. I‘m not expressing myself very well. 1w

Graywacke Even though I did read some or all of this in high school, this was essentially a first read. Nothing was familiar. The first five chapters were so slow, I was surprised how intense this became. I got really into Ethan‘s various moves and Zeena‘s reactions. 1w

Graywacke @Lcsmcat hmm. Certainly there is a feeling of chance, the sled skating recklessly over the surface, taking fate where is may. But then I think Ethan was fully in control of the sled. 1w

Graywacke @Lcsmcat i love the comic, by the way. Was i the only one who found an element of humor in the ending? (I‘m not saying it wasn‘t moving. It certainly was for me.) 1w

Lcsmcat @Graywacke I think there was some dry New England humor in that last sentence. You can almost hear him chuckling to himself and shaking his head as he says it. 1w

jewright I just love this story even though it‘s so sad. Wharton just makes you feel and sympathize with all the characters. I hate Zeena, but I feel sorry for her too. And poor Ethan has just had the worst luck his whole life. My question after our last two reads is: Why is Wharton obsessed with spinal injuries?! 1w

Lcsmcat @jewright There is thought that EF was inspired by/based on a real coasting accident in Lenox in 1904, prior to the publication of either work. One girl died and others were wounded. It may have gotten her thinking. https://theberkshireedge.com/the-real-life-tragedy-that-might-have-inspired-edit... 1w

Graywacke @Lcsmcat Well the last line is brilliant. I was thinking how Zeena‘s hypochondria and Ethan‘s innocence are both unmasked, and how Zeena distracts him at the penultimate moment. Although I guess it‘s arguable that Ethan gets unmasked - it takes me some leaps to get there. Should I go there? 1w

Cathythoughts Just starting second half …. I‘m scared for what‘s coming ! 1w

Leftcoastzen I loved the writing, the quotes you picked are so good. 1w

Lcsmcat @Graywacke Zeena‘s face hovering before him made me picture some bad movie animation with a disembodied head floating in the air. 😂 1w

Cathythoughts @Lcsmcat Yes , and the rocking chair when Ethan and Mattie are alone that night. Zeena‘s haunting presence.. ‘as they sat thus he heard a sound behind him and turned his head. The cat had jumped from Zeena‘s chair….and as a result of the sudden movement the empty chair had set up a spectral rocking ‘ very scary (edited) 1w

Lcsmcat @Cathythoughts Ooh yes, very cinematic! I haven‘t watched any of the adaptations but I might have to now. 1w

Graywacke For what it‘s worth I loved this novella. I loved how Wharton created this stark Starkville, with few words, none reliable, with strong fallen personalities, all (starkly?) portrayed in black against the cold white snow and ice. 1w

Lcsmcat @Graywacke I did too. It‘s a stunning display of virtuoso prose, portraying a place and the internal lives of characters so well. 1w

arubabookwoman I don"t have much to add--all the comments are great. Definitely a devastating ending, and Ethan, Mattie and Zeena are imprisoned in Starkville for life. I think this is one of her more perfect novels. 1w

Leftcoastzen @Graywacke maybe the book should be renamed Starkville.😀 1w

CarolynM Love the cartoon😆 Well, I wasn‘t expecting that story at all. It‘s certainly an affecting piece of writing. I‘m astonished by how few words she needs to create so much atmosphere, in terms of both the stark, cold landscape and the claustrophobic household. While I felt for Ethan and even more for Mattie (did she really have feelings for Ethan, or was it just the bleakness of her immediate future?) I didn‘t understand Zeena at all. 1w

Graywacke @Leftcoastzen we should definitely rename it! Outer Starkville? 1w

Graywacke @arubabookwoman I agree it‘s about perfectly done. 1w

Graywacke @CarolynM I like how her few words mirrored the characters words. (I wonder - if we are watching EF make Mattie a Zeena, maybe Zeena once was a kind of Mattie too, before Ethan came along.) 1w

Lcsmcat @CarolynM I wondered the same about Ethan and his feelings for Mattie. It seemed to me that he reached out for whatever was close and comforting; first Zeena, then Mattie. (edited) 1w

Cathythoughts @CarolynM I wasn‘t expecting this story either .. what a piece of writing indeed. @arubabookwoman a devastating ending it was ! I‘m left with that feeling of impact Ethan and Mattie must have felt… physically and mentally and every possible way. @Lcsmcat your quote about the dead & graveyard sums it up for me .. this story goes beyond all feeling. 1w

Cathythoughts @Graywacke I loved this book too. Ethan‘s presence took me in completely from the very beginning.. ‘ I saw his face as it probably looked when he thought himself alone … he looks as if he were dead and in hell now‘. Then the poverty, the isolation, the cold snow … Brilliantly done, what great writing. 1w

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Lcsmcat

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

Well, we know this can‘t end well. 🙂 I‘m getting some Cather vibes from this one: a narrator we don‘t really get to know, the setting as a major character, the effect the climate/weather has on characters‘ personalities. Anyone else seeing that connection? And how do you feel about Ethan‘s behavior - justified because of Zeena‘s , unforgivable, or somewhere in between? #whartonbuddyread

Lcsmcat Some quotes I highlighted, this one about Ethan “I simply felt that he lived in a depth of moral isolation too remote for casual access” 2w

Lcsmcat “Zenobia, though doubtful of the girl‘s efficiency, was tempted by the freedom to find fault without much risk of losing her;” 2w

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Lcsmcat Zeena took the view that Mattie was bound to make the best of Starkfield since she hadn‘t any other place to go to; but this did not strike Ethan as conclusive. Zeena, at any rate, did not apply the principle in her own case. 2w

Lcsmcat He recalled his mother‘s growing taciturnity, and wondered if Zeena were also turning “queer.” Women did, he knew. Zeena, who had at her fingers‘ ends the pathological chart of the whole region, had cited many cases of the kind while she was nursing his mother; and he himself knew of certain lonely farm-houses in the neighbourhood where stricken creatures pined, and of others where sudden tragedy had come of their presence. 2w

Lcsmcat And finally Ethan, contemplating Mattie: “Now, in the warm lamplit room, with all its ancient implications of conformity and order, she seemed infinitely farther away from him and more unapproachable” 2w

Currey @Lcsmcat Loved the quote about Mattie making the best of Starkfield… Although I had read this previously what I remembered was the cold and of course, the ending. I had it in my head that the narrator was a woman, as it would be a woman who would be haunted by the face of a broken man. I was surprised to find it “an engineer”, who no doubt at the time was a man. 2w

Currey @Lcsmcat Ethan‘s behavior is completely above board in this section. He is well aware of not kissing her, not even touching her hand but clearly he is communicating longing and Mattie is hearing it. Wharton has made Ethan so sympathetic that it seems natural to think he deserves some happiness. However, we are also well aware that something is “not right” and that keeps seeping in with the cold 2w

Lcsmcat @Currey I like your phrase “seeping in with the cold.” Wharton is so skillful that, even though it was 80 plus degrees outside I was cold while reading it! 2w

Lcsmcat Interesting thought about thinking the narrator a woman. I had thought him a man, but also thought that a man would talk more about his own business than our narrator does. Maybe just showing my prejudice there! 2w

Graywacke @Currey @Lcsmcat it never occurred to me that the narrator might be a woman. I just assumed a man, but I have no idea why. 2w

Graywacke @Lcsmcat interesting about relating to Cather - who was little known in 1911. I felt the same at the beginning. The narrator set up and the tangible landscape. The tone felt Cather-ish and was not like other Wharton novels. But by the time I finished Ch 5 I no longer thought of Cather. Now it feels like my vague memories of Nathaniel Hawthorn. 2w

Lcsmcat @Graywacke I wasn‘t implying that Wharton was influenced by Cather, just that it gave off that vibe to me. And then, it went full Little House with the “queer” women bit. 😂 2w

Graywacke Overall I find it dense but in an interesting way. Every word has meaning. Since Ethan and the two woman don‘t say much, everything they do say conveys a world of possible stuff, much of it very dark and emotionally spare. And that seems to have drifted into the text itself. I keep thinking mainly about mostly silent Zeena vilified by Ethan. His version of her is haunting…and quietly dehumanizing. 2w

Graywacke @Lcsmcat 😂 … and I understood - overlapping vibes. 2w

Graywacke I‘m not sure I have much sympathy for Ethan. A little. But he‘s so manipulative in his few words. His backhanded flirting is creepy. And Mattie is trapped with this creep…although I‘m not sure how she feels about it. She, ya know, doesn‘t say. Maybe she‘s amused. 2w

Lcsmcat @Graywacke I‘m a bit creeped out by Ethan‘s behavior too. And I don‘t think that type of flirting is innocent. But Mattie seems to encourage him, whether because of her feelings or for some sort of gain. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 2w

arubabookwoman I read this in 10th grade English class and hated it, then finally reread it 15 or 20 years ago and I remember loving it. This time so far, I am not feeling it--maybe b/c so far we've just read the "set-up" so to speak. But Wharton's depiction of the chilly and isolating landscape is wonderful. 2w

llwheeler I'm not rereading this as I don't have time this month, but I read it a couple of years ago. I definitely remember the climate/environment having a huge impact on the story, reminded me of a lot of CanLit in that sense. 2w

arubabookwoman She is also masterful in depicting her characters. Ethan "looks as if he was dead and in hell!", with a look on his face which "neither poverty nor physical suffering could have put there." He seems part of "the mute melancholy landscape, an incarnation of frozen woe...." It was interesting that it was noted that perhaps Ethan would not have married Zenobia had his mother died in spring rather than winter. 2w

arubabookwoman And such a contrast between Zenobia and Mattie. "Zenobia's fault finding was of the silent kind, but not the less penetrating for that." Mattie with her cherry red ribbons, laughing eyes, using the best pickle dish that Zenobia always stored away in the cupboard and never used. 2w

Graywacke @arubabookwoman interesting. I find it out of tune with the Wharton novels we have read. I wonder if that impacts your impression. It does mine. For what it‘s worth, at this point Wharton‘s marriage was essentially dead. She was having or would soon be having a secret and not so great affair. And she was relocating or had settled in France. I wonder if she just needed to be away from New York. 2w

Currey @Graywacke @Lcsmcat @arubabookwoman We definitely have the common Wharton theme of not being able to communicate verbally. Not being able to just “say it”, so as Graywacke points out all the little that is verbalized contains almost too much. 2w

Currey @graywacke @lcsmcat @arubabookwoman Also, why do I not feel much sympathy for Zeena who was a cheerful helpful woman before being stuck with Ethan and Starkfield and before getting ill. Intellectually I think I am but Wharton isn‘t helping me. What did others think/feel? 2w

arubabookwoman @Graywacke It is different than what we've read so far, not HF, not a "society" novel. But previously in my mind I had categorized it with other novels of hers involving country folk or working class people, and I in the past liked some of those more than her society novels. (Thinking of Summer). I'll be interested in whether this picks up for me in the 2nd half. As I said I placed this among my top Wharton reads when I read it last. 2w

arubabookwoman @Currey Agree that the lack of communication is at the forefront here, but at least so far it's failure to communicate, not miscommunication. I also feel no sympathy for Zenobia, and I think Wharton intends that. Such a negative character. Ethan was subject to the same environment, but retained his love of nature, humanity, maybe dreams, while Zenobia became a harpy. 2w

Graywacke @Currey I‘m think Zeena is a victim of a smear campaign driven by Ethan‘s repressed sexuality, and she is in too much pain to do anything about it. 🙂 2w

arubabookwoman @Lcsmcat Re the picture--Was there a film made of Ethan Frome? This is a good visual. B/c I was having a hard time visualizing Ethan putting his face in Mattie's sewing. 2w

Lcsmcat @arubabookwoman I pulled that off the internet and yes, it‘s from a film. I think there are multiple film versions, but I‘m not sure. 2w

Lcsmcat @Graywacke Z as the victim of a smear campaign is an interesting thought. But I think there‘s more to it than that. Like, she could be cheerful when she was busily taking care of someone, but losing that importance sends her into a funk. 2w

Leftcoastzen The weather is so much a character here , made me feel cold in a hot climate.Ethan is frustrated & frustrating no doubt. I remember noting that when he married Zeena it seemed like he settled for the obvious, & would he have made a different choice in a different season? I think a bit about if Zeena was/is depressed by the whole situation.most” medicines “ of the day where really alcohol,opium or other drugs , maybe she‘s more addicted than sick. (edited) 2w

Leftcoastzen I love how Wharton era reads are so filled with that repressed tension. Even though the characters are working class , they still feel the moral norms of the time & aspire to adhere to them . A touch or gesture means so much .. 2w

Lcsmcat @Leftcoastzen Good point! She‘s probably out of it most of the time! 2w

Cathythoughts Yes good point about Zeena being out of it on medicines , I hadn‘t thought of that. I‘m really enjoying this so far, I like Ethan, at least I‘m very curious about him and interested to see where this goes. The weather and the isolation play such a big part .. I can feel the cold as I read it. I‘m just at the part with Mattie and her red ribbon and the red jar is down from the shelf .. a wedding present .. I‘m hooked 2w

Leftcoastzen I found as well the sense of downward mobility, farming & the mill not meeting their needs . Even the family house is smaller now then when the family was more prosperous.Did I remember that right.?.🤔 2w

Louise Such great comments from all of you! I bought the book but didn‘t get to it. We have to move out by May 31st and are still looking for housing we can afford in this inflated market. Say a prayer for us, dear reader friends, that we find our way. May all be well. 💗 2w

Lcsmcat @Leftcoastzen Yes, the downward mobility has been a recurring theme. 2w

Lcsmcat @Louise I‘m so sorry. Sending all the good housing karma your way! 2w

Leftcoastzen @Louise sending you hopes to find reasonable & good housing ! Rents have gone crazy in many parts of the country,just insanity! A friend of mine had to move after being informed his new lease would increase his rent $800 a month , NOT affordable 2w

Leftcoastzen @Cathythoughts I liked the reference to the red ribbon & the red jar.My grandma had the habit of considering items too nice to use. 2w

Louise @Lcsmcat Thank you, Linda! Good housing karma is always welcome! 💗 2w

Louise @Leftcoastzen Thank you for your good wishes, Linda. Yes, it‘s crazy how the prices have skyrocketed. I hope your friend found something nice and also affordable. 🏡 2w

CarolynM Definite Cather vibes for me and very atmospheric. The cold and dark is a real presence. I‘m not feeling much sympathy either @Currey I‘d like to know more about how Ethan and Zeena have reached this point. Why did E decide Z would “lose her identity” in a city? If Z was already suffering before they were married (as suggested by the comment about how she learned her nursing skills) how & why did her demeanour change? Why no communication? 2w

CarolynM I‘m not getting much sense of who Ethan is yet. I‘m intrigued by your comments about him @arubabookwoman @Graywacke I hadn‘t thought about addiction either @Cathythoughts but your suggestion makes a lot of sense @Leftcoastzen I‘d still like to know how she got to this condition, though. 2w

CarolynM @Louise Hope you find a new home soon🤞🍀 2w

Graywacke @CarolynM me too… wondering how Zeena became this person we are seeing. @Louise wish you well with your housing search. 2w

Lcsmcat @CarolynM I wonder how much we‘ll find out about how Ethan and Zeena got to this point too. I remember the twist, but it‘s been so many years, uhm, decades, since I read it that I don‘t remember. 2w

Louise @carolynM @Graywacke Thank you both! 2w

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Leftcoastzen

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

Borrowed this copy of the novel from the library for the #whartonbuddyread my copy of the often referenced Wharton biography, I know there is a newer one about her by Hermione Lee .Lee‘s Biography of Virginia Woolf was excellent!

Lcsmcat

LeahBergen Lovely! I have a copy of this bio (yet to be read 🙄). 3w

Cathythoughts I had a sneak preview of Ethan Frome yesterday …. Very good ♥️👍🏻 looking forward to the buddy read. 3w

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Graywacke

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

This copy is the one I sullenly maybe read in high school (as a junior?). It has my handwriting, it‘s falling apart, but it‘s somehow still around, 30+ years later, patiently awaiting another visit. I‘ve started it for our #whartonbuddyread

Lcsmcat

Lcsmcat Cool! 3w

Leftcoastzen 🐶 3w

Cathythoughts Love your copy 👍🏻♥️ I started too ! 3w

Graywacke @Leftcoastzen she‘s a happy lazy pup. 3w

Graywacke @Cathythoughts @Lcsmcat I‘m ready for tomorrow now. A bit slow moving, every word has a purpose. 3w

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VioletMoonBooks

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

Perhaps the best-known and most popular of Edith Wharton's novels, Ethan Frome is widely considered her masterpiece. Set against a bleak New England background, the novel tells of Frome, his ailing wife Zeena and her companion Mattie Silver, superbly delineating the characters of each as they are drawn relentlessly into a deep-rooted domestic struggle.
#EthanFrome #EdithWharton #book #books #bookkeeper #Classics #Fiction #Literature #School 💘💘💘

Roary47 Oh man I remember loving this book. I should read it again soon it has been a while. 🥰 3w

jewright I absolutely love this book. I read it with a class last year, and they loved it too. 3w

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Lcsmcat

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

Reminder - we start Ethan Frome next Saturday. Let me know if you want to be added to or removed from the tag list. #whartonbuddyread @jewright @Louise @Sace @Suet624 @arubabookwoman @Currey @catebutler @Catherine_Willoughby @crazeedi @mdm139 @emilyhaldi @rubyslippersreads @KathyWheeler @llwheeler @CarolynM @Cathythoughts @BookishTrish @graywacke @leftcoastzen

CarolynM Thanks Linda. Looking forward to it🙂 3w

Cathythoughts Thanks ! I‘m going to try and read this one 👍🏻❤️ 3w

Currey @Lcsmcat I will be reading with you 3w

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Graywacke Looking forward to this. Thanks Linda. (And looks like i need to start thinking about the next book.) 3w

Graywacke I got really confused when, scanning through my edition, i saw chapter 11… until I figured out it was chapter II. 3w

Leftcoastzen Cool ! Thanks for including me! 3w

Lcsmcat @Graywacke 😂 I‘ve done that before! 3w

Leftcoastzen Question, my first time with the group, I‘m supposed to start reading the first part on Saturday or have read the first part by Saturday? 3w

Lcsmcat @Leftcoastzen Have read - although we‘re not draconian about it. 😀 This Saturday we will discuss the first half. But if you haven‘t finished it, you can chime in when you are finished. 3w

Leftcoastzen Thanks ! I‘m sure I can most likely get it read .😃 3w

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Lcsmcat

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

Our next #whartonbuddyread is Ethan Frome. We‘ll start after the upcoming holidays and, even though it‘s short, we‘ll break it into 2 sections.

llwheeler Sounds good! I've already read this one, so I don't think I'm going to reread, but I'm looking forward to the discussions! 2mo

Currey I have also read it but I am looking forward to reading it with all of Wharton‘s past themes in mind. 2mo

Lcsmcat @llwheeler I haven‘t read it since high school, so I‘m looking forward to a reread with older eyes. And, as @currey says, with Wharton‘s themes in mind. 2mo

Graywacke I think I sorta read it in high school, i mean I remember a sled. Looking forward to this! 2mo

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Kimbono

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

That‘s what I like to see…mask required. 😃

sprainedbrain 🙌🏼 😷 3mo

Kimbono @sprainedbrain All three bookstores I visited this week still require masks so I was like Please take all my money 🤣 3mo

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Mollyanna

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

pick

This was my first Edith Wharton book. What a writer! Even though this book had a sad, morose tone to it, I looked forward to picking it up because of the lyrical writing. There was a touch of suspense and Wharton did a wonderful job portraying the angst of the situation. I look forward to reading more of Wharton‘s works.

This was my #doublespin for February (I actually got one read in the appropriate month 😳)

TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 3mo

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VioletMoonBooks

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

Happy Birthday to Edith Wharton ✨🎂🎁🎈🎊🎉📚
#EdithWharton #EthanFrome #TheAgeOfInnocence #TheHouseOfMirth #TheCustomOfTheCountry #Summer #TheReef #book #books #bookvibe #bookvibes #bookvsfilm #bookvsmovie #bookbag #bookbags #bookbinding #bookbeau #bookblog #bookblogger #bookbackpack #bookbackpacks #booknerd #booknerds #booknerdsunite #booknerdy #booknook #booknation #nerd #nerds #nerdsunite #nerdy #bookmark #bookmarks #bookmarket #bookmarkets 💙

30 likes

rather_be_reading

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

Book 3

cant_i'm_booked Neat cover! 4mo

IMASLOWREADER loved this book by my favorite author (edited) 4mo

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sdbruening

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

pan

Other than a few well-written sentences, I did not enjoy that story or the characters. I‘m glad it was short. It just dragged, and I kept waiting for it to get interesting but even the “shocker” at the end didn‘t turn it around for me. Pretty dull.

wanderinglynn I had to read this in 9th grade English and absolutely hated it for the same reasons. I tried to read it again as an adult but couldn‘t get past the first page. I still hate it. 10mo

7 likes1 comment

sdbruening

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

🔥🏡

9 likes

sdbruening

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

Hmm, contemplative and a bit creepy

Johanna414 I read this last year and really liked it! 10mo

10 likes1 comment

VioletMoonBooks

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

I had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time it was a different story.
#EthanFromeAndOtherStories #EdithWharton #firstline #openingline #book #books #bookworld #bookword #bookworm #bookworms #bookwormlife #bookwormproblem #bookwormproblems #epicreads #bookend #bookends #bookending #bookendings #bookedit #bookedits #bookeditor #bookrecommendation #Classics #Fiction #Literature #School 🖤🖤🖤🖤

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Eggs

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

Austere: severe or strict in manner, attitude, or appearance.

Everything about this novel is austere: the setting, Ethan‘s wife Zeena, forbidden emotions, and despair.

#austere #springsentiments

jewright My students loved this story though. 13mo

Eggs Oh I did too! @jewright 13mo

63 likes2 comments

suvata

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

pick

I can‘t believe I haven‘t read this little gem of a classic before now. At only about 100 pages, you should pick it up when you have a few spare hours. Bonus: FREE from Kindle Unlimited

peanutnine I love this one! I wrote a paper on it in high school and it has stuck with me as one of my favorite classics 13mo

suvata @peanutnine It was a fantastic book 13mo

44 likes2 comments

MariettaSG

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

pick

Beautifully descriptive, symbolic and crafted tale of a poor farmer who spent his youth caring for his ailing parents, now 28 and caring for his ‘ailing‘ wife (7 years his senior) when her bright young niece comes to live them due to lack of family and at the same time help his wife. More than hope flickers, is fanned and flames resulting in an action which determines their combined fate. Quick to read and recommended text.

14 likes

MariettaSG

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

“He would have liked to stand there with her all night in the blackness.” This pretty much sums up the book, and I‘d say he got what he wanted.

8 likes

MariettaSG

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

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I was warned that this book was bleak and rightly so, nonetheless I really enjoyed it, particularly the ending. Responsibility, true responsibility is not for the faint hearted.

8 likes

readordierachel

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

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Well, that was fucking sad. Wharton could have titled it "Regret: A Study."

I loved it. 5 ⭐

batsy That sums up how I felt about it, too! This is the best succinct review :) ♥️ 2y

zezeki Love your review! 👌🏼 2y

Reggie Lol (edited) 2y

See All 15 Comments

UwannaPublishme 😁👍🏻 2y

LeahBergen 😂😂 Perfect review! And umm... the cover illustration! 😂 2y

readordierachel @batsy 😁😘 1y

readordierachel @zezeki Thanks! 1y

readordierachel @Reggie 🙃 1y

readordierachel @UwannaPublishme 😊😊 1y

readordierachel @LeahBergen It's so misleading! I was expecting a nice little roll in the snow! 1y

Blueberry I love your haircut in your profile pic. 1y

readordierachel @Blueberry Thank you! 😊 1y

Tanisha_A 😂 1y

Tanisha_A @readordierachel Also, a nice little roll in the snow 🤣 1y

readordierachel @Tanisha_A 😉😆 1y

88 likes15 comments

Andrea4

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

pick

Well this was pitiable, sad, tragic, and ironic.
I will be mulling this one over for a bit and I'm looking forward to bookclub discussion @llwheeler 😘

29 likes

Johanna414

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

pick

This was such a bleak story about forbidden love, the struggle between acting on your desires and fulfilling your duties... I loved it. I actually ended up buying the advanced version of Serial Reader when I didnt want to stop reading the other night.

35 likes

Staci

Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

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A forbidden love between a husband wifes' young cousin. Ended unexpectedly. I liked it.

9 likes1 stack add

sarahljensen

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

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This is my first Wharton piece. I enjoyed her ample descriptions and careful character development. I may get into Summer next, another short one, and then think about Age of Innocence or The House of Mirth

MySharonaK I think House of Mirth is better, and in my opinion Ethan Frome is her best one 2y

MySharonaK Also, what a cute kitty 😻 2y

sarahljensen Thanks for that. I'll steer that direction when heading into deeper waters :) 2y

sarahljensen Oh, yes. I live with three very cute cats 🐈 2y

13 likes4 comments

LadyCait84

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

pick

My second Wharton, and wow does she know how to effectively convey the crippling disappointments of life. Ethan is such a tragic and pitiable figure, thwarted by mischance and the burdens of unshakeable duty. Also, in its structure, this book reminds me slightly of Wuthering Heights...a framed narrative to reveal the backstory of an enigmatic man, while a harsh landscape surrounds his ongoing tale of grim loss.

sudi Great review 👍 2y

49 likes1 comment

Eggs

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

#ruralsetting

#bibliomaynia

@OriginalCyn620 @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I read this one in high school! 2y

Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks You were ahead of the game! I didn‘t read it until college 💜🖤💜 2y

OriginalCyn620 I just read it last month! Late to the party @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 🤣 2y

Eggs @OriginalCyn620 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 2y

63 likes1 stack add4 comments

Q84

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

pick

⭐⭐⭐💫

#BookAMonth

54 likes

Bookzombie

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

pick

I really enjoyed this bleak story. Wharton‘s writing makes you keep turning the pages, even though you think you know what the end will be. #authoramonth #AAMEW

Soubhiville

AshleyHoss820 Yes! I feel the same way with Wharton! ❤️📚 (edited) 2y

49 likes1 comment

sprainedbrain

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

#ManicMonday

Book: Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton 💔

Author: Louise Erdrich 😊

Movie: Emma 2020 (a month ago, it would have been Edward Scissorhands, but dang Emma is good!) ❤️

Band: elbow 🥰

Song: Eyeless in Holloway by Johnny Flynn 🎶❤️

JoScho

vivastory I ALMOST picked both Ethan Frome & Edward Scissorhands. Great choices! ⛄✂ 2y

AmyG I loved Ethan From...so I picked Edith Wharton. (edited) 2y

AmyG I love Elbow! Great choice. Ha...I missed this as I got stuck on Ethan Frome. 🤣 (edited) 2y

See All 7 Comments

JoScho 💜💜💜 2y

sprainedbrain @AmyG it‘s easy to get stuck on Ethan Frome... why a great story! 2y

BestDogDad Also a fan of Elbow! 👍🏼 2y

sprainedbrain @BestDogDad I‘m also a fan of ELO! Great minds and all of that. 😊 2y

59 likes7 comments

erzascarletbookgasm

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

pick

So much sadness, bleakness, and hopelessness in this story. Poor Ethan. From the beginning, one senses that things will be doomed,..still, it will have you turning the pages to know their fates. The thoughts and emotions of Ethan were portrayed convincingly. Beautiful writing with lovely prose, evocative descriptions of the landscape and weather. Great read.

#AuthorAMonth
#AuthorAMonth2020
#serialreader

Soubhiville, SerialReader

batsy Lovely review! I'm glad it was a pick for you, too. 2y

BarbaraBB Loved this one too! 2y

71 likes1 stack add2 comments

Mtroiano

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

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This book was short enough to read in one sitting but long enough to develop characters that I cared about. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Would recommend!
#authoramonth

Soubhiville

CindyE09 One of my favs!! 2y

KathyWheeler I know students who have had to read this in school often hate it, but I loved it. 2y

quirkyreader When I used to teach we used this series to help introduce the kids to the classics, especially since the editions TP put out were abridged and edited. It got the kids interested in the stories and they wanted to read more. Anything that helps kids want to read more is wonderful. 2y

43 likes3 comments

Riveted_Reader_Melissa

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

pick

How Wharton manages to write such beautiful & absorbing tales of people, all while chronicling their downfall even as they bend to their breaking points to abide by the dictates of polite society, I‘ll never fully understand. This one sucked me into yet another page turner, despite the fact that the very beginning tells me the ending won‘t be happy, but I couldn‘t help rushing to the end & being surprised nevertheless. Wharton never disappoints!

Riveted_Reader_Melissa #AuthorAMonth @Soubhiville (edited) 2y

Tamra She is so wonderful! 2y

erzascarletbookgasm Lovely review. I‘ll be reading this for the same prompt too. 2y

63 likes2 stack adds3 comments

Riveted_Reader_Melissa

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

53 likes

LauraJ

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

pick

Short but powerful novel. Wharton‘s specialty seems to be the downfall of orphaned young women. There‘s an emphasis on cold and colors that made me hope I misinterpreted what they foreshadowed. Glad I reread this when I had a chance to appreciate it.
#AuthorAMonth

Soubhiville

57 likes

OriginalCyn620

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

pick

A quick but gloomy read! Wharton‘s descriptive prose is wonderful throughout this tragic novella.
#authoramonth

Soubhiville

JaclynW Good description. I just finished this book last week. 2y

50 likes1 comment

TheBookHippie

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

@Soubhiville #AuthorAMonth

50 likes2 stack adds

Sarahreadstoomuch

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

pick

I was not looking forward to this month for #authoramonth2020 because I suffered through The Age of Innocence and DNF‘d House of Mirth. But I really enjoyed this one, as dark and sad as it is, far more than I thought I would. Maybe I‘ll try another short one by Wharton this month... #authoramonth

Soubhiville

Lcsmcat Xingu is short and funny. You might like it. 2y

Sarahreadstoomuch @Lcsmcat ok! I will! 2y

26 likes2 comments

Melismatic

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

pick

Short but hard hitting. I kept envisioning this as a one Act play. A quick read but full to the brim with emotion — a study in how you can make your characters 3D by playing with neutral grey tones. No one is good, no one is bad, they‘re just people.

#AuthorOfTheMonth2020 #AuthorofTheMonth

Soubhiville

wanderinglynn Fun puzzle! ❤️🧩 2y

25 likes1 comment

Eggs

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

pick

Truly a work of art—the writing just flows

#authoramonth
@Soubhiville

SauerPatch I remember really enjoying this when I read it in high school, though I can‘t remember exactly why, and since then have been thinking I should pick up another of her books. Looking forward to reading more of your reviews to see what I‘ve been missing! 2y

AmyG I just loved this book. 2y

kspenmoll I should reread this; read it in HS too. Thanks for all your book reviews. I have only read Age of Innocence. 2y

Eggs @SauerPatch @AmyG @kspenmoll I love this one too. Few descriptive words do it justice. It‘s fun going back in time to early 20th century America. Katherine did you love

Age of Innocence

82 likes1 stack add4 comments

DHill

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

so-so

A bit of an unpopular opinion maybe, but I didn‘t much enjoy this novella. In part, due to the audio narrator. Not enough emotion in the telling as a story with so much emotion should impart. But also just a sad and dreary story.

#authoramonth
@Soubhiville

Cinfhen I thought it was ok but agreed, the narrator had a dull monotone 2y

BookwormM I disliked this one 2y

sheshedbooks This is on my list, too. :D 2y

49 likes3 comments

Cinfhen

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

pick

Well that took some unexpected turns😉Dark & bleak and a little twisted ....I like what Edith did there. My pick for #AuthorAMonth #ReadingTheClassics2020

Soubhiville, Reviewsbylola

Cinfhen I really liked this one @AmyG ♥️ 2y

TrishB I was thinking this one based on @AmyG review! 2y

Cinfhen It‘s SUPER SHORT but packs a punch 🥊 @TrishB 2y

Reviewsbylola Well done! 2y

TrishB I may get to it, who knows with current reading brain! 2y

92 likes1 stack add5 comments

DHill

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

And we‘re off! #AuthorAMonth

@Soubhiville

AmyG It‘s so good! 2y

Soubhiville Another nice cover! If there are a bunch we should do a collage of them at the end of the month. Enjoy it! 2y

37 likes2 comments

AmyG

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

pick

I couldn‘t put this book down. A sad story of Ethan Frome, his wife, Zeena, and the woman he loved, Mattie. Wow is Zeena a great fictional bitch!

@Soubhiville #authoramonth

Soubhiville What a pretty cover. 2y

AmyG @Soubhiville I love this cover. Shows the beauty of where they lived. I definitely recommend this book. I need to read more of her work, but might not be a while as I have alot of book challenges. I am so happy she was chosen for this month. Thank you! (edited) 2y

batsy I loved this, too. 2y

See All 8 Comments

SamAnne Ooh...nearly finished with two other Wharton novels but might have to try this one too! Love her. 2y

Cinfhen Great photo 😍I also want to read more from EW but not sure I‘ll get to it this month. 2y

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick Is Zeena an entertaining bitch or just a boring bitch? 2y

AmyG Let‘s say she is a necessary bitch. Her bitchiness drives much of the story. @Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick 2y

Kelly_the_Bookish_Sidekick Well, I might have to try to squeeze this into my TBR stack, then. 😁 2y

85 likes8 comments

Cinfhen

Ethan Frome | Edith Wharton

Listening to this melancholy story about a bleak New England winter while sitting on my balcony under a pleasant desert sun ☀️ This feels different from the other Edith Wharton novel I recently read, but Wharton does paint a vivid picture in all her works.

Megabooks I hated this book freshman year of high school. Of course I was 14 then! 2y

Cinfhen I can imagine this would be torture for a 14 year old @Megabooks 😜 2y

AmyG I‘m reading this, too and enjoying it. Being from the east coast, I am familiar wi5 those bleak winters and know that area a bit. Beautiful view....what city is that a view of? 2y

See All 20 Comments

erzascarletbookgasm A beautiful day 🌞 2y

Bookwormjillk I read this is high school too, and can‘t believe our teacher thought we would understand it at all. I related to it much better as an adult. 2y

Cinfhen Yes, I‘m thinking it‘s a much deeper read as an adult @Bookwormjillk I live in Ra‘Anana @AmyG it‘s near Herzliya & Netanya north ofTel Aviv. You must be having good weather too @erzascarletbookgasm ☀️🧡😎 2y

Kalalalatja Great view! 😍🌞 2y

Soubhiville Wow, gorgeous photo! 2y

Cinfhen I forgot to add I‘m reading this for #AuthorAMonth @Soubhiville !!!! Thanks @Kalalalatja 😘 2y

Cinfhen And my #ReadingTheClassics2020 @Reviewsbylola 🤓 2y

AmyG Ah, I miss Israel. What a beautiful view. ❤️ 2y

BarbaraBB Beautiful pic. And I loved the book 💕 2y

Reviewsbylola Definitely different from her other books imo! 2y

Cinfhen This was a good one @BarbaraBB ‼️‼️‼️ 2y

Cinfhen I might read another Wharton before the month is over @Reviewsbylola 🤷🏼‍♀️im surprising myself.... 2y

BarbaraBB Wharton is perfect for these days. You can‘t go wrong with her. 2y

Reviewsbylola Her favorite of mine is

The Age of Innocence

Cinfhen I‘ve been told that‘s a favorite of many @Reviewsbylola but it‘s 13 hours on audio 🙄 2y

Reviewsbylola I don‘t know if this is available on audio but I‘m reading it on serial right now and it‘s so good. I love this author.

Lady of Quality

Cinfhen Thanks for the suggestion @Reviewsbylola I‘ll look into it🦋 2y

104 likes20 comments

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