The House of Mirth
I finished Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth today. I don't typically like books with depressing endings (Anna Karenina is the first that comes to mind, but I did love its Russian-ness, Madame Bovary is another), but I really loved this one. I thoroughly enjoyed Wharton's writing style despite the melancholy ending. Her depiction of the cruelty of society seems almost as applicable today as it was then.
"It is less mortifying to believe one's self unpopular than insignificant, and vanity prefers to assume that indifference is a latent form of unfriendliness."
"No insect hangs its nest on threads as frail as those which will sustain the weight of human vanity."
"No insect hangs its nest on threads as frail as those which will sustain the weight of human vanity."
Has anyone read any other good books by her?
2 comments:
Hi Rahime! I don't know if you'll read this, as you posted this weeks ago, but I can't resist. I really loved "The Age of Innocence" and loved Wharton's writing style. I even read passages aloud to Nate who laughed out loud (you'll understand if you read her description of this particular woman!). I didn't read the House of Mirth, but I recently rented the movie (on a whim) and found it interesting. I was glad I chose the movie over the book in this case because at my reading rate, it would have been a long, depressing winter.... =) Then again, Anna Karenina is one of my all-time faves....
I think I'll try that one soon.
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