This is the first time I have ever read this book. It is a classic novel and for some reason it took me forever to buy it. I am so glad I did because I love this book. This book has made it on to my favourites list and is hard to describe exactly why I love it.
I'll admit, I am drawn into the whole forbidden romance theme, and I like how this one was portrayed. I feel like with what are deemed as classic novels it is often a hit or a miss. Sometimes it is hard to connect to a book, especially one that is written in an earlier time period with certain society rules. I know I could not connect to Wuthering Heights and so I try not to stray too far from Austen.
This novel is set in New York during the Victorian era. The two main characters are: Newland Archer who is from a well to do family and engaged to be married to a perfect, simple woman. The other character, and my favourite, is Ellen Olenska. I believe she is married to a Polish Count, or Viscount...not sure what the difference is. According to her gossiping family, the marriage is not a great one and she is back in New York to try and dissolve it. Her and Newland meet through her cousin May, who also happens to be Newland's Fiance.
So I was watching Gossip Girl and they have an episode where they put on the play version of this novel. And while I am not in anyway trying to bash the great works of Edith Wharton, I can see some similarities between the two: gossiping family/friends and dramatic love affairs.
I will not tell you how it ends however I will share my favourite quote:
"I want somehow to get away with you into a world where words like that, categories like that, won't exist. Where we shall be simply two human beings who love each other, who are the whole of life to each other; and nothing else on earth will matter."
How romantic, if I were the swooning type...
I hope you pick up this book to read and please tell me how you liked it.
Happy Reading!Labels: Book Review
