I thought I'd start my first review with a re-reading of an American classic and Pulitzer prize winner.
I first found this book not because of the above reasons, but because it's a Virago modern classic. A series that i read with a passion!
The plot is a classic tale of thwarted love and passion, Newland Archer is to marry the pretty and conventional May Welland who is everything a well bred girl should be.
The plot is a classic tale of thwarted love and passion, Newland Archer is to marry the pretty and conventional May Welland who is everything a well bred girl should be.
Uncertainty the arrives in the form of Mays cousin the Countess Olenska who returns from Europe and a disastrous marriage.
Newland at first befriends her for hes fiances sake, but he soon starts to fall in love with her, her unconventional ways and free spirit.
This leads to Archer to start questioning hes own morals along with those of the society that he lives in.
The plot for me while being damn good isn't the main point, you know it can only go one way. It's how it gets there which is so interesting.
This book is a glimpse into a now extinct society, it's motives for why things are done in a certain way and the lengths that it will go to keep things that way is what i find truly fascinating.
The writing style is incredibly controlled being both at once very descriptive about material possesions, yet leaving so much unsaid about how anyone is feeling as almost no one says what they are really thinking.
For me this this style really adds to the feeling of suppressed passion that is felt by both Archer and the Countess.
This novel isn't a clear cut one, its main theme is the struggle of carrying out your duty to society and your duty to yourself to be happy.
The ending of this novel is beautiful and leaves so much unsaid, you can spend ages mulling it over afterwards.
I,ve included a link to a reading guide as i find that having questions to think about helps me to read a book more carefully.
I hope that you've enjoyed this post and in the next one I'll give my recipe for my Age of innocence inspired cupcakes.
the recipe is here
