The House of Mirth, by Edith Wharton [BOOK TALK]

[emb]

It's lovely to see someone really appreciate this novel and embrace its poignant beauty. Along with The Age of Innocence, it is a book I return to often. I find a new perspective on someone or something on every reread but can never escape the dreadful inevitability of Lily's downfall.

[josedaydream]

I loved reading The House of Mirth- honestly it’s one of my favourite novels so far.

Her final goodbye to Selden is particularly heartbreaking. You could feel and understand that her time had run out.
I’ve also been thinking about Gerty Farish and her humble ways of living.
Very much overlooked by high society, you could say she was by far the most satisfied. What are your thoughts on the other characters?

Thanks so much sharing !

[JuanReads]

I love Edith Wharton's writing and The House of Mirth is one of her best books. That sense of the inability of events to unfold differently or, rather, how characters could not have ended up otherwise than they do, and that you liken to the great Greek tragedians is something that I felt when I read Ethan Frome. I shall think about it when I read or re-read more of her books. Great review!

[sharongoforth]

Great review, Lukas! I need to re-read this soon.

[liannettmendez]

I agree with you, Wharton unfolds tragedy in a exquisite way, like is imposible a diferent outcome due to the ecuation of personalities and events. Thanks for your analysis, it is very well thougt.

[rachelbachel]

I have read this book at least ten times. Edith Wharton is fantastic. I think this is her best book. Lilly Bart is one of my favorite literary characters. I am sad every time the end for her comes. In a way, though, that was the best outcome for her. It was best for her to pass before she fell further into degradation

[philsthepage]

I very much like your review - great job. For me this book had one of the most powerful endings in fiction. That epiphanic moment after being in Nettie Struther's little kitchen and the word Selden remembered he needed to say to Lily, but all too late of course, haunts me still. And what was that word?

[joeomalley]

I thought that Wharton's writing is very good, but couldn't connect with her characters and they are very lacking. Love the thoughts and analysis though. Thanks ;)

[dcreas]

I listen to books. I’m dyslexic, and love books. What painting what Lili portraying? I love the turn of the century history..it was a bit sad, and you are right, not to many outcomes! K

[cathyp]

Agreed. Just read it an it is one of my all time favorites. I thought Edith Wharton was an old stuffy did I know. A perfect novel.

[haeyoungchoi]

Good comments! I really enjoyed reading the book. It is a deeper book than the title or the story line suggests. It leaves one with a lot of thoughts after finishing it.

[kennethdorsey]

The novel is great! Lily's very slow decline is hard to watch . I wanted to yell at her : " No ! Don't do that ! Stop ! " Her decline reminded me of Mr. HURSTWOOD'S in SISTER CARRIE

[BookishTexan]

Hey, I just signed up to do a buddy read of this with Britta. I'll try to remember to come back and watch this after.

[thebooktraveller]

Hello Lukas, I have just got into The House of Mirth (50 pages in or so) and your video popped up in my recommendations. I am loving it so far. I was struck by your comment that events couldn't have unfolded any other way than the way they did. I have just finished The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy and my impression was that events could quite easily have happened differently in this novel. I thought that it wasn't tragic enough! Yes, a couple of the characters died, but that is not necessarily artistically tragic, in fact it wasn't! Wildeve and Eustacia Vye just weren't tragic figures in the classical sense. They died by accident, so it was less than satisfactory as a tragedy. Not sure how and why Hardy had Eustacia chuck herself into the weir when she had arranged with Wildeve to take her to Budmouth and then onto Paris, her heart's desire. It just wasn't tragic! So, this is not my favourite Hardy novel! I am sure The House of Mirth will be better than this!