Ethan Frome

As much as I enjoy reading it was only recently that I read "Ethan Frome." So WHAT IS IT in a nutshell? Wow! A tale of a good man who can't seem to get a break. I believe the author would have us walk away from this novel assuming that Ethan earnestly strove to do what was right. I don't want to give too much away for those who may not as of yet read this book. I'll just say that I felt that had Ethan Frome been a REAL man rather than a fictional character that in the real world I would have loved this man and felt his life was a true tragedy. I indeed intend to re-read this great story. I would say it is one of the better tragedies I've read. I would say that my least favorite character would be Ethan's wife Zeena. The author does a fine job of painting a portrait of Zeena. Obviously a review is but one's opinion and there may assuredly be those who would disagree with me. While Zeena's character herself is a tragic character...the way the author tells Zeena's story evoked little compassion from me. However with that said I should add that Zeena's character finds a degree of redemption in my mind by the way this tale finally unfolds. Ethan Frome really should be read by ALL. Whether literary tragedies is a genre you like or not...THIS should be A MUST READ for all who truly value great literature. I'll add also that I really expected at some point for the unnamed narrator of this tale to be REVEALED by some name but was not. I am now interested in checking out other works by the author. Again...I really enjoyed this story but I concede that "some" may see the beginning to start a little slow. Eh! That too is a matter of opinion. I couldn't think of anything I would have CUT from the story. I would definitely recommend this novel to anyone. If you're looking for a light-hearted & happy story then PASS ON THIS ONE but if you're looking for a story of years gone by that is more realistic than so many "happy ending" tales...a story that could be read by 3 friends & presumably all 3 have different opinions of the major characters...a story that is a bit dark...then THIS is the tale for you to check out. Ethan Frome...thumbs up to this great character and great tale.

Got this book for school. Surprisingly entertaining.

Edith Wharton filled her novels with a feeling of ruin, passion and restriction. People can fall in love, but rarely do things turn out well. But but few of even her books can evoke the feeling of "Ethan Frome," whick packs plenty of emotion, vibrancy and regrets into a short novella. While the claustrophobic feeling doesn't suit her writing well, she still spins a beautiful, horrifying story of a man facing a life without hope or joy. It begins nearly a quarter of a century after the events of the novel, with an unnamed narrator watching middle-aged, crippled Ethan Frome drag himself to the post-office. He becomes interested in Frome's tragic past, and hears out his story. Ethan Frome once hoped to live an urban, educated life, but ended up trapped in a bleak New England town with a hypochondriac wife, Zeena, whom he didn't love. But then his wife's cousin Mattie arrives, a bright young girl who understands Ethan far better than his wife ever tried to. Unsurprisingly, he begins to fall in love with her, but still feels an obligation to his wife. But then Zeena threatens to send Mattie away and hire a new housekeeper, threatening the one bright spot in Ethan's dour life. Now Ethan must either rebel against the morals and strictures of his small village, or live out his life lonely. But when he and Mattie try for a third option, their affair ends in tragedy. Wharton was always at her best when she wrote about society's strictures, morals, and love that defies that. But rather than the opulent backdrop of wealthy New York, here the setting is a bleak, snowy New England town, appropriately named Starkfield. It's a good reflection of Ethan Frome's life, and a good illustration of how the poor can be trapped. Even when she describes a "ruin of a man" in a cold, distant town, Wharton spins beautiful prose ("the night was so transparent that the white house-fronts between the elms looked gray against the snow") and eloquent symbolism, like the shattered pickle dish. There's only minimal dialogue -- most of what the characters think and feel is kept inside. Instead she piles on the atmosphere, and increases the tension between the three main characters, as attraction and responsibility pull Ethan in two directions. It all finally climaxes in the disaster hinted at in the first chapter, which is as beautifully written and wistful as it is tragic. If the book has a flaw, it's the incredibly small cast -- mainly just the main love triangle. Ethan's not a strong or decisive man, but his desperation and loneliness are absolutely heartbreaking, as well as his final fate. Mattie seems more like a symbol of the life he wants that a full-fledged person, and Zeena is annoying and whiny up until the end, when we see a different side of her personality. Not a stereotypical shrew. "Ethan Frome" is a true tragedy -- as beautifully written as it is, it's still Wharton's description of how a man merely survives instead of living, hopeless and devastated.

This was a spontaneous read that I’ve been unfamiliar with up until now. While I wasn’t taken in by the story itself, it was the most interesting classic I’ve read in a while. This was my first experience reading Edith Wharton, and given the time this was written, I was surprised by the tone and suggestion of the book.

I can’t believe this was written well over 100 years ago. But a story like this will never grow old. Beautifully written and poignant.

Ethan Frome. Why did I read Ethan Frome? Well, first, it was free on Amazon. Second, there is a much deeper reason. I wanted to see if I had grown as a reader since high school. In 11th grade, I was assigned this book and the dreaded accompanying book report. I was in an advanced English class because of my writing skills. I liked to read, but this book looked boring. I made the mistake of trying to expand the description on the back cover of the book into a book report and fool my teacher (sorry Mrs. Grindy). Needless to say, it didn't work. Now, it's been almost 35 years since I graduated and I wanted to go back and read this book and, you know what, it was a pretty good story. It was kind of like reading the script to a chick flick. Unrequited love turns into be careful what you wish for. Ethan Frome thinks to much with "little Ethan" and ends up injuring himself and the object of his affection (his wife's cousin). They all end up living unhappily ever after in his rundown farm house. Now, about the writing style. As an author, I feel somewhat qualified to say that it was a bit disjointed. It started out with an unnamed narrator speaking about how the circumstances surrounding Ethan Frome were mysterious and that no one would give him the full details. He ends up hanging out with the man himself and the narration part ends when he joins Ethan at his home for dinner and to spend the night. It then launches into an awkward love story between young Ethan and his wife's cousin (his wife is actually his cousin too and they didn't even live in Georgia). It then turns back to the narrator at the end. I found this head hopping writing style a bit clumsy and was surprised that this venerated book was written this way. I have a niece and nephew that are both English teachers and I'm sure they find my hackneyed book report sub-par, but I feel that I've now met my requirement for the 11th grade English assignment. Was this the only one I tried to skate on? No. I pulled the same stunt with the "Heart of Darkness". Guess what book I'm reading next.

Ethan Frome is a classic. I don't remember ever reading it though I saw the movie with Liam Neeson and Patricia Arquette a long time ago. Both of my sons love this book and talk about it frequently. The younger one mentioned it recently, and I decided to give it a read. Ethan Frome is married to Zeena, a hypochondriac. They're very poor but have taken in Zeena's cousin Mattie Silver to help Zeena around the house. Mattie is everything Zeena isn't; she's young and a breath of fresh air in Ethan's life. This book is deservedly a classic. The pacing of the plot is excellent with the beginning and end told by a third-party narrator and the main story told as it happened. The setting is western Massachusetts in the small fictional town of Starkfield, and the author captures the scenery and time period well. The dialogue fits, and the ending is a surprise. I'm glad they encouraged me to read this book. It truly is a must-read.

Short book but very memorable. I've bought several Edith Wharton books since reading this one. Not a very happy book, but one that sticks with you