The House of Drear

[callmemadam]

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton.
First published in 1905, this novel follows the downhill progress of beautiful Lily Bart in the world of rich, fast American society. It starts promisingly enough. The reader is intrigued to know who Lily is, why she is so alone in the world and how, if she is poor, she manages to live so expensively. These questions are soon answered and the rot sets in. The author seems to go endlessly round and round her subject: the same problems, the same frightful people and dull social engagements. It is impossible for me to feel sympathy for Lily. She sees no alternative to her way of life but the author shows that there is one: the Gerty Farish solution of living within one’s means in a dull but worthy manner.

There are similarities with The Bonfire of the Vanities in that one small incident triggers the main character’s downward spiral and with The Way We Live Now in the merciless exposure of empty lives. Both Tom Wolfe and Trollope are far better writers and engage the reader’s attention. This novel is completely lacking in pace and I would prefer Lily if she were an out and out, unscrupulous adventuress in the Becky Sharp mould. I was reading other books at the same time and every time I picked up this one again, my heart sank at the prospect of further dullness, so that I nearly gave up. Edith Wharton now goes on my list of overrated authors. Oh dear, I much prefer to be recommending books to people.

Comments

[pinkhebe.livejournal.com]

Oh thank heavens. I was wondering if I was entirely peculiar for not liking Wharton! I only got to the end 'cos it's on the list of 1001 books, and, as I read more of them, I find my tolerance level is rising.

Have just finished the English Patient. Much better :-). Oh, and Hawthornes Scarlet Letter, which picked up in the middle, but then went dull again, and could have done with losing the first and last chapters.

~x~

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

Not just me, then! Good.

I've never read either of those. I found the film of The English Patient so dreadfully boring I never got through it.

[huskyteer.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I saw the film, with Gillian Anderson, and I've been trying to remember for ages what it was called!

There's a really random bit where the heroine walks past a speaker on a soapbox who shouts 'Remember the plight of the Russian people under the Czar!'. Pablo and I still like to say this to each other.

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

You sure that's the same film? Kristin Scott Thomas is in the one I'm thinking of. Even she, the most beautiful woman in the world, couldn't get me through it.

[huskyteer.livejournal.com]

I've just looked it up on the IMDB, as I should have done in the first place, and it was made in 2000. Also! currently filming 'Untitled X-Files Sequel', 2008!

[pinkhebe.livejournal.com]

There's two fillums going on here. English Patient has Kristin Scott Thomas. House of Mirth has Gillian Anderson. Not seen the latter.

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

Thank you for clearing that up: some crossed wires, obviously. It doesn't help that LJ won't put comments in the right order.

[gghost.livejournal.com]

I gave 'Mirth' a try some years ago, but wound up tossing it aside. But don't give up on Edith Wharton completely. She wrote some wonderful ghost stories which are among my favorites.

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

tossing it aside
Sounds so dashing! I might try Ethan Frome?

[pinkhebe.livejournal.com]

Ethan Frome was much better.

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

I'll definitely try it, then.