12:40 PM

17) Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton


I read this because I loved Wharton's 'The House of Mirth' so much.  This novella was just as good as I hoped it would be and then some.  I knew from the beginning that this was a tragedy, but the conclusion still weighed heavily on my heart.  Ethan's wife, Zeena, was such a despicable character that I didn't find it difficult to hate her.  I yearned so strongly for Ethan to find a way to be with Mattie but the circumstances were definitely against him. 

**SPOILERS**
In a way, I'm glad Ethan and Mattie's suicide attempt failed because it would have been a sweet kind of tragedy.  The book's ending was definitely how it should have been because even after finishing it, the thought of their future fates makes me sick to my stomach.  While tough to swallow, this ending was the most realistic and got a reaction out of me I didn't expect.  Not only was I sad and heartbroken, like after reading 'Mirth,' but I was simply sick and depressed by the conclusion.  That's how a tragedy should be, if you ask me!

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