Rating: 
Summary: A story not told often enough
Review: A beautiful woman trapped by her own superficial values, riding her beauty along a path to all the expected goals. Society encouraged her (or didn't condemn) in these pursuits until she ultimately reached the end the novel demands of itself. Wharton manages to entrap the reader despite a host of (realistic) characters all too human to respect or admire. As always, Edith Wharton has done a marvelous job for her readers. Every woman cursed with beauty should read this work, but so should everyone else.
Rating:
Summary: A story not told often enough
Review: A beautiful woman trapped by her own superficial values, riding her beauty along a path to all the expected goals. Society encouraged her (or didn't condemn) in these pursuits until she ultimately reached the end the novel demands of itself. Wharton manages to entrap the reader despite a host of (realistic) characters all too human to respect or admire. As always, Edith Wharton has done a marvelous job for her readers. Every woman cursed with beauty should read this work, but so should everyone else.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant
Review: A stunning, ruthless indictment of crass materialism and American disregard for the traditions and values of other countries. It's hard to believe this was written before WW1.
Rating: 
Summary: Appalling!
Review: As a random selection from my massive backlog of `To Read' books, this one was more than worth the effort. In addition to simply being a good read, I recommend this as a gift to those shallow and grasping people on your gift list. A very gripping novel overall but it loses a star for the very slow buildup. Not a good place to START your survey of great literature but wise investment for the well-established reader well into their reading list.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing
Review: Crudely written. A negative hero deserves better and Wharton has written some fine books. Sadly, not this one.
Rating:
Summary: She Just Turns Out Masterpieces!
Review: Edith Wharton is certainly one of the most accomplished authors in American history. I don't think there is ONE of her books that I don't completely LOVE. And, "Custom of the Country" is certainly one for the record books. Wharton creates a completely new and different novel in "Custom" than in her previous books. As in the others, you may have found yourself really cheering or rooting for the main characters. You felt affection and fondness for them. But, in this one could you have found more fault with Undine? She's everything a reader should just loath. But, for some strange and heartwarming reason, you don't care. You move past that and just enjoy this wonderfully written American Masterpiece. Wharton's gift for words, story and characterization is fabulous. I just love her. She's one of my top 3 favs.
Rating:
Summary: Slow-building Classic
Review: Edith Wharton is likely the best chronicler of life in the upper startum of early New York, and the CUSTOM OF THE COUNTRY joins her other classics in this realm, such as the HOUSE OF MIRTH and the AGE OF INNOCENCE. From the beginning, you can see where the book is headed, but the skill with which it's written keeps it from being a predictable read. The herione (?) is Undine Spragg, a social climber on the order of Lily Bart. Undine is a rather unlikeable protagonist, which leaves one's sympathies with the supporting characters, such as her first husband, Ralph Marvell. Fortunately, the book is filled with wonderful supporting characters, and the book's point-of-view often shifts between these characters. The ending is bittersweet, but gives one a great deal of insight into the emptiness of attaining everthying you want. Another terrific novel from Edith Wharton!
Rating:
Summary: E gads!
Review: I am a big Edith Wharton fan, however, Custom of the Country has made me question my loyalty. I loved both the plot and narrative style of "Ethan Frome" and "The House of Mirth," and was deeply disappointed in the lackluster writing style of "Custom." Undine is a predictable, tiring character - her parents and multiple husbands do little in the way of adding excitment to the plot. I would reccomend interested readers to chose a different work by this reveared author.
Rating:
Summary: "If only everyone would do as she wished..."
Review: In CUSTOM OF THE COUNTRY Edith Wharton created a most unlikable protagonist that is certainly easy to deplore. Undine Spragg is the epitome of a spoiled individual who doesn't bother to care how her financial demands negatively affect those around her. After moving to New York with her parents she has the full intentions of entering the ranks of high society. She studies the society columns in the local newspapers and dreams of residing in a splendid home on Fifth Avenue. Undine is both charming and beautiful and she doesn't hesitate to rely on various schemes and methods to get what she wants.During the course of this book the reader follows Undine as she strives to enter the fashionable social circles of New York at the beginning of the 20th century. She studies the prominent players in the upper classes and desires to join them during their dinner parties in New York and their annual spring trips to Paris. Unfortunately her father doesn't possess the type of financial resources to accommodate Undine's wishes so she seeks to marry a man who can provide. Undine's climb to the top of New York society is not without incident. At times her ascendancy is marked by setbacks and controversies that aim to keep Undine away from the social limelight. Edith Wharton provides insightful commentaries on how Undine Spragg is so self-centered and ignorant and the general superficiality of high society during this time period. Undine completely ignored the concerns of her husband(s) and her child as she strived to join the fashionably conscious social circles. The social and religious sentiments towards divorced woman are also explored during this era of general disapproval of broken marriages. CUSTOM OF THE COUNTRY provides a revealing glimpse into the workings of the upper society circles of New York before the Great War. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Another Edith Wharton Success
Review: This is the fourth Edith Wharton book I have read. I read it a couple of months after reading The House of Mirth, and The Custom of the Country actually makes a great companion piece to it.
Custom of the Country is hard to love. We loathe the selfishness of its main character, Undine Spragg, who always gets her way even if it ruins her parents or husband. We marvel at her self-centeredness and her lack of awareness of what she is doing to others. And she doesn't even have the spirit that a similar character, Scarlett O'Hara, has--something that make us root for Scarlett despite her character.
On the other hand, the House of Mirth is easy to love. Its protagonist, Lily Bart, cries out for our sympathy and love. She realizes she is caught by unfair societal requirements and wants to break free of them. She is unable to do so, and it causes tragedy.
But both Undine and Lily are caught in the same web. They both cannot be truly happy because they cannot see a way out of their upbringing. The main difference is that Lily is aware of her problem and Undine is not.
But we should have sympathy for Undine, and we should judge Lily more harshly. Shouldn't Lily, being aware that making her way in society is not a way to happiness, figure a way to break through of society's rules? Shouldn't we feel sorry for Undine who never figures out that social climbing will not make her truly happy?
It is Wharton's genius to show us the flip-sides of how American aristocratic society harmed its great society ladies in these two richly written, beautiful books. Everyone who has read and loved The House of Mirth should read this book.
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