Summer

Rating:
Summary: Must Have Shocked Everyone In Its Day!
Review: This wonderful coming of age and novel of a young women's sexual awaking could only have shocked and amazed those who read it when it was published. Things like this just weren't said and certainly not by the likes of a female author. There were hardly any women authors' anyway. But, Edith Wharton is one of the greatest of all time and things such as worrying what others think of her, never crossed her mind. She is a rare and wonderful talent who is certainly underrated as one of the greatest in history. I think she's absolutely brilliant. And, "Summer" is a wonderful treat for a real reader.

Rating:
Summary: i hate the ending!!!
Review: when you begin summer you are enchanted with the small town atmosphere and the main character, charity. then when lucius harney arrives you adore their love story, but when you get to the end and you know charity is about to spend a life of unhappiness it makes you want to scream.

Rating:
Summary: Brilliant Tale of First Love Won and Lost
Review: Written when Wharton's own marriage was failing, this tale of first love won and lost is a bittersweet, moving novel which melds Wharton's two worlds beautifully - high society, and rural New England. Her personal favorite of all the novels she wrote, Edith Wharton captures the very essence of love and longing in this beautiful, sensual story of Charity Royall and Lucius Harney. Born to a poor mother, Mr. Royall rescues Charity and raises her as his own daughter, but when his wife dies of consumption, and Charity begins to ripen into a lovely woman, Mr. Royal realizes that his feelings for her are deeper than he imagined. Repulsed by his offer of marriage, Charity instead turns her attentions to the handsome young architect from Boston, Mr. Lucius Harney, who is visiting North Dormer for the summer. As summer unfurls in North Dormer like the Red Rambler rose in Charity's garden, Charity and Lucius' love blossoms, burns hot, and spills over into sexual union. Wharton's language of love is extraordinary - beautiful, sensual, and filled with all the fire of first love. I won't ruin the ending for you by revealing it, but it is poignant, achingly human, and ultimately fitting that Charity ends up where she does. Bittersweet and gorgeously written, this is a magical book not to be missed.