Rating: 
Summary: Did NOT enjoy
Review: I went into this book expecting a 'revolutionary' piece of literature. Instead, I was disapointed. I don't understand why a woman who was a poor mother, an adultress several times over and an all around bore would peak anyones interest.
Rating: 
Summary: A complicated book...
Review: It took several readings for me to really understand this book, and if you are under the age of 28 (coincidentally the age of this book's heroine), you probably won't get it.This is a story of a woman who rejects her life as a wife and mother, and chooses a new path. Emma's feelings are revealed in her quote: "I would give my life for my children, but not myself." Understanding this, the meaning of the ending is quite clear.
Rating:
Summary: Worst Book Ever
Review: I was excited to read this book, it was the first book written by a female author that we have read in junior high and high school. But I was very disappointed. A cliche story about an opressed woman, The Awakening fails to display any interesting ideas. Even if it was revolutionary for its time, it has long since lost it's relevance. The main character is unbelieveable, and the reader is expected to identify with her, a task difficult to accomplish as the woman makes strange, and often selfish decisions. The book is marked with water and ocean symbolism. The symbols seem oddly placed in the book, as if the author had thrown them in as a last resort to give her story more literary value. Uunfortunately, the symbols are blatantly obvious and show little imagination. Furthermore, the ending of the book was ridiculous. It seemed to be a novel about the liberation of woman, but at the end only discourages independence. The reader is almost angered with both the author and the main character for the character's final decision. The novel ultimately portrays women negatively, which is in fact the opposite of its intended purpose.
Rating: 
Summary: If you're a woman you have to read this book
Review: Im still amazed at how this story is true in the present. How many women are with men that they do not love? What will it take for these women to realize they are the only ones who can make themselves happy? Being happy is not about having money or being married (being in a relationship). I reccommend this book to all my women friends. Read it and find your true self....
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful
Review: This book was unbelievably moving. I loved every moment of it. Chopin's wording was eloquent and yet not over the top. The end was perfect for the book. The symbolism in this book was overwhelming. A wonderful read!
Rating:
Summary: truly thought-provoking
Review: Can you imagine the impact this book must have had when it was first published in 1899? So scandalous! And it still has the power to make its readers eyes grow wide. My only complaints are that the ending was unrealistic. (Of course, it fit the BOOK completely---it just wasn't practical.) I also think the portrayal of Edna as a nonchalant mother (as opposed to a nurturing mother) was unfair. Chopin wanted readers to view Edna as a victim, and when Edna turned around and neglected her own children...that didn't help our sympathy for her. ...Yet surely we readers realized this was a woman who was too oppressed and stifled to know what to do with herself. Anyway, before I forget, a word of caution: HAVE A DICTIONARY NEARBY!! WHOA! Chopin was obviously VERY intelligent, along with being ahead of her time. Vocab. word after vocab. word, I tell ya. Overall, the reader feels pity for practically every character. But it's not such a melancholy atmosphere that would make one want to stop reading it; it's merely proof that Chopin can weave a web of believable characters struggling with believable circumstances. I would voice one more disappointment, though, if it wouldn't serve as a spoiler. ...Um, I think I was hoping that Edna would betray her husband a little more than she did...succumb to temptation a bit more...because I was rooting for her! I was sympathizing with her, and I thought she should get what she has longed for. But no such luck. Her conscience probably prevented something from going too far. Rats. This is a sophisticated read laced with French phrases and lengthy paragraphs, but worth your while.
Rating:
Summary: Krista's book review
Review: The book "The Awakening" was pretty interesting. It kept my attention the whole time and I wanted to keep going to find out what happened next. The story line was amazing and I couldn't believe what happened at the end. I think it was cool how she wanted to be independent, but I think she became selfish and her affairs eventually took over her life. All in All, it was a good book and I suggest reading it.
Rating: 
Summary: Not outstanding.
Review: I read this book for an American literature course that dealt with books that had been banned or censored. While I can clearly see why this book fell into this category (it deals with the liberation of women from male-dominated society), I was not greatly impressed by it. While Chopin does a fair job of giving details of the thought processes of Edna, one does not become as enlightened or "awakened" as one would hope upon reading this book. The book's ending leads one to feel that there really is no awakening or escape for women from the traps of the rules imposed by the male-dominated society. Overall, I felt this book was not terrible, but certainly was not remarkable either.
Rating:
Summary: A True Awakening
Review: The Awakening is a revolutionary story of a woman's rebirth and journey of self-discovery. Edna Pontellier, the main character, discovers through a summer spent at a resort what all she is capable of doing and thinking. With the help of her new and old friends Edna becomes a new person. Even though her self-discovery includes an affair her character is still admirable.
There is a lot of criticism about Enda's lack of responsibility of being a mother. I think that this criticism concentrates on a minor detail of this story. Only one part of Edna is being a mother, even though she does not take the job too seriously. I think that overall Chopin is saying that "awakenings" are human in nature. They have both advantages and disadvantages. It is something that every person should experience and is an essential part of growing up.
I think that Edna's awakening pulled her away from her stifling normal life. Her job as a mother was part of that life. I do not think that Chopin really intended for Edna to completely abandon all parts of her life, but Edna was not a strong enough character to balance her new life with the old. Athenaise, on the other hand, could see what needed to be changed and was able to do it without abandoning her old life.
I did not feel that this book was a downer, I really enjoyed it. Chopin made the story real, which is something refreshing compared to a lot of novels. This novel gave true insight into the feelings of women at the time. It is good to read about women beginning to liberate themselves, even if it is not completely successful.
Rating:
Summary: Classic Literature
Review: I was required to read this book for my Women In Literature class this semester. I had always been told what a great book this was (from a literary analysis perspective), but I was steadily surprised. This is one of my favorite books of all time!! (Next to Daphne DuMauriers "Rebecca", of course.) To be completely honest, the story is a little slow and hard to get into at first, but trust me, it gets better. I found the main character "Edna" to be very relatable- not just because she an opressed woman searching for liberation, but becasue the idea of oppression is universal no matter where one comes from. READ THIS BOOK!!!! However, the ending was a little disappointing for me, but this is still a great book!
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