Rating: 
Summary: Masterpiece
Review: Since it is almost ten years ago that I saw Scorcese's movie adaptation of this book, I thought that enough time had passed to read this book without preconceived notions and entirely on its own merits. I am glad I did, since the book clearly outshines the flick.Because so many reviews have been written on this novel and it has found its ultimate validation by justified inclusion in the list of hundred best books of the 20th century, there is little need for any additional endorsement. Yet, some of the reviews might scare some potential readers away and require some debunking. This book is no soap opera.
While a romance is at the center of this book this does not imply that we are dealing with a romance novel. This book is not for women only.
While the story approaches the point of mushiness at a few short instances, I think Wharton did an excellent job portraying the male central character of Newland Archer. By juxtaposing elements like self versus society, mind versus heart, practical versus desirable The Age of Innocence offers us with an awful lot in a small number of pages. Add to that I supreme writing style, that couples the female eye for detail with Dickensian wit in portraying New York's high society, and follow the beautiful archetypes from Paris and Helena, the original doubter and femme fatale, respectively, and you end up with a true masterpiece. On top of that, this book has one of literature's best final chapters with bitter, sweet and sarcastic undertones. Just having Welland sit in Paris on a bench close to the Dome des Invalides is priceless!
Rating: 
Summary: Well worth the reading, but beware...
Review: Wharton's The Age of Innocence is well worth reading. However, one should be advised this book is definitely a women's novel, to be savored by women particularly, not by men. (Before all the feminists shout, I am a 43-year-old, married man whose favorite authors are all women, not women who write like men, just excellent authors who happen to be women, with one exception, Truman Capote. Enough said about that... I happen to think women make the best physicians and writers, primarily due to their feminine perception and ability to deal with and describe human sentiments.) The basic plot, swept of all other subplots and twists, is essentially soap-opera at its very best. Yet, when you add the subplots and the outstanding literary skill wrought together with artful insight into New York aristocracy toward the end of the 19th century, you have a wonderful book. Some readers may find the first six to eight chapters dreadfully descriptive and needlessly detailed. For some these chapters may appear endless. Stick with it; the novel is worth it. On the other hand, for those who love detailed descriptions of attire, protocol, architecture, mores, styles, etc. of old aristocratic New York, the first several chapters are a highlight. Once the plot is established and begins rolling along, the novel is most entertaining. Furthermore, the many insights into basic human nature Wharton reveals through her great writing makes for an outstanding novel. Do read it. If you are particularly interested in learning more about New York, or aristocracy at its height in America, or great American woman writers, this is a must read.
Rating:
Summary: Gorgeous, tearful and Elegant
Review: A gem of a novel. This is the quintessential love story of Old New York. It was written after the First World War, when Wharton worked tirelessly on behalf of thousands of refugees, and emerged, to find the old world gone forever. As such,the writing romanticizes her childhood and the way of life in that city she abandoned for Europe. The characters were drawn from her own family and their primarily Dutch old money aristocratic peers. When the novel ends, those who were at onetime scandalous in their moneymaking and moral habits were part of the democratic wealthy elite. The setting, no where more lavish than on the page, despite Scorcese's valient cinematic opulence, could only have been maintained in a world where labor was cheap and the distance between the classes, considerable. The opera house is akin to a battlefield, with fans and fancy glasses and the merciless disection called gossip. Dining under chandeliers and gilded ceilings, the gentlemen bachelors retire with cigars and brandy and as such function almost as a chorus. It is what they do not say, however, that turns the plot at the end. This is a story of passion and obligation in the last days of the Gilded Era. New York City as an innocent- imagine that.
Rating:
Summary: Delightful
Review: I've not read "classic" novels since I was in my early twenties, but I came across the Edith Wharton book "The Age of Innocence" which has recently been made into a film staring Michelle Pfeiffer, and it captured my attention. The book is a wonderful compendium of historical information on the social eccentricities of the upper class New Yorkers of the 19th Century of which Miss Wharton had been a part in her younger years. The narrative is delightfully and colorfully written and reads quickly. Since I have lived in NYC myself, it was especially enjoyable reading about the early days of the old city, and the addition of 19th century pageantry made it doubly so. As to the centerpiece romance of the book, I found it to be nearly non-existent, but then I am a woman of the 20th and 21st Century. Where much of what occurs in the book must have seemed "steamy," "sensuous," and "adventurous" by the standards of the time during which the action takes place, I can't help but wonder if it would have seemed tame even to the readers of the roaring 20s when the book was first penned. It is in the subtle disclosure that there are limitations in life and that those in our environment have a measure of control over how we live it and that this is probably a good thing, that the author's genius is discovered, and it is obviously in recognition of this genius that the Pulitzer was presented to Miss Wharton, the first woman to receive the prestigious award. In Newland Archer, the author creates a wonderful character who believes he is confronted with the prospect of a dull life of "duty" with an unimaginative but beautiful wife. A youthful rebellion against this stasis arises when he is confronted with a mysterious countess, the cousin of his wife. Ellen Olenska is all any romantic young man could hope for: a damsel in distress, a woman of the European tradition at once bored by convention but delighted by the simplicity of straight-laced New York ways. She is sexually exciting by virtue of her unobtainability, and he spends much of his time in pleasant fantasy over her for most of his life. The book has the same gentle wit and charm of movies like the Fourposter Bed, the Ghost and Mrs Muir, Life with Father, Cheaper by the Dozen and other films set in the same time period and social milieu. For anyone who enjoys an enjoyable visit to a quieter, "simpler" time, the time of our grandparents and great grand parents, this is a wonderful vacation.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: Edith Wharton is one of the most underrated female writers of all time, with a great use of nuance, atmosphere, and subtle characterization. Her "Age of Innocence" is not as well known as the classic "Ethan Frome," but is perhaps even better than that book. In the highest echelons of 1870s New York, comformity to a certain manner of thinking and living is a way of life. No one knows this better than Newland Archer, a young rich man who is newly engaged to the beautiful and accomplished May Welland. As their engagement is announced, May's unconventional cousin Countess Olenska returns from Europe, having separated from her husband. In New York society, this is nothing short of scandalous. Archer finds himself increasingly drawn to Countess Olenska, out of disgust at the way she is being ignored by the people around her. He marries May and they settle into an increasingly dull life, exactly like that of their parents and their parents before them. And Archer is drawn closer to the beautiful, unconventional, and vivacious Countess, who is an increasing symbol of everything he loves and cannot have. Without a time machine, it's impossible to trek back to see New York in the late 1800s, but this novel affords a little look back in time. It allows the reader to examine the unspoken but unwavering rules, regulations, traditions, things that are or are not allowed, things that must be done. This is clear from the very opening scene, where Archer is shocked at Olenska wearing an unusual dress that no other person present would dare to. Her pen spares no hypocrisy in the pre-World War societies, which were gilded on the outside but rotten on the inside. Yet the frank viewpoint never beats the reader over the head, but subtly unfolds with each succeeding scene. Archer is probably the flattest character in the book, which is unfortunate given his standing in it; nevertheless his reactions are thoroughly realistic, that of someone who longs to live a "free" life but can't break away. Countess Olenska comes across as a strong, unconventional woman who cares more about what she likes than what others like. May is a dark horse from beginning to end, seemingly sweet, innocent, dull, and charming, yet occasionally she reveals a dimension that both Archer and the readers didn't think was in her. And the supporting characters, such as Archer's spinsterish mother and sister, and the obese and vital Mrs. Mingott, are exactly the sort of people one could imagine actually existing. The writing is pretty good; sometimes it gets a little too detailed about aspects of the ballrooms, clothing, and artwork, but it helps add to the mood. This is one of the books that a person shouldn't be forced to read, simply because rushing through it will ruin the appreciation of the story, the unique relationships, and the subtle commentary. Read the book, and then watch the movie (one of the most faithful adaptations ever made). This classic is definitely worth it.
Rating:
Summary: an unforgettable novel
Review: 'The Age of Innocence' is a classics, yes, but so spontaneously written, so much true! It seems you can see the characters in front of yours eyes while reading through the lines - read the book and close the eyes once in a while, you'll see. And, one more thing - ever read Thomas Wolfe's The Lost Boy and asked yourself: 'Man, how beautifully Wolfe writes about time'? Well, then you have have to read this book by Mrs. Wharton. It's nothing like The Reef or The Custom of the country. There's more. More of the Time... Towards the end of the book, Darrow (one of major characters in the book) is implicitly confronted with time - in Wharton's own wording: '[]... and the time flew by.' Now, there is a power of Wharton's words that touched me and might move you, too!
Rating:
Summary: Society as a Whole
Review: The Age of Innocence is a touching love story set in the 1870's, but there is much more than just the love story in the book. Edith Wharton writes a delightful narative of society and its influence on people's decisions. It is about a young Newman Archer and his conquest for love. He is married to a practical wife (May Welland), but loves another (Ellen Olenska). Ellen is the quintessence of a radical young woman. She has left her husband for his secretary and then had left him. The strangest part is that Ellen is May's cousin so Newland loves both girls of the same family. Who does he end up with in the end? You will have to read it and see. I had to read this book in a limited number of days so I do not think I had enought time to throughly enjoy it. . . but I will probably read it again soon.
Rating:
Summary: Wish I could give it more stars
Review: This book is very insiteful; it paints a beautiful portrait of the guilded age in New York. I especially liked her humor when she wrote that society thought having a ballroom in your home dedicated to only dances was wasteful, but it was very good if it could also be used for something else. The book really invites you into pre-WWI, pre-Titanic society. Whorton also points out some valuable lessons such as how good liars explain things but really great liars explain nothing. (More or less) Her vocabulary is also a plus; I needed a dictionary about twice in every chapter, but it was very fulfilling. My favorite "new" word is "confabulation." From now on, when my grandmother makes up sunny personal history, I shall compliment her unrivaled ability to confabulate. :) Very worth the time it takes to read.
Rating:
Summary: Trials and Tribulations of Runs With Horses
Review: The book Runs With Horses that is a fictional book was overall well written. The story was about a 16 year old boy who has many trials to become a great warrior. He was sent by his father on many tiring journeys and was encouraged to hurt the ones he loves also, just to become a great warrior. The author wrote in normal terms, nothing special came out of his writing.
The book I found was sort of destructive. Being that it was about Indians. It comes off that way to keep the reader interested. I agree with the way the author thought and wrote. This took place in the past, and this is the way the Indians had to live and work and achieve their goals. I think this book could relate to September 11 in a way. The fact that the Indians are killing people that they love just to achieve what they want and not thinking about the others dreams and hopes.
I really enjoyed the book. The book was very simple and easy to understand. It kept me interested in reading on. It was based on a boy around my age and went in to detail about he felt and what his father wanted him to do. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy adventures books.
Rating:
Summary: The Love Triangle Between Archer, May, and Ellen
Review: The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton is a fictional book. The book was basically about a love triangle between three people. Archer, which is the main character and is soon to be married to May, but soon does he realize he is also in love with her cousin Ellen. After this major event there is more suspense to come. The author keeps the reader wanting to know more about the events in Archer's life. The author uses a large variety of words which implies more knowledge to the meaning of the story.
The story itself was very interesting. The fact that it was about three lovers who all fall in love but don't actually know the meaning behind each of themselves. I think the book tries to tell people not to get involved with more than one person. It is difficult to fall in love with one person and then "think" that you are in love with another person. I really found it memorable because how well it can relate to everyday lives. I think personally that Archer should have followed his heart.
In summary I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to others. The fact that this was about love, I think it would be more interesting for girls. Overall The Age of Innocence captures your train of thought. The love stories always get me. In the beginning it doesn't start off on a good note, but towards the end it turns out pretty good.
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