Rating: 
Summary: A fun and suprising social commentary
Review: Edith Wharton crafted a brilliant work of art which truly did deserve the Pulitzer Prize. Before bending back the first page I was sceptical to how interesting and enjoyable this read was going to be. I, as a general rule, attempt to abstain from the typical "girl" novels, as my friends like to call them. Pride and Prejudice, Great Expectations, and The Scarlet Letter, though great works of literature do not fit my tastes. This novel was nothing like what i expected it to be. I was enthralled by the description and portrayal of old New York society. I could imagine Newland Archer and May in their proper attire attending a ball or opera or dinner. I can also imagine the scandalous Countess Olenska. Even more intriging to me than New York society was the powerful social comentary that accompanied it. Aspects of this stand-offish proud and exclusive society are seen in many parts of our modern society. As early as 1st grade and throughour our entire lives we segregate into groups with other people like ourselves and are often hostile to those who aren't part of our inner circle. There is a code of behavior, and to venture outside of this code might mean expolsion from the group. This is explicate in Archers choice between May and the Countess. Newland walks the thin line between abandoning his traditional calling and running away with the Countess, but inevitably stays in his unhappy marriage with his once loved May. Social pressures are too strong often to fight against. That is a large problem with today's society. Peer pressure or expectations are too much to resist. It is based in facts which add to it's importance as a great work of literature. I would definitly suggest this novel to anyone who enjoys great description, interesting characters and an intriging story line. It is truly an eternally significant and fun read.
Rating:
Summary: Tedious Intrigue
Review: Edith Wharton's Age of Innocence is a stunning tale of love and loss, entangled in the superficial New York society of the 1870s. The novel focuses on Newland Archer and his conflict between his love for unconventional Countess Olenska and his devotion to "nice" May Welland, his betrothed. The interactions of the characters are beautifully written, but the plot drags in some parts. Countess Olenska's mystery and scandal is introduced early causing the reader to be intrigued about her fate. On the other hand, May is the canon New York young woman. She adheres to society's binding rules, and consequently never fully develops an inquisitive mind like Olenska's. Archer's strong and often feministic opinions overshadow May's almost boring character. He wants May to know of the world and be an independent thinker. My favorite character is Madame Olenska because she is feisty, passionate, and unconventional. She and Newland fall in love after he's already announced his engagement to her cousin, May. My favorite aspect of the story is Newland's internal struggle between what he desires and what society wants for him because it is fast paced and lively, compared to the external plot. This book is for the patient reader because the plot moves slowly. The story's hold on me was from my desire to know if Newland ended up with May or Countess Olenska. This conflict was the only thing that kept me intrigued. New York society's haughty and hypocritical attitude enraged me because it was hindering Countess Olenska's happiness with Archer. Though I feel the plot could have been livelier, I still recommend this book. The unfolding of Archer and Countess Olenska's intricate relationship and character make the novel worth plodding through. I suggest this book to anyone who enjoys 19th century romance and complicated internal struggles in the characters. The story has its ironic and comical parts as well. For example, it is ironic that the women parade the façade that they are innocent and pure, but actually complain and gossip. These situations help liven the tiresome plot. However, if you did not like Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, I doubt that you will appreciate this story because it moves at a much slower pace. It can also be frustrating because society forbids Countess Olenska and Newland Archer to act upon their love for each other. Despite these problems, I still recommend the book because of its strong message against superficiality. Through the characters, Wharton depicts how complicated life becomes when you are not honest with yourself and those around you. Therefore The Age of Innocence is an emotional novel that will leave you frustrated, upset, and filled with awe.
Rating:
Summary: The Many Layers of Age of Innocence
Review: Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence was a fascinating study into 1870's New York society. While many might argue that the story was slow moving, I found that the pace of the book really seemed to match the pace of the time. On the outside it may appear languid and uninteresting with not much plot, when you look deeper, there are so many more elements that make up the story and the people. Newland Archer was such an intriguing character-what did he really want? Why, if he disliked the world and practices of his society, did he not go after what he really desired in life? By looking at Archer's actions, it made me stop and wonder if I would have acted on my own convictions or simply followed the course of least resistance, always thinking of what might have been. The character of Countess Olenska was also multi-layered. While I really did not like her because she never seemed to know what she wanted, I think I was more confused by her. I could never decide if she was good or bad. I guess the same could be said about my opinion of the New York society as a whole-was it purely evil or just stuck in its old ways? There are so many different ways that it could be argued. Yet the most appealing character in the story, at least to me, was May Welland. She appears to be so sweet and innocent, yet she really does know what is going on. While I'm sure many might disagree with me on this point, I found her to be the strongest character in the book because she actually knew what she wanted and she went for it. She knew how to work it to keep Newland-she really didn't let things stand in her way, although it appeared that she was so sweet. Her way of dealing with things could be called manipulative, yet I found it to be commendable in comparison to the actions of the other characters. At least she didn't waffle over decisions and let the things she wanted get away from her. Basically, I think that the reason I enjoyed this book so much was because it was not just laid out before you-you had to think about the characters and make a decision for yourself on what was going on. Nothing about the story is cut and dry. You have to evaluate your own value system to make an opinion on the actions of the characters.
Rating:
Summary: Mind Boogler
Review: Age of Inocence is an enlightening book that caused me to ponder my values and my belief system. Not that it cause me to alter those values and beliefs, but just to think about why it is that I believe in them. What a great book, to make me think so much! Now, what was it that I was pondering so much? Well, throughout the whole book I kept on trying to decide what I wanted to happen to Newland Archer. I tried to decide if May was the correct choice for him, or if the Countess Olenska was the one for him. Wharton did a wonderful job portaying both characters in good and bad light, so that it was difficult for me to decide who I prefer. I really enjoyed the thought process that I went through while I read this book, so if there is anyone looking for a great mind session, this is a good book for you!
Rating: 
Summary: The Great Soap Opera
Review: The Age of Innocence is a book written out of the most uppity, and conceded, part of society in the New York around the 1870's. The society is one that what you wear, whom you are seen with and what your family is like makes up what you are like. It almost annoyed me read of the tragic circumstances in which they lived. There was no originality; there were no thoughts. Any new ideas were squashed in their infancy and conformed to a strict set of rules and codes of conduct. Wharton introduces us as readers to a mass of people who live life but do not truly experience life. The one exception to this is the Countess Olenska and Newland Archer, to a certain extent. The countess comes to New York from a battered marriage, everyone formulates an opinion about her and she is treated well on the surface but no one really cares about here. Newland is the only one in the society who cares. He is kind of my hero in the book because even though he doesn't totally break the code of traditionalism, he flirts with its boundaries. These two characters are the only reasons that I enjoyed the book. They represent the modern movement. They are the ones who feel that the traditional way is not always the best way. Even though Newland eventually conforms to tradition, he truly experiences how life might be if he broke the traditions. The Age of Innocence represents a constant personal struggle. The main conflict is fought within the confines of Newland's head. He struggles with the decision to either follow his heart or his idea of what is right. To be truthful I was upset with how the book ended; however this gives more strength to its message because it is more practical. If you enjoy reading books that excite you, that move you, and that uplift you, then this book is probably not for you. In this book, Newland struggles inside himself; it is a slow moving conflict that takes all the pages of the book to develop. However, though it is a slow moving conflict it does develop very well. We can truly see the change take place in the thoughts of Newland, however it disappoints me to see his actions stay the same. I enjoyed the book for its quality of writing and I believe that other readers would enjoy it for the same qualities. In conclusion, the Age of Innocence was a well-written novel that is somewhat slow moving but a good read nonetheless.
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Summary: The Age of Innocence
Review: In the Age of Innocence Edith Wharton writes of early New York society, of men and women governed by a set of unspoken rules as confining and restrictive as the 5th avenue which they reside. The high society of this era live along certain guidelines and these are the regulations that set the stage for the conflict. Newland Archer, the protagonist finds himself in a very undignified situation when he cannot decide between two women, his wife, the epitome of society, and her scandalized cousin Madame Olenska. Newland pursues Madame Olenska, all the while believing himself to be undetected by his wife May and his peers. Instead of pursuing the true love of his life Newland stays inside the confines of the prison in which he is trapped by the bars of polite society. This book is a great example of the false innocence of women and the cowardice of men. In one scene in the book, May wins an archery contest and is admired for the grace and beauty which she demonstrates while drawing her bow. I found this to be very symbolic of her true character, she is a beautiful ornament to society but her arrows fly true to their mark, she does not hesitate to use her mouth as her weapon. To prevent her husband from running away with the woman he loves, May visits Mandame Olenska and tells her that she and Newland are expecting a child. This is just and example of some of the cards May knows how to play while still maintaining her wholesome image. Although I so not support infidelity in any situation I think that it would have been nobler of May to confront her husband instead fo playing mind games with him and the woman that he loved. Newland is as much at fault as his dear wife May. He met and fell in love with Madame Olenska before him and May were even married. Instead of calling off the wdding and saving himself and those involved a lot of pain and heartbreak, he pushed May to move the wedding up. I think this shows a lot of weakness on his part. If a man knows he loves a woman and he marries another because the rules of society demand it, them he deserves whatever misery life sees fit to put pon him. It is interesting to note that within the world that Newland and May live, there is no vitality or true life. Newland sees this spark in Madame Olenska, he sends her yellow roses while May receives violets. Madame Olenska is always surronded by vibrant colors and people, Newland's world is grey and drab. I think that the age that they lived in was beautiful to the outside eye, orderly, familiar, and secure. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a wonderful piece of literature, it was beautifully written. The detail and imagery are excellent they make the characters and the elite 5th avenue society three dimentional. Wharton definitly knows how women think, and I enjoyed her style. While I enjoyed her writing I did not get along with the characters. I would not recommend this book to anyone that is a realist or a romantic. This book would be annoying to those who rely on their common sense and dissatisfying to those whoe believe in happy endings.
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Summary: Age of Innocence a Mirror to Society
Review: I found the Age of Innocence to be an interesting piece that reflected its time. Edith Wharton was writing about the life that she had grown up in in New York Society (capital S is necessary). Because she had grown up in this society she is able to paint the picture of the way her characters live in a way that makes the reader think that they are somehow involved. The story is basically about how the rules of Society affect the people who are trying to live in it. Some people place themselves in the position to make the rules, others just try to follow the rules and hope they don't mess up too badly, and others are just not able to grasp how they work or are unable to live by them. In the end of the story it is the continuation of Society that is more important than the people who constitute it. Regina Beaufort is sacrificed because of her husband's business failure, but years later the daughter of Beaufort and his second wife is admitted into Society whole-heartedly. Archer Newland lives his life according to what Society says is right and ends up in a marriage where he and his wife are unable to communicate with each other.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Book for a Slow Read
Review: I loved this book. It isn't very action pack, and it will probably put you to sleep in the first few chapters. But once Archer starts to struggle between the loves of his life (Countess Olenski and Mary Welland), it gets downright awesome. It shows a lot about how people's views of other people can affect themselves and other people. Archer lives in a society where Form is the principle power. If one doesn't have Form, than one is nobody. Archer, though, doesn't see it that way in the beginning. He struggles against this control and wants to help those he sees who are most controlled (women). But then he meets a woman who is not controlled, the Countess Olenski. It fascinates him beyond anything he has ever known. But he has just been engaged to what he thinks is the most boringest woman on the face of the earth, Mary Welland. Who does he choose: exciting, mysterios Countess Olenski, or the dull, strict Mary Welland? It is a shock and who he chooses and at the end, when he finally decides that his choice was the best choice. Definetly a read.
Rating:
Summary: Good vs. Good
Review: There is something to be said for the old ways. They may be old-fashioned, narrow-minded, and hurtful to both self and others, but yet, is it sometimes better to remain innocent of new ideas? "The Age of Innocence" shows one man's struggle between two things which both have shades of good in them. Archer may choose the woman he's always wanted, or the woman he always thought he wanted. He may have true love, passion, and adventure, but only at the sacrifice of dignity and honor. He faces a difficult judgment call. This is a judgment that we as readers are forced to make along with him. We also, within ourselves, decide which is better. Certainly there is something to be said for true love. It is the pinnacle of joy; why wouldn't Archer be tempted to forego his status in the community? And yet the old ways force him to second-guess his passion because they hold the virtues of safety and traditionalism. The entire novel shows this struggle universally and individually, as in Archer's life. The generations before him created and unquestioningly made obeisance to an unbending code of conduct; this code the offspring of simple respect for familial honor. The generation after him abolishes and disregards this pointless, in their opinion, way of life. We as twenty-first century readers seem to naturally connect to the latter philosophy, but Edith Wharton sculpts her story to make us understand why Archer struggles to choose. His choice is not simply good vs. evil, but rather it is between a good that widely accepted by his community, and a good that natural to and desired by human life. I wholeheartedly recommend this book; it will break your heart and then make you wonder which you would have chosen, and why.
Rating: 
Summary: Recommended for the Patient Reader...
Review: After leaving her husband in Europe, the countess Ellen Olenska decides to reside at home with her wealthy family in Old New York. The family remains amoung New York's high society and is well respected. One of Ellen's cousins, May Welland, is engaged to be married to the also rich and respected, Newland Archer. After some time spent together between the Countess Ellen Olenska and Newland Archer, they begin to develop feelings for eachother. Newland discovered that Ellen was unlike any of the high class ladies that he had met before. Newland soon finds himself in a twisted love triangle that causes him to decide what is really important to him, high society's respect or his own happiness in love. This difficult question provides for a sticky plot that does not come into play until well into the book. The book seemed to drag on a little too much in the beginning. I found myself skimming through vague descriptions of irrelavent things. Although it does "pick up" in the middle, I recomond this book only for the patient reader.
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