Rating: 
Summary: Beautiful
Review: Edith Wharton's novel is so rich with detail of the streets, customs, social anxieties, expectations, and quirks of late nineteenth century New York City that you feel as if you are transported back into the world of Newland Archer and the upper-crust society in which he dwells. Alongside of that, Wharton has written a moving portrait of a man who realizes too late that he wishes to break away from the customs of this society, and of the woman whom he feels is his spiritual equal, but whom he cannot ultimately have. It's timeless and quite simply, bittersweet and beautiful. Completely deserving of the Pulitzer.
Rating: 
Summary: Beautiful,Satisfying, & Memorable
Review: It was not until after I understood the meaning behind the story of The Age of Innocence that I really appreciated it. There is a deep meaning behind the storyline about life that anyone can relate to. The setting is vividly painted in an era where the unwritten rules of society prevail. I found myself understanding exactly the tense emotion felt by the characters. I also felt the heartbreak of a true love and the helplessness felt by the characters felty by the realization dreams wouldn't ever come true. This book was a timeless classic that I will cherish for a long time to come. It can be understood by anyone teen up to a senior citizen. It has the ability to impact anyone because the theme portrayed can be related to anyone in any period of time. All the characters in this novel are molded into individuals with dramatically different personalities which causes friction, but makes the story fall into place in a unique way. This novel opened my eyes to the raw facts of human nature and how we act. it portrays how people think and what they want. In ways, it was even a little sardonic to the society in which the characters inhabited. It teaches a lot about what a society and people's opinions can do to affect the people living in it. It also portrays what happens and the effect of not being true to your dreams and beliefs. The ending of the story was not wha I would've liked to happen, but it must be that way for it to be what it is and make the impact it does for the reader.
Rating:
Summary: One Heart's Struggle
Review: The Age of Innocence is a wonderful book. During my English class, I chose this book to read because it was recommended to me by my teacher. I am extremely glad that I picked this book to read. Edith Wharton did a wonderful job of describing the setting and characters. The characters came to life, because they were so well-rounded. With the vivid descriptions it was easy to put myself in Archer's position. I could understand his struggles and sympathize with his losses. This novel was so skillfully written that I was torn between Archer's dreams and harsh reality. Even though I knew one path was the kind and considerate path to take, my heart wanted him to selfishly do what he wanted. I was suprised at my reaction, but that was what made me admire this book even more. Over all, I would recommend this book to teenagers and young adults. I think just about anyone would enjoy this book: the descriptions, emotions, and suprising twists in the plot.
Rating:
Summary: Hypocrisy of "high society" in early 1900sNew York unveiled.
Review: This book was a delight to read. Beautifully written and heartwrenching. I have never met such a scheeming female as the limpid and transparent May, totally ruthless when it comes to protecting her own wellbeing but I am sure they exist. Also, seldom have I felt such compassion towards a man as I do for Newland Archer. How vicious that societey was under their mask of propriety and affability. Shame. Be prepared -providing you like to read about another age- to be spellbound.
Rating:
Summary: Spellbinding!
Review: I'm of the Star Trek genre. I hate mushy books, but I'll make an exception here. The only reason I ended up picking up this book was because I read that it was the first book by a woman ever to get the Pulitzer prize, and my curiosity got the better of me. The book is truly a masterpiece. For one thing, the minute you start reading, it creates such an aura of detail and finesse of 1870s New York, that your imagination is captured. There will be some preliminary yawns and hmmmms before the story gets into its main theme. But you can feel a certain spell cast over you the minute you read that first description of Countess Ellen Olenska at the opera! She's absolutely scandalous, yet never seems to fall from grace at any time. Through out the story, she's always "distant" and the best part about reading the book is you can imagine her to be anything you want her to be (especially if you're a male!) Newland Archer is absolutely and beautifully "stuck up" and a true gentleman. And the mists of sophistication that seem to linger as the story goes along are great. Edith Wharton knows how to say things too, to say complete sentences without a word and so explicitly get across what is totally implicit. When I shall read my next romantic story, I don't know. Probably not until I've forgotten enough about this one!
Rating:
Summary: New York in the Gilded Age
Review: Edith Wharton revisits and scrutinizes the New York high society she grew up in in this novel of love, social expectations, and class boundaries. Newland Archer-the central figure in the novel- is torn between a woman who represents tradition (and never questions the social order) and the woman he loves, who challenges the limits of society's tolerance, and seems oblivious in doing so. Throughout the novel, Archer is beseiged by thoughts of following his heart, but is drawn by propiety to never break with tradition. One is reminded of "The House of Mirth", another great work by Wharton, in which the central character's social blunder in the first chapter of the novel results in an irreparable decline into the lower classes. Not only does Wharton enlighten the reader on the social codes of conduct during "The Age of Innocence", but she also fills the novel with the dress codes, dining codes, and proper codes of etiquette which were so important in the daily lives of the members of New York's high society. This stunning attention to detail really takes the reader to a different time and place, and it's a fascinating journey.
Rating:
Summary: an American tragedy
Review: This book reminded me of Jane Austen novels but without the moral dimension of the protaganist. Newland Archer didn't follow his heart, not because of honor or righteousness, but out of conformity and cowardice. He simply lacked the imagination to do it. For this reason, the story is tragic. Edith Wharton has a singularly unsentimental view of marriage, and a profound grasp of social conventions...an excellent, if disturbing, read.
Rating:
Summary: An American Classic
Review: I decided to write this review after I had read this classic for the fourth time. My appreciation for Ms. Wharton and the text grows with each passing year and additional life experience. Upon reading the first page, I am immediately drawn in to turn of the century New York society. Written with elaborate detail, it is easy to imagine every scene as it takes place. The trials each character endures is relevant today. A wonderful book of love, love lost, regret and complacent happiness. If you love period pieces, do not miss this one!
Rating: 
Summary: Perfect cure for insomnia
Review: At the risk of offending the literary world, this is the slowest piece of fiction I have ever read. The story is about New York, circa 1880, and the stuffiness of the elite class. The author descibed her characters succintly in Chapter 33 when she wrote " It was the old New York way of taking life " without effusion of blood": the way of people who dreaded scandal more than disease, who placed decency above courage, and who considered that nothing was more ill-bred than scenes, except the behaviour of those who gave rise to them". The plot centers upon a engaged lawyer, Newland Archer. From one of the finest families in New York, he falls for an exotic beauty with a scandalous past, the Countess Olenska, who also happens to be his fiance's cousin. The young man struggles with whether he settles into the staid and boring life that his family name and status have earned him surrounded by people he despises, or does he follow his heart. He defends the charcter of the mysterious and exotic Countess Olenska, who is scorned by both family and friends. The Countess, equally in love with Archer, makes the hard decision to let Archer go so he can fulfill the life that has been planned for him. Beautifully written but dreadfully slow.
Rating: 
Summary: Very deep work, but too boring
Review: In reading a literary work as imposing as The Age of Innocence, I came upon a few interesting aspects that make this book stand out from others. It should be noted that I came upon only a few interesting aspects as the general feeling conveyed by Edith Wharton in this work is boredom. Most likely, this was not intended, but it is the result. Wharton's very-very-extensive and complete descriptions of everything from New York opera etiquette to Countess Olenska's furniture do show a stylistic touch and should not be confused as the pointless rambling of an unskilled author. However, some stylistic touches should be avoided for the sake of the greater effect, and this is one of them. Indeed, although the overriding theme is omnipresent and constantly jabs the reader, it must break through this layer of insignificant detail. Nonetheless, Wharton does an excellent job of portraying Newland Archer and the incredible pressures on him to follow the demands of society and the immense urges he has to break out of society. Thus, once again Wharton has produced a literary work with significant autobiographical elements for the marriage that Newland Archer feels trapped in could be no other than the failed union between Edith and Teddy. It is also assumed that the intruder-the Countess Ellen Olenska-is the man in Wharton's life whom some believe she had an affair with. This of course would be very logical and would facilitate greatly any explanation for the overriding themes not only in The Age of Innocence, but also in Ethan From and Summer. Nonetheless, I must stress that the overall effect of the novel was severely handicapped by the fact that this book could substitute for a remedy for insomnia. I also believe that, although there is evidence that this is truly a great work in the fact that it won the Pulitzer Prize, it is not in fact a great work as I believe a work must be constantly parodied in order to be considered great. American Gothic and Rhapsody in Blue are immortal, but I fail to find Edith Wharton's legacy in The Age of Innocence.
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