Rating: 
Summary: Five stars
Review: I think the novel is simply brilliant and the story plot has been intricately weaved. I greatly admire the courage of Countess Olenska. Falling short of the glory of being socially accepted in New York society because of her divorce with the Count, she had the strength to stand firm in spite of the gossips going on around her. Always real and true in character, she never put on a facade to cover up her situation. One wonders what was really going on between her relationship with the Count. And society would tend to put the blame on her. But all these were clearly exemplified in how she dealt with the situation concerning Newland Archer. She refused to be the one drawn into a deceit of love, perhaps she gave in once due to the pressure given by Newland. Yet, in all these, she stood by integrity and fought against every possible temptation. Edith Wharton did a excellant job in the potrayal of a woman of substance in Countess Olenska.
Rating:
Summary: Beautifully crafted love story and social commentary
Review: Edith Wharton dazzles in this tale of forbidden love, family obligation, and societal customs. I picked up this novel at the recommendation of a friend, and was not able to put it down. The story is moving in its description of the nobility of postponing one's passion in order to avoid paining an innocent; the observation, and criticism, of Old New York society is marvelous, at times funny, and accurate. A must-read.
Rating:
Summary: A riveting novel.
Review: Edith Wharton was the first woman author to win a Pulitzer Prize.She won for this novel in 1920.If you do not like period pieces, detailed language, and vivid descriptions I urge you to stay away from this masterpiece.It is a thoroughyly engrossing read.Edith Wharton herself endured an unhappy marriage, and it has been speculated upon that Newland Archer is actually herself.This book has held up completely well.Not recommended for the nonromantics, or the lovers of action, this novel is sheer genius.You feel the inertia of the times, the ridiculous wanting to fit into the New York society filled with hypocrisy.Truly a gem I could not put down.In my opinion, the film does depict the book rather well.
Rating:
Summary: Beautifully Written
Review: Edith Wharton has a way with language that no other author ever has. Her tone and imagery is amazing. Her characters and subject matter lead you down a path that is memorable and entertainging. Newland Archer is a well mannered and sophisticated while still interesting. His marriage to well-breed May is expected, but it's those expectations that makes "Age of Innocence" so wonderful. The addition of the Countess is what drives this book. The senery is just wonderful and the description of every detail brings so much more to this fabulous novel. It's one of the best ever.
Rating:
Summary: The flower of life
Review: It's not really the plot of this book that makes it so interesting to read (Upper class New Yorkers attend soireés and stifle their chances at happiness) but the way the book is told. When it ended it made me review the situations and decisions in my own life. It made me question the importance I place on appearances and objects. We may believe that the kinds of decisions and choices in The Age of Innocence no longer exist, but I think they do. Everybody is still playing the role society assigns them.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent reading
Review: It's the happiest day of your life; you're about to make known to all of society your newly planned wedding engagement. Things are going great for you, that is until your fiancés cousin returns to town, and you fall head over heels in love with her. Then what do you do? You're torn between the perfection of your innocent little fiancé and the mysteriousness of the cousin that everyone talks about. The choices are simple; stick to your fiancé and be completely accepted by society, or run away with her cousin and never have to wonder about the happiness that you may have missed out on. Maybe this isn't the easiest decision to make. Newland Archer, a wealthy businessman in New York during the late 1870's, was a typical example of a males role in society during this time period. As all of the upper class individuals around him, Newland attended operas, went to balls, and was engaged to a girl whom everyone knew and respected. May Welland, the girl he was to marry, was the epitome of the perfect girl, young, beautiful, pure, innocent, and sweet. He loved May deeply, but with the return of her cousin Ellen from Europe, Newland's attention was taken from May and focused more intensely on Ellen's mysterious background and the talk that was spreading through society about her. Newland saw Ellen as no one else in New York did. To everyone else other than he, she was only a topic for conversation. Her past was filled with scandals and secrets, ones which seemed of great importance to everyone except Newland. Newland fell in love with Ellen as quickly as she had appeared in New York. He loved how different and open she was, she wasn't so concerned with the thoughts and opinions of others that she forgot what life was all about. However, there were many things that kept Newland and Ellen away from one another throughout the novel, the main issue being the society around them. The idea of Ellen divorcing her first husband is looked down upon by the New York society, as well as the idea of a well-known man such as Newland having anything to do with such a woman. Newland's love for Ellen is distracted by the whispering from the society all around him, and the disapproval of the society towards his actions. This theme of society's interactions with the lives of individuals appears continuously throughout the novel, and appears to be the main theme that Wharton is trying to get across to her readers. She does an exceptional job of portraying the impact of other peoples thoughts on the actions and thoughts of her main characters. The language used throughout the novel is also quite intriguing. Wharton uses excellent diction and word choice to describe the appearances of her characters, as well as the scenery around them. When describing the thoughts and emotions of each of her character's, her descriptions and details bring the reader into the story with them. She lets her readers see into the minds and thoughts of each character; she shows what they're thinking at any given moment and how their thoughts differ from their public emotions. She does a brief overview of the backgrounds of each character, which, at the beginning of the novel becomes quite overwhelming, but doesn't last too long once you get into the book. After you start seeing a character's name appear more than once or twice you begin to relate each character back to the family that they're from and the role that they play in society. Once you've got all of the characters memorized and begin to understand the plot, it becomes quite intriguing. The theme of society's affect on individual lives has the capability of changing peoples perceptions of their society. This book shows how the involvement of society and its beliefs on certain subjects, such as divorce, roles of women in society, and other moral issues, can affect the choices an individual makes concerning their life and their happiness. Sometimes people don't always make decisions based on their own happiness; they only do what those around them believe is the right choice. There are several areas in this novel where things seem to drag on and on, but if readers will only take the time to push through these not so exciting pieces, the excitement that occurs later on will definitely make up for their lack of excitement. For example, there are several times when characters are just brought into the novel and seem to be of no importance to the novel whatsoever. These characters however, are the ones who add to the overall picture of who the society is made up of, and the things that are of importance to them. This novel shows how operas, balls, and morality were what New York's society consisted of. If someone disagreed with the society's actions, their thoughts were kept inside, no one spoke their true thoughts in the open. This novel was so filled with passion and desire that it touched the soul as well as the heart of its readers. Wharton reaches into the depths of her character's emotions and pulls them out for her readers to see, feel, and understand. Her readers feel the pain that Newland is going through, as they see him being torn between the two cousins. The pain and emotions that each of the women are struggling through is seen as well, but in May's case it isn't quite as obvious. This novel leaves its readers with a feeling of completion and the belief that there are people out there who will do the right thing, even if it hurts.
Rating:
Summary: brilliant observation on the human condition
Review: Wharton is one of my favorite authors, and in _Age of Innocence_, she outdoes herself. The character development is beyond compare: every time I read this book (which is at least once yearly), I crawl around in the characters heads, especially the Countess. Excellent anaylsis of what makes people tick. 1870s NY is no different than modernity.
Rating:
Summary: Five stars for Ellen and the scenery
Review: As I opened this book for the first time, I was expecting it to be an interesting, entertaining read about New York's society in the 1870's century. Interesting it was, but entertaining - well, not in the way the word is usually understood. What really struck me was that a book with such an innocent name was, in fact, probably the most difficult book I have ever read! The story doesn't make a spectacle of itself - it isn't difficult in the same way as "War and Peace" might be to some people; it is very fragile, and thus you've got be careful, very careful... When you read this book, you've got to stay alert all the time. The scenes are so well described that to fully experience them, you can't afford letting yourself fall into absent-mindedness, not for the slightest moment! The beautifully written scenes, the fascinating insight into a 19th century New Yorker's frame of mind, and the enigmatic Countess Olenska, are the best things about "The Age of Innocence." Also, I liked the way this book ended - but you've got to find out about it yourself! To name a defect, I must say that the story is not a harmonious whole, but not to the point of it being disturbing. I heartily recommend this book to anyone - though not, perhaps, to very young readers who might not fully understand the beauty of it. Shame on every Yank who has not read this jewel of American literature.
Rating:
Summary: Typical Upper Class Read
Review: The Age of Innocence is set in late 19th century New York. It focuses on the upper crust of New York society, those known at the time as America's aristocracy. It is a well written book with an interesting subject. However, it doesn't undertake a new or uncommon subject. The lives of the upper class have been dissected so often that it is difficult to come up with a new angle. You do get a taste of the disillusionment that affected the youth of the Gilded Age; but, that alone is hardly reason enough to write a novel. Do not expect to be knocked over by this book. It is a good read and will entertain, but do little else.
Rating:
Summary: Piercing, Funny, and Moving
Review: THE AGE OF INNOCENCE is an incisive portrait of a struggle for forbidden love among members of the idle rich in post-Civil War New York. Wharton's narrator is sharply critical of the characters she describes; the words from the writer's pen often seem like arrows shot from a well-aimed bow. Her critical sharpness never really descends into the pit of cynicism, however; besides, what most people consider cynical is merely someone else's honest attempt to see things as they are. Her characters are human, they have their noble and mean aspects, but as a rule they don't give each other credit for the good that is within them--all must be imposed from the outside, by religion or meddling mothers or fear of losing one's economic status. It is this tyranny of society that Wharton both understands and shreds to pieces so well. We are all hypocrites to one degree or another; some people get it, others do not--Wharton clearly "gets it." Wharton skillfully uses her protagonist, Newland Archer, to depict the soul's wrestling match between conventional expectations and individual freedom. Her supporting characters are colorfully drawn, if not fleshed out as much as fans of Henry James may prefer. Wharton admired James intensely, and although a professor of mine once called her "a poor man's James," she is better thought of as a rich woman's Wharton. She did indeed pattern THE AGE OF INNOCENCE after James' less popular novel, THE AMBASSADORS, and she takes up themes of desire, freedom, renunciation and regret with a more generous and witty spirit than he.
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