A tale of forbidden sexual passion and thwarted dreams played out against the lush, summer backdrop of the Massachusetts Berkshires Edith Wharton called "Summer" her 'hot Ethan'. In their rural settings and their poor, uneducated protagonists, "Summer" (1916) and "Ethan Frome" represent a sharp departure from Wharton's familiar depictions of the urban upper class. Charity Royall lives unhappily with her hard-drinking adoptive father in an isolated village, until a visiting architect awakens her sexual passion and the hope for escape. Exploring Charity's relation to her father and her lover, Wharton delves into dark cultural territory: repressed sexuality, small-town prejudice, and, in subtle hints, incest.

1998-06-29 A classic with "easy" language but no-so-easy plot

I usually read more modern writers, but my mother adores Wharton, so if there's nothing else, she's usually what I'll find. I've only read Summer and Ethan Frome, but between the two. . . .

What I love about Wharton's style is that it's older, sometimes considered classic, which leaves you feeling like you've just stepped out of the early 1900's. (Unfortunalty, you zoom back to near 2000.) For those who are looking for a book that will wow your teachers on book reports, look no further. It's not like Shakespeare or Henry James where you find yourself re-reading a page 5 times; the language is much clearer. I'm not saying, though, that it's easy reading. You do have to have a high maturity level and be able to take the character developments and surprise ending. I myself was so mad at the end of the novel that I planned to personally write Ms. Wharton. I realized that, unfortunatly, there would be no response. I still couldn't let it go, though, and I decided to write a sequel. Yeah, right. Let's just see how close I can get to Edith Wharton's level. Maybe I still will write it, but I have a feeling that she might not have liked that. I know I wouldn't. Besides, I suppose some things are better left unsaid.