This is the book discussion title for Republic Branch Library in February. One of Wharton's best, the unidentified narrator tells the story of Ethan Frome and the tragedy of his life. Ethan was a bright young man who dreamed of a bright future but the illness and subsequent deaths of his parents brought him home from school early and his marriage turned out differently than he imagined. The one bright spot? His wife's poor relation, Mattie, who comes to live with them when her own parents die and leave her destitute. If you like stories with happy endings, do not read this one. If you like deeply nuanced tales of life's vagaries and endings that remind us that happy endings are more often fantasy than reality, then by all means, pick up this book...and join us to discuss it on Thursday, February 10 at 1:30 at the Republic Branch Library! Large type edition is only 120 pages!
Kim F
Oh, the Frome!! The ending of this book has been my benchmark for gut-wrenching, you-thought-you-could-be-happy-muahahahahaha literary sucker punches since we read it in high school. It is a good book (especially with our current weather). And I will never read it again. You know it's powerful stuff when the trauma sticks with you for twenty years. *sigh* BTW, if you watch the movie, Liam Neeson in the title role will just make you cry that much more.
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