I don’t know why not because it was certainly a tragic story, so maybe I just wasn’t in the right mood for it.Ethan Frome, a poor, downtrodden New England farmer is trapped in a loveless marriage to his invalid wife, Zeena. I can definitely understand why people love it, but it didn’t affect me emotionally as much as I had expected it to. This is the first book I’ve read by Edith Wharton and although I did like it, it hasn’t become an instant favourite.

I thought it was obvious what was going to happen but I was wrong there was a twist at the end that gave the story an unexpected conclusion. The wintry landscapes are so vivid I wished I’d saved this book to read on a snowy day, as I think it would have made a perfect seasonal read! As well as the winter imagery, I also loved the way the book ended. The town of Starkfield, Massachusetts is as stark as its name suggests the descriptions of the snow, the ice and the cold all contribute to the heavy feeling of oppression which hangs over the entire book. The most striking thing about this book, for me, was the tense, claustrophobic atmosphere Wharton created, making the reader feel locked within Ethan’s miserable world. Zeena, as seen through Ethan’s eyes, was portrayed as such an unpleasant person I found it difficult to have much sympathy for her, but it was clear that she was also stuck in a desperately sad situation. Ethan and Mattie’s relationship felt real and natural, and I wanted them to find happiness together. The only characters explored in any depth are the three main ones (Ethan, Zeena and Mattie) but all three are realistic, believable people. The tone of the book is very bleak, filled with foreboding and a hint of tragedy to come. But although this is not a particularly complex story, it is a powerful and memorable one.

Mattie is everything Zeena isn’t – warm and loving and pretty – and soon she and Ethan begin to fall in love.Įthan Frome is a short book with a simple but very effective plot, so for those of you who haven’t read it yet, I don’t want to go into any more detail about it and risk spoiling the story for you. One day Zeena’s cousin, Mattie Silver, comes to stay with the Fromes. Trapped in his unhappy marriage, Ethan has no joy in his life and no hope for the future. Ethan Frome is married to Zeena, a woman he doesn’t love.

Ethan frome by edith wharton