The House of Mirth

De: Edith Wharton

Narrado por: Emma Messenger

In 1905 New York City, Lily Bart is a young, witty and beautiful socialite. Through a series of unfortunate events, she learns of the bitter consequences for a single woman without wealth, living in an uncaring society.

Public Domain (P)2013 Trout Lake Media

Must be considered with a grain of salt

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Just about everything. But it's worth knowing what that genre and period are about. I'm just glad I don't live in that society.

What about Emma Messenger’s performance did you like?

She did a good job.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No - too boring.

Brilliant tragic love story

Superb narration of a beautifully written novel. By today's standards the heroine's indecision can sometimes be exasperating, but that's more a reflection on the elite society of early 20e America than on her. Many parallels to Anna Karenina.

Very well written

Fascinating portrait of a privileged woman and the consequences of her actions. I don't know whether or not I like Lilly Bart, the protagonist, but I think the answer is that i did not like her. It was interesting and extremely well written, but it was also rather sad and depressing. I believe Edith Wharton must have known first hand the feelings of depression.

know the book is a classic but I'd change the end.

Narrator is wonderful , book is beautiful. I just want a different ending! Worth it though

The House of Mirth

I loved 'The House of Mirth'. Wharton's writing is exquisite and her themes, incisive, deep, and universal, are as relevant today in any slice of society as in her own dying Gilded Age milieu. Emma Messenger's voice is easy to listen to, animated, and gives individualized expression to each character. A wonderful reading and listening experience!

Excellent, but Quite Dated

This is an excellently written novel about a young woman falling from the height of 1900’s New York society. It is a well delivered story but it is difficult now days to feel too sorry for the character actually having to learn a skill and get a job (due to her own silliness) instead of living off of inherited wealth or marriage into such wealth. This is an unflattering expose of 1900 New York, which was likely controversial at the time, but now just seems quaint.

This, like An American Tragedy, is well written in a naturalistic style with a likable yet tragically flawed protagonist, but I much preferred An American Tragedy as it was less a story about manners and more about motivations.

The narration was excellent and added much to my enjoyment of this novel.

Although the writing was excellent and the story well written, I can’t think of anyone I would highly recommend this book to.

Wonderfull reading of a wonderful but tragic story

Where does The House of Mirth rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Emma Messenger reads very true to the book, in a delightful voice that does not add to characters what isn't already there on the page

What was one of the most memorable moments of The House of Mirth?

The story is very heart-gripping, one of those where you loathe as well as love the main person, Lily Barth, a beautiful but too-proud lady in pre-WW1 New York society era.

Have you listened to any of Emma Messenger’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

House Of Mirth is so much a better book than Age Of Innocence. It's a mysteriously beautiful story while tragic!

Any additional comments?

Emma Messenger should read more Edith Wharton books.

Glad I Read

I enjoyed reading this book. It took me to a place in time I'm glad I didn't live in. Being a woman I'm not sure I would have done anything different.

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

I thought this book was okay, well worth the 95 cents that I paid. I am not sure why so many other reviewers disliked the narrator. This is the second book that I've listened to which she has narrated and I found her perfectly adequate.

The Novel of Manners = Blech!

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Well-spent? Probably not. I have come to appreciate Edith Wharton but I am not a fan of the Novels of Manners.

Would you be willing to try another book from Edith Wharton? Why or why not?

Yes. I very much liked Ethan Frome and, despite it being a Novel of Manners, the Age of Innocence. Wharton knows what she's doing and I would not give up on her based on my ho-hum take on House of Mirth.

What does Emma Messenger bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I don't mean this maliciously, but not much. Messenger did a great job with her performance and I liked her portrayals very much. But the narrator, in my opinion, has little ability to improve the book experience but has a lot of power to diminish it. Ms. Messenger delivers a wholly adequate and enjoyable experience.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

Yes.

Any additional comments?

None at this time.