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| Final Rating: 4.6/5 |
In The Custom of the Country Edith Wharton uses biting satire to create one of the most callous self indolent characters ever construed onto paper. But it is the subtle brilliance of Ms. Wharton's writing that captures the epitome of the aristocratic hierarchy of the early 20th century and follows its main attraction that is Ms. Undine Spragg as she aims to climb the social ladder of monetary pursuits by any means and will not stop as long as her mirror reflects her commented beauty and youth, that is what makes this a rediscovered gem of a classic. Told in a watcher in the window style the reader is given a full length view of character's inner most thoughts and desires. Although on the surface The Custom of the Country may seem a dated work that centers on a selfish young woman who destroys lives of everyone she comes in contact with, the patient reader may discover multifaceted passages in this title. Not only does Ms. Wharton capture and effectively fashion rancor toward her monetary endowed characters but she also seizes complicated behaviors and "customs" of marriage, other social classes and nationalities that may lead to some entertaining debates for any interested book discussion group to pass the time with.
A little patience is asked of the reader who decides to explore this sometimes overlooked classic, Ms. Wharton writes in the flourishing descriptive style and the contemporary reader may find too much is asked of them and stop reading within a few chapters but please don't. Stay with this one, you may end up really loving The Custom of the Country like I did. I find these kinds of titles pull me in if I let them and just enjoy the experience, although I enjoyed The House of Mirth a little more than The Custom of the Country I would still recommend this title for those who would like to find a forgotten classic about the magnetic aristocratic world of the early 20th century.
-borrowed from local library and then purchased for kindle
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