Ethan Frome

By: Edith Wharton

Narrated by: Adam Sims

Set deep in the remote countryside of Massachusetts, New England, in a world of small-town prejudice, pettiness and rural poverty, the story of Ethan Frome explores the crippling marriage of a young man to an older woman and his love for her vibrant young cousin, Mattie, who lives as a dependent in the Frome household. His feelings lead to a day of explosive emotions with tragic consequences.

Published in 1911, two years before Wharton divorced her husband, the novel integrates the raw experiences of the author's own life to create a powerful tale of the tragic destruction of innocent love, in a stark, compressed and unified form. Over time, the book has gained the reputation of being Edith Wharton's best work.

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A Beautifully Written Tragedy

This is a heartbreaking tragedy rendered in beautiful prose. It reminds me of Sartre’s No Exit.

Really enjoyed the narration

A classic short novel expertly narrated. I hadn’t read this novel since high school. I really enjoyed and understood its themes much better reading it as an adult.

Written in 1911

And even in 1911 there were probably people who thought all of the characters were ridiculous and pitiful. Top it off with a lame ending. When the resolution of a problem is so simple and no one does it, it's like the writer thinks the readers are dumb. I got this book because it was my grandma's favorite. But in her defense, she liked it because she was able to learn so many new words. The author just uses a lot of adjectives no one ever uses to sound smart, but it comes of melodramatic and arrogant.