The Age Of Innocence

By: Edith Wharton

Narrated by: Mary Sarah

Wharton’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel set in upper class New York City. Newland Archer, gentleman lawyer and heir to one of New York City's best families, is happily anticipating a highly desirable marriage to the sheltered and beautiful May Welland. Yet he finds reason to doubt his choice of bride after the appearance of Countess Ellen Olenska, May's exotic, beautiful 30-year-old cousin, who has been living in Europe. This novel won the first ever Pulitzer awarded to a woman.

Public Domain (P)2013 Trout Lake Media

Tale of unrequited love per society rules.

Would you consider the audio edition of The Age Of Innocence to be better than the print version?

Yes, but only because it's easier for me to listen while I work, than take the time to read the book.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I admired May the most, even though the author wrote her as "someone without imagination". In the long run, May knew exactly what was going on, gave the lovers a chance to go in a different direction, but they refused to go their own way and buck society's rules.

Which character – as performed by Mary Sarah – was your favorite?

The grandmamma character was well done.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

There is a film, but I think it would be
"Can you live your life for love?"

Any additional comments?

I enjoyed this story of a man who falls in love with a married woman, whom he talks out of divorcing and leaves her with the choice of returning to her husband, (who is hinted as being an abusive man) or living a life of genteel poverty alone. His fear is that she will become the mistress of one man or another and yet he marries her cousin and leaves her behind.
I found the ending very poignant and true. Sometimes we long for something and that longing is more important than the actual fulfillment of the thing you long for. I did do some crying over this one.

Reader may it difficult to like

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

Not really.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Age Of Innocence?

In the next to last chapter when Archer finally has the light bulb go off and realize the rest of the family thinks he is in a physical affair when in fact it is everything but physical. Silly man!

How did the narrator detract from the book?

The narrator went too fast and did not have different character voices. Also, I had to keep changing the volume. I reduced the speed to 3/4 and could follow along. However, I did miss much of the details due to the volume issue and lack of identifying the character.

Did The Age Of Innocence inspire you to do anything?

No

Never really got off the ground for me

I think this is my Napoleon Dynamite of books... it never seemed to really launch. Maybe it was just me, but after having recently immersed myself in a lot of books about the Gilded Age and New York Society, I found this surprisingly dull and lackluster. I really wanted to like it more, but I just couldn't. I can tick having read this classic off the list of books "you are supposed to read".

Beautiful Book But Less-than-Beautiful Performance

Would you listen to The Age Of Innocence again? Why?

I wish I had the patience to sit through this narrator's reading one more time. As it was, I had to reverse and listen to sections over and over again due to her artistic choices so I feel like I have already listened to this book three or four times!

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Age Of Innocence?

I love the passion of the two key characters, Newland and Ellen, which is heightened by their inability to declare their love openly. Any scene in which they appear together is tense but passionate...and certainly memorable.

Would you be willing to try another one of Mary Sarah’s performances?

No. While she articulates the prose well and reads Wharton's novel with enthusiasm, I felt her artistic choice to open every sentence loudly and end it in a whisper was difficult and annoying. I had to hit the rewind button far too many times which seriously harmed the experience for me,

Who was the most memorable character of The Age Of Innocence and why?

The three main characters - Newland, Ellen and May - are memorable and deeply drawn. While May is depicted as an innocent child-woman, she turns out to be very clever indeed. Bit. my favorite character is Newland, who maintains his dignity despite his passionate love for Ellen. Ultimately, he makes the right choice but his passion is deeply felt.

Any additional comments?

Although it's difficult to believe in our modern times that two people in love could have their love constrained in such a way, the novel's depiction of this forbidden love is beautifully rendered.

Demonstrating "a selfish life does not= happiness"

Great Story Classic. Gives Jane Austin worthy competition!
Occasionally the distinction of voices is sorely missing.