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Ethan Frome
Ethan falls in love with Mattie, the cousin of his miserable wife, to disastrous results.
It’s a lovely, tender, tight little book. It’s faithful and fair to both the strict social norms of its setting and the feelings that provide the impetus for their transgression.
While Ethan’s wife Zeena is a bit less complex than Ethan and Mattie, her unflattering portrait is perhaps the most memorable of all. But across the board the character development is terrific.
You also get an uncommonly strong sense of place from the book. If you’ve ever experienced the northeastern United States in the winter, it’ll make you reach for your warmest coat.
It’s the opposite of flashy. It lacks the garish gestures that characterize modern romance stories, and it ends in tragedy. But despite all that, in its understated way, it’s one of the most romantic books I’ve ever read. Despite all the physical and emotional frigidity, it’s kinda hot.
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