The Children [Paperback]

The reason? I believe the Hollywood powers-that-be might find this novel hits a bit too close to home. Wharton has written many books about New York society at the turn of the century, but none so scathing as this. Her characters represent the celebrities of her age; what's fascinating is to see that things haven't changed all that much. You'll never read the latest Tom Cruise - Nicole Kidman - Russell Crowe - Meg Ryan spread in People magazine in exactly the same way again after this book.

At the same time, it has all the things that Wharton does better than anyone else - the restrained (barely) passions, the intimate moments, the inner turmoil, the beautiful settings. Nobody else finds such depths among the shallows.

I have to struggle to read for pleasure anymore, so when I actually set aside a few hours for the attempt, as I did with THE CHILDREN, I rather hope it to be a good experience. And, in many respects, it was. THE CHILDREN is beautifully written, as is typically the case for Wharton (even in her sub-par endeavors, such as TWILIGHT SLEEP or GLIMPSES OF THE MOON, which I loved but didn't think was one of her best efforts). Much has been made of her talent for writing so there's no need to go on here. Suffice to say, she's brilliant. And THE CHILDREN is an excellent example of that fact, with a story that is far less renowned than THE HOUSE OF MIRTH or THE AGE OF INNOCENCE. However, the ending just killed me. I had my hopes up so ungodly high that perhaps, just perhaps, Wharton was going to give us a "happy" ending...I should have known better. I read this book on a plane flight from the American Mid West and was rapturously engrossed throughout (thank God for sleeping seatmates) but when I reached the end I just about threw the book across the plane in frustration. I know, I know, shame on me for thinking Edith Wharton would deliver a tidy conclusion (GLIMPSES OF THE MOON aside), but still, I was ever so hopeful...my mistake. At least with THE HOUSE OF MIRTH you could read "tragedy" in the subtext from the very beginning so you could be summarily braced when it arrived. But the surprising lightness to her style in THE CHILDREN left me unprepared.

Nonetheless, if you like Wharton and are familiar with her manner, then by all means, check out THE CHILDREN. It's an engaging story, truly, about a middle-aged man whose life is enriched by his capricious association with a wild, eccentric family led, in no small part, by the amazing eldest daughter, with whom he falls in love as he tries to help her to hold together her various step brothers and sisters as their parents go through yet another messy divorce.

So, by all means, give it a go...just be prepared for the Wharton Effect that comes with the conclusion.