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robyn1998's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I enjoyed this, it was very immersive. I didn't think Edna was such a terrible person as a lot of the reviews seem to be saying. She was just trapped in her situation and not suited to being a wife or mother. I also learnt a bit about French Creole people which was appreciated.
rosatenena's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicide
zeynus's review against another edition
challenging
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
lovelykd's review against another edition
3.0
The third star? I must admit it’s due to “when” this was written. Can you even imagine a woman of means, from a “respected” lineage, deciding to cast off society’s burdens and live life on her own terms? In whatever way that presents itself?
It’s a stretch to imagine a woman doing that now, even in this modern society—when women are allowed? Permitted? Given the opportunity to …? be all they can be (please understand I’m saying this facetiously).
For all the advancements of this society, much of the old still remains. There are still men who hope to possess, control, and otherwise dictate the movements of women.
Edna’s awakening was her curse. That’s as sad of a story now as it was then—and to have told it in 1899? My gracious. What a woman Kate Chopin had to have been.
It’s a stretch to imagine a woman doing that now, even in this modern society—when women are allowed? Permitted? Given the opportunity to …? be all they can be (please understand I’m saying this facetiously).
For all the advancements of this society, much of the old still remains. There are still men who hope to possess, control, and otherwise dictate the movements of women.
Edna’s awakening was her curse. That’s as sad of a story now as it was then—and to have told it in 1899? My gracious. What a woman Kate Chopin had to have been.
ifyouhavebooks's review against another edition
3.0
Chopin’s writing is beautiful and lyrical and this is why I was able to enjoy this book. I did not like Edna and I was angry with the decisions she made but I could understand her desire to be free and herself. The main thing that bothered me was that she made her own grave when she married Léonce and had children. That was what bothered me the most. She had children that deserved a mother but she was never there for them unless she felt like it. I think Edna was a selfish person and I think she could have gone about things in a very different way but I understand her desires. I just can not respect her decisions.
That being said, I hold Léonce just as responsible. He was not a good father, just as Edna was not a good mother. He tried to love her but he realized she had no interest in him. I do not think that he was a bad guy, just a man conflicted between being a husband of the time and trying to understand his wife, while still wanting to keep up appearances. They were both troubled but I in no way put the blame on one single person.
I personally think that she took her life in the end because she did not want to sacrifice herself to her husband and children. She thought she could not live the life she wanted so she decided to make the ultimate sacrifice for her children while still not giving up who she was for them. It was her way of cementing who she was while still leaving her children with the impression of having a loving mother, because if she had continued down that path, she would have either become an even more so unfit and absent mother or she would have lost herself to become the ultimate mother and wife, which was, in her eyes, something worse than death.
It deeply saddens me that she took her own life at the end because I desperately wanted for her to be happy with Robert, on good terms with Léonce (who hopefully would start to understand the needed independence of women as Dr. Mandelet did), and most importantly become closer with her children. I’m a sucker for happy endings and this was definitely not one, which is not a bad thing, sometimes sad endings are the more realistic and needed ones. But overall this was a good book. A book that makes you think.
That being said, I hold Léonce just as responsible. He was not a good father, just as Edna was not a good mother. He tried to love her but he realized she had no interest in him. I do not think that he was a bad guy, just a man conflicted between being a husband of the time and trying to understand his wife, while still wanting to keep up appearances. They were both troubled but I in no way put the blame on one single person.
I personally think that she took her life in the end because she did not want to sacrifice herself to her husband and children. She thought she could not live the life she wanted so she decided to make the ultimate sacrifice for her children while still not giving up who she was for them. It was her way of cementing who she was while still leaving her children with the impression of having a loving mother, because if she had continued down that path, she would have either become an even more so unfit and absent mother or she would have lost herself to become the ultimate mother and wife, which was, in her eyes, something worse than death.
It deeply saddens me that she took her own life at the end because I desperately wanted for her to be happy with Robert, on good terms with Léonce (who hopefully would start to understand the needed independence of women as Dr. Mandelet did), and most importantly become closer with her children. I’m a sucker for happy endings and this was definitely not one, which is not a bad thing, sometimes sad endings are the more realistic and needed ones. But overall this was a good book. A book that makes you think.
steve_t's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
relaxing
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
rek216's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
maistfu's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I liked this one a lot. the awakening is a collection of short stories which includes the awakening, désirée's baby, lilacs, miss mcenders and a pair of silk stockings.
the awakening was my favourite. I'm sure there are a lot of women who don't like edna seeing as she puts herself before her children and that makes her a bad mother in their eyes. I don't think it makes her a bad mother. she's an individual outside of her children and I very much enjoyed seeing her self discovery.
the awakening was my favourite. I'm sure there are a lot of women who don't like edna seeing as she puts herself before her children and that makes her a bad mother in their eyes. I don't think it makes her a bad mother. she's an individual outside of her children and I very much enjoyed seeing her self discovery.
_ava_row_'s review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5