
A farmer in a bleak Massachusetts winter is drawn to his wife's young cousin
Edith Wharton's novella is set in the fictional town of Starkfield, Massachusetts. Ethan Frome, a poor farmer, lives with his wife Zeena, and their lives change when her cousin Mattie Silver comes to help in the house. The story is framed by a narrator who becomes curious about Ethan.
Readers who enjoy classic novels that have stayed in print.
Ethan Frome, his wife Zeena and her cousin Mattie Silver.
Rural Massachusetts in a harsh winter.
A narrator tells the story, reconstructing it from what he learns about Ethan.
Bleak and gripping.
Classics · New England · Marriage · Winter
98 pages · ≈ 3 h
Also in the collection: Short Books to Read in a Day