278. The Fox

The Fox
D.H. Lawrence
1922

Around 90 pages

D.H. Lawrence is a master at using symbolism effectively, and this is perhaps the finest example of his remarkable talent. Like Edith Wharton, he is able to do an incredible amount in a very short novel. 

Nellie March and Jill Banford manage Bailey Farm without any help. They are in their late twenties and unmarried (read: confirmed spinsters). They are plagued by a fox that has been wreaking havoc on their poultry, and has evaded all attempts to shoot it. One day, a young man shows up and a love triangle of sort forms. 

As usual, he really dives into the psychology of his characters and the dynamics between all three characters are fascinating. I guess Lawrence is never really cheerful in his writing, but this was a particularly dark entry in his works.

I guess this is as close as we are going to get to a lesbian love story at this time. I am still enjoying this era of post World War I literature. You really get a sense of this universal feeling of displacement. Definitely looking forward to more Lawrence in the future.

RATING: *****

Interesting Facts:

First appeared in The Dial literary magazine in 1922. 

UP NEXT: Ulysses by James Joyce. One of my least favorite books I've ever read. 

277. Crome Yellow

Crome Yellow
Aldous Huxley
1921
Around 175 pages

I really liked A Brave New World but never bothered to explore Aldous Huxley's other works. I don't know why. I guess I read enough old British male authors as is. This was a decent introduction to his other work and was wildly different from what I was expecting.

Denis Stone, a young poet, is invited to stay at Priscilla and Henry Wimbush's country house, along with a handful of other guests. Denis is secretly in love with the Wimbushs' niece, Anne, but lacks the courage to voice his affection. Other guests include Mr. Barbecue-Smith, a literary hack who tries to "help" Denis' writing and Mary Bracegirdle, who is determined to have a romantic adventure. 

I like novels like this, where the emphasis isn't so much on plot. Instead, we simply get to observe a diverse cast of characters discuss the ideas of their time. Huxley is a deeply philosophical writer, and I enjoyed his exploration of different questions. It was also interesting to analyze his commentary on contemporary writers of the time. One character, Scogan, is able to guess the plot of the novel Denis is working on, which strongly resembles Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. Scogan isn't wrong about that story being done to death and I will take any Joyce bashing I can get.

This is Huxley's first novel, but he seems to have found his voice already. I imagine they will only get better from here.

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

An American musical, Virginity, was inspired by Crome Yellow. In the musical, the deaf character Jenny is given the lead role. That seems cruel.

The story of Hercules Lapith was adapted into a radio play.

UP NEXT: The Fox by D.H. Lawrence. This is a pretty good one. 

276. The Age of Innocence

The Age of Innocence
Edith Wharton
1920
Around 300 pages

I recently reviewed the movie version of this book on my film blog. This feels like one of those strange network crossover episodes. While I wouldn't consider this my favorite Edith Wharton novel, it is undeniably her most iconic and is definitely deserving of its place on this List. On the movie List, I'm not so sure.

Newland Archer is head over heels in love with May Welland, a sheltered, beautiful young woman who is the darling of the New York society set. That is, until he meets Countess Ellen Olenska, May's cousin, who is returning from Europe after a disastrous marriage to a Count. May and Newland attempt to reintegrate Ellen back into their world, but Newland's growing attraction to her threatens to destabilize the perfect life he had been building for himself.

Wharton is getting more daring, which is exciting to witness. She is still very structured in her writing, so I wouldn't say she is letting her hair down in that way. But the characters are making racier decisions than they would have made two novels ago. 

There are some really unforgettable characters here that I really enjoy reading about. A must read for sure.

RATING: *****

Interesting Facts:

Won the Pulitzer Prize, making Wharton the first woman to win.

The inspiration behind the name apparently came from a painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds.

UP NEXT: Crome Yellow by Aldous Huxley

275. Main Street

Main Street
Sinclair Lewis
1920
Around 450 pages

I always mix up this novel in my head with Sister Carrie, with Sister Carrie being the novel I hold in higher regard. This is nothing particularly wrong with this book, it's just very bleak and dreary. Like Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, but somehow even more depressing.

Carol Milford is an optimistic daughter of a judge. She marries Will Kennicott, a doctor, and they move back to Will's hometown of Gopher Prairie, Minnesota. Carol is excited to put her ideas to improve the small town into practice. Predictably, it's not as easy to enact change as she imagined.

I feel like there are many such works that explore similar themes. A character begins the novel wide-eyed and bushy tailed and becomes less innocent as the novel progresses. I have nothing negative to say about Sinclair Lewis's writing style, but I don't think this is the most original work we've come across.

Personally, Carol didn't annoy me. I think it would be easy for that type of character to really grind on your nerves, so good on Lewis for managing to remain relatable.

RATING: ***--

Interesting Facts:

The town of Gopher Prairie is a fictionalized version of Lewis's hometown, Sauk Centre.

UP NEXT: The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton. Yay!