1. Portrait of a Lady by Henry James. You yell at her and want to shake her, don't marry him. And she does. Talk about letting characters do what they think best....
2. The Death of the Heart by Elizabeth Bowen. Quiet coming of age, loss of innocence novel. Great atmosphere.
3. The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton. I was expecting a stuffy novel of manners but got sharp satire and a fine expatriate, international marriage story.
4. The Moviegoer by Walker Percy. Another story about a guy who is a chronological adult but needs to do a lot of growing up.
I have only read The Moviegoer and The Death of the Heart and I didn't love either. I find Bowen's writing style particularly tough going. I am (probably) going to read my first James novel this year, possibly The Wings of the Dove since I already have a copy.
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