Status Updates From The House of Mirth

Ok so Lily Barts mother died of Old Age at 44 because her husband went from Mega to Sort of Rich shortly before his death and she had to go to Europe to economize with the other Upper Class Widows…a picture of why Lily is like this is forming

the context of her having written way more before publishing her first book (which was this) is so evident. 24 pages in, Lily Bart is already an icon for me. she's so layered in her thinking or answering; a byproduct of her surroundings. i can't believe i'm saying this, wharton's more inviting and intriguing than proust 😭 i may have to dnf my boy because it's gettting to a point