I admit that I read this book solely because it was on the "1001 books to read before you die" list. I had no idea what it was about, and so was very surprised at how much it reminded me of my former life.Wharton does an excellent job at painting a picture of the bleakness of feeling forced by circumstances to stay in a loveless marriage. Thankfully my story had a happy ending with a much preferable amicable divorce over an attempted dual suicide.