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Classic FictionAge of Innocence
Big fan of the film so decided to try the book. I'm only a little bit in but so far, even though the story centers around a man, it definitely has a much stronger feminist theme than I thought it would. Of course it is written by a woman, but I thought it was going to be more of a criticism of upper crust society, she's definitely making a pointed critique of how men and women play differently into these roles. This line really stuck out to me. It is near the beginning when newland is contemplating why he wants to marry Mae.
"and he felt himself oppressed by this creation of practitious purity, so cunningly manufactured by a conspiracy of mothers and aunts and grandmothers and long dead ancestresses, because it was supposed to be what he wanted what he had a right to in order that he might exercise his lordly pleasure in smashing it like an image made of snow."
For context, he's expressing frustration at this concept, but being that a female is the author, and considering the time period, I find it very interesting that a woman writes this about male/female dynamic knowing of the people who would read it.