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Kate Chopin

The Awakening

Kate ChopinFiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1899

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Book Brief

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Kate Chopin

The Awakening

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1899
Book Details
Pages

96

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Louisiana • 1890s

Publication Year

1899

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

The Awakening by Kate Chopin outlines the journey of Edna Pontellier, a woman vacationing at Grand Isle in 1890s Louisiana, who begins to embrace her independence and desires, influenced by her relationships with friends and the attentions of Robert Lebrun. This process of self-discovery continues when she returns to New Orleans, increasingly rejecting societal roles of wife and mother, ultimately facing a profound internal conflict about her freedom and responsibilities. The book includes sensitive topics like infidelity, mental health struggles, and self-harm.

Contemplative

Melancholic

Bittersweet

Reviews & Readership

3.9

220,146 ratings

61%

Loved it

25%

Mixed feelings

14%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Kate Chopin’s The Awakening is celebrated for its pioneering exploration of female independence and sexuality. Praised for its lyrical prose and depth, some readers find its main character's decisions controversial and unsettling. While seen as ahead of its time by many, others criticize it for promoting values they view as morally questionable. Overall, it's a provocative and influential novel.

Who should read this

Who Should Read The Awakening?

An ideal reader for The Awakening by Kate Chopin enjoys exploring themes of female independence, self-discovery, and societal constraints. This reader appreciates literary classics such as Virginia Woolf's Mrs Dalloway and Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper, which also delve into women's inner lives and societal roles.

3.9

220,146 ratings

61%

Loved it

25%

Mixed feelings

14%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

96

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Louisiana • 1890s

Publication Year

1899

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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