A controversial and exhilarating classic!. Review on Awakening, The - Kate Chopin

I actually bought this book in error, I thought it was another book that I had heard about. It took me awhile to get around to reading it and once I dove in...I couldn't get enough of it. I was so sorry when the story had to end, it was like having to say good-bye to friends I had made throughout a journey! The version I read was the Barnes & Noble Classic The Awakening and Selected Short Fiction, by Kate Chopin. The introduction and notes were written by Rachel Adams.

The introduction gives a very interesting peek into the authors life and is a perfect way to set your mood and capture the setting for The Awakening. Much of the text refers to the french language and an early southern/ New Orleans (USA) dialect, which were translated in footnotes. I found these notes to be fun and informative, while giving great emphasis to the story. Kate Chopin was a very controversial author in her time, 1850-1904. She wrote of things unheard of for women to think about, much less to say or write about. The Awakening glides the reader into a late 19th century setting with a rather affluent woman from the New Orleans area, Mrs. Pontellier.

As a reader, it is best to think in context of the time, because one could easily be offended by racial tendencies in the story, but to portray a true image of life in this time, it is a necessary detail. Mrs. Pontellier lived the pampered life of a Southern Belle and her husband spoiled her endlessly. She and her family take a summer long holiday in an island resort, where she is acquainted with such interesting people. When people begin to leave the resort to return to their normal lives, Mrs. Pontellier returns to her luxurious life, in New Orleans, with many questions to be answered for herself. I cannot imagine a woman of today writing a story, that could capture the mindset of women of that day, as Kate Chopin did in this story. It was so interesting and even quite educational.

I found myself wanting to grab this book to steal any stray 5 minutes I could find, just to find out what Mrs. Pontellier was up to. I was sad for the story to come to an end, especially an ending that left you pondering this womans life and the fate she had come to.

The short stories that follow The Awakening, in this book, are the perfect therapy for those who are left craving more from this fascinating author.