After perusal of the other reviews, I was ashamed to see so many that discarded the book as "lacking in action." I'm amazed that someone with such mental lethargy bothers to write a review. The book is packed with drama, suspense, and a dangling question of the position of women in a patriarchal society. I only denote it three stars becuase of Chopin's too tidy ending, and unresolved thematics. Realist that she was, she should have known that for every Edna who commits suicide, there are thousands of women who suffer in society's fetters. As for the "boring" reviews...go enrich yourselves with a Stallone flick.

This is a great book reflecting the importance of a woman's desire to feel freedom and independence. Although this book is almost a century old, it is still a handbook for all repressed women in physically and/or mentally abusive relationships. The importance and elegant use of symbolism are also something to admire. However, the novel lacked in action. More action would have assissted greatly in people's desire to read this book.

After reading all the other reviews and having read this book twice, I find the criticism of its pace unthoughtful. It was written in a time when all books lacked action, and by the standards of the day, this book was packed with more sex than should have by far. It was deemed, "poison" by critics all over America. The Victorians did not write about women leaving husbands, extramarital sex and suicide: this is action-packed compared to a Jane Austen novel. It is anti-feminist yet feminist at the same time; it shows sweet dreams against bitter realities. Take another look at this book if you have read it and thought the same as many car-chase, big bomb, nudity, and gore seeking people of America today have discarded it.