The Early Short Fiction of Edith Wharton — Part 2

The Early Short Fiction of Edith Wharton — Part 2 brings together short stories and verse written in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The collection ranges from compelling narratives to ghostly material, using richly drawn English and American settings as a backdrop for reflections on memory, nostalgia, and the complexities of human emotion. One of the featured pieces, “Afterward,” centers on Mary and Edward Boyne, who, after years of effort, settle into a rural English home called Lyng. At first, Mary is drawn to the promise of their new life, but recollections of an elusive ghost tied to the house introduce unease. As they grow accustomed to their surroundings, unresolved tensions and withheld difficulties begin to affect their relationship, hinting that the past may closely intersect with the present.