The Valley of Decision

by Edith Wharton

Wharton's first novel is set in late 18th century Italy. Valsecca inherits a dukedom at a young age. During the French Revolution he had allied himself with the forces of social reform. Now he must face the tradition of feudalism, which comes with his social class. He struggles with these conflicting loyalties.

Genres: Classics, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literature, Historical, American, Italy

372 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1902

About the author

Edith Wharton emerged as one of America’s most insightful novelists, deftly exposing the tensions between societal expectation and personal desire through her vivid portrayals of upper-class life. Drawing from her deep familiarity with New York’s privileged “aristocracy,” she offered readers a keenly observed and piercingly honest vision of Gilded Age society.
Her work reached a milestone when she became the first woman to receive the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, awarded for The Age of Innocence. This novel highlights the constraining rituals of 1870s New York society and remains a defining portrait of elegance laced with regret.
Wharton’s literary achievements span a wide canvas. The House of Mirth presents a tragic, vividly drawn character study of Lily Bart, navigating social expectations and the perils of genteel poverty in 1890s New York. In Ethan Frome, she explores rural hardship and emotional repression, contrasting sharply with her urban social dramas.
Her novella collection Old New York revisits the moral terrain of upper-class society, spanning decades and combining character studies with social commentary. Through these stories, she inevitably points back to themes and settings familiar from The Age of Innocence. Continuing her exploration of class and desire, The Glimpses of the Moon addresses marriage and social mobility in early 20th-century America. And in Summer, Wharton challenges societal norms with its rural setting and themes of sexual awakening and social inequality.
Beyond fiction, Wharton contributed compelling nonfiction and travel writing. The Decoration of Houses reflects her eye for design and architecture; Fighting France: From Dunkerque to Belfort presents a compelling account of her wartime observations. As editor of The Book of the Homeless, she curated a moving, international collaboration in support of war refugees.
Wharton’s influence extended beyond writing. She designed her own country estate, The Mount, a testament to her architectural sensibility and aesthetic vision. The Mount now stands as an educational museum celebrating her legacy.
Throughout her career, Wharton maintained friendships and artistic exchanges with luminaries such as Henry James, Sinclair Lewis, Jean Cocteau, André Gide, and Theodore Roosevelt—reflecting her status as a respected and connected cultural figure.
Her literary legacy also includes multiple Nobel Prize nominations, underscoring her international recognition. She was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature more than once.
In sum, Edith Wharton remains celebrated for her unflinching, elegant prose, her psychological acuity, and her capacity to illuminate the unspoken constraints of society—from the glittering ballrooms of New York to quieter, more remote settings. Her wide-ranging work—novels, novellas, short stories, poetry, travel writing, essays—offers cultural insight, enduring emotional depth, and a piercing critique of the customs she both inhabited and dissected.

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Edith Wharton read #2

Okay, this one almost killed me! Originally published in 1902, this was Wharton's first full length novel. Set in 18th century Italy, the story is a rags to riches type of story as main protagonist, Odo Valsecca is raised by peasants and as an adult becomes heir to a dukedom. Much of the dialogue shines a light on the ideologies swirling through Europe at the time and of course, Odo also has a passionate love affair. A woman who believes Odo's devotion to his people must remain the most important.

This book started off really slow and that resulted in me keeping Odo on a horse for weeks as I pursued other titles on my shelf. Eventually, I gave it another try and when I turned the page(literally) it became more interesting. The drama really kicked in for awhile but I still felt not completely enamored by the ending.

Onward to more Edith Wharton titles!

Goodreads review published 15/09/20

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dearest Edith,

I am writing to tell you that I have now read your first full-length novel, and I am thanking the muse Melpomene, that you turned from history to tragedy and found your voice. Oh yes, I know, you already had an elegant style and a way with prose that foreshadowed things to come, but truly, I had no sense of who this Italian Duke was meant to be amid all the philosophy and high-flown debates.

You would think that following a character from boyhood to manhood and seeing all his growing pains would build an attachment of some kind, and really it should, but I am not that easily attached, so it didn’t. I felt like I was inside Lily Bart’s skin and I wept for her copiously, but nary a tear for this guy, not even a pang.

I just wanted you to know that I have not changed my feelings for you one iota because of this rather rotten novel. I still love you. I get that everyone needs to have their growing pains, even the really great writers like you. As far as I know, only Shakespeare never got it wrong, and there are probably people out there who would argue against that.

Anyway, thanks, Edith, for all the superb writing you did and forgive me this rating, which in all honesty I just have to give this book. I will tell anyone who will listen not to judge you by this, to just glide on over it and read something else you have written that will make their eyes water and their heads spin.

Your forever friend,
Sara

[Christine PNW · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who knew that Edith Wharton's first full-length novel is a piece of historical fiction set in 18th century Italy. It's honestly a bit of a slog, although Edith is just as brutal to her main character in this one as she is in her future, better works.

I'll probably post a longer review on my blog. For now, I'll just say that I understand why this one has slipped into obscurity.

[Daniel Chaikin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wharton‘s first full length novel from 1902 looks at 18th century northern Italy and reform movements in the Age of Enlightenment. Through unanticipated accidents of succession Odo rises from a neglected spiritual boy to educated idealistic wannabe reformer, to a Duke able to implement his reforms (partially driven a by lover). But do his subjects want them? It‘s a curious complicated setup; a long, interesting, if somewhat forced novel of ideas, or maybe of failed ones.

It's in a way a kind of an oddball first major novel. It's not bad, but readable and interesting. A maybe awkward opening where a reader has no idea where she is going leads to long chunks feeling as if they were written in one breathe, full of ideas and observations and energy. And it asks some hard questions. I would only recommend to completists, but I don't think they will mind it.

-----------------------------------------------

40. The Valley of Decision by Edith Wharton
published: 1902
format: 461-page Kindle ebook, public domain
acquired: July
read: Aug 2 – Sep 5
time reading: 19:57, 2.6 mpp
rating: 3½
locations: Mainly fictional late 18th-century Pianura in Northern Italy somewhere between Turin (in Savoy) and Milan. Also Turin, Naples, Venice, and other Italian places.
about the author: 1862-1937. Born Edith Newbold Jones on West 23rd Street, New York City. Spent most of her writing life in France.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

"If you take Christ from the people, what have you to give them instead?"

"For generations, for centuries, man had fought on; crying for liberty, dreaming it was won, waking to find himself the slave of the new forces he had generated, burning and being burnt for the same beliefs under different guises, calling his instinct ideas and his ideas revelations; destroying, rebuilding, failing rising, mending broken weapons, championing extinct illusions, mistaking his failures for achievements and planting his flag on the ramparts as they fell. And as the vision of this inveterate conflict rose before him, Odo saw that the beauty, the power, the immortality dwelt not in the idea, but the struggle for it.”

"All the old defenses were falling. Religion, monarchy, law, were sucked down into the whirlpool of liberated passions. Across that sanguinary scene passed, like a mocking ghost, the philosophers’ vision of the perfectibility of man. Man was free at last — freer than his would-be liberators had ever dreamed of making him — and he used his freedom like a beast. For the multitude had risen — that multitude which no man could number, which even the demagogues who ranted in its name had never seriously reckoned with — that dim, groveling indistinguishable mass on which the whole social structure rested. It was as though the very soil moved, rising in mountains or yawning in chasms about the feet of those who had so long securely battened on it. The earth shook, the sun and moon were darkened, and the people, the terrible unknown people, had put in the sickle to the harvest."

The other day I was listening to a lecture from a renowned history professor who recommended that if a student wants to really understand a specific historical time period, they shouldn't begin by reading dry and hard to comprehend textbooks or, even, period nonfiction histories. Rather they should start by reading books of historical fiction about that period. I tend to agree. Although many of the parts of these fictions may be contrived, such as specific conversations, descriptions, or incidents, they remain a more interesting way to absorb very complex histories.

Edith Wharton's first published book was, in fact, a historical fiction novel about northern Italy, currently known as the Po Valley (Pianura during the time of the novel) in the late 18th century about a nobleman named Odo Valsecca. Notwithstanding the book being historical fiction, it was a very difficult book to follow in many cases. In fact, much of it may be considered "dry and hard to comprehend." In fact, I could almost contend that the first half of the book more closely resembled "stream of conscience" (such as Tristram Shandy or Ulysses) than historical fiction considering that the main character spends the majority of his time traveling from place to place and meeting with various nobles and scholars. In fact, a couple of quotes in the novel represent this portion of the novel quite well as Ms. Wharton states, "He saw his life stretched out before him, full of broken purposes and ineffectual effort," and "His course had now become one of aimless wandering." I must say I agreed with those statements one hundred percent, that the primary character spent all of his time aimlessly wandering.

So why did I give the novel a four out of five rating. Because the final half of the novel becomes quite fascinating, not with the story so much as the ideas. The great discord at this time in Europe, particularly in France, was between the free thinkers, the libertarians, and those who supported the traditional religious and monarchical order. Although this novel primarily focuses on Northern Italy, the effects which France has upon them is inevitable, and Italy, itself, has free thinkers and scholars who also desire a new order, an order of liberty and freedom. Unfortunately, these people are so close to the action that they cannot see the long range consequences, which results in such setbacks as France's Reign of Terror.

At any rate, Ms. Wharton was obviously a very brilliant and educated woman who shared her ideas in a highly intellectual manner. Consequently her vocabulary, language, and impressions are sometimes difficult to understand. For example, if you decide to read this novel, you want to do it on a cell or tablet so you can use a translator and dictionary due to the foreign phrases and complex terms. On the other hand, the concepts she shares are universal and, I must admit, worthwhile for the understanding.

In any case, I began this book in a squalid mire, but I eventually waded onto a path that became more unsullied, and that resulted in reading an ending that, I must admit, was unquestionably exceptional. I'm not sure I can recommend this novel, but whoever decides to tackle it will not be sorry for the wisdom one can glean.

[Diem · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a doozy. Imagine you're taking on the challenge of reading the Edith Wharton catalog, expecting a romp through Gilded Age New York when you tuck into her debut novel and it sets you in late 18th century Northern Italy. And you're suddenly knee deep in Enlightenment philosophy, the Suppression of the Society of Jesus, and the Illuminati.

Reader, I struggled.

Not that it wasn't a well considered novel but it was a lot. I wish there was a better rating system here b/c it was more like a 3.78. Only for the brave of heart. There are rewards aplenty but they will cost you.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

“The Valley of Decision” is Edith Wharton’s first long novel, being published in 1902 after her two collections of shorter works, “The Greater Inclination” and “Crucial Instances”, and the novella “The Touchstone”. It is an impressive work, and Wharton’s writing is outstanding as usual. The scope and detail are there, but the execution is not quite up to the level which she would later attain.

“The story takes place in the later part of the 18th century Italy, and focuses on the life of Odo Valsecca, a man who rises to power over the course of the four books which make up the novel. Odo has to deal with the powers in the form of the nobility, the church, the free-thinking movement, and of course the peasants. Wharton effectively details each of these forces, and creates interesting characters from each to form a novel of incredible richness and depth, but so much time is spent on explaining the period and politics that the development of the characters and the storyline suffer.

Book I is titled “The Old Order” and covers Odo’s youth. Here we learn about the impact which St. Francis Assisi has on his early years, about the poverty in which he was raised in spite of his noble bloodline, and of course the impact his father’s death has on his mother and of course on himself. It is also during this period that Odo meets two friends he will have for the rest of his life, a hunchback which he knows as Brutus, though he later learns his real name is Carlo Gamba, and Vittorio Alfieri, a Count from Asti.

Book II is titled “The New Light” and it picks up the story when Odo is a bit older. He has become a young noble, and is learning the ways of the world. He meets free-thinkers, and in particular Professor Orazio Vivaldi and his daughter Fulvia for whom Odo falls in love. Odo’s naiveté with regards to court intrigue and the spying which occurs nearly destroys the Professor and his daughter not just once, but twice. Odo goes to live with the Duke of Pianura, the title for which he is in line and for which it is becoming more and more likely for him to inherit. There he falls in with the free-thinkers again, and once again the spies are on to him. Thanks to the Duchess he manages to escape when de Crucis arrives having been commissioned by the Holy Office to look into the free-thinkers. Despite being on opposite sides of the free-thinker issue, Odo comes to like de Crucis.

Book III is titled “The Choice”, and during this period Odo is free to travel and learn from the free-thinkers thanks to the protection that the Duchess has provided. During this period he once again runs into Fulvia and learns of her father’s passing. Fulvia is in a convent, but not free to come and go. He plots an escape with her, but time and again he fails to understand just how much others are able to learn about his planning. With the aid of another sister though, they make their escape and Odo intends to travel with Fulvia into Switzerland. Just before they make their escape, they are found by de Crucis who informs Odo that the Duke has died and that Odo is to be the next Duke. Odo is willing to give it up, but Fulvia reminds him of his obligation to his people and refuses to let Odo accompany her any further.

Book IV is titled “The Reward” and covers Odo’s time as Duke of Pianura. He tries to push the agenda of the free-thinkers, pushed by his old friend Carlo Gamba and Fulvia Vivaldi, the woman that he loves. But he has been forced to marry the Duchess and play all the political games to deal with the church and the nobles, and it has cost him much popularity. Things come to a head around the constitution that Odo wants to give the people, but the other forces in society work to prevent that from happening.

This is a long and complex story, filled with historical and social information about Italy in the late 18th century. The explanations supporting the story ultimately detract from it overall, but it is still a remarkable piece of writing, and as Edith Wharton’s first long novel it is definitely of interest.

[Classic reverie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am in the minority in loving this book from the reviews listed here but this being her first long novel, I thought she did a wonderful job at this historical fiction story. I am also in the minority of not having The Age of Innocence, as a favorite of mine but nonetheless, I gave it 5 stars. In that story I found all the characters unlikable but it still prevailed as a great read. The main character in Valley, Odo is an extremely likeable which makes me enjoy this more because he has many admirable sides which makes his story interesting. Having finished David Copperfield recently, this being a bildungsroman also but with characters of different class and paths. Both looking to understand the world and themselves better. The setting in Valley is Italy 18th century, the time for many governmental changes, philosophy and the increase of free thinkers all over in different countries, in Italy there is conflict of old ways and the Holy See. This is not a light read but neither is it difficult but it is wanting of your whole mind in the arguments of the never-ending questions of religion and free thinking, privileged and peasant; and taking what is and changing what you can verses a Utopia that will never be reached. Edith Wharton did not espouse or negate religion but looked at it thoughtfully. I enjoyed this book for all the tangents, history given and the descriptions of the country and story of a young boy of nobility and the path that is ahead.

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are wonderful passages and vivid descriptions, but if this is her first long novel, I'm relieved she moved her settings closer to her own experience. If this were the first novel I read by Wharton, I'd probably never have made it to her greater works, e.g. Age of Innocence. Still worth reading.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am glad to have a copy of Wharton's first novel and I love her other books, but The Valley of Decision was, I don't know what to say. I'll put it this way: I could see that she definitely had the talent of description, but the actual story was hard to get through. This was not the Edith Wharton that I knew growing up, pouring over every book she wrote like it fell down from heaven. Whatever metamorphosis happened between Valley of Decision and her other books makes me grateful. I don't know how I would have done without Ellen Olenska.

[James F · Rating 1 out of 5]

historical novel, set in the Piedmont in the second half of the eighteenth century. This is Wharton's first full-length novel, but after reading her earlier stories I was surprised at how poorly written it is. Not the actual writing -- her use of words is very sophisticated, of course -- but the larger aspects. The first half is reasonably interesting, although there is too much description which is not well integrated into the action, but then the novel turns into a travelogue for over a hundred pages, with the plot (and for the most part, even the protagonist) vanishing under long descriptions of almost every important city in Italy. When the plot finally resumes, it is driven entirely by improbable coincidences, like an early romantic novel by Dickens or Hugo, or even a parody of their style; we get speeches in the author's language rather than natural dialogue appropriate to the characters; in the end, the protagonist undergoes an inadequately motivated reversal of character, and the novel ends as a political pamphlet with a diatribe against the French Revolution. It was indicative that my (1902) copy, bought from a library book sale, which from its condition had obviously been taken out many times, still had uncut pages near the end, showing that none of the borrowers had ever finished it.

[Brian E Reynolds · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Valley of Decision is Edith Wharton’s first novel and is different from the rest of her work. Rather than focusing on 19th and early 20th century New York society as her subsequent fiction does, it is set in northern Italy's Piedmont region in the late 18th century, when Italy was comprised of feudal city-states. It follows the story of nobleman Odo Valsecca as he grows from a young boy into a man. Odo is the nephew of the Duke of Pianura and the story is about how Odo inherits the Duke’s throne and how he handles his decision-making when he gets there.

The Valley of Decision is divided into four parts, called Books. The first covers his childhood. In the middle Books, Odo grows into a young man with liberal ideals, studying philosophers like Rousseau and getting involved with free-thinkers, a group at great risk from both royalty and the church. During this youthful period of intellectual growth, Odo falls in love with Fulvia Vivaldi, daughter of a liberal philosopher who draws the attention of the authorities. The last Book covers his ascension to the throne where Odo has to choose between the forces of social reform he and Fulvia have believed in or the feudal traditions of church and state into which he was born.

It’s strange to see Wharton writing about society in 1790’s Italy and it took me time to see any similarity between this novel and Wharton ‘s later works. But, with some guidance, I was able to see that this book does involve themes such as living under society’s restrictive rules, the meaninglessness of these rules and the inevitable fate of those who flout the rules - themes that also recur in Wharton’s later New York based works.

The book felt tedious and even uninteresting at times. I don’t think the writing style was the problem as Wharton’s writing was smooth and descriptive even at this early career stage. The problem was with the storytelling and characters. I thought Wharton was so worried about educating the reader on Italian society of the time and crafting her message on societal constraints that she shorted the reader by failing to create realistic, interesting characters and story events. I never engaged with either Odo, Fulvia or other characters, lessening the impact of many of the story events. On the positive side, the final half was much more fluid and interesting than the first half.

I found this book to be an unsuccessful attempt at historical fiction. Although the book appears to have been popular in its time, I am glad that Wharton decided it was best to switch gears and stick to writing about the New York society that she grew up in, knew so well and vividly portrays in her other fiction.

While I thought this book was a fairly unsatisfying read, I still think it is worthy of 3 stars. I probably would have rated it 2 stars if written by most any other author but I can’t get myself to give a Wharton only 2 stars.

[D. Dorka · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5 csillag

Edith Wharton első regénye, ami történetesen egy történelmi fikció. Nem indult jól a kapcsolatunk, mivel a 18. század másodikfelében játszódik, és történelmi szempontból a 20. század az, ami vonz, esetleg a 19., de korábbi már nem különösebben.

A LibriVoxon újfent egy jó felolvasót találtam Robert Keiper személyében, bár nincs sok narrációja. A sápítozó öregnénis „szinkronhangjaihoz” hozzá kell szokni, de elég gyorsan sikerült. Ettől függetlenül valószínűleg a téma miatt néha nehezemre esett odafigyelni.

Elvonatkoztatva a személyes nyűgjeimtől a regény rendben volt. Mint korai regény, nem annyira kiforrott, de Wharton irányultságát előrevetíti. Sok benne a politika és filozofálgatás, illetve a főszereplőink sorsa elég tragikus. A nyelvezete szép, amikor sikerült odafigyelnem, jól esett hallgatni.

Alig vártam, hogy vége legyen, de tényleg nem a könyv hibája volt.

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I love Wharton, this early novel of hers shows too many bones, too much of the nuts and bolts of writing, to be as enjoyable as her later works when she knew herself, her subjects and her characters more deeply.

Set in Italy, this portrait of the entire life-span of a last feudal ruler, Odo, in the midst of personal and national revolution shows that Wharton is a scholar and historian alongside being a skilled storyteller.

There are far too many places where the author addresses a modern audience, reflecting back on the issues of the time in Italy, instead of staying true to the story and allowing those issues to become inherent in the narrative. The tunnel-focus on the main character, while still remaining third person in narration, narrows the scope of the story so dramatically that these long stretches of commentary are quite jarring.

Like always, though, Wharton draws a landscape that feels so real when reading the words on the page. Many times I was transported to an Italian Garden or Chapel in the midst of reading. These moments reminded me that I was reading the work of an emerging master, albeit an emergence that happened over a century ago.

[Linda DiMeo Lowman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I almost abandoned this book twice. Her writing is gorgeous but nothing of much consequence happens until well into the book. Then I finally fell into the story. There are a lot of Italian phrases and titles of noblemen and names of certain levels of people in stations between the King and the nobility. Since I'm reading on a kindle I could not look them up. You can place bookmarks but there'd be one on nearly every page. I wish I could read paper books so I can flip through them or fold over pages while reading so I could look up the Italian words, phrases, and titles later. The book is a love story but that is not the overarching theme. The time was during the French Revolution but Italy was still in the grips of the nobility and the Catholic Church. It was fascinating to read about the excesses of those people and the desperate condition of the peasants as their taxes took nearly everything but the shirts of their backs. I'm happy I did read it. Edith did not let me down.

[Lucy · Rating 1 out of 5]

The author clearly did a huge amount of research into life in the Italy of the time - and was determined to cram it all into this novel. There may be a good story in here trying to get out, but it's swamped by awkward travel writing, interminable passages of discussion between characters so ill-drawn I never did sort out one from another, and a quite inexplicable section of an English farmer's diary. It's as if the author was trying out all sorts of styles of writing - and as we know she ended up as one of the best novelists of her or any other day. This is one for Wharton completists only.

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of painful, set in Italy

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

"At that moment it seemed to him of vastly more importance to discover the exact nature of the soul — whether it was in fact a metaphysical entity, as these men believed, or a mere secretion of the brain, as he had been taught to think — than to go back and govern his people. For what mattered the rest, if he had been mistaken about the soul?"

This is Edith Wharton's first novel. An historical novel about the life and times of Odo Valsecca, who we first meet as a neglected waif of an Italian noble family with little means, who later inherits a Dukedom, just around the time of the French Revolution. Sounds good, right? Lots of fodder for an epic story. But you would be wrong. If you are thinking about giving her a try, do yourself a favour and don't start with this one. This one was an obnoxious mess of a book. It was difficult to get through with its big words, (some in Latin, some in Italian, the rest in English. Yes, she was multi-lingual. We all know) and philosophical passages and ideals. I felt nothing for any character. And there are some great characters in this story. But, unfortunately, we don't really get to know them. We only know them, superficially, through Odo. It was just page after page of looking up every 5th word. So frustrating! At one point, near the end, she even throws in the travel diary of an unnamed English agriculturist. Why? Just because she could. No other reason.

About halfway through, I thought the story started getting a bit better. Thank goodness, because I was seriously thinking about throwing in the towel. I thoroughly enjoyed his adventures in Venice. There were moments of beautiful writing shining through but what torture to get through this story for little reward. Over all, this was a grind! Thank goodness Ms. Wharton continued to write because she gets MUCH better. Still her biggest fan but not impressed with this one.

[Lee Anne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Every once in a while, I will look at my to-read pile of 165+ books and wonder if there is another book in there that will blow my mind, change my life, fill me with happiness and awe.

This was not one of those books.

It’s Edith Wharton’s first novel. Instead of sticking to her eventual wheelhouse of “pretty people with pretty problems” (my favorite genre), i.e. the wealthy New York society of the dawn of the 20th century, she wrote a period piece about life in an Italian ducal court in the 18th century. And oh God, I could not have cared less. Didn’t care about the politics, didn’t care about the kind of forced romance between our hero Odo and the daughter of a political philosopher who’s persecuted for his beliefs. Didn’t care, didn’t care, didn’t care. For 21 long days of reading. Didn’t care.

My other favorite author, W. Somerset Maugham, also went period a few times, and I found those deathly boring, too. I suppose they can’t all be home runs, or even base hits. I’m just glad I’m finally finished with it.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, well, this went from almost being a DNF to becoming probably my second favorite Wharton novel after The House of Mirth. I was close to putting it down during Book 1, which, sure, brings 18th-century Italy to life, but is frustratingly light on plot. But I told myself I’d power through to Book 2 and see if it got better, and I’m glad I did! I ended up getting uncommonly invested in the story. I’ll be thinking about this book for a long time.

After the story picks up, it introduces elements such as a nobleman concerned about the social injustice faced by the people he may one day rule, a secret society that has to hide its pursuit of scientific knowledge from the Church, Illuminati rumors, an occult ritual, nuns who like to party - I could go on, but I don’t want to give too much away.

If the abovementioned elements pique your interest, give The Valley of Decision a whirl. Just know that it gets better after Book 1.

[Frank Galloway]

I have read many other books by Edith Wharton, which I enjoyed. I was disappointed in this one. I thought the plot was unbelievable. There were so many characters that it was difficult for me to keep them in mind. Having finished it, I was surprised that I did. I suppose I thought it would get better. Hope springs eternal. This novel may be a good example of why it is good for authors to write about matters with which they are familiar.

[Sarah Rowley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an ancient book with ancient language. It was written in a time when vocabulary was rich and very descriptive. The plot is actually quite relevant in today's political climate even though the plot was set in 1700's Italy. It was written in 1902 and trying to get through the long sentences and challenging vocabulary can be a turn off. i have collected all of Edith Wharton's book and enjoy her style of writing and the subject matter.

[Priscilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe Ms. Wharton was not ready to take on the class issues of early 20th Cent NYC, so she turned to 18th-19th Cent Italy. This one is too long and not her best, but it was her first and showed her immense talents.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of the themes that will come up later in her work, but less polished and more thick with Enlightenment-era philosophy (blegh).

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once again, Goodreads does not have the Librivox audiobook in its data base, and I cannot add it.

[Roula Yasin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Valley Decision, for much of its text, seems to pit religion against liberty and progress. Odo develops progressive ideas, but, when he attempts to place them in operation, the human condition (including prejudice, inertia, and ignorance) blocks him at every turn. Religion, at least in the form of Christianity, earns a better name by the end of the book. excellent topic, but too slow.

Its abt the difference between having great ideas and implementing them

the childhood and young adulthood of an Italian duke. The duke sides with the new free-thinkers who want to improve conditions for the poor by sweeping away ignorance and superstition, but this means sweeping away the Church, which is completely entrenched in the lives of all Italians, rich and poor, a formidable obstacle. The book is interesting, but vastly over-written, and at times, rather boring.

[Peggy · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are some beautiful descriptions in this book, but the basic premise was unclear to me. This may be because of my ignorance of 18th century Italian and European history. The impression I was left with is that Edith Wharton had a distaste for science, rationalism and the lower classes, and a religious belief that she felt a need to defend against atheism. Obviously from this review, I just ended up confused........and bored.