I wouldn’t say that the end was a complete let down, I enjoyed the book from beginning to end. It wasn’t the most clever ending either but I felt that it stayed true to Ruiz de Burton’s writing style by keeping the trick that was being planned secret until the plot itself played out. Surprises are always good.
What really grabbed my attention was Ruiz de Burton’s mad rant in the conclusion “all the well-dressed women who have a perfect right to be stupid, because their husbands have brains; who have a perfect right to be silly and trifling, because their husbands conduct the mighty affairs of the nation; who have a perfect right to be spendthrifts, because their husbands have, by extortion and driving hard bargains, accumulated princely fortunes…who snub and ignore old acquaintances if seen driving in the Park in a hired hack-all of this fortunate class Ruth wished to lead, and she felt equal to the task” (287-8). Although she subtly makes this commentary throughout the novel about wealthy American women in society, I found this to be more of an angry rant less connected with the story and more to her personal life. This is the first time where she so clearly veers from her storytelling and shows her personal opinion. Can we apply this then to the entire story to help us better understand her goal or angle?