"Affinities, and Other Stories" by Mary Roberts Rinehart is a compilation of tales from the early 1900s. The first story, "Affinities," centers around a group of companions who, amid a seemingly carefree relationship, discuss the difficulties of marriage and friendships with the opposite gender. Fanny, the protagonist, is drawn into the peculiarities of a picnic that has the potential to put her social standing and marriage in danger. "Affinities" gets off to a good start with a social event at a country club where Fanny and her pals consider having extramarital romantic encounters. The narrative quickly transforms from playful banter to the planning of a dangerous moonlit picnic with other couples, during which previous friendships and newfound relationships collide. The interactions highlight a combination of comedy, suspense, and underlying complexities as Fanny deals with her sentiments with her husband, Day, and her friend, Ferd, ultimately leading the reader into an exploration of fidelity and passion. This opening is a great way to introduce readers to the combination of romance and social commentary that will probably be present throughout the collection.
Affinities, and Other Stories
By Mary Roberts Rinehart
Amidst early 20th-century social gatherings and intimate picnics, friends playfully flirt with the boundaries of marriage.
Summary
About the AuthorMary Roberts Rinehart was an American writer, often called the American Agatha Christie. Rinehart published her first mystery novel The Circular Staircase in 1908, which introduced the "had I but known" narrative style. Rinehart is also considered the earliest known source of the phrase "the butler did it", in her novel The Door (1930), although the exact phrase does not appear in her work and the plot device had been used prior to that time. She also worked to tell the stories and experiences of front line soldiers during World War I, one of the first women to travel to the Belgian front lines.
Mary Roberts Rinehart was an American writer, often called the American Agatha Christie. Rinehart published her first mystery novel The Circular Staircase in 1908, which introduced the "had I but known" narrative style. Rinehart is also considered the earliest known source of the phrase "the butler did it", in her novel The Door (1930), although the exact phrase does not appear in her work and the plot device had been used prior to that time. She also worked to tell the stories and experiences of front line soldiers during World War I, one of the first women to travel to the Belgian front lines.
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