The Awakening centers around Edna's transformation from a mother and housewife to a woman who embraces freedom and eroticism. We see Edna garner a sense of individuality, independent thought, and acute self-awareness. I enjoyed this story. It’s short and interesting enough to read in a day. Edna’s awakening was touching to me and the ending was altogether haunting. (4/5)

Emancipation: A Life Fable tells the story of an unnamed animal. They spend their entire life confined in a cage and all their needs are met. It’s given the opportunity one day to face the wild and have freedom. However, it’s hesitant due to the unknowns that accompany living on your own. Chopin uses this story as an allegory for female liberation. (2.5/5)

At the ‘Cadian Ball… After reading seven stories from this collection, I’m just exhausted. Chopin's racist drivel is just too much. Yes, I know what time she lived and wrote in. There are racist slurs in almost every classic. However, the amount and intensity vary from author to author. I wish I could finish this collection but I’m simply going to throw the towel in. The remaining five stories are only 19 pages in total so I feel as though I can still rate this book. (1/5)

Désirée's Baby is a short story about a woman named Désirée. Désirée was adopted as a baby but there was no information about her ethnicity. She later marries a plantation owner and they have a child whose skin is darker than they expected. This leads them to believe Désirée must be of mixed race. The events that follow show readers how impactful societal racism was during this time, especially on individuals like Désirée. Although the story touches on an important topic, I didn’t enjoy it much. I think the length is at fault. A topic like this needs way more than a few pages. (2/5)

La Belle Zoraïde - DNF 

At Chênière Caminada - DNF

The Story of an Hour is about Louise Mallard, a woman in a traditional marriage. The news reports that her husband was killed in an accident. However, after grieving, she begins to see freedom in her future. I want to give zero spoilers for this story because the plot twist is too good! I loved this story. It’s one of the strongest in this collection. (4/5)

Lilacs was a big failure for me. The only thing I liked was how Chopin used scent. Adrienne, the main character, is reminded of her youth when she smells lilacs. The scent acts as a trigger that draws her back to the convent. (1/5)

Athénaïse tells the story of a young woman of the same name. She flees her marriage and discovers freedom while away. Only to end up pregnant and returning to the same man she left in the first place. I feel like Chopin was trying to highlight female struggles during her time but this story failed to do that meaningfully. (1.5/5)

A Pair of Silk Stockings highlights feminine desire uniquely. Mrs. Sommer is a housewife but she isn’t financially well off. She receives a few dollars and plans to spend it on her family. However, while shopping she falls in love with a pair of silk stockings. This purchase sends her down a rabbit hole. She spends all the money doing things she likes instead of prioritizing her children. I liked the message of this story but it left much to be desired. (2/5)

Elizabeth Stock’s One Story- DNF

The Storm: A Sequel to ‘The Cadian Ball”- DNF