The House of Mirth is the story of Lily Bart, a woman caught between two dominating passions. The first is to live in wealth as part of the 1890s-era New York aristocracy, while the second is to find a man with whom to have a respectful and loving relationship. Lily is unable to reconcile her desires and slowly destroys her standing in society, becoming addicted to sleeping draughts and eventually dying alone of an overdose.
Boasting the largest collection of book summaries, BookRags is the best option for titles you can't find elsewhere. They offer all of the basics (quotes, chapter summary, characters, historical context, literary criticism) but also walk through a few major topics that recur throughout the book, which can be particularly useful for essay writing.
The most popular website for book notes. SparkNotes was created by students for students, and their summaries are accessible and extremely well-written. Besides the usual plot overview, chapter summaries, and character analysis, SparkNotes differentiates itself with a section discussing themes, motifs, and symbols.
The original provider of professionally-written study guides, Cliffs Notes were available in print form before the Internet even existed. Their content is very comprehensive and includes an analysis of characters, detailed chapter by chapter summaries, critical essays, essay topics, and many other sections.
You won't get any frills with GradeSaver -- just the content you expect. Their study guides include a full plot summary, themes and character analysis, study questions, and the e-text of the book. One hidden gem is their collection of literature essays, but you'll have to pay for it.
If you're bored by traditional book notes, try Shmoop! They write their summaries in an approachable, entertaining style. Their comprehensive offering includes chapter by chapter summaries, themes, quotes, character analysis, study quizzes, and even flash cards and infographics.
Includes the standard sections found in most book notes, including a book synopsis, chapter by chapter analysis, author biography, character list, essay topics, book report ideas, and study questions. This website is less comprehensive than other book notes sites, but could be useful if you're looking for a quick review.