A big thank you to Michele, Shelley and Sharon, who all recommended this book to me. I read it this past weekend. I also managed to consume far too much coffee and croissants while reading it. For some reason, a book set in Paris just asks for such a food pairing. I also needed the carbs and caffeine to keep me awake, as I didn't want to put the book down.The story takes place mainly in Paris during the 1920's. It describes the amazing relationship between Ernest Hemingway and his first wife (of four), Hadley Richardson. It chronicles their courtship, marriage, as well as the ending of their marriage. The story is told from Hadley’s point of view. There was an occasional omnipotent view thrown in as well; like when Ernest had his affairs and the writer wanted you to know about it without Hadley in the picture.
I appreciated the vivid descriptions of Paris and the other places they spent time in Europe. I was amazed by the amount of travelling they did on what seemed to be a starving artists' income. I could completely relate to the struggles of Hadley with her newborn infant and loved the part where she described nursing him -- wonderful during daylight but a complete energy drain at night. (I was feeling the same way this weekend.)
The author does a great job weaving in other famous authors that Hemingway meets during his time in Paris: Scott Fitzgerald (and wife Zelda), Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, and others. This book says it is "fiction" but I do wonder where the non-fiction leaves off the the fiction begins.
It was a well-written, well-paced novel and I finished it in only two days. A great read that I would easily recommend to a wide audience. (Just beware of the coffee/croissant trap that I fell into).
I appreciated the vivid descriptions of Paris and the other places they spent time in Europe. I was amazed by the amount of travelling they did on what seemed to be a starving artists' income. I could completely relate to the struggles of Hadley with her newborn infant and loved the part where she described nursing him -- wonderful during daylight but a complete energy drain at night. (I was feeling the same way this weekend.)
The author does a great job weaving in other famous authors that Hemingway meets during his time in Paris: Scott Fitzgerald (and wife Zelda), Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, and others. This book says it is "fiction" but I do wonder where the non-fiction leaves off the the fiction begins.
It was a well-written, well-paced novel and I finished it in only two days. A great read that I would easily recommend to a wide audience. (Just beware of the coffee/croissant trap that I fell into).
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