The Paris Wife Book Review

 

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain.

After reading this book, it took some time before I could write a review. I had think about the book, to divorce the author from the subject. The story of Ernest Hemingway, his first wife Hadley Richardson, and the rest of the Lost Generation was so sad and demoralizing that I wanted to give them three stars. (And those three stars was the average of their lives balanced by their work.) But this review is not of those authors.

Ms. McLain does such a beautiful job of disappearing behind the text that it’s easy to forget that Hadley, who narrates most of the novel, is not the author. The writing is very clean and does a wonderful job of conveying Paris during the ’20s, especially its literary atmosphere rank with competition, self-destruction, and betrayal. And yet, you can’t help but root for Ernest and Hadley, even knowing the inevitable outcome.

After reading this book, I have to read A Moveable Feast and The Sun Also Rises. I suspect that there’s no greater accolade for the author than to have enchanted a reader so much that she feels compelled to read more Hemingway.

Excellent book!