The Paris Wife (Paula McLain)

Why I have this book: I borrowed it from the ebook library.

I'm not even sure how to review this book. I liked it. A lot.

The writing is so good. I was completely absorbed into the time period, the locations, and the characters.

Ernest Hemingway was such a complicated personality. This book makes him seem so likeable, even though he was also very self-absorbed. I found myself puzzled by his behavior and so completely perplexed by how things played out in their marriage. At the same time, I could feel the intense devotion his wife, Hadley, had for him. He needed her so desperately, and she took care of him (and loved him fiercely)... even though he seemed to give so much less than she did.

This book is a novel, told from the perspective of Hadley. It's really very interesting to assign emotions and words to a person who really existed in a work of fiction. How much of the personality and dynamic and feelings really existed? I don't know... but this book made it all seem so real and consuming.

In any case, . It made me want to go back and read some Ernest Hemingway again. (I've only read A Farewell to Arms, and that was a long time ago.) I even looked him up online to see images of him and Hadley when I noticed the hardback edition contained photos. There were also photos of other people who played a part in their lives. So interesting.

This book had a sensual feel about it at times. There are several references to both married and unmarried sex... more than implied, but not overly graphic. There are also more than a few swear words, and the name of God is used several times as an exclamation of emotion.

PS. I would feel very uncomfortable writing about the intimate relationship of a real-life couple in a fiction novel. Is that a weird thing to do? Sort of... invasive?