A gripping book—The Paris Wife by Paula Mclain—that I read within 48 hours.*
I loved this fictional account of Hadley Hemingway’s marriage to Ernest Hemingway. It followed their courtship and marriage (including flashbacks of their earlier lives), and a detailed account of Ernest’s early career. The insight into what it took to break into the writing world was compelling. I loved Hadley as a main character. She brought a depth of tenderness, loyalty and insight to the story.
As a result, I gave this book a 4 out of 5 star review, especially because books about writers or those who love a writer fascinate me (as a writer) and I was caught in the romance and unfolding of their lives.
My Favorite Quotes
These are my favorite quotes from the paperback with a few of my own thoughts:
“When you begin over, leave only what’s truly needed”
pg 89
At one point, Ernest loses ALL his writing and work. The depth of loss was unimaninable and yet, his mentors encouraged him to begin again. Not only that, but to cut out anything that did not move his story forward (see quote below).
Whether you have lost your writing or perhaps even your motivation to write, this book reminded me that writing is a long journey and requires work, commitment and focus.
Don’t be afraid to begin again and to cut anything that does not help the plot of your story move forward.
“Cut everything superfluous, Pound has said. “Go in fear of abstractions. Don’t tell readers what to think. Let the action speak for itself.”
pg 89
“It wasn’t years behind him at all, but right there in his face an in his eyes, the way he’d come to Milan like a broken doll. Not a hero, but a boy who might never truly recover from what he’d felt and seen. It gave me a sharp kind of sadness to think that no matter how much I loved him and tried to put him back together again, he might stay broken forever.”
pg 100
My husband is a veteran and the above quote echoed some of my sentiments. The impact of his service on his body, mental state and our family continues and will likely continue for the rest of his life. A big thank you to all our veterans and especially to their families.
I hope you enjoyed this review!
You can subscribe to my newsletter by clicking here or click here to visit my YouTube channel.
*This post contains affiliate links.