tashreads2manybooks's Reviews (1.06k)

This was not a book for me. Historical romance / train wrecks are not my thing. What detestable characters. As much as I admire some of the writers of that generation (Fitzgerald etc) I am so glad I didn't actually meet them. Hemingway especially, not so much the 'tortured artist' as a raging alcoholic, adulterer and obvious male chauvinist. Hadley was a simpering doormat. Ugh!

I wanted to really love this, but I found it quite contrived and disjointed. Instead of the symbolism throughout Alice's life flowing organically and naturally through the prose, I felt as though the author was banging me over the head with it. "Look here! This flower means this! And this is happening to Alice! Gasp!" It's not bad at all, and I'm sure many readers will love it, but the over flowery (pun!!) writing and plot is not really my thing.

Because this book has received so much publicity and attention these last few months, I was very skeptical going into it. However it turned out to be the promised page turner it purported to be. I'm satisfied.

Beautiful sorrow....
..... with hope

1.5 stars. I feel quite icky after reading that. I thought this was supposed to be a 'feminist novel' but honestly all it does is perpetuate the idea that women hate each other and need to tear each other down in order to succeed. The characters were awful and shallow, only concerned with their image and how skinny they are. I'm tempted to one star it because it made me so angry, but I did finish it. Just, no.

3.5 stars. Well that was dark and disturbing.

4.5 stars. “I don’t know what’s worse: to not know what you are and be happy, or to become what you’ve always wanted to be, and feel alone.” - that sums this up perfectly. So glad I finally got around to reading this classic.