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kristinhzta90's review against another edition
4.0
All of my friends told me that I would wind up detesting all of the characters. Interestingly, I did not feel that way about either Hadley or Ernest. Pauline on the other hand, was the most despicable woman. Pretending to be Hadley's friend and deceiving her in such a thorough manner. I wonder how she lived with herself and her actions, but in the end Karma always wins and she got hers in the end.
With his writing A Moveable Feast at the end of his life, his reflections upon that time made him realize what he had truly lost. Even after all that time, and through everything she still loved him. Does this make her weak or strong? In my opinion this makes her human. When you truly love someone and it ends a piece of them will always remain in your heart.
With his writing A Moveable Feast at the end of his life, his reflections upon that time made him realize what he had truly lost. Even after all that time, and through everything she still loved him. Does this make her weak or strong? In my opinion this makes her human. When you truly love someone and it ends a piece of them will always remain in your heart.
mbpartlow's review against another edition
3.0
I read this for book group. It's very hard to rate, for me.
The writing is lyrical and beautiful. That's what saves the book for readers who aren't huge fans of Hemingway.
In a way, it's like beautifully written People magazine prose. (Someone else came up with that idea first.)The real, inside story of what life with Ernest was like while he was making his name as a writer.
But it's extremely difficult to create suspense in a story that the world already knows the ending to. We already know they aren't going to stay married. We already know he committed suicide.
I think I'm tired of reading fictionalized accounts of the wives and daughters of famous men. I'd rather read about an unknown woman who made her own life than a semi-famous woman who only lived through some man.
The writing is lyrical and beautiful. That's what saves the book for readers who aren't huge fans of Hemingway.
In a way, it's like beautifully written People magazine prose. (Someone else came up with that idea first.)The real, inside story of what life with Ernest was like while he was making his name as a writer.
But it's extremely difficult to create suspense in a story that the world already knows the ending to. We already know they aren't going to stay married. We already know he committed suicide.
I think I'm tired of reading fictionalized accounts of the wives and daughters of famous men. I'd rather read about an unknown woman who made her own life than a semi-famous woman who only lived through some man.
jwilding's review against another edition
4.0
This book is like Cheetos. Read the whole thing today. Unimpressed in the beginning, but Hadley turned out to have a pleasant, strong voice. Partway through the book, I got over the fact that this was historical fiction about a Big Fancy Author. If I gave this book a subtitle, it would probably be something like A Guide To Appreciating The Relationships You've Had With Bohemian Artist Assholes Who Probably Legitimately Did Love You After Which You'll Smartly Move On With Your Life And Marry Someone Secure.
I just about threw the book across the room with disgust when Pauline shows up for the afternoon nap. Titillating and indulgent story, but well-said. A treat of a book, like I said, with a fantastically-written asshole genius of a young Ernest Hemingway.
I just about threw the book across the room with disgust when Pauline shows up for the afternoon nap. Titillating and indulgent story, but well-said. A treat of a book, like I said, with a fantastically-written asshole genius of a young Ernest Hemingway.
upchurchka's review against another edition
2.5
Story about Ernest Hemingway and his first wife Hadley Richardson and their marriage and life together in Paris and having their first son and him cheating on her with her knowledge ending in divorce.
oxnard_montalvo's review against another edition
3.0
Ultimately rather thin. The main character never felt real to me- she was very much like a bystander in her own life. The pacing was quite sluggish as well. Endless trips here and there and each time I thought this was going to advance the action, or give a bit more insight into the inner life of Hadley or Ernest but it never managed. I can get behind a slow burner even when there is t any demonstrable growth of the characters, sometimes that’s the point, but this didn’t feel like something the book was aiming for. Engrossing enough to read, but also a sense of ‘finally!’ once I had finished.
caro_bujold71's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
salgalruns's review against another edition
3.0
MORE OF A 3.5...
Just finished this, and I'm still processing parts of it - however, here it goes. I do NOT understand life in the early 1900s. I mean, on the one hand, we have a newly married couple who can hardly make ends meet. She's not working, even though it wouldn't be wrong for her to do so, and yet they hire help and flit all around Europe for months on end? Am I missing something? I know there are times where it seems that the rich friends cover the costs, I just don't quite understand this part.
As for the writing - I loved it. I adored the way that the story was told through Hadley's point of view, but with just a tad of Ernest's thrown in for clarification. Hadley's perspective was one that wasn't caught up in the partying, but stayed more down to earth and actually seemed to take on a realistic tone to it, somewhat more objective in ways.
Now, onto the characters (or actual people, I suppose). McLain tells us in her epilogue that they're BASED on the real Hadley and Ernest, but that they are fictional, so I'll go with characters. I'm sort of irritated at both of them, and don't even get me started on the nicknames - so confusing at times! ;)
First of all, Ernest - seriously, dude. Emotional, are we? I guess that seems to be the case with many of the creative folks, but he takes intensity to a whole different level. Plus, don't even get me started on the backstabbing that went on with "the other woman." I DID enjoy that at the end, you learned that the leopard (Ernest) really never did change his spots - 4 wives and multiple lovers? Karma.
As for Hadley - I grew tired of her lack of independence. I loved that she was there for her husband, because you don't see too much of that anymore, but hated how it always seemed to come at the expense of her. It's frequently mentioned how her clothes were worn and not attractive, and you get the sense at times that she's quite frumpy. Of course later, she's looking good, but still doesn't appear stylish. I just wish she would have demonstrated more self confidence. She frequently let people walk all over her and worried about it - Kate, Ernest, Pauline, and even to a certain degree, the friends of Ernest so as not to shed a bad light on him. I was so excited with her concert as I thought it might give her a chance to shine, but alas - NO.
I enjoyed the overall read, and enjoyed the link to his life - I remember having to read Hemingway when I was in high school (The Old Man and the Sea - didn't enjoy it at the time). Don't know if this will spur me to read The Sun Also Rises or A Moveable Feast...perhaps.
Just finished this, and I'm still processing parts of it - however, here it goes. I do NOT understand life in the early 1900s. I mean, on the one hand, we have a newly married couple who can hardly make ends meet. She's not working, even though it wouldn't be wrong for her to do so, and yet they hire help and flit all around Europe for months on end? Am I missing something? I know there are times where it seems that the rich friends cover the costs, I just don't quite understand this part.
As for the writing - I loved it. I adored the way that the story was told through Hadley's point of view, but with just a tad of Ernest's thrown in for clarification. Hadley's perspective was one that wasn't caught up in the partying, but stayed more down to earth and actually seemed to take on a realistic tone to it, somewhat more objective in ways.
Now, onto the characters (or actual people, I suppose). McLain tells us in her epilogue that they're BASED on the real Hadley and Ernest, but that they are fictional, so I'll go with characters. I'm sort of irritated at both of them, and don't even get me started on the nicknames - so confusing at times! ;)
First of all, Ernest - seriously, dude. Emotional, are we? I guess that seems to be the case with many of the creative folks, but he takes intensity to a whole different level. Plus, don't even get me started on the backstabbing that went on with "the other woman." I DID enjoy that at the end, you learned that the leopard (Ernest) really never did change his spots - 4 wives and multiple lovers? Karma.
As for Hadley - I grew tired of her lack of independence. I loved that she was there for her husband, because you don't see too much of that anymore, but hated how it always seemed to come at the expense of her. It's frequently mentioned how her clothes were worn and not attractive, and you get the sense at times that she's quite frumpy. Of course later, she's looking good, but still doesn't appear stylish. I just wish she would have demonstrated more self confidence. She frequently let people walk all over her and worried about it - Kate, Ernest, Pauline, and even to a certain degree, the friends of Ernest so as not to shed a bad light on him. I was so excited with her concert as I thought it might give her a chance to shine, but alas - NO.
I enjoyed the overall read, and enjoyed the link to his life - I remember having to read Hemingway when I was in high school (The Old Man and the Sea - didn't enjoy it at the time). Don't know if this will spur me to read The Sun Also Rises or A Moveable Feast...perhaps.
mshaniak's review against another edition
I was not interested in this book whatsoever.
kimmaloo's review against another edition
2.0
I listened to the audio version and I didn't care for the narrator's voice. Additionally, I have mixed feelings about this book because I do not care for Hemingway's books and, after listening to this book, I don't care for Hemingway the person either. I also didn't think Hadley was a very interesting person.