I’ve recently renewed my obsession with the classic authors that made the 1920’s the 1920s. (If you know what I mean..) I’m a big believer that you are shaped and ultimately affected by those you surround yourself with. Hemingway is no exception. The women that he chose to spend time with an in some cases, marry, have shaped him.

The Paris Wife is a beautiful dedication to Hadley. I went in blind and enjoyed the surprise of reading and going … oh my God, this is The Sun Also Rises!. This whirl wind romance put a softer edge on the ‘big, tough hunter’ that I envisioned Hemingway to be. 

McLain is becoming one of those authors that I can simply trust to do me right. When I pick up one of her books I know that I’m walking away feeling like I just woke up from a dream. She transports you back in time making ‘history fun’.
     I like that she didn’t make Hadley some sort of hero. She didn’t fluff up Hadley into something she wasn’t. It really, really felt like she told the truth. She told it elegantly and it was exactly what I was looking for. 
    I did find myself having a hard time picking up the book. It took me way longer to read than I expected. I have no idea why. Was it the writing? Was it the story? Not sure. I also found myself being distracted by my own thoughts while reading. Which rarely happens to me. Normally I’m so engrossed in a book, I don’t even know how many hours have flown by. After much thought, I still can’t really put my finger on it. It could be that I just didn’t want the book to end either… but either way, my weird, subconscious reaction to the book I will have to drop a star. 

I WOULD recommend this book. I absolutely recommend this book. Come travel back in time to the 1920’s and see it through a different set of eyes. Not through Gatsby, not through Hemingway, not Zelda … come see it through Hadley. A woman that I believe more of us can relate to then any other ‘character’ in the 1920’s.