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2022 WP longlist - The Paper Palace
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Hugh, Active moderator
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Mar 08, 2022 02:38AM
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The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller
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I suspect this book may be too melodramatic to appeal to lots of people in this group, but I devoured it. I was surprised to learn it was the author’s debut, until I read she was also a book editor. Not surprised at all to see this here.
Anna James hated thisThis automatically means that this will probably be my fave novel of 2022
Did she say why? Anna James is an excellent author - don’t know about her taste in books so much as never watch the videos.
Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "Did she say why? Anna James is an excellent author - don’t know about her taste in books so much as never watch the videos."
There were themes which she felt uncomfortable with
Eve and Cindy - I think I have noticed a DNF and a bottom ranking respectively ........... what were your issues here?
This was a DNF for me. The opening chapter was beautiful, but I found the rest of the book overwrought and drowning in unnecessary detail. And I did not appreciate the almost flippant / joking manner with which it deals with heavy topics (such as child abuse). An excerpt:"I was in a rage because [my mother] had given Anna money to buy a new lip gloss at Gimbels, while I stayed home and did chores. "Oh, for heaven's sake, Elle," she said as I stood at the kitchen sink, fuming over a pile of dishes. "You have to wash a plate... you don't get lipstick. I had to give my stepfather blow jobs. All Austin had to do was masturbate him. What can I tell you? Life's not fair."
I thought the prose was quite ordinary and the plot wasn’t compelling enough to invest time
Based on But_i_thought’s quoted passage I’ll pass.
I’m listening to it right now- it’s not really my cup of tea, but okay. I don’t know that I’d call it literary, but I can see why it’s on the list, as it is firmly women’s fiction.
Tracy wrote: "I’m listening to it right now- it’s not really my cup of tea, but okay. I don’t know that I’d call it literary, but I can see why it’s on the list, as it is firmly women’s fiction."
The WP is not a literary prize - it's to celebrate Women's fiction but to be honest these will never make the longlist and it evolves into a literary shortlist. With the WP I usually wait until the shortlist, that's when the gems stick out.
I feel it sometimes just the winner that shines.
WndyJW wrote: "I feel it sometimes just the winner that shines."I feel that but they've been very consistent with that - to date there are only three Winners I do not like (a spell of winter, The Idea of Perfection and On Beauty), I think that's pretty good
Well, that went from okay to not. Again, I can see why it’s on the list, but just not for me. The purple prose, the characters, and the glib treatment of serious situations were the main reasons I disliked it. I finished it, so I gave it two stars.
Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "Eve and Cindy - I think I have noticed a DNF and a bottom ranking respectively ........... what were your issues here?"First, and this will surprise no one, I found most (not all) of the characters completely unlikeable. Usually that's enough for me to dislike a novel.
Second, I found the book to be massively over-written and in desperate need of real, honest and talented editing.
Third, the ending was dreadful.
So yes, I have placed it at #16 and hope very much that nothing else on the longlist is as bad.
I give you credit for reading all the way to the end, Cindy. I can’t make myself read a book I don’t like so I end up avoiding it, but I don’t read anything else if I haven’t officially given up on the book.
Cindy wrote: "Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "Eve and Cindy - I think I have noticed a DNF and a bottom ranking respectively ........... what were your issues here?"First, and this will surprise no one..."
Depends on the dislikeable character - I know you're a fan of Philip Roth, who creates convincing awful characters.
I did order this book solely on the fact that it was disliked by a certain booktuber - saying that, and I shouldn't judge, it was part of Reese Witherspoon's book club, never, ever a good sign.
What did you hate about the ending Cindy - may be worth putting the answer with spoiler tags around it
I think I can answer that without spoilers GY. Two reasons mostly: first, I think the ending is sufficiently ambiguous to be actually annoying. I read in one interview that the author was surprised that people found the ending unclear, but I know that I am not alone in feeling that way about it. And second, more subjectively, to the extent that I think I know how the novel ended, I think it's simply the wrong outcome for many reasons and deeply unsatisfying as a result.
That makes perfect sense - for me it was also the way the ending kept changing I think this may end a 2 star for me - which means its a long way from the bottom of my list
And what's with having a dig at Jennifer Egan?I cannot find the exact quote but the acerbic mother (I think) says, with a novel in her hand, "Manhattan and Beach - how can two such exciting words be so dull when put together"
My thoughts attachedI went 2.5*
That still puts it on my current shorlist (6th out of 9 read)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "And what's with having a dig at Jennifer Egan?I cannot find the exact quote but the acerbic mother (I think) says, with a novel in her hand, "Manhattan and Beach - how can two such exciting words..."
I forgot about that. Another reason to dislike the book. Manhattan Beach is actually my favorite of Egan's novels!
Hah - we finally disagree. Her latest (out some time soon) and it’s prequel Goon Squad for me.
Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "Hah - we finally disagree. Her latest (out some time soon) and it’s prequel Goon Squad for me."Disagreement every once in a while is ok. I read both Good Squad and Candy House (it's out at the beginning of April in the US but I got an ARC a few months ago) and those just aren't for me. I know they have a huge following though, and I think she's a very talented writer.
Disagreement every once in a while is good. I was wondering if you were the same person and, inspired by Wendy's comments on Louise Erdrich, suggest a DNA test. Although last time I did one of those turned out I was apparently the same person as Gumble's Yard - very confusing.
Man this was bad. The worst of the nine I've read so far. Not only is every character a cliché, it's the same cliché in multiple characters: every women is defined by her relationships and /or motherhood, all mothers are horrible, all stepmothers are worse and all man are weak. Oh, and the sex scenes are ridiculous (women have earth-shattering orgasms when you pinch their clitoris as hard as possible? Really now?). Plus: it doesnt mean a character is interesting just because horrible stuff happens to her/him.
WndyJW wrote: "Pinching?! A woman wrote this book?"Yep. Can you believe it?
I am still trying to remember why I rounded the 2.5 stars up
Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "I am still trying to remember why I rounded the 2.5 stars up"Maybe you were in a magnanimous mood?
I think it was two thingsI was being so negative about the WP I had already given three 1 stars from around 6 books
There were a few pieces of clever writing I liked - a little like how in ballets different characters (the Lilac fairy, von Rothbart) have their own themes, the characters here have themes associated with their appearance
But I am rounding down now
Yes, this is easily the worst of them all, so far as I can tell (2 1/2 books to go).
I just finished this and also thought it was awful. Cindy, I didn't find the ending ambiguous - I thought it was spelt out pretty clearly who she chose. However, totally agree that it was the wrong outcome although frankly I didn't care one bit about Elle by that point, so wasn't that invested.
I finished this book this weekend. It’s the second book of this year’s long list that I have read. In the past when a book is recommended by Reese Witherspoon’s book club, I have disliked the book. And that held true once again.
I felt that a lot of the writing was sensationalist, the characters seemed fairly one dimensional and I wasn’t invested in anyone particularly. I was waiting for some earth shattering twist at the end that would somehow justify the immense effort of reading the book, and it’s WP nomination. But that didn’t happen.
Disappointed.
