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Florence in Ecstasy
Florence in Ecstasy | Jessie Chaffee
19 posts | 14 read | 34 to read
A young American woman arrives in Florence from Boston, knowing no one and speaking little Italian. But Hannah is isolated in a more profound way, estranged from her own identity after a bout with starvation that has left her life and body in ruins. She is determined to recover in Florence, a city saturated with beauty, vitality, and food--as well as a dangerous history of sainthood for women who starved themselves for God. Hannah joins a local rowing club, where Francesca, a welcoming but predatory Milanese, and Luca, a seemingly steady Florentine with whom she becomes involved, draw her into Florences vibrant present: the complex social dynamics at the club, soccer mania, eating, drinking, sex, an insatiable insistence on life. But Hannah is also rapt by the citys past--the countless representations of beauty, the entrenched conflicts of politics and faith, and the lore of the mystical saints, women whose self-imposed isolation and ecstatic searches for meaning through denial illuminate the seduction of her own struggles. Both sides pull Hannah in: challenging her, defeating her, lifting her up. And when a figure from her past life in Boston reappears, threatening the delicate balance of her present, Hannahs feverish personal excavation becomes caught up with the long history of womens contention with body and spirit, desire and death. A vivid, visceral debut echoing the novels of Jean Rhys, Elena Ferrante, and Catherine Lacey,Florence in Ecstasy gives us an arresting new vision of a womans attempt to find meaning--and find herself--in an unstable world.
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blurb
Limonotte
Florence in Ecstasy | Jessie Chaffee
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Hello, again. I basically couldn't read anything at all during the pandemic, words just sliding right off a stressed out brain. But, I'm taking baby steps towards fixing that and recreating some kind of reading habit.

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Natalia
Florence in Ecstasy | Jessie Chaffee
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Pickpick

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
4.8 stars! Loved that! it was powerful, strong and mainly so thrilling. I finished this novel in three days, I just kept turning pages! Especially I was happy I found another book with story happening in Florence😍 Recommend to everyone!

#florenceinecstasy #jessiechaffee #theczechedition #augustread #fiction #novel #contemporary

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mauveandrosysky
Florence in Ecstasy | Jessie Chaffee
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Bailedbailed

I bailed on this but I want to clarify that this is 100% a “it‘s not you, it‘s me” situation. I‘m having a really hard time reading lately, and this just wasn‘t enough to keep me needing to read more. I didn‘t dislike it and I‘m sure I‘d rate it pretty highly if I finished it, but I need to put it down for now and move on to something else. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Taylor Ha you totally just brought the percentage down on this book 😂 6y
mauveandrosysky @Taylor oh shit really? I didn‘t even realize that a Bail did that. Now I feel kinda bad. 6y
Taylor @mauveandrosysky No I think it‘s fine. No big deal. 👍 6y
22 likes3 comments
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Taylor
Florence in Ecstasy | Jessie Chaffee
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Pickpick

I‘m surprised this has 100% on Litsy, but, hey, I liked it too.

It‘s a dark book. Lots of inner turmoil, some of which I wasn‘t sure I wanted to deal with, but now I‘m glad I went through with it.

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Taylor
Florence in Ecstasy | Jessie Chaffee

Hardly anything is happening, I can‘t think of much of a reason why I should be enjoying this, but I am enjoying it, regardless. Chaffee is an exquisite writer, and the themes are working for me.

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DannyOlda
Florence in Ecstasy | Jessie Chaffee
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Just got this in the mail and was pleasantly surprised to find it's a signed copy

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Booksnchill
Florence in Ecstasy | Jessie Chaffee
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Pickpick

I loved this book. The writing is inspired, the story flows wonderfully. Jessie Chaffee puts the history of Anorexia Nervosa in the context of the female saints who penned words of deprivation, of giving up their bodies to the passion of their visions and to the pain into the story of a modern woman. What a tour de force. I am shocked this is not more well known. Thanks to the booktube channel Ink and Paper Blog for recommending this.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Redwritinghood I have this on my Kindle and keep meaning to get to it. I‘ve heard so many great reviews. 6y
Booksnchill @Redwritinghood it reads pretty quickly and is just so passionate! Loved it 6y
emilyhaldi Very interested in this one! Never heard of it but definitely stacking 😁 6y
Booksnchill @emilyhaldi Do read it- as an added bonus it is very good at taking you through Florence, Sienna and the art and sites.❤️❤️❤️ 6y
70 likes6 stack adds4 comments
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Booksnchill
Florence in Ecstasy | Jessie Chaffee
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Just started this from Overdrive and need to finish as it returns soon but wow- love this story set in Florence. So far it is about Hannah who is visiting from Boston to heal herself. I suspect an eating disorder but nothing is too clear yet- love the writing though! #TbrList #Overdrive #LibraryLoan ❤️

53 likes1 stack add
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WordWaller
Florence in Ecstasy | Jessie Chaffee
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Been a bad day but I'm gonna fix it with this.

aeeklund So sorry it was a bad day!! Looks like you're well on your way to mending it! Gorgeous photo. 7y
BookishFeminist 💙💙 7y
kspenmoll Beautiful soothing photo- hope your day got better! 7y
JazzFeathers I bet 😉 7y
WordWaller @aeeklund @kspenmoll thank you! ❤️ @BookishFeminist 💗💗💗 7y
87 likes1 stack add5 comments
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BookishFeminist
Florence in Ecstasy | Jessie Chaffee
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The weather is tolerable today so I can read outside! Starting this tonight since I've heard such great things about it. ⛲️

Megabooks Book added to TBR! Great picture! 7y
74 likes7 stack adds1 comment
quote
bookshelfbombshell
Florence in Ecstasy | Jessie Chaffee
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There must be a balance between the things that I can be and the things I will never be. There must be a time when the spine of this boat will hold the body steady along a straight course. There must be words for that moment.

3 likes1 stack add
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BooksForEmpathy
Florence in Ecstasy | Jessie Chaffee
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Pickpick

Blown away by this book about an eating disorder. It took a while to settle into it, but once I did, I was transported. Not just to Florence, with the art and the food and the culture and the people; that's too easy. It transported me into the mind of a woman so trapped in her body, so fragile, yet so independent + resilient as well. Italy represents passion and indulgence to us, and to watch Hannah struggle and survive and renew here is a gift.

Cinfhen Great review ~ 7y
111 likes11 stack adds1 comment
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BooksForEmpathy
Florence in Ecstasy | Jessie Chaffee
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Obligatory stop at Shake Shack tonight for burgers 🍔 . Always get the shack stack with the cheese-filled portobello mushroom and cheese fries (this time with bacon on top). Just one of the best burgers ever.

JoeStalksBeck Come over and win some books 7y
GatheringBooks looks sinfully yummy! 7y
Joanne1 Oh yes!! I could go one of those right now. 7y
See All 6 Comments
Jess_Read_This We just got a Shake Shack in the Detroit area and I can't wait to try it. 7y
Alicia I was shocked there's was a shake shack in sf then I realized you are on vacation! 😂😂 #litsystalking 7y
BooksForEmpathy @Alicia Wouldn't that be nice!? 😋 wishful thinking! 7y
97 likes1 stack add6 comments
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katelizabee
Florence in Ecstasy | Jessie Chaffee
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went to hear the lovely Jessie Chaffee read this afternoon at Politics and Prose, am now diving into her book (and loving it!)

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BooksForEmpathy
Florence in Ecstasy | Jessie Chaffee
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I ❤️ NY.

Kale salad + iced Mexican mocha + reading time + people watching. Happy Sunday!

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BooksForEmpathy
Florence in Ecstasy | Jessie Chaffee
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Iced chai with soy break 🙌🏻.

underthebelljar Looks lovely! 😋 7y
82 likes1 comment
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BooksForEmpathy
Florence in Ecstasy | Jessie Chaffee
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No explanation needed 😍. @strandbookstore

PS so excited about my newest purchase!

95 likes1 stack add
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Ilana
Florence in Ecstasy | Jessie Chaffee
Pickpick

An amazing exploration of eating disorders and beauty.

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flockingmolly
Florence in Ecstasy | Jessie Chaffee
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Holy rabbits, this book is wrecking me. Exquisite. #unnamedpress