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The Paper Palace
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
133 posts | 165 read | 6 reading | 78 to read
"This house, this place, knows all my secrets." A story of summer, secrets, love, and lies: in the course of a singular day on Cape Cod, one woman must make a life-changing decision that has been brewing for decades. It is a perfect July morning, and Elle, a fifty-year-old happily married mother of three, awakens at "The Paper Palace"--the family summer place which she has visited every summer of her life. But this morning is different: last night Elle and her oldest friend Jonas crept out the back door into the darkness and had sex with each other for the first time, all while their spouses chatted away inside. Now, over the next twenty-four hours, Elle will have to decide between the life she has made with her genuinely beloved husband, Peter, and the life she always imagined she would have had with her childhood love, Jonas, if a tragic event hadn't forever changed the course of their lives. As Heller colors in the experiences that have led Elle to this day, we arrive at her ultimate decision with all its complexity. Tender yet devastating, The Paper Palace considers the tensions between desire and dignity, the legacies of abuse, and the crimes and misdemeanors of families.
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review
Andrea4
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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Pickpick

TW for sexual assault (children). Multiple generations and families of dysfunction, secrets, sadness, and in the end love. I truly love these kinds of stories. Why? Because they are far more real (imo) than happy, go-lucky romances etc. A paper cut is not realistically the worst thing that happens in someone's life so why do I want to read a story like that? Life is complicated, tragic, full of hard, impossible choices and yet...love. ❤️

dabbe Oh, my Lord, this photo is so precious!!! 💙💚💙 10mo
Andrea4 @dabbe 🥰 he was my little cheering squad while I was working out this morning! 10mo
dabbe @Andrea4 What a happy little man! He obviously ADORES his mamma!
🤩😍🤗
10mo
Gissy So cute and looks so Happy! , adorable! ❤️❤️❤️ 10mo
36 likes4 comments
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Andrea4
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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Nap trapped = lots of reading. Little dude decided yesterday and today that he won't sleep unless I'm there and, more importantly, nursing him. (& if he falls asleep, how dare mom cover herself in case he needs it 15, 20, 30min later 😜).
Thank god tho for this beautiful sweetness b/c WOW was I highly unprepared for this book! Maybe i should have looked closer at reviews? But I am enjoying it, even if it's heartbreaking & pushes where it hurts.

Chelsea.Poole Sweet babe 🥰 10mo
AmyG Just precious. 10mo
marleed Oh so sweet! 10mo
See All 7 Comments
BarbaraBB Super cute 🥰 10mo
Gissy Aw! So adorable! Who is cuddle whom?☺️(I hope I translated this correctly😳😂) 10mo
Andrea4 @Gissy haha, I understand you! And good question😉🤭🥰 10mo
36 likes7 comments
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Cat.Rogers
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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Pickpick

So many emotions while reading this book! Trigger warning for those who have experienced sexual assault. The love story that unravels between Elle and Jonas is so sweet and compelling. The ending has open interpretation that she goes back to him?

This would be an interesting book to reread in the actual timeline!

55 likes1 stack add
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alecia3dixie
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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Pickpick

This is a hard hitting book for me. I saw a lot of people DNF and give low ratings because of a child SA scene. I know it's hard to read things like this, because none of us want to think about these things happening to children. But the fact of the matter is, they do. And I hope by reading or listening to a scene including this, could bring a better understanding to why they might not have told or even the feelings after. Wish I could say more4/5

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MrsBibliophile
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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Bailedbailed

Oof... I hated this book from the first few pages. I will never understand the glorification of infidelity. Cheating is such gross behavior and it was super cringy to read an entire book about the selfishness of these two people.

I can't recommend this book.

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RedCurly
Paper Palace | Miranda Cowley Heller
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Mehso-so

I've choosen so-so because it was not a bad book but it was full with trauma. There were cheating, rape, death, cancer, stillbirth. It was awfaul to read and I don't recommend this novel to anyone who is in a bad mindset.

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RedCurly
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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I dressed for my book today 😅

TrishB Great matching 😁 13mo
20 likes1 comment
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ItsAnotherJen
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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Pickpick

I wish I would of sat with this book and read it straight through, without the interruption of reading any other book. I think I would of appreciated it more. This would be a perfect selection for a book club book. So many things to discuss! The ending had me going straight to Google to read what others thought happened. I did enjoy the back and forth jumps in history, and the style of writing was quite lovely.
A 3.5 star read.

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sjdreads
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
Pickpick

I have no words for how much I loved this book. I can‘t even describe why exactly other than it was one of those books that makes you look forward to slipping into the world created by the author.

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laurabilly13
Paper Palace | Miranda Cowley Heller
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2️⃣ Up during the night with a sick doggie so starting my second read of the year, heard very mixed reviews on this one but hoping I enjoy it! #paperpalace #mirandacowleyheller Took me a while to get through this one and the ending was an anti climax for me.

6 likes1 stack add
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Laurak0291
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
Pickpick

4.25/5

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Reading.w.Dee
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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Pickpick

The Paper Palace is not for the faint of heart. This book tackles so many hard topics: infidelity, abuse, rape, death, trauma, signs of PTSD... but if you're looking for an emotional, heartbreaking read, I promise you will find that in this story.

What started out light, treading slowly creating ripples leading into waves, leads to a punch halfway through. This brought about so much emotion and anger and swelters into a bittersweet numbness.

BookLineNSinker I loved this and I'm a usual thriller fan. But this was a great read! 13mo
10 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Lenamarcela339
Paper Palace | Miranda Cowley Heller
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5 likes1 stack add
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ChantalReads
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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Mehso-so

I waited an entire weekend to calm myself before crafting this review. The writing was good, though I did get a bit lost with all of the back-and-forth through time. I'm not convinced that that adds appeal rather than detracting.
Now for the anger. That ending... was it even an ending? So, no spoilers, but it was VERY unsatisfying to say the least - to the point where I'm not even sure I liked the book.

7 likes1 stack add
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Clutterbucks_Queen
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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Pickpick

Wow.. 🥺 This one is definitely going to stay with me for a long time!
(If this gets made into a film, I would DEFINITELY pay to go see it! Has a very 'Where the crawdads sing' vibe about it and both the book and film of that were amazing!)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Clutterbucks_Queen
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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My next read! Heard so many good things about this one! 🤞
*EDIT* I am now midway through the third chapter, and must say that I thoroughly enjoy the way it has been written! It definitely gives off 'Black Water Lilies-Michel Bussi' and 'Where the crawdads sing-Delia Owens' vibes!

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BookNAround
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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Mehso-so

The writing in this is quite well done but the characters are hard to connect to and there are trigger warnings for pretty much all the things (abuse, incest, rape). Full review at http://booknaround.blogspot.com/2022/08/review-paper-palace-by-miranda-cowley.ht...

Cinfhen I bailed early on with this one!! It was just TOO MUCH 1y
52 likes1 comment
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Karons1
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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Pickpick

Finished this book 📖 with a final toe dip in the beautifuld 🤩 Aegean Sea 🌊 omg 😳 paper palace bloody loved it ! Will be in my top 5 books 📚 of the year , her writing style does remind me of Ann patchett , it‘s compared to where the crawdads sing but far far better in my opinion I hope 🤞 it‘s made into a 🎥 film…. Who wouldn‘t be in love with Jonas

29 likes1 stack add
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Oryx
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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Pickpick

Great read. Hard to put down. I do love family secrets unravelled slowly. And the location of this one felt so real #readingretreat

@squirrelbrain @trishb @RaeLovesToRead @jenniferw88 @CGainor3 @scripturient @julesG @Mitch @Susanita @rockpools @Leniverse

scripturient I still need to get myself a copy of this one. Thanks for the recommendation. 😊 1y
squirrelbrain I loved this one!❤️ 1y
TheLudicReader My fave book of 2021. 1y
Caroline2 I have this on my kindle, good to know you liked it. 👍 1y
71 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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Karons1
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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Our alast day in Greece 🇬🇷 I‘m really enjoying this ! But il be very sad 😢 to leave such a beautiful island 🏝 people and place and the heat & head back to a cold 🥶 wet uk 🇬🇧 with a delusional prime minister who in a week manages to crash 💥the pound kill everyone with a mortgage 💸and have no empathy for people less fortunate than her 😕no wonder 💭 we want to stay in Greece 🇬🇷 it‘ll be a winter of discontent!

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TorieStorieS
Paper Palace | Miranda Cowley Heller
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Pickpick

My book club is gathering later today to discuss this one and I am really looking forward to talking about it! Though the book takes place in 24 hours, it also covers Elle‘s whole life- and a little before that even as it relays her family‘s story of over 50 years. Elle, married with three children, starts the book with an act that had been building for what feels like her whole life- and the flashbacks show this building as she makes her choices.

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Bookglow
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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How can you get a degree in Communications? It's like getting a degree in Walking....or Breathing

2 likes1 stack add
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Julsmarshall
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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Great questions @TheSpineView ! read a lot of great books in August, but (1) The Paper Palace was my favorite (2) because I loved the writing and the complex emotional lives of the characters. #Two4Tuesday

TheSpineView Thanks for playing! 2y
32 likes1 comment
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Evita
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
Pickpick

3 out of 5. This book is not for everyone! It had heavy themes but I enjoyed reading it. What was that ending though???!!!

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Kgaudiuso
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
Mehso-so

This book made me supremely uncomfortable, but I got through it, and enjoyed the story except for her relationship with her step-brother. Too close to home with a family member.

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Jgacreations
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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Pickpick

This was a good read (audio). It does time jump around a bit so i did have to pay attention to where the narrator was taking me.

26 likes1 stack add
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TheLudicReader
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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Catching up on the #alphabet game.
I talked about The Paper Palace on CBC radio earlier this summer. Listen here: https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-28-information-morning-saint-john/clip/15...
Quiver is a well-written and creepy thriller with links to Elizabeth Bathory.
The Roanoke Girls delivers all the things I love in a book.
#LetterP #LetterQ #LetterR
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

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Lisalucy
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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Pickpick

Not for the faint hearted. This book has turned me to remember life trauma but also to realize it is not our fault . The story of a woman who must choose between her husband or the man she loved since she was a child. One of the best books I‘ve ever read.
#20 read a book with a building on the cover

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mcctrish
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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Pickpick

What a punch this book packs!!! I loved it!!

Jas16 Lovely photo! 2y
5feet.of.fury 🌅 great pic! 2y
See All 6 Comments
KarenUK Lovely pic! And totally agree on the book! 2y
mcctrish @KarenUK I thought a cottage pic was appropriate ( not sure this kind of drama has ever happened at my husband‘s family cottage ) 2y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Beautiful 😍 2y
65 likes6 comments
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mcctrish
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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I just finished Book 2 and if I said WTF multiple times leading up to the end of this section, they barely count with the HOLY SHIT I just said out loud in my backyard 😱😱😱

Julsmarshall There are a lot of “what just happened” moments in this book! 2y
mcctrish @Julsmarshall for real !!!! 2y
Cathythoughts I‘m looking forward to this one 👍🏻♥️ 2y
Tamra 😜 well that‘s a sign of an engaging read! 2y
mcctrish @Tamra no one can say I don‘t get immersed in what I read 🤣🤣🤣 2y
60 likes2 stack adds5 comments
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Julsmarshall
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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Pickpick

This book was immersive, thoughtful, and bittersweet. A woman‘s journey recovering from a generationally dysfunctional upbringing and finding her way to a forever love. Sad and honest, the writing was lovely and the sense of place exceptional. I will definitely read more from Heller. Great on #audio #bookspinbingo #TBR @TheAromaofBooks

mcctrish I‘m just about to start this 2y
julieclair Great review. 👍 2y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 2y
59 likes1 stack add3 comments
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perfectlywinged
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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Already in love with the Cape Cod setting and many pond swims that are happening. It‘s lovely and nostalgic.

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Mitch
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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Mehso-so

This wasn't what I was expecting - the cover would suggest a lighter, summery type read - of vacations, families and messy choices. And it is about that - but its darker and deeper and I wasn't ready for that. What I loved was her detailed creation of time and spaces. It was a really visual book - where both the natural watery world of ponds, lakes and oceans could be smelt and felt - as well as the interiors perfectly pitched in time and place.

Cathythoughts Great review. I have this one and am looking forward to getting to it 👍🏻♥️ 2y
rachaich Yes, I felt the story wasn't great and didn't like the characters much. 2y
66 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Mitch
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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It‘s been too hot to read this week and I‘m way behind on Bookclub book ( meeting on Monday !)- but @Chrissyreadit superwoman comes to the rescue with a wearable fan WITH lights! How brilliant is that! ❤️

RaeLovesToRead Oh wow!! That is awesome! 2y
squirrelbrain Amazing! ❤️ 2y
Soubhiville You may have begun a new fashion- needing wearable fans in TX right now! 2y
See All 14 Comments
Avanders 🤯🤯 2y
AmyG Hahaha! Perfect. 🙌🏻❤️❄️ 2y
DLQBOOKNERD That's awesome 2y
Cupcake12 Love this x 2y
LiteraryinLawrence Genius!! 2y
Chrissyreadit 😘from 🥵to🥶 hopefully 😁 2y
Chrissyreadit @Soubhiville my friend in California loves his neck fan and highly recommended it. I think he uses it at work too. 2y
SamAnne That is wonderful. 2y
Gissy Love it! 😍👌Great photo too! 🤗 2y
Tera66 Looking cool 😎 2y
CoverToCoverGirl Loooove it! 2y
97 likes14 comments
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Mitch
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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We‘re both taking sanctuary in the north facing Snug as the temperatures outside soar. I bucked up the courage to join the village IRL Bookclub - so need to actually read the book and have some thoughts!

Leftcoastzen 🔥🐶stay hydrated 2y
SamAnne Thinking of all of you in the U.K. 2y
Maria514626 Hang in there. 🥵 2y
See All 9 Comments
CBee I‘ve been thinking about you - seeing the heat wave news 🙁 Please take care of yourself ♥️ love to you! 2y
UwannaPublishme Aww! Great photo! Keep cool! 🐶❤️ 2y
squirrelbrain Henry says hi! He likes frozen carrots when it‘s like this. I enjoyed the book, and it‘s a good one for a book club discussion. 2y
Mitch @squirrelbrain Woodford isn‘t so keen! He does love some doggie ice cream though! 2y
iread2much Your room looks lovely and your reading partner is adorable 2y
Magpiegem Hope you are staying cool! It‘s pretty toasty here in Brighton but I think we got off pretty easy compared to London today! Xx 2y
86 likes9 comments
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melissajayne
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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Pickpick

4.5⭐️ It took me about half of the book to really get into the book, but once I got past that halfway point, I really got into it. I liked how the author built up to what happened and the fallout from what happened. I also liked the time jumping in the book and how efficient it was used. Content warnings for rape, sexual assault, pedophilia #2022 #bookreview #bookstagram #fiction #contemporaryfiction #reesesbookclub

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melissajayne
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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Things come from nowhere. #firstlinefridays

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KarenUK
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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Pickpick

#unpopularopinion time(at least here on Litsy!) I loved this. The writing is gorgeous and evocative, capturing the summer in the backwoods, creating an atmosphere of sultry heat and the rotting camp perfectly. As family secrets and past trauma are slowly revealed, the urgency of intense emotions play out in the present day over 24hrs. Questionable decisions are made, complex emotions and flawed behavior are abundant. And I couldn‘t stop reading.

KarenUK CW for rape, incest and infidelity. 2y
TheLudicReader I also loved it. My favourite book last year. 2y
KarenUK @TheLudicReader Yay! I was questioning how much I loved it! 😌 2y
Chelsea.Poole I loved it too! 1y
48 likes4 comments
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Abailliekaras
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this compulsive novel. It‘s full of rich white people behaving badly & the narrator is unlikeable but it‘s well written and a great book club book. There are characters you can love to hate and readers will have strong opinions about the choices Elle makes and her 2 ‘loves‘. The writing feels like a film or tv with a strong sense of place & scene and shows the author‘s screenwriting experience. A privileged, snarky tone but a fun read.

39 likes2 stack adds
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melissajayne
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 2y
16 likes1 comment
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rachaich
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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Pickpick

Gosh, whilst I liked the writing much of the time, the characters had little to like about them, so self absorbed and egocentric. I guess that was the intention.
I found the switching of time frustrating at first but settled into it when I read larger chunks.
Still uncertain what to make of the ending...

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aliasNayNay
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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Panpan

Every character is very dislikable, they are all selfish, all made very stupid choices, they are mean to the point of being hurtful. The storyline is one that has been written many times, so there was nothing special there, it was so overwritten to the point of boredom. It was full of abuse, rape, child molestation, infidelity, and more. The way these adults treated their children was sick.

Cinfhen I bailed pretty early on!! Every adult was so despicable, I couldn‘t stomach another minute 😖 2y
6 likes1 comment
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rachaich
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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I'm trying to get started on this book. I think I need to sit for a longer period to really appreciate it as the sections are short and I'm forgetting events and characters.

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BookNAround
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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Furiously trying to finish this one so I can send it home with my daughter when she leaves tomorrow!

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melissajayne
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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My #bookspinbingo list for May

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 2y
18 likes1 comment
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peacegypsy
The Paper Palace: A Novel | Miranda Cowley Heller
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Mehso-so

I almost DNF this book numerous times, but at 50%, I forged ahead. Reese‘s picks haven‘t been as reliable for me lately. There are some significant triggers in here, and the ending is unresolved. It might just be me, so I always hesitate to not recommend a book, but I do hesitate a little on this one. I struggle with criticizing books, because I wholeheartedly believe every book has something to offer that you didn‘t have before. It is here, too.

TheLudicReader This book seems to really divide people. It was my favourite read last year. Go figure. 😀 2y
42 likes1 comment