A review by happiestwhenreading
The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

The Paper Palace wasn’t on my radar initially, but I got it in the mail from my Bookshelf Subscription (not an ad or sponsorship, I pay for this service with my own money!) and then I started to see it all over #bookstagram due to Reese Witherspoon choosing it for her July book. The exposure definitely made me move it to the top of my list.

I went into this one completely blind; I didn’t read any reviews and I didn’t read the synopsis. Instead, the story slowly unfolded before me and I’m so glad I didn’t know what I was getting into. This is a very complicated, dark story that explores themes of unrequited love, the damaging effects of secrets, and how certain events can change the course of one’s life.

The writing is beautiful; I’m surprised that this complex story was pulled off by a debut author. Cowley Heller wove two timelines – present day and the fifty years of Elle’s life – seamlessly and I was equally captured by both. As the secrets and darkness are revealed, the story became much more propulsive and compelling. This is not a light beach read; however, this is a great summer read due to the atmospheric setting of Cape Cod in the summer. 

I would highly encourage sensitive readers to do some research before picking this one up, but if you can handle difficult topics, I’d recommend going in blind!



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