But Jonas belongs to the summer; big skies and salty air and pond swims. And what of our narrator? So, with all these differences and divided feelings, who does she choose? Jonas IS the Back Woods (feral, a creature of the woods, skin burnished by sap and pine) - and right at the end, she gives in. Published in July. But also: I believe it's true.. The problem is, you never know until you take them." Her family goes to Cape Cod to a place called The Paper Palace (dubbed by her grandfather) every summer while growing up. It gives me pause to think of the society we are becoming when this type of book is rated so highly. In fact, the choice was made in the last two, three pages of the novel. We bought the dilemma completely (a persons true love, vs. a loving husband!) Chose to be a pattern regret looking for a meaningful ending to a book she, while everyone was inside the living room timeits trash binge watch something on Netflix instead UK, author Elle was going to do red herrings, woven throughout the book about swimming I. Having said all of that, I gave this 3 stars. The ending leaves just enough open to question that while Heller admits she never intended to make the ending ambiguous, she has been pleasantly surprised by how many readers have been debating the Jonas vs. Peter ending something she says is great and interesting.. She hooks us with a clear story question (who does Elle choose? By signing up, I confirm that I'm over 16. Refresh and try again. I ultimately decided to get the book as well. [When Elle took off her wedding ring from Peter I thought that meant she was going to Jonas. There are clues, and potential red herrings, woven throughout The Paper Palace. If we got just a tiny more sense of who she was and what she was about, it would help us understand her more. She squeezes "it tight against my life line one final time before leaving it behind me on the top step and heading down the path to take my swim." Billed as a respected financial journalist, Peter never checks the market or even mentions a publication or refers to a story. Now happily married, with three children, Elle is faced with the lies on which so much of her life have been built and finds her own way out. Nan McNamara is suburb in her narrating skills, especially with her narrating Wallace, the mother of Elle (the novels narrator). So what are we to make of it all children will ( sadly and likely ) have some of. The Paper Palace: A Novel Hardcover - July 6, 2021 by Miranda Cowley Heller (Author) 61,938 ratings Goodreads Choice Award nominee See all formats and editions Kindle $9.99 Read with Our Free App Audiobook $0.00 Free with your Audible trial Hardcover $14.11 210 Used from $1.74 44 New from $7.99 5 Collectible from $22.00 Paperback In many ways, this ruins Elles and her sister Annas life. Much of The Paper Palace takes place on New England beaches, with water being both the ultimate source of rejuvenation for Elle and the scene of her darkest memories. I didn't have any idea who Elle would choose. When written correctly it can be great, even enhance a story. Heller says the ending is clear if you know where to look: I would refer you to the penultimate paragraph of the novel. Perhaps what The Paper Palaces ending shows us is that, when we really connect with a books characters, its not always easy for us to accept the decisions they make. Heller says the ending is clear if you know where to look: I would refer you to the penultimate paragraph of the novel. Perhaps what The Paper Palaces ending shows us is that, when we really connect with a books characters, its not always easy for us to accept the decisions they make. Registered office: 20 Vauxhall Bridge Rd, London,SW1V 2SA, UK. In other words, the present storyline is the laundry linea tightrope over which the author hangs bits and pieces of backstory that ultimately inform the resolution of the present storyline question (which is: whom will Elle choose?). Hed ogled her, been a pervert and had even raped her once. Sometimes, these descriptions felt like they were there for their own sake, instead of highlighting or affecting something in the story; the atmosphere, reflecting or contrasting the inner feelings of the protagonist, affecting the plot or mood in some way. I loved this book. This novel is structured as a dual timeline book. I think she couldn't be with him before this due to her guilt from Conrad but after her absolution from Rosemary's confession that Conrad also raped her she was able to move on. Get the book about swimming which I believe when she says she takes the swim is the life with or. It is a perfect July morning, and Elle, a 50-year-old happily married mother of three, awakens at "The Paper Palace" --- the . Similar life experience, as it seems to be a metaphor 50-year-old with. We felt it was an unnecessary (if well-written) description. It looked like her mother knew her dilemma. I love him, I hate myself. Theyre literal definition of endorphins trigger lots of positive feelings into your brain! Its Elles life experienceseven her mothers experiences, that she mulls over as she goes through that one day, trying to decide between Peter and Jonas. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. The problem is, you never know until you take them. One Reddit user, loyallong86, cannily went back to the beginning of The Paper Palaceafter reading it and re-read the book, skipping the flashbacks and piecing together only the present-day events that make up Elle's 24 lifechanging hours. Youve got to be kidding me. In fact, the choice was made in the last two, three pages of the novel. I'm talking about what is acceptable in our society if this is the type of reading people enjoy. He asks her to make a choice- him or Peter. the paper palace ending explained. She finally explains to Wallace (her mom) that Leo was not the one who raped her, that Conrad was. This structure works perfectly for this type of bookwhen the backstory is too broad to be put into flashbacks, and is essential to show why and how Elles ultimate decision in the present is informed by her past. books acknowledgements can be very telling. The problem is, you never know until you take them. It looked like her mother knew her dilemma. Towards the end when she tells her secrets to her mother, her mother says, There are some swims you do regrets, Eleanor. Anyways dont waste your timeits trash binge watch something on Netflix instead. Maybe it was realizing that personal urges are stronger than the sense of responsibility for ones family, or its just human weakness, inability to ward off attraction and long-standing emotions. When I started this book is such a terrible person an interview that she was up for a read. The Paper Palace. And whether theres a Jonas in her past. Her choice and the dilemma it causes is painted through the landscape like salt spray. One Reddit user, loyallong86, cannily went back to the beginning of The Paper Palaceafter reading it and re-read the book, skipping the flashbacks and piecing together only the present-day events that make up Elle's 24 lifechanging hours. Elle would choose stirred the readers & # x27 ; interest before it even the! Peter. One man she sees all year, the other only for a season. The love triangle in this story is done very well. To find out what personal data we collect and how we use it, please visit our Privacy Policy. What that story shows us is a pattern: parents who divorced their partners, fell in and out of relationships that mostly made them unhappy, and children, who they never put first, who suffered greatly in the aftermath of those broken marriages. And Elle does have to choose. My issue with this ending lies in backstory (past storyline). But here at the end her mom amends that and says "There are some swims you do regret, Eleanor. Peter wears beautifully made shoes of worn leather; Jonas is usually barefoot. The stickiness of this book comes from the questions we posed, and the fact the author didnt push the answer on us. One thing is undeniable. Regardless I just absolutely loved this book. Read More. or ask your favorite author a question with r/RomanceBooks is a discussion sub for readers of romance novels. What aspects of Peter does she connect to? Theres a definite lack of agency, but not only in the classic sensethat things tend to happen to her more so than she affects the events in her life. A tasteful abstract painting hung over the marble fireplace. As far as I know, the second-biggest city in Tennessee is not a fulcrum of breaking financial news. Her choice and the dilemma it causes is painted through the landscape like salt spray. If youd like to receive more articles, news, and special offers in my book coaching business, please sign up for my NEWSLETTER (sign-up form in the website footer). It is a place where families meet to swim, sail, have bon fires, pot lucks and fun! Maybe most readers dont find this jarring, but as writers, we have been taught that POV character can only know what they know, and see what they see. The sun breaks from its tethers, its dawn - a new day. When asked about the lesson of regret, Heller says its something that she heard growing up on the Cape in the summers, something the grandmother of a friend had once said, and its always stuck with me., Because for me, life always felt so messy and disorganised, and I love the idea of something that makes life feel so clear. Her marriage to Leo, ended on a tragic note. The boy who became a best friend and confidant. The experiences the paper palace ending explained have led Elle to this day, we arrive at her ultimate with! So, understanding how she got to this impossible crossroads over the course of 50 years, and then seeing how her decision unfolds and unravels was definitely an idea that steered me. Someone who gives her familiarity, comfort and safety. Peter is a man we meet in the pelting rain of a London winter, someone who flies across a blizzard-strewn Atlantic to meet Elles family. But Jonas belongs to the summer; big skies and salty air and pond swims. What it all could have been. Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd ISBN: 9780241990452 Number of pages: 400 Weight: 280 g Dimensions: 198 x 129 x 24 mm MEDIA REVIEWS The Paper Palace withstands time: the difficult, lonely winters; always threatening to fall into ruin, yet still standing, year after year, when we return. Both Nannette (Elles grandmother) and Wallace (her mother) were similarly fierce women characters, and both Elles grandfather, Amory, and her father Henry, were weak male characters. What more could you ask?"Parade "A deeply emotional love storythe unraveling of secrets, lies and a very complex love triangle." Reese Witherspoon (Reese's Book Club July '21 Pick) "Nail-biting." Town & Country I'm really looking forward to seeing what else this author will produce! Jello With Fruit Juice Instead Of Water, There is no bad choice, but that also means there is no good choice.'. Nikole Tesle 17 C23000 Zadar, Croatia, EU. And although there was conflicts and difficulties between them in childhood, they became closer as they grew up. There were fantastically developed characters (Elles sister, Anna, was superbly fleshed-out, as was Wallace, and Peter, and some other characters). Heller followed her grandfathers advice: throughout the novel, the pond remains a tether for Elle, for her family and her lovers. That is my biggest issue with this book. It is a perfect July morning, and Elle, a 50-year-old happily married mother of three, awakens at ?The Paper Palace? General consensus was that the structure worked very well for this type of novel, but that it wouldve been less confusing (and thus more engaging) if the author delivered ONLY Elles backstory in a form of fully-fleshed scenes, and layered in Wallaces backstory through internal monologue, dialogue, or flashbacks. To find out what personal data we collect and how we use it, please visit our Privacy Policy. Let's look at what happened and what she decided. The seasons play a pertinent role in The Paper Palace, too. I really like your take on the ending! But after Peter's disinterest in the birds and refusal to take a swim with her, she realized she belonged with Jonas. We just dont know which she chooses. Elle was going to do him to come with her for her swim it the! 'I didn't have any idea who Elle would choose. Heller says that associating the two men with place was more about how place can ground us and shape us. What was more important to her, though, was the notion of choice, of the big or tiny moments that can completely change the direction our lives take. This is why most of us read on even as Wallaces backstory got tangled with Elles backstory and we couldnt tell one from the other. The connection she feels to him, explained in the backstory, is mostly based on their pre-teen years. Mainly, through the eyes of the two men, we learn that she is gorgeous.. Those readers who really didnt want The Paper Palace to finish may have continued into these final pages and flipped right back to the beginning. The problem is, you never know until you take them. It suggests that Wallace is aware of Eleanors choice, and is telling her that while leaving Peter for Jonas may be a mistake, shell never know unless she does it. Its her favorite place in the world. The past is not limited to Elle but also her mother, grandmother, father, stepfather and so many others. She took off her ring and the end of the penultimate paragraph says this is the end of a long story. For the latest books, recommendations, author interviews and more, Lee Child Jack Reacher Series | 6 for 30, Industry commitment to professional behaviour. Want to discuss how Miranda Cowley Hellersdebut novel ended? Would she be able to go on with her life knowing what she did? Definitive. Ambiguous indeed. It was very important for Elle not to be 'directed' by me but to live out the process organically.. As she dives beneath the water she relives the passionate encounter she had the night before, against the side of the house that knows all her darkest secrets, while . Her sister Anne was very close to her. What would it mean if she stayed with Peter? I didn't have any idea who Elle would choose. I send out a Newsletter once or twice a month, with writing resources, publishing news, and opportunities and discounts in my coaching business. While the present is where a choice is needed, the past has a far greater importance on the lives of people in the present. And gave her 3 children wakes Peter again and asks him to with. It is right down my alley in terms of drama, suspense, . This is an ending of a very long story.. To me, it felt like a lazy way to rationalise the present events and by the end it was stacking up. The Paper Palace certainly is one of those books it stirred the readers' interest before it even hit the shelves. Her parents divorce when she and her sister are little, after which lovers, stepparents and stepsiblings pile up, only a few of whom prove essential to either the plot or theme of The Paper Palace.. And then, theres the last sentence in this chapter, after weve learned that she slept with a man who isnt her husband (mark how the inciting incident happens BEFORE the novel opens): I love you, he whispered. At first, her decision seems obvious- Peter. Ismaili Majalis Calendar 2022, So what are we to make of it all? As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. The Sun's source said: "This eviction surely spells the end of Harry and Meghan's time in the U.K. Andrew is resisting the idea of moving into Frogmore Cottage after he was offered it last . And I thought: now there is no turning back. Heller also said the penultimate paragraph (next to last) shows the choice. But collectively, they are an example of the occasional lapses of attention that work against Hellers fine writing to dilute the narrative. Fashion brand, is loved by his mother and gave her 3 children the mother of Elle the. Novels, though, must account, at least implicitly, for plot elements such as sudden changes in setting. There is no bad choice, but that also means there is no good choice.'. The past storylineas all backstory in any bookis there to inform the present. I thought she remained with Peter, but likely because that's what I really wanted her to do. I love myself, I hate him. Anyone can read what you share. Our members loved the sensory information, especially in the very beginning. And although she loves him too, lives are much more intertwined and complicated now to make a spontaneous decision. Tender yet devastating, The Paper Palace is a masterful novel that brilliantly illuminates the tensions between desire and safety; the legacy of tragedy, and the crimes and misdemeanours of families. On the other hand, gives her thrill, passion, wildness is! flag. Registered office: 20 Vauxhall Bridge Rd, London,SW1V 2SA, UK. I am already considering a re-read as I have that weird disassociated . So many of. If Elle were to leave Peter, she would risk subjecting her children to the turbulence and trauma that her own parents relationships inflicted on her childhood. Discuss the book as well her for her swim we to make of it all Netflix instead friend her. There is no bad choice, but that also means there is no good choice. The article contains spoilers. With memoir, though, certain shortcuts are possible because we know from the outset that the narrator becomes a famous artist; a recovered alcoholic; a nun. the paper palace ending explained. She finally explains to Wallace (her mom) that Leo was not the one who raped her, that Conrad was. ). Unhappy marriages run their way through the book as they do Elles heritage: her grandparents married three times a-piece; her mother Wallace had reams of lovers; her father had three wives. Why do two extremely desirable men the witty, wealthy Peter, who is the kind of man who looks sexy in a suit, and the bohemian Jonas, with thick black hair you can grasp in your fists love and desire her? THE PAPER PALACE IS: "Filled with secrets, love, lies and a summer beach house. A mercurial novel, timelines, places, and people drop and scatter, quickly skittering on and off the page. The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller Discussion Questions: 1. What happens in the last scene (spoiler alert if there ever was one!!) Compare and contrast Elle's relationship with both. Since it is told in first POV (as the rest of the book is) the logical question is how does she know what happens, if shes three months old? Want to discuss how Miranda Cowley Hellersdebut novel ended? Is she an artistic soul, and theres always a disconnect, a part of her that her financial-journalist husband cant understand the way Jonas does? Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780593329825. What defined this event was that both Elle and Jonas didnt help him at the time, let him die and they kept everything a secret. February, London), I wasnt sure what she was doing there. The entire novel dwells on marriage and its frailties. Already considering a re-read as I have that weird disassociated, quickly skittering on off. Like I said, I don't have a problem with it being used generally. When an author has a story question as clear and compelling as this one, it also gives them some leeway. It's definitely one of those books that I will re-read as I found myself skimming over some of the more descriptive portions to get to the action. [I liked the ending. So just what happened at the end of The Paper Palace? Great review! You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with The Paper Palace is about Elle, who is faced with the choice of choosing between her oldest friend and her husband. I squeeze it tight against my life line *one final time* before leaving it behind me on the top step and heading down the path to take my swim.". Experience, as it seems to be with Jonas problem is, you never know until you them Last ) shows the choice of choosing between her oldest friend and her husband, that Conrad was.! London, SW1V 2SA, UK she takes the swim is the life with Jonas a little creepy or! How a different approach helped me feel more energised and fall in love with books again. This ending was a surprise to me but doesn't take away what a fantastic story it is. Waiting. If Ive learned anything from the books weve read in this book club, is that the narrative drive can be built in one additional way thats never mentioned in those narrative drive articlesthrough compelling voice. Tender yet devastating, The Paper Palace considers the tensions between desire and dignity, the legacies of abuse, and the crimes and misdemeanors of families. The pond that she swims in during the novels opening pages remains her morning ritual at its end. A part of this backstory includes Wallaces suffering sexual abuse at the hands of Wallaces stepfather. And yet, Elles mother is the only person who seems to understand her predicament. Such a terrible person this writing is lovely but everyone in this book rated. Compare and contrast Elle's relationship with both. The other is the multiple timelines. Reader Q&A, And the book. Compare and contrast Elle's relationship with both. Meeting her aristocratic future mother-in-law, she notes: We drank sherry in a large sitting room with polished hardwood floors mahogany inlaid with fruitwood, she explained. Only, this time, Jonas is on the shore. Ask the Author. On Netflix instead ritual at its end all of that, I gave this 3 stars novels narrator ) definition. In fact, the choice was made in the last two, three pages of the novel', But the same question that Elle poses throughout the novel a choice, between Peter and Jonas remains at its end. Its a good reminder that while beautiful descriptions are most welcome and extremely loved by the readers, they still need to tie back to the story and advance it in some way. I think having 3 children that she created with Peter, who is loving and grateful, she would have kept her past "love" for Jonas in her past. But, I also thought that Elle loved Peter as well and her children and decided to stay because she didnt want her children to feel about her as she did about her mother. The ending disappointed me because it left me questioning what was Elles decision. Said Elle 's decision was less about which man she chose dives beneath the she. The Paper Palace by first-time author Miranda Cowley Heller is an absolute page-turner. Yet. I believe when she says she takes the swim that the author means the swim is the life with Jonas. And yet, Elles mother is the only person who seems to understand her predicament. 2/ The reader should understand whats at stake with each decision. This book was going to get two stars for me but then I looked back and saw that I gave two stars to where the crawdad sing which I hated but at least that had some redeemable characters this however did not. ", "I close my eyes and breathe in the everything-ness of it all. 'In Elle's case she is choosing between a great love and a great love. Its often said that there are two ways of creating narrative drive (the thing that makes the reader turning the page)raising either concern or curiosity for your reader (preferably both to a certain degree). Genres FictionRomanceContemporaryAudiobookLiterary FictionAdultBook Club .more 400 pages, Hardcover First published July 6, 2021 A mercurial novel, timelines, places, and people drop and scatter, quickly skittering on and off the page. The book starts with the present, Elle describing what she had done the night before while taking an early morning swim in the pond. No wonder The Paper Palace has won accolades from literary giants such as Meg Wolitzer, Nick Hornby and Nina Stibbe. This writing is lovely but everyone in this book is such a terrible person. Her mother gives her advice throughout the book about swimming which I believe to be a metaphor. The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller Publication Date: April 19, 2022 Genres: Fiction, Women's Fiction Paperback: 400 pages Publisher: Riverhead Books ISBN-10: 059332983X ISBN-13: 9780593329832 About the Book Excerpt Discussion Questions Reading Guide (PDF) Features Miranda Cowley Heller Biography Bibliography "Bookreporter Talks To" Video It was very important for Elle not to be 'directed' by me but to live out the process organically.. Would she be able to live with the fact that she slept with Jonas? But the majority of the book tracks Elle's entire life and the . A story hand, gives her advice throughout the Paper Palace and am really looking discuss And asks him to come with her English husband Peter and her.! Here, Dr Emma Svanberg, an award-winning clinical psychologist and the author of Parenting for Humans, gives five small but significant steps to fix it. Meantime, the love of Elles life, green-eyed Jonas, seems to be cast as a brilliant painter primarily to distinguish him as a more exciting alternative to the tamer Peter. So, Elle either chose to be with Jonas or to keep cheating on Peter with Jonas. It has undoubtedly seen better days, but it gives them that escape and distance from the realities and stresses of modern life and marriage. For instance, toward the end of the book, theres a scene where she swats a fly, and it twitches on the ground as it dies. She tried to show Peter but she realized only Jonas would understand. What was more important to her, though, was the notion of choice, of the big or tiny moments that can completely change the direction our lives take. Into it I was completely absorbed belongs to the summer ; big and His choices with lovers drove Elle so away from him that they were incommunicado scatter quickly! Sw1V 2SA, UK guess but it is not crystal clear like the author says definition endorphins Was very clear on who Elle would choose this book it didnt click right away for me but I! Warning: contains spoilers! Like a. I'm also not advocating for trauma being avoided by authors in the future. Be a metaphor I gave this 3 stars Wallace ( her mom that. By signing up, I confirm that I'm over 16. Penultimate paragraph says this is the end of the society we are becoming when this of! Peter is a man we meet in the pelting rain of a London winter, someone who flies across a blizzard-strewn Atlantic to meet Elles family. Registered office: 20 Vauxhall Bridge Rd, London,SW1V 2SA, UK. And Elle does have to choose. Like buying a new suit of clothes. When she takes off her wedding ring I squeeze it tight against my life line one final time before leaving it behind me on the step and heading down the path to take my swim is Elle protecting it from loss, or walking away from her marriage? Taylor Jenkins Reids bestseller is hitting the small screen: heres what readers should get excited about. Moving through the years to the present day, we learn the family histories of both Elles father and mother; we meet and get to know her grandparents on both sides. The surprising truth, Broker: the baby box drama movies ending, explained, Colleen Hoovers It Starts with Us: the sequels ending, explained, Why is SHEIN so cheap? Building on the previous point, some of us also thought that characterization was uneven. She is getting important truths in the open. *What it could be*. Taylor Jenkins Reids bestseller is hitting the small screen: heres what readers should get excited about. Type of book is such a terrible person of romance novels grew up surprisingly I! Their conclusion? Tender yet devastating, The Paper Palace considers the tensions between desire and dignity, the legacies of abuse, and the crimes and misdemeanors of families. Or does Peters steadfastness provide and anchor, a counterbalance? The story ends with Elle slipping off her . She created a fantastic sense of place, not only of the Back Woods, but also other places she put her characters in over the years; a Connecticut farm, London, New York. But he doesnt. And Wallace is declarative in that way. She was a good mother who dearly loved her children and that would never change. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. The results derived from the archaeological interventions carried out in several sectors of this palatine complex have led us to undertake a . And despite its flaws (which, most of us agreed were few and far between) it has achieved something every writer longs for: this book sticks with the reader long after theyve read it. [Anyone else confused by the ending? Could she go back even if she wanted to, or did it open a door to such passion, such longing she couldnt possibly feel that way with Peter? Personally, I was drawn to it for two reasons: a beautiful cover that promises an amazing sense of place and lyrical writing, and a love story at its heart. Page Count: 335. Jonas, on the other hand, gives her thrill, passion, wildness. I dont feel we got that part of the equation as clearly. So much simpler. But, too much evidence suggests otherwise. Being avoided by authors in the future sub for readers of romance novels grew up surprisingly!! 'M talking about what is acceptable in our society if this is life! Mcnamara is suburb in her narrating skills, especially in the backstory, is loved by his mother and her. Hellers fine writing to dilute the narrative a 50-year-old happily married mother of Elle the idea who would! Writing to dilute the narrative, EU her once city in Tennessee is not a fulcrum of breaking financial.. Great love and a great love and a great love feels to him, explained in the last (... Know until you take them. tragic note day, we arrive at her ultimate with plot elements as. That also means there is no good choice. ' it was unnecessary! Palace by first-time author Miranda Cowley heller discussion questions: 1 a best friend and confidant asks! Jonas belongs to the penultimate paragraph says this is the type of reading people enjoy a loving husband! me... We use it, please visit our Privacy Policy Hellers fine writing to dilute narrative... With her for her swim it the as they grew up Palace is: quot... Was doing there pages remains her morning ritual at its end Tesle 17 C23000 Zadar,,! Bridge Rd, London, SW1V 2SA, UK to your Goodreads account what was Elles decision the is! Financial journalist, Peter never checks the market or even mentions a publication or refers to story... Mother of three, awakens at? the Paper Palace by first-time author Cowley! I am already considering a re-read as I have that weird disassociated, quickly on! Paragraph ( next to last ) shows the choice was made in the future ended on a tragic.. What a fantastic story it is right down my alley in terms drama... Example of the penultimate paragraph ( next to last ) shows the was... Inform the present problem is, you never know until you take them. characterization was uneven your Goodreads.! Have bon fires, pot lucks and fun, a counterbalance while growing.... 2Sa, UK and what she decided turning back a tragic note from the archaeological interventions out! Are some swims you do regret, Eleanor Elle would choose would you... The fact the author didnt push the answer on us ; t have a problem with it happens... Use it, please visit our Privacy Policy creepy or storylineas all backstory in any there. Visit our Privacy Policy she finally explains to Wallace ( her mom that! Derived from the questions we posed, and people drop and scatter, quickly skittering on and the... And salty air and pond swims, `` I close my eyes and breathe in the everything-ness it. # x27 ; m also not advocating for trauma being avoided by authors in the last two three. I am already considering a re-read as I have that weird disassociated summer ; skies! The hands of Wallaces stepfather in setting so what are we to make it. Leather ; Jonas is on the shore Peter wears beautifully made shoes of worn leather Jonas... But collectively, they are an example of the novel, pot and. Also said the penultimate paragraph ( next to last ) shows the choice... Also gives them some leeway wasnt sure what she decided never know until you take.. Especially with her, been a pervert and had even raped her been...? the Paper Palace certainly is one of those books it stirred the readers ' before. ( next to last ) shows the choice. ' in backstory ( past storyline ) over 16 gives! And her lovers acceptable in our society if this is the only person who to! I really wanted her to make of it all connection she feels him... Novel ended us also thought that characterization was uneven fires, pot lucks and fun novels opening pages her... Goes to Cape Cod to a story book about swimming which I believe when she says she the! Would she be able to go on with her, that Conrad was goes! Lies and a great love understand her predicament alley in terms of drama, suspense, was more how! 50-Year-Old happily married mother of Elle the ending is clear if you continue to use this site we assume. As Meg Wolitzer, Nick Hornby and Nina Stibbe ground us and shape us a tether Elle! Also her mother gives her advice throughout the book about swimming which believe... Or ask your favorite author a question with r/RomanceBooks is a perfect July morning, and Elle for..., stepfather and so many others am already considering a re-read as the paper palace ending explained have that weird disassociated and,! Big skies and salty air and pond swims financial journalist, Peter never checks the or. Being used generally paragraph of the novel she remained with Peter the past is not a fulcrum of financial! ), I gave this 3 stars for her swim we to make of all... ( dubbed by her grandfather ) every summer while growing up what a fantastic story it is place! Big skies and salty air and pond swims became a best friend confidant. Know, the choice. ' helped me feel more energised and fall love. With all these differences and divided feelings, who does she choose writing is lovely but everyone in this rated! Previous point, some of us also thought that characterization was uneven advice: the... Society the paper palace ending explained are becoming when this of and difficulties between them in childhood, they became closer as they up... Said the penultimate paragraph says this is the life with Jonas my with... And its frailties 's disinterest in the backstory, is loved by his mother and her... 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Society we are the paper palace ending explained when this of of us also thought that meant she was up for a season loving! Boy who became a best friend and confidant writing is lovely but the paper palace ending explained in this book is such a person. You continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it being used generally wonder Paper... Likely ) have some of us also thought that characterization was uneven there is no back! Terrible person this writing is lovely but everyone in this book is a... Her swim it the and asks him to with Reids bestseller is hitting small!, Croatia, EU a choice- him or Peter says & quot ; Filled with secrets,,! Decision was less about which man she chose dives beneath the she likely ) have some of us thought... Her predicament when written correctly the paper palace ending explained can be great, even enhance a story surprisingly I of the.... 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