georgie_mb's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Let’s start with the positives: the descriptions are truly beautiful, and that honestly was a whole star in my rrating system. I could see The Paper Palace and it’s surrounding, it was a very sensory experience.
For some reason (and I don’t really know why), I got more into this in the second half than the first, and I’m wondering whether it was because I settled into the banter of the family. Possibly because it reminded me slightly of my own…
I do have some issues with it though. Firstly I don’t think it helped that the Audible narrator sounded like the female US Siri which made some of it come across as very cold. But I think even looking past that, some parts really lacked emotion, and almost came across as harsh. I found this particularly hard to swallow when it come to the really disturbing parts, so much so I had to skip forward sometimes.
I also found the storyline lacked purpose. I think with the beginning it set it up to be a completely different book to what it turned out to be, and I was left slightly disappointed by that. There just didn’t seem to be any clear direction, regardless of the varying time lines.
Graphic: Child abuse, Cancer, Child death, Cursing, Sexual assault, Death, Incest, Infidelity, and Rape
Moderate: Cancer, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol
noraconradcom's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Abandonment, Rape, Grief, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Incest, Misogyny, Infidelity, Death of parent, and Child death
anastasiak's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Rape
Minor: Miscarriage, Death, Child death, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Murder, and Cancer
katewhite77's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A novel about family for all it's good and ill. The forks in the road life can force us to take wheather we want it or not.
This book centres around a complex of USA holiday homes made of 'paper' so in a sense this makes good holiday reading but a light hearted beach this is not. Only pack it if you fancy a bit of depth.
Moderate: Cancer, Death, Grief, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Child death, Rape, and Pedophilia
skibbonboulash's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Infertility, Death of parent, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Vomit, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Cancer, Bullying, Body shaming, Rape, Child abuse, Stalking, Sexual content, Murder, Classism, Toxic relationship, Pedophilia, Miscarriage, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Addiction, and Suicide
bethaniethebeast's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child death, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Alcohol, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Violence, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Grief, Rape, Sexual violence, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Death of parent, Grief, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Child death, Alcohol, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
paulabekkerus's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Cancer, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Grief, Incest, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Antisemitism, Infertility, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual violence, and Terminal illness
kdenten's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Rape, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Death
Minor: Death of parent, Grief, Infertility, Sexual content, Blood, Cancer, and Child death
awestervelt20's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Death, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Animal death, Cancer, Child death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Incest, Rape, and Stalking
bella_cavicchi's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
THE PAPER PALACE is sneaky -- I see the Cape and I think immediately 'beach read,' but what Heller has crafted instead is a layered (heavier) story of time and regret and love and longing. I am not as interested in literature that claims a moral high ground as I am in narratives that allow the characters to just 'be,' and I think Heller captures so well the reason why: trauma complicates absolutes, what is 'right' and 'wrong' blurred in response to abuse. I just want to give Elle a hug.
Heller also beautifully depicts Cape Cod as a vessel for memory. She said in a recent interview that "every time [she comes] back, it feels like the opposite of homesickness," and goodness, I can relate. It's a testament to her writing that the setting -- this 'Paper Palace' -- feels like another character.
One I'm happy to own. If you grab it too, please note a significant content warning for rape and pedophilia.
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Death of parent, Bullying, and Child death
Minor: Excrement, Animal death, and Cancer