kayjamieson's review against another edition
4.0
This book ended up being a great read in the end. The middle got a little rocky for me, I felt the over use of some words or phrases.
lorabgreen's review against another edition
hopeful
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
meesm's review against another edition
3.0
I would give this 3.5 stars if I could. I enjoyed the book and learning a little about Hemingway and Key West during this time period, but I didn't feel it was worth a 4. One reason I read it is that it is by a local author and it appears that she did a lot of good research on Hemingway and the period before writing it. Good vacation read.
nanimao's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
mrsbishopreads's review against another edition
4.0
I love any books that have to do with my favorite authors/time period. A book about anyone that knew Hemingway, Scott Fitzgerald, etc... is always on my list. This book actually ended up being a lot different than I expected, but in a good way. A peek into a difficult time in History where people were barely scraping by Seeing inside Hemingway and gaining insight into his mind from an outsider. Erika Robuck always nails historical fiction- and this one was no different. It dragged on a few times and that's the only reason I gave it 4*'s, but I really did enjoy it.
readwithtoni's review against another edition
4.0
Robuck is quite the storyteller. I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. Eager to get my hands on her other novels.
ncrabb's review against another edition
3.0
I went out on a personal limb to read this. I’ve never been much of a fan of Hemingway’s writing, and I’ve not read much that is flattering or uplifting about the guy. Could I really read a novel in which he is cast in some kind of romantic light by a poor mislead young woman? That’s what I thought I’d encounter when I borrowed this from the library. What I actually read was far different and surprisingly better.
Mariella Bennet understands the ocean and fishing. Her deceased dad was an American fisherman from Key West; her mom is Cuban. It’s 1935 as the book begins, and Mariella is looking for ways to increase the family income now that her dad is dead. Mom is so despondent that she can’t even care for the younger children. Mariella finds herself betting what meager money she has on a boxing match—a gamble that pulls her into the circle of influence of two men—a reliable decent World War I veteran working to build a road in Key West and the writer Hemingway.
This is a well-written coming-of-age story of Mariella’s involvement with Hemingway and eventually his entire family. She becomes caught up in the depression-era glamor of Hemingway’s household, and she must ultimately decide whether to fling all caution to the wind and pursue a relationship with a man who is both clearly married and unstable Or whether to be drawn into a much less complicated healthier romance with the veteran/boxer she met in the book’s earlier pages.
I enjoyed reading about 1935 Key West and the unrest among veterans who were hired under horrific circumstances to build the road—a road that would be obliterated by a hurricane on what we would now think of as Labor Day weekend or thereabouts. I didn’t come away with any greater appreciation of Hemingway than I had going in, but Robuck is clearly talented, and I came away satisfied with how I spent my time.
Mariella Bennet understands the ocean and fishing. Her deceased dad was an American fisherman from Key West; her mom is Cuban. It’s 1935 as the book begins, and Mariella is looking for ways to increase the family income now that her dad is dead. Mom is so despondent that she can’t even care for the younger children. Mariella finds herself betting what meager money she has on a boxing match—a gamble that pulls her into the circle of influence of two men—a reliable decent World War I veteran working to build a road in Key West and the writer Hemingway.
This is a well-written coming-of-age story of Mariella’s involvement with Hemingway and eventually his entire family. She becomes caught up in the depression-era glamor of Hemingway’s household, and she must ultimately decide whether to fling all caution to the wind and pursue a relationship with a man who is both clearly married and unstable Or whether to be drawn into a much less complicated healthier romance with the veteran/boxer she met in the book’s earlier pages.
I enjoyed reading about 1935 Key West and the unrest among veterans who were hired under horrific circumstances to build the road—a road that would be obliterated by a hurricane on what we would now think of as Labor Day weekend or thereabouts. I didn’t come away with any greater appreciation of Hemingway than I had going in, but Robuck is clearly talented, and I came away satisfied with how I spent my time.
denakaye's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75