'The Paper Palace' by Miranda Cowley Heller begins the morning after Elle (50yrs) sleeps with her oldest childhood friend Jonas, despite being happily married to Peter. Circling around this event, Cowley Heller delves back into Elle and her families pasts, revealing the events and secrets which have brought about this affair. She also carries the narrative forward in small increments over 24hrs, until Elle is forced to make a decision.

This book is a beautifully written, if at times painful read. Cowley Heller is brilliant at creating a sense of location, meaning that I had a strong picture of Backwoods, the lakes and ponds, and the different houses and apartments in which the family have lived. She provides a coherent understanding of her characters motivations and behaviours, even if I really didn't agree with them. Throughout the novel, the selfishness of love, is a strong theme, something that both the men and women depicted are guilty of.

TW: child abuse, sexual abuse

Miranda Cowley Heller's The Paper Palace has had a lot of hype for publication. Before starting to read it I knew it was a family novel based on the East Coast of the US and that it was being compared to Donna Tartt's works. Once I started reading I was sucked in in right away. Apart from Assembly (see previous post), there haven't been many books that have gripped me in this way lately.
The story veers between one day in the narrator's present and her past. The present 24 hours are set in a summer holiday house in Cape Cod, nicknamed The Paper Palace on account of it's cardboard walls. In the aftermath of a fateful sexual encounter, Elle has to make a potentially life-changing decision. As she goes through her day and ponders, we are served flashbacks her past, telling us about her life leading up to this pivotal day.
At first I was in two minds about this book. Featuring multiple instances of very graphic child abuse, sexual and other, it is at times very hard to read. In the first part, there is a sort of shock rhythm to the short chapters, in which you come to expect to be regularly rattled by disturbing incidents of physical or mental violence. Throughout the rest of the book the plot settles so that the excellently executed construction and the lush writing can shine. Centered around W.A.S.P.-y East Coast types, The Paper Palace is an emotionally engaging and enthralling American novel.

I struggled to finish this book. I am not quite sure why as it was well written and the characters were well-developed. I didn’t like the writing style and it was quite slow, constantly jumping between past and present. I found it was a chore to read at times. To be fair, I did have a bit of a ‘book hangover’ from the previous book that I have read.

Elle is happily married to Peter.She has also loved Jonas since a teenager. Her family's annual trip to the family house on Cape Cod leads to their reunion and the revealing of a shocking, long hidden secret. Who will Elle choose? her family or the love of her life? The reader is kept guessing until the final pages.

A family saga set in New York City and the Paper Palace, a crumbling, much loved set of cabins by a lake on the Cape. It is an extraordinary evocation of place from NYC, to Guatemala and Hampstead, to the Paper Palace itself. Heller is clearly a lover of the natural world and the descriptions of the Cape - the pond, the ocean, the beaches, racoons, hummingbirds and trees, are riven with detail bringing the place gloriously to life. The Paper Palace moves between past and present, as Elle, the protagonist comes to terms with the traumas of her childhood and her relationship with her mother and sister, and attempts to make a choice between her husband, Peter and her childhood friend, Jonas. If the plot sounds mawkish and predictable, it is not. The characters are three dimensional, their emotional and inner lives feel real and the novel is satisfyingly arced. The dialogue is crisp and at times, witty. I was moved by the tender, sweet and complicated loves in the novel and captivated by the characters and their stories. I loved it.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

It's summer, and fifty year old Elle is back at The Paper Palace, the small complex of cabins owned by her family, and the place where she has spent every summer of her life. Elle is happily married to Peter, and they have three children. But Elle's childhood friend and first love Jonas is also spending his summer at the cabins. And when he and Elle finally give in to their longing for each other, everything Elle holds dear is at stake. Now she has just twenty four hours to decide whether to choose steadfast, devoted Peter, or blazing, beautiful Jonas. And whichever love she chooses, nothing is going to be the same again.

I loved how the story went back and forth between the present day and particular chapters of Elle's life, so that we only gradually understood the relationships between Elle and Jonas and Elle and Peter, and the many threads weaving them all inextricably together. I was shocked, heartbroken and swept up in equal measure, and I loved the author's writing style.

This is the first book I have read from this author and I can't wait to read more. A beautiful, compelling, and difficult read. I loved it.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for granting me a free ARC copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I couldn’t get enough of this book. The story had me hooked and the writing was incredible.
The Paper Palace is narrated in the past and the present. The present timeline runs over a life changing 24 hour period at the summer camp in Cape Cod.
Elle is there with her husband Peter and her family and her childhood best friend Jonas is also there with his.
Elle and Jonas have a special bond, a wonderful relationship and a lot of chemistry which leads to her rethinking her whole life leaving her with tough decisions.
There aren’t enough words to describe how intoxicating this book is. The writing is spectacular. I felt I was in the story. I felt every thought and emotion and imagined all the incredible landscape that Heller described clearly.
There are multiple themes in The Paper Palace with some trigger warnings such as families, love, friendship, trust, death, loss, rape and more.
I actually think this book is probably a 5 star and not the 4.5 I have given it but I need some time to process the ending. I can’t reveal anymore to you other than to say, this is definitely one to read.

One of the best books I’ve read this year.It’s beautifully written ,with a wonderful sense of place and realistic characters .It’s set mainly in Cape Cod, where the family of Elle,the narrator ,have a summer house where they have spent every summer since Elle was a child.The book begins in the present but moves back and forth as Elle explains her relationship with Jonas, her childhood friend, and recent lover, despite her being happily married . The book explores a number of themes, including sexual abuse ,and all are dealt with sensitively. It’s a beautiful book and I loved every bit of it.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review which reflects my own opinion.

This books follows forbidden romance, unrequited love, infidelity and ‘what if?’
I really enjoyed this book and was a massive fan of the way it was written.
The characters were enjoyable and I really recommend it to anyone who likes well developed characters and a heavy plot line

The Paper Palace is a set of cabins in the woods that the protagonist Elle and her family return to every summer to escape the heat of New York. The story is set in the present day where we discover, almost immediately, that Elle has been unfaithful to her husband with her best friend Jonas. The story then splits between present day and the decades which have led to this night. I initially struggled to get into the story. Elle has a difficult childhood where her mother and father both seem to always prioritise their partners ahead of their daughters. But then Elle meets her best friend Jonas at the Paper Palace and she suddenly has someone she can completely rely on and from then on, the story was compelling for me. Trigger warning for scenes of sexual assault. This is an atmospheric, heady story of family, love, longing, loss and shame.

The Paper Palace of the title is a run-down cabin in the woods where Elle and her family have visited each summer since she was a child. The book charts one full day, starting the morning after Elle has just cheated on her husband with her childhood best friend, with flashbacks over 50 years showing what led them to this.

It‘s not groundbreaking fiction but I still loved it - very much a summer read.

Another Reese Book Club pick and of course it did not disappoint. This book is the epitome of raw honesty. Elle is caught between two loves and the way Miranda writes about this subject is so masterful and well done. I was on the edge the whole time as to who she would choose. I found myself rooting for one and then changing my mind and rooting for the other. This happened at least 5 times.

I loved the setting, the idea of a cabin in the woods that the family goes to every summer, passing down from parent to child and so on. It sounds amazing and relaxing and I loved this as a heavier summer read. I'd definitely recommend this book and I think a lot of people will enjoy it!

The Paper Palace begins at 6.30am in the Back Woods at a cabin on the lake. Elle dives into the crisp water of the pond and remembers last night, when she left her husband Peter and family inside and had sex against the cabin with her childhood friend, Jonah.

From then on the, story unfolds in hourly updates of the day after the event, interspersed with chapters set in the past which fully illuminate the context of Ellie and Jonah’s decision.

I loved this book. I loved the way the author painted the setting with her words in such a way that I felt like I was right there with Elle sipping coffee on the porch or swimming in the pond and then I was deeply envious when I looked up from the book into the real world and realised I wasn’t there.

I loved the snippets from the past that informed you about the family’s characters and secrets without going on for too long and disjointing you from the plot.

I read and reread the ending several times and enjoyed collecting my thoughts about who Ella would choose.

At times it is an uneasy read due to the theme of sexual abuse running through the story but it is a beautiful novel and a masterpiece of characterisation and dark humour. I miss the characters, even the ascerbic Wallace already.

Such an amazing book. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to review an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest opinion.

Elle’s story unfolds over twenty-four hours and across fifty years, as decades of family legacies, love, lies, secrets come to light after a chance affair with her childhood best friend.

As soon as The Paper Palace was picked as a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick, I knew I had to read this. Reese’s picks never fail to amaze and this stunning novel is no exception.

The story drew me in from the offset, with its fast-paced writing and enticing plot that claims your attention straight away. Miranda Cowley Heller describes the characters so well and the way the story is told, through various “books” and flashbacks builds the tension and leaves you wanting more.

Overall, The Paper Palace was an excellent read and I can’t recommend it enough this summer!

I found it well written, but it was quite disturbing to me.

Its not a relaxing read. Some parts are quite upsetting.

I absolutely loved this book and felt rather sad when it came to an end. It was highly addictive.Following the story of three strong, but different women and their interactions with each other at different stages of life was thoroughly engaging. The choices they made or failed to make, and the consequences entailed were all of interest. Each paid a price. The backdrop of the simple Cape Cod Paper Palace acted as another unifying thread.The writing was beautiful and characters well drawn. I shall look out for more from this writer.

The Paper Palace is an excellent read. Set during a twenty-four-hour period the story of 50-year-old Elle's life is told from her childhood up to the present day when she commits adultery. I loved the fact that the story is presented this way and from a middle-aged woman's point of view.

The main theme is a love story between two people who share a devastating experience in their youth but hide the truth from everyone else and carry on to marry other people in the meantime.

The writer has a wonderful way with words, from descriptions of the locale in Cape Cod where the main action takes place, to realistic dialogue between a multitude of characters. They appear to be real people with foibles although some readers may have difficulties with the themes of paedophilia and incest that are featured.

The only character who seemed to be too good to be true is Peter, who is married to Elle. I wasn't too sure why he needed to be English in such an American setting but, for me, that was a small flaw in an otherwise beautifully written novel.

Highly recommended. Many thanks to NetGalley and PenguinUK for the opportunity to read and review The Paper Palace.

I found myself immediately absorbed in the life of Elle as she comes to a crisis point in her life. She is happily married to Peter but is she also still in love with Jonas, her childhood friend? What is the unforgivable, unforgetable thing that happened in their teens that drove them apart? The story goes from past to present, slowly revealing Elle's childhood, as well as her mother and grandmother's roles.

It is a beautifully written book, the setting of every scene - not just the picturesque cabin but New York and London - is perfect. How we feel about Elle is carefully crafted - at first we don't know why she seems set of self destruction of her life but as the layers are revealed, we can understand what drives her.

Having stayed up far too late last night to finish The Paper Palace, I still feel gut-punched by the finale. Be warned, this is not a light and easy read. It is powerful, searing and absolutely addictive. Brilliant writing carries this story of Elle and her love for two different men. Peter, an Englishman with wit and charm, whom she married and had three children with, is unlike Jonas the man she's known since childhood spending numerous inseparable summers together on Cape Cod. They share a close bond neither time nor distance has severed as well as a dark secret told to no one else. Both perfectly lovely men, each special in his own way, but a heartbreaking choice to make in choosing between them.

It's difficult to capture how incredible this book is. It is dark and hard to take, at times, yet completely absorbing. There is a ghastly amount of dysfunction in Elle's life as she grows from child to adult seeded well before her time by her parents and grandparents. She yearns for safety and security which leads her in turn to Jonas followed, years later, by Peter. A captivating, raw story that is both troubling and shocking, the atmosphere of summer at the camp on Cape Cod seems a palpable balm to Elle and all who spend time there. I could taste the salt on the air, the description of time and place was so spot on.

The Paper Palace leaves a lingering shadow on its readers which I can still feel now. Troubling yet fascinating, an enigma of swirling emotion, pain, hope, love and fear. Masterfully told.

From the publisher: Before anyone else is awake, on a perfect August morning, Elle Bishop heads out for a swim in the glorious freshwater pond below 'The Paper Palace' -- the gently decaying summer camp in the back woods of Cape Cod where her family has spent every summer for generations. As she passes the house, Elle glances through the screen porch at the uncleared table from the dinner the previous evening; empty wine glasses, candle wax on the tablecloth, echoes of laughter of family and friends. Then she dives beneath the surface of the freezing water to the shocking memory of the sudden passionate encounter she had the night before, up against the wall behind the house, as her husband and mother chatted to the guests inside. So begins a story that unfolds over twenty-four hours and across fifty years, as decades of family legacies, love, lies, secrets, and one unspeakable incident in her childhood lead Elle to the precipice of a life-changing decision. Over the next twenty-four hours, Elle will have to decide between the world she has made with her much-loved husband, Peter, and the life she imagined would be hers with her childhood love, Jonas, if a tragic event hadn't forever changed the course of their lives. 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.

My thoughts: I loved this book. From the blurb I thought it looked like a bit of a romantic, summery kind of easy read, which I probably wouldn't have actively chosen. However, the joys of following bookish folk on Twitter meant I had seen several reviewers enthusing about it, whose previous choices I had really enjoyed. So I thought I'd give it a whirl. How different it turned out to be from what I had expected and how hooked I was right from the beginning!

It's a family saga, written with such tenderness and such an elegant style, I was instantly drawn in and swept along with Elle and Jonas and their lives. The dual timeline way of tellling the tale really worked, we hop between one 24 hour period, set today, but with flashbacks over Elle's entire life. We go back to her birth and see how her parent's lives shaped hers too. We see how intrinsically linked Elle and Jonas are from childhood and the influences from certain events have on all their choices and behaviours.

The Paper Palace is indeed an ironic name for the camp, build by Elle's ancestors, to which the families escape for each summer season. The desecriptions of the ponds they swim in, the cabins they sleep in, every detail paints a vivid picture of what this place means to them, you feel you are there with them at the table.

There are some brutal parts to the story, crucial to shaping the characters and some of the choices they make. Plenty of lies and emotional entanglements and some outcomes which were unexpected but then which explained a lot.

I really enjoyed this, a remarkable debut. Definitely an author to look out for and I would certainly recommend this book.