Languish In This Book!

Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler
Published by St. Martin's Press on March 26, 2013
Genres/Lists: Fiction, Historical Fiction
Pages: 384
Read synopsis on Goodreads
I received this book for free from NetGalley.
Buy the book: Amazon/Audible (this post includes affiliate links)

Have you ever read a book that leaves you feeling peaceful? That’s how Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler left me feeling. It reminds me of being on a boat that rocks in time with the steady ocean waves or floating down a lazy river. If I had to pick one word to define my reading experience, it would be languid, and I loved every minute of it.

Set in the 1920’s, Z chronicles the tumultuous marriage of Zelda Sayre and famed author, F. Scott Fitzgerald. Because Fitzgerald is in my family tree, I just had to read this and was thrilled to get my hand on a copy before it comes out on March 26, 2013. I didn’t know much about Fitzgerald’s life, but I was both angry and sympathetic toward him in equal measure throughout this book.

Placing her faith in Fitzgerald’s potential as a writer, Zelda left her family in Alabama and joined her new husband in glamourous New York City. Awed by its possibilities, Zelda quickly plants herself by her husband’s side in popular society and they bounce around from NYC to Europe (mostly France) in order to accommodate Fitzgerald’s fickle standards for productive writing. Moving through the decade in a haze of alcohol and money woes, the couple navigates the trials and tribulations of being a literary architect in the time of T.S. Eliot, Ernest Hemingway, and Fitzgerald himself. Together, they fall down the rabbit hole (for her part, Zelda tries to establish her own identity on multiple occasions, only to sacrifice her desires for the success of her husband and detriment to her health).

Zelda Fitzgerald was a gifted dancer who turned down a professional career.

In reality, scholars debate whether Zelda’s medical condition and desire for independence ruined Fitzgerald or that Fitzgerald’s alcoholism and relationship with Ernest Hemingway ruined Zelda. As is usually the case with books that are inspired by true events, I was left with less than positive views of the characters. I finished the book thinking that Fitzgerald was a selfish man, Hemingway was simply a jerk, and Zelda was a sympathetic character being constricted by society’s rules at the time. But I must give credit to the author, for Fowler did a wonderful job painting a 3-D picture of each person and another reader could easily have more sympathy for Fitzgerald or Hemingway.

Z crosses many genres, including historical fiction, a bit of romance, and literary fiction. I am sure it will have wide appeal when it comes out and am looking forward to its success. There is already a lot of buzz about it and am excited to be on the front end of reviews!

How about you? Do you plan to read it? How do you feel about fictional stories based on facts?

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Izzy Reads
I enjoyed Z partly because of the endless allure of that particular moment in time. I liked the structure of the book and found it an easy and engaging read. I’ve seen it compared to The Paris Wife (which I have not yet read). In the earlier comments, Leah mentioned the Mitford Sisters. I came across a collection of letters edited by Charlotte Mosley that gives an interesting insight into their family.
- The Book Wheel
  I still need to read The Paris Wife, too, but I’ve heard the same comparisons. And how interesting about the Mitford letters!
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Leah @ Books Speak Volumes
This sounds really good! I’m planning on joining a read-along of Nancy Milford’s biography of Zelda Fitzgerald later in the year, and I think it would be really fun to read this afterward! I’m always a little hesitant to read historical fiction about real people without knowing the actual facts about them, but this definitely sounds like a great book to pair with the biography!
- The Book Wheel
  Oooh, that sounds like a fun read-a-long! There has been a string of books lately about the wives of famous authors and/or biographical fiction (is that a thing now? Lets make it a thing!), but this one was really good. I’m a bit skeptical about the trend, though. I’m afraid it’s going to become such a popular way to write that it will be the “next thing” (does that make sense?)
Joy
Don’t you get seasick on boats?
I think I’ll add this book to my (never-ending) list.
- The Book Wheel
  LOL, yes, I do if I don’t take Dramamine! But this is peaceful in the way that riding on a boat SHOULD be!
Anonymous
Sounds like a great read. Thanks for the review. Sometimes I like to feel peaceful after reading a book. Of course stories of that era are fascinating.
- The Book Wheel
  I agree! And it was peaceful in a good way, not a boring way!
Rebecca @ Love at First Book
I enjoy fictional stories that are based on facts, like historical fiction. But this is one I think I would skip because it’s just not my topic.
But you know what? You read “Y.” You read “Z.” Are there other books that are just one letter? That sounds like a fun challenge!
- The Book Wheel
  AH! That is so true! Talk about a true A-Z challenge! I shall look it up!
  - Rebecca @ Love at First Book
    I’m sure it would be tough, but I’ll help you search! And you know, I’d do it with you, too, as long as we have no time limit or a really long one!
    - The Book Wheel
      Challenge accepted.
Jennine G
How did you get an early copy?! I just preordered this from Amazon…it’s going to be my lead up to the release of Gatsby in May. Having taught American Literature I have a poor view of Zelda, so I’ll be going in jaded. From what I’ve studied of her, she knew Fitzgerald’s potential, but she refused to marry him until he had a publishable piece. Crazy lady.
And it’s cool to have a famous writer relation! If I recall correctly, mine is Charlotte Perkins Gilman (well known for the short story The Yellow Wallpaper). How does your relation trace back to Fitzgerald? I’m jealous.
- The Book Wheel
  There’s a great site called NetGalley where you can request advanced copies of books directly from the publishers. I’d have to ask around my family to find out the direct relation, but my grandfather did a genealogy 20+ years ago (before computers) and found some really awesome people in our past! I’ve been meaning to ask around and get my hands on a copy, but maybe this will give me a push to find out for sure!
  The book is good because it lets you form your own opinions without attacking (or being too defensive) of Zelda. I won’t go into detail, but I think you’ll change your mind when you read it 😀
- The Book Wheel
  Oh, and the Gilman relation is really cool! We studied that story in college and I liked it (in that depressing way).

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