The Paper Palace
A Novel
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The Paper Palace
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Narrated by:
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Nan McNamara
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Written by:
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Miranda Cowley Heller
About this listen
Reese's Book Club Pick
“A magnificent page-turner...as intoxicating as a summer night by the sea.” (Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney, New York Times best-selling author of Good Company)
"It's been ages since I was so absorbed in a contemporary novel. I loved it." (Nick Hornby, New York Times best-selling author of Just Like You)
"A soulful debut that plumbs the depths of a midlife Sophie’s Choice." (People)
A story of summer, secrets, love, and lies: in the course of a singular day on Cape Cod, one woman must make a life-changing decision that has been brewing for decades.
“This house, this place, knows all my secrets.”
It is a perfect July morning, and Elle, a 50-year-old happily married mother of three, awakens at “The Paper Palace” - the family summer place which she has visited every summer of her life. But this morning is different: Last night Elle and her oldest friend, Jonas, crept out the back door into the darkness and had sex with each other for the first time, all while their spouses chatted away inside. Now, over the next 24 hours, Elle will have to decide between the life she has made with her genuinely beloved husband, Peter, and the life she always imagined she would have had with her childhood love, Jonas, if a tragic event hadn’t forever changed the course of their lives. As Heller colors in the experiences that have led Elle to this day, we arrive at her ultimate decision with all its complexity. Tender yet devastating, The Paper Palace considers the tensions between desire and dignity, the legacies of abuse, and the crimes and misdemeanors of families.
©2021 Miranda Cowley Heller (P)2021 Penguin AudioYou may also enjoy...
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800 Grapes On Audible Review
- By sanwood on 2023-07-12
Written by: Laura Dave
What the critics say
"Captivating debut...full of lush atmospheric details. This will keep the reader guessing all the way to the end.” (Publishers Weekly)
“The moody and atmospheric setting of the shadowy paths and ponds of the Back Woods is described in lush detail that makes a sharp contrast to the colder, sharper elements of Elle’s story.... From the first pages of her debut novel, Heller pulls no punches. Some of them just sneak up on you later on.” (Kirkus)
"Tightly woven and immediate, The Paper Palace takes us deep into a vivid summer landscape, a family, and a private, longstanding love story, and holds us there from start to finish." (Meg Wolitzer, New York Times best-selling author of The Interestings and The Female Persuasion)
Editorial Review
Get caught up in the emotional dilemma that is The Paper Palace—an evocative and deep look into the paths and decisions in life that make us who we are. The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller tells the story of Elle and her secret affair with childhood friend Jonas. The problem, of course, is her husband Peter. The entire story takes place in one day on Cape Cod, with a number of poignant flashbacks, making for an emotion-filled can't-pause love triangle and journey of self-discovery. Heller's debut novel is a marvel of storytelling, weaving desire, obligation, loyalty and love into one complex and expertly delivered tale. A Reese Witherspoon book club pick, New York Times best seller, and acclaimed first novel, The Paper Palace is a true triumph of literary fiction. Elle Bishop is a compelling and sympathetic main character, even as she is flawed and actively has an affair. This love story is not at all sugarcoated, but dives into the gritty reality of life—even a life well lived—without shying away from heavy topics like sexual abuse and childhood trauma. Elle's life is at once unique and relatable, showing the talent and nuanced nature of the author. The story is also wonderfully told by narrator Nan McNamara, who reads with a purposeful yet soft voice that pairs beautifully with the story's tone. This audiobook is a perfect addition for any women's fiction lover looking for a heartfelt, emotion-filled story of difficult choices, heartache and will. Widely named one of the best books of 2021, this unexpected tale will have listeners gripped right until the nail-biting, heart-wrenching end.
What listeners say about The Paper Palace
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Mae L.
- 2021-08-17
Love, abuse, regret
There is a lot of description here. I am glad I got the audiobook because it would have probably taken me much longer to get through reading the book. The plot moved slower for me at the beginning. There are a lot of characters from past and present. It was too much for me to keep up at times. It took me a while to get into the story.
I found Wallace to be the most compelling character. She yawns before saying something unpleasant and gossips a whole lot. My favourite line from her is when she talks smack about Jonas’ wife Gina: ‘Always prancing around as if she thinks she’s the cat’s pajamas.’ I didn’t even know what it meant, but I found it to be hilarious.
The book was not what I expected and is definitely out of my comfort zone. I am still glad I listened to it. I expected more of a present day storyline with drama and more spice about the affair. The story basically unfolds Eleanor’s past and why her and Jonas (her childhood friend/ love of her life) never ended up together. It is still an interesting story, but also a little too dark for me at times.
⚠️ There is a rape scene and much reference to sexual abuse.
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9 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Debby
- 2023-08-07
Thoroughly enjoyable page-turning book
It was very slow to start and I almost gave up. But I’m glad I stuck with the story. It became a page turner with twists, turns and surprises I didn’t anticipate. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- SusanQQ
- 2021-09-18
Read on a whim
This book was a nice break from the Victorian era literature I've been reading all year. I would like to read more from this author eventually. The characters provoked many feelings, which is a good sign. The story did jump forward and backward throughout but it managed to make sense. Yes, it contained incidences/topics that may be upsetting to some. I found it was written in a way that did not dwell on those incidences. I related to lots of the vintage descriptions which added to the charm for me.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2021-08-30
Trigger warning!
This book was pretty good but can bring up some significant feelings in regards to childhood abuse of all kinds. I don’t think the author had the character deal with the significance of it all. It wasn’t what I expected.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anna Livingstone
- 2021-07-28
Spellbinding
Just wow..held on to every word. Such a good listen. Im sorry I’m done!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- HMJ
- 2021-09-22
Didn’t want it to end
I really enjoyed this book. The voice was very relaxing and the story sucked me in. I was sad when it ended.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Shanelle G.
- 2022-01-07
Well read, leaves you wanting a sequel.
It was good, not my favorite and didn't really like how it ended....................... But that's me.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Leslie Pike
- 2022-02-01
Just okay
The writing and narrating was good. I didn't like the story much. Not much to like about the characters. Wouldn't recommend and I usually love the books recommended by Reese Witherspoon.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 2021-10-13
I had not idea what to expect.
I don’t particularly like writers who are overly descriptive to try to set the scenes and characters in a book. Miranda Crowley Heller is a writer who did a wonderful job of giving me a clear image of the story as it was being told with minimal words, the perfect words to give you a real feeling, to make the reader sense that they know and want to know more about the characters. I liked the main character and her mother very much and sister too. They were real people, straightforward. I did not want the book to end. It feels as if I have now lost contact with people I really knew. I would highly recommend this book. It was a real pleasure to listen to this story.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Obsessed with
- 2021-09-30
Slow start.. hang in there
Was slow to start but if you can handle the first 4 or 5 chapters, it wraps you in, looking for more from this author
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