The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller Book Review
By Aisling Finn, Founder & Lead Curator
The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller: A Review of Secrets and Summer
Looking for a book that will keep you up all night with an enthralling storyline? The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller is a suspense-filled romance novel with a deep touch of domestic fiction. It’s a story that explores how the past can haunt the present, making it a perfect addition to our Staycation Reading List.
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A Story of Relationships and Hidden Secrets
At the center of the novel is Elle, a woman standing at the precipice of a life-altering decision. Set over twenty-four hours and fifty years, the story unfolds at "The Paper Palace," a summer camp in Cape Cod where romantic, abusive, and "perfect" relationships are stored away as secrets.
We watch as Elle sways between her childhood memories and her current reality—a "perfect" marriage on one side and an illicit affair on the other. As childhood traumatic events are brought into the mix, Heller delves deep into how past experiences shape the people we are today, and whether we can prevent them from defining our future.
Atmospheric Writing: The Lake as a Metaphor
Heller’s descriptive narration is a highlight of the book. The lake water at The Paper Palace is described as resembling "soup," often washing away secrets yet occasionally bringing difficult memories back to shore. It felt as though the back-and-forth motion between Elle’s past and present replicated the action of the lake itself—sometimes providing the water you need to survive, and other times threatening to take you under completely.
"Just finished and loved it! Wasn’t too sure at the start but couldn’t put it down all weekend. 5 stars!" — Alison, Book Resort Member
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Our book club members absolutely devoured this title. If you want to dive into in-depth discussions about the books we love (and the ones we find difficult), why not join The Book Resort Book Club? It’s a community like no other, and becoming a member might just change your reading life!
The Book Resort Team x