Review of Hemingway's Daughter

[Marzifor]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Hemingway's Daughter" by Christine M. Whitehead.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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I have always fantasized about having a warm conversation with my favorite author, listening to him earnestly, or getting to know him closely. Christine Whitehead, the author of Hemingway's Daughter, has provided us with an opportunity to delve into Ernest Hemingway's private life.Hemingway's Daughter is a historical fiction that has developed a remarkable story on the daughter that Hemingway never had but craved for in his real life. Finley Richard Hemingway, or "Flea to Papa Hemingway," is Hemingway's imaginative yet unique daughter.

Ernest Hemingway, as Finley puts it, "was 100% reliable, 60% of the time, and that was when he was sober," yet a loveable and wonderful man who lives for his lifelong passion for writing. Her daughter Finley adores him enormously despite his imperfections and flaws as a father. She intensely intends to work as a female litigation lawyer in a patriarchal society where women can not have honorable occupations. Despite the hierarchically constructed power and gender biases, she endeavors to gain independence and liberty through resistance against patriarchal authority. It is a story of a woman's struggles to take back her place in her father's life and her male-dominated society.

Essentially, there is a love story at the heart of this novel. It is a story of a woman who struggles to reconcile her deep demand to believe that the "Hemingway Curse" has made it impossible to experience true and everlasting love due to her father's multiple marriages and affairs.

There are so many things I loved about this book. Firstly, The characters are exceptionally well developed and realistic; I had to keep reminding myself this was a work of fiction. Moreover, the author has divided the novel into 55 chapters. She has given each chapter the name of one of Hemingway's books and a quote that offers a clue about the events of the chapter. Honestly, I found it highly creative. Finally, the resistance of Finley against all odds to achieve what she greatly desires is adorable.

I found nothing to dislike about this book. It was a delightful read from the first page to the last. I want to rate Hemingway's Daughter 4 out of 4 stars because of the sweet experience of getting to know Hemingway better and letting people see the soft characteristics of Hemingway. I recommend Hemingway's Daughter to all who take delight in reading Historical fiction. More specifically, I recommend this book to all who need encouragement to fight back against the encroachments of patriarchal power.

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Hemingway's Daughter
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