Gaining Perspective on Zelda

I absolutely love anything to do with the Fitzgeralds. My fascination began in high school where I first heard the myths about Zelda’s jealousy, only to find out years later just how complex their relationship was. This book is going on my To Read list.

The Bookshelf of Emily J.

I’ve always thought that Zelda Fitzgerald, wife of American author F. Scott Fitzgerald, was crazy. In a bad way. I dismissed her and often thought negatively of her. This point of view is usually reinforced by what I’ve read about her, mostly fictional appearances, like in The Paris Wife by Paula McLain.

But thanks to Therese Anne Fowler’s Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald (2013), I’ve changed my mind. I see Zelda in shades of grey, rather than in black and white. Those nuances are something I appreciate in any field or discussion, so I pretty much adore this book. Yes, it’s fiction and yes it’s not a masterpiece, but I enjoyed reading it. In fact, I had a hard time putting it down, and I got through it in a day and a half.