Thank you Simon & Schuster Audio for the ALC and Simon & Schuster #partner, for the advanced e-copy of Sweet Fury in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: Simon & Schuster / Simon & Schuster ALC
Published: January 7, 2025
Summary:
When a beloved actress is cast in a feminist adaptation of a Fitzgerald classic, she finds herself the victim in a deadly game of revenge in which everyone, on screen and off, is playing a part.
Lila Crayne is America’s sweetheart: she’s generous and kind, gorgeous and magnetic. She and her fiancé, visionary filmmaker Kurt Royall, have settled into a stunning new West Village apartment and are set to begin filming their feminist adaptation of Fitzgerald’s Tender Is the Night.
To prepare for the leading role, Lila begins working with charming and accomplished therapist Jonah Gabriel to dig into the trauma of her past. Soon, Lila’s impeccably manicured life begins to unravel on the therapy couch—and Jonah is just the man to pick up the pieces. But everyone has a secret, and no one is quite who they seem.
A twisty, thought-provoking novel of construction and deconstruction in conversation with the works of F. Scott Fitzgerald and told through the lens of the film industry, Sweet Fury is an incisive and bold critique of America’s deep-rooted misogyny. With this novel, Bischoff examines the narratives we tell ourselves, and what happens when we co-opt others into those stories; and she probes the blurred lines between victim and perpetrator and the true meaning of justice.
My thoughts:
When I saw this was being comped to The Silent Patient, I knew I had to read it…that is one of my favorite books! I didn’t even investigate any further into this book, so I had no idea it had so much to do with F. Scott Fitzgerald’s works, particularly Tender is the Night which I have never read. All this to say – it didn’t matter…I still enjoyed it. And maybe because I’m not familiar with that piece of work, I was totally unprepared for what was to come…I’m not sure, but this book kept me on my toes from start to finish and I loved that – especially that ending! I definitely did not expect that!
I loved that the author narrates this one. She really nailed it, making for such an immersive reading experience.
This is such a strong debut, from the story itself to the way it is structured–broken down into different acts, with different types of narratives–and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since I finished. It’s one of those books that just beg discussion, which makes me think it would be amazing great book for bookclubs as there is so much to unpack. It really is quite a thought-provoking read!
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