59 pages 1 hour read

Miranda Cowley Heller

The Paper Palace

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2021

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Before You Read

Roundup icon

Super Short Summary

The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller centers on Elle Bishop, a 50-year-old mother of three, who spends a transformative summer at her family’s Cape Cod summer home, "The Paper Palace." Torn between her stable life with her husband Peter and her enduring love for childhood friend Jonas, Elle re-evaluates her choices after an illicit encounter. The novel intricately weaves through Elle's present and past, revealing the secrets and events that have shaped her life and relationships. It also explores complex and potentially distressing themes such as abuse.

Reviews & Readership

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

Miranda Cowley Heller's debut novel, The Paper Palace, is lauded for its evocative prose and rich emotional depth, capturing the complexities of love and family. Set against a vividly depicted Cape Cod backdrop, the narrative skillfully intertwines past and present. Some critics note that the pacing can be uneven, and the protagonist's choices might frustrate readers. Overall, it’s a compelling read for fans of literary fiction.

Who should read this

Who Should Read The Paper Palace?

Fans of emotionally intricate, character-driven narratives will relish The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller. Readers who appreciate the deeply entwined familial themes found in titles like The Dutch House by Ann Patchett or the nostalgic storytelling of Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens will find it compelling.

RecommendedReading Age

18+years

Book Details

Topics

Relationships

Love / Sexuality

Genre

Romance

Modern Classic Fiction

Themes

Relationships: Mothers

Life/Time: The Past

Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies