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Dorothy Parker #1
Farewell, Dorothy Parker
When it comes to movie reviews, critic Violet Epps is a powerhouse voice. But that’s only because she’s learned to channel her literary hero, Dorothy Parker, the most celebrated and scathing wit of the twentieth century.
If only Violet could summon that kind of strength in her personal life.
Gripped by paralyzing anxiety, Violet visits the Algonquin Hotel in an attempt to pull strength from the hallowed dining room, where Dorothy Parker and so many other famous writers of the 1920s traded barbs. But she gets more than she bargained for, and the feisty spirit rematerializes . . . hitching a ride onto Violet’s already troubled life.
An irreverent ghost with problems of her own—including a refusal to cross over to the afterlife—Mrs. Parker helps Violet face her fears, becoming mentor, tormentor, and, with any luck, friend.
Wickedly funny and surprisingly poignant, Farewell, Dorothy Parker perfectly re-imagines one of America’s most iconic voices in a touching and unforgettable tale.
If only Violet could summon that kind of strength in her personal life.
Gripped by paralyzing anxiety, Violet visits the Algonquin Hotel in an attempt to pull strength from the hallowed dining room, where Dorothy Parker and so many other famous writers of the 1920s traded barbs. But she gets more than she bargained for, and the feisty spirit rematerializes . . . hitching a ride onto Violet’s already troubled life.
An irreverent ghost with problems of her own—including a refusal to cross over to the afterlife—Mrs. Parker helps Violet face her fears, becoming mentor, tormentor, and, with any luck, friend.
Wickedly funny and surprisingly poignant, Farewell, Dorothy Parker perfectly re-imagines one of America’s most iconic voices in a touching and unforgettable tale.
308 pages, Hardcover
First published February 21, 2013
97 people are currently reading
3985 people want to read
About the author
Ellen Meister
17 books542 followersThank you for visiting my Goodreads page. I'm proud to announce that my newest novel, JOYRIDE, was selected by Zibby Owens as one of the most anticipated books of 2025. DIVORCE TOWERS, which was featured in People Magazine, won an award for Best Escapist Novel, and was selected for Zibby's Ultimate Summer Reading List as well as Newsday's Summer Reads. My other books include TAKE MY HUSBAND which received a starred review from Booklist, THE ROOFTOP PARTY, which was called "wickedly entertaining" by BookReporter and was selected by Long Island Woman Magazine as Summer Pick of the year, as well as LOVE SOLD SEPARATELY, DOROTHY PARKER DRANK HERE, FAREWELL, DOROTHY PARKER, THE OTHER LIFE, THE SMART ONE, and SECRET CONFESSIONS OF THE APPLEWOOD PTA. In addition to being a novelist, I'm an editor, screenwriter, book coach, creative writing instructor, and ghostwriter. For more information visit ellenmeister.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 458 reviews
March 25, 2013
The premise is promising: Bring back Dorothy Parker as a ghost and have her channel her wisdom into a timid writer. But in order to make this work, the writing needs to be as clever as Parker herself, and that just doesn’t happen in this book. When the mechanism for bringing the ghost into the story becomes one of the more plausible things in the story, you’ve got a problem on your hands.
Meister, unfortunately, seems not to have learned one of the most basic lessons of writing: Show, don’t tell. She explains everything--some of it in the first two or three chapters and some of it multiple times. Her heroine, Violet Epps, writes “scathing” movie reviews (although the bits we see don’t look all that scathing) but is a simp in real life. The explanation for this is absurd, the writing is leaden and Violet (Shrinking Violet--get it?) is an unsympathetic ninny. And in between the wants-to-be-whimsical narrative, we get bits and pieces of Parker’s life. (some of which, we discover in the Afterward, aren’t even true.)
Do yourself a favor and check out a book by Parker herself instead.
Meister, unfortunately, seems not to have learned one of the most basic lessons of writing: Show, don’t tell. She explains everything--some of it in the first two or three chapters and some of it multiple times. Her heroine, Violet Epps, writes “scathing” movie reviews (although the bits we see don’t look all that scathing) but is a simp in real life. The explanation for this is absurd, the writing is leaden and Violet (Shrinking Violet--get it?) is an unsympathetic ninny. And in between the wants-to-be-whimsical narrative, we get bits and pieces of Parker’s life. (some of which, we discover in the Afterward, aren’t even true.)
Do yourself a favor and check out a book by Parker herself instead.
March 24, 2013
FAREWELL, DOROTHY PARKER by Ellen Meister turns out to be chick lit. I'm starting this review with a disclaimer that chick lit is not normally what I read. It is possible that this is wonderful for chick lit. I was drawn to this title by the promise of Dorothy Parker's influence on a modern movie critic, Violet Epps, who is witty and confident in print, but a disaster in real life. Doesn't that sound fun? The book promises that the spirit of Dorothy Parker will help Violet find her voice and blah blah blah. At the same time, Dorothy Parker will blah blah blah until she is finally ready to go toward the light and blah blah blah.
Where do I start? I disliked Violet. No, 'dislike' is too strong a word. I didn't particularly care about Violet, because she's not a fully realized character. She has a few "defining moments" in her past that are summarized for the reader, which I believe are meant to evoke sympathy. The explanation for her social anxiety is facile and, frankly, insulting, and a genuine depiction of a character suffering from such would have been much more sympathetic. Instead, we have a tacked-on reason why the "heroine" has so much trouble asserting herself outside her movie reviews, and naturally, she must confront that "reason" before the end of the novel and blah blah blah. At one point, Violet is reviewing a sappy film and comments, "I said a little prayer I save for these moments: Please, surprise me. In fact, I wound up saying that prayer about a dozen times during this movie. It was never answered." I could not have said it better myself. The premise of this novel had such promise, but instead of being caught in a refreshing breeze, I had to plod against the current of its predictability to finally, thankfully, reach the predictable end.
Violet has so much going on in her life. Her only sister died a year before. She is involved in a custody battle for Delaney, her thirteen-year-old niece. Her boyfriend is a jackass. She has a lame backstory to explain her social anxiety. A new intern at work is out to get her. I can see why she needs Dorothy's help. But even with Dorothy coaching her, Violet is reluctant to stand up for herself, long past the point of believability. I'm surprised Dorothy didn't tell her to grow a pair (or some more 1920s-ish idiom) and stop wasting her time. When Violet finally throws over the jackass boyfriend, I was relieved rather than triumphant. Check that box off the list of requisite plot developments and move on to the next one. Her plot with Dorothy to gain custody of Delaney is briefly a bright spot in the book: "'You simply explain to him that if he and his darling, long-suffering wife don't drop the case, you will have no choice but to tell her about the affair.' 'That's almost blackmail,' Violet said. 'No, my dear. That is blackmail.'" Then we go back to the main point of the book: Violet needs a better boyfriend. Yes, that's what I want to teach my daughter: become a strong woman so you can dump the jerk and get a nice man.
If you're drawn to this title as a Dorothy Parker fan (as I was), I suggest skipping it and rereading some of Parker's writings and Meade's biography WHAT FRESH HELL IS THIS? The Dorothy in this book, along with every other character, is sketched lightly with a number two pencil and colored strictly within the lines. I was (obviously) disappointed in this novel's lack of depth, but since I don't really read chick lit, I'm not sure if that's a genre failure or particular to this novel.
Source disclosure: I received a review copy from the publisher.
Where do I start? I disliked Violet. No, 'dislike' is too strong a word. I didn't particularly care about Violet, because she's not a fully realized character. She has a few "defining moments" in her past that are summarized for the reader, which I believe are meant to evoke sympathy. The explanation for her social anxiety is facile and, frankly, insulting, and a genuine depiction of a character suffering from such would have been much more sympathetic. Instead, we have a tacked-on reason why the "heroine" has so much trouble asserting herself outside her movie reviews, and naturally, she must confront that "reason" before the end of the novel and blah blah blah. At one point, Violet is reviewing a sappy film and comments, "I said a little prayer I save for these moments: Please, surprise me. In fact, I wound up saying that prayer about a dozen times during this movie. It was never answered." I could not have said it better myself. The premise of this novel had such promise, but instead of being caught in a refreshing breeze, I had to plod against the current of its predictability to finally, thankfully, reach the predictable end.
Violet has so much going on in her life. Her only sister died a year before. She is involved in a custody battle for Delaney, her thirteen-year-old niece. Her boyfriend is a jackass. She has a lame backstory to explain her social anxiety. A new intern at work is out to get her. I can see why she needs Dorothy's help. But even with Dorothy coaching her, Violet is reluctant to stand up for herself, long past the point of believability. I'm surprised Dorothy didn't tell her to grow a pair (or some more 1920s-ish idiom) and stop wasting her time. When Violet finally throws over the jackass boyfriend, I was relieved rather than triumphant. Check that box off the list of requisite plot developments and move on to the next one. Her plot with Dorothy to gain custody of Delaney is briefly a bright spot in the book: "'You simply explain to him that if he and his darling, long-suffering wife don't drop the case, you will have no choice but to tell her about the affair.' 'That's almost blackmail,' Violet said. 'No, my dear. That is blackmail.'" Then we go back to the main point of the book: Violet needs a better boyfriend. Yes, that's what I want to teach my daughter: become a strong woman so you can dump the jerk and get a nice man.
If you're drawn to this title as a Dorothy Parker fan (as I was), I suggest skipping it and rereading some of Parker's writings and Meade's biography WHAT FRESH HELL IS THIS? The Dorothy in this book, along with every other character, is sketched lightly with a number two pencil and colored strictly within the lines. I was (obviously) disappointed in this novel's lack of depth, but since I don't really read chick lit, I'm not sure if that's a genre failure or particular to this novel.
Source disclosure: I received a review copy from the publisher.
October 5, 2012
Whether you are already a devoted fan of Dorothy Parker or are just being introduced to her iconic wit and wisdom, you will adore FAREWELL, DOROTHY PARKER by Ellen Meister. The story is as original and clever as Dorothy herself and the heart and humor as endearing.
It begins with Violett Epps, a movie critic who wishes that she could be as daring in real life as she comes off in her reviews. For inspiration she visits the famed Algonquin Hotel in New York, the chic meeting place for the irreverent Dorothy Parker and other famous writers back in the 1920s.
But she gets more than lunch. Seems that Dorothy has returned to her old haunt (literally) as an unsettled ghost with issues to resolve. She latches on to Violet and takes them both for an unexpected ride.
In this unpredictable and fast paced tale, readers will find themselves under Ellen Meister's magical spell. This is one of the most evocative and fun reads in a very long time.
I had the privilege of reading an advanced copy, but you can enjoy the novel when it is published in February, 2013.
Mark your calendar!!
It begins with Violett Epps, a movie critic who wishes that she could be as daring in real life as she comes off in her reviews. For inspiration she visits the famed Algonquin Hotel in New York, the chic meeting place for the irreverent Dorothy Parker and other famous writers back in the 1920s.
But she gets more than lunch. Seems that Dorothy has returned to her old haunt (literally) as an unsettled ghost with issues to resolve. She latches on to Violet and takes them both for an unexpected ride.
In this unpredictable and fast paced tale, readers will find themselves under Ellen Meister's magical spell. This is one of the most evocative and fun reads in a very long time.
I had the privilege of reading an advanced copy, but you can enjoy the novel when it is published in February, 2013.
Mark your calendar!!
June 13, 2013
I fell in love with Dorothy Parker when I was sixteen. I was immediately enticed by her searing quick wit, found a friend in her use of sarcasm and a kindred soulmate in deep cynicism.
I was delighted when I found Farewell, Dorothy Parker. And by 'delighted' I spazzed in a most unflattering fangirl fashion. It kind of looked like this:
Awkward, I know. That just goes to show my fierce love of Ms. Parker, despite the fact that such displays of over-emotion would grant me a rather stinging verbal barb from her.
The premise reminded me a bit of Sophie Kinsella's Twenties Girl and while there were some similarities, as whole they were very different. Ellen Meister managed to do what I think few could; channel Dorothy Parker, write her as a fictional character with her biting wit and her 'voice' making it believable and charming, because without that this book would have fallen flat on it's face on it's way to the dumpster.
If you like Dorothy Parker, unintentional humor, sarcasm, stories of self-discovery and ghosts, don't pass up .
I was delighted when I found Farewell, Dorothy Parker. And by 'delighted' I spazzed in a most unflattering fangirl fashion. It kind of looked like this:
Awkward, I know. That just goes to show my fierce love of Ms. Parker, despite the fact that such displays of over-emotion would grant me a rather stinging verbal barb from her.
The premise reminded me a bit of Sophie Kinsella's Twenties Girl and while there were some similarities, as whole they were very different. Ellen Meister managed to do what I think few could; channel Dorothy Parker, write her as a fictional character with her biting wit and her 'voice' making it believable and charming, because without that this book would have fallen flat on it's face on it's way to the dumpster.
If you like Dorothy Parker, unintentional humor, sarcasm, stories of self-discovery and ghosts, don't pass up .
January 17, 2013
Disclaimer: Every time I saw or thought of this book, Just One of those Things began running through my head. And now it's in your head, too. Just one of those things, I guess.
On to my thoughts of this book. I'm a Dorothy Parker fan. I think we're a dying breed. So when I read that Ellen Meister, who is also a Dorothy Parker Fan, upon seeing all the Jane Austen spin-offs, had written a book around one of her literary favorites, I was in.
The premise of the story is clever. Movie critic Violet Epps, as fiery in her reviews as she is timid in her real life, manages through a quirk of fates, to unleash the ghost of Dorothy Parker. Violet's personal life is a bit of a mess in just about every aspect: love, family, work. The quick witted Mrs Parker jumps in to help Violet strengthen her resolve, grow a backbone, get some courage, which is both helpful and horrific. In turn, Violet works to get the ghost to resolve some issues.
The story itself is an interesting mix of Parkerisms, historical facts, and poignancy. Violet's love life is a mess because of her timidity. She also is involved in a nasty battle for the custody of her beloved niece, orphaned the year before when Violet's sister and brother-in-law died. Plus she has a cut-throat assistant at the office to deal with. But her relationships with the niece, love interest, and co-worker ring true. This reader was able to follow her emotional growth, even though I did cringe each time Dorothy interfered as there were some disasters when she did so.
There were a few minor plot developments that irked me, but overall, I had fun reading this. I even pulled a couple of books of Parker's writings off the shelf to add to my "to be read" pile. My main problem with stories that revolve around a literary or historical figure being involved in a fiction book is that I often don't like how they are portrayed. While this characterization did not always match up to mine, it was fine. And probably, if I had met Mrs Parker in person, she would have terrified me.
Many thanks to LibraryThing and the publisher for sending me this AR copy.
3.5 stars
*As Dorothy Parker once said to her boyfriend: "Fare thee well!"
As Columbus announced when he knew he was bounced: "It was swell, Isabelle, swell!"
On to my thoughts of this book. I'm a Dorothy Parker fan. I think we're a dying breed. So when I read that Ellen Meister, who is also a Dorothy Parker Fan, upon seeing all the Jane Austen spin-offs, had written a book around one of her literary favorites, I was in.
The premise of the story is clever. Movie critic Violet Epps, as fiery in her reviews as she is timid in her real life, manages through a quirk of fates, to unleash the ghost of Dorothy Parker. Violet's personal life is a bit of a mess in just about every aspect: love, family, work. The quick witted Mrs Parker jumps in to help Violet strengthen her resolve, grow a backbone, get some courage, which is both helpful and horrific. In turn, Violet works to get the ghost to resolve some issues.
The story itself is an interesting mix of Parkerisms, historical facts, and poignancy. Violet's love life is a mess because of her timidity. She also is involved in a nasty battle for the custody of her beloved niece, orphaned the year before when Violet's sister and brother-in-law died. Plus she has a cut-throat assistant at the office to deal with. But her relationships with the niece, love interest, and co-worker ring true. This reader was able to follow her emotional growth, even though I did cringe each time Dorothy interfered as there were some disasters when she did so.
There were a few minor plot developments that irked me, but overall, I had fun reading this. I even pulled a couple of books of Parker's writings off the shelf to add to my "to be read" pile. My main problem with stories that revolve around a literary or historical figure being involved in a fiction book is that I often don't like how they are portrayed. While this characterization did not always match up to mine, it was fine. And probably, if I had met Mrs Parker in person, she would have terrified me.
Many thanks to LibraryThing and the publisher for sending me this AR copy.
3.5 stars
*As Dorothy Parker once said to her boyfriend: "Fare thee well!"
As Columbus announced when he knew he was bounced: "It was swell, Isabelle, swell!"
May 14, 2017
Farewell, Dorothy Parker (#1) by talented Ellen Meister brings back to life the ghost, quick witted literary icon, Dorothy Parker with movie critic Violet Epps, setting the stage for tantalizing, upcoming, Dorothy Parker Drank Here, (#2), coming, Feb 24, 2015.
A fan of both the author and Dorothy Parker, Meister creates a sassy fun book about Violet, a movie critic with all sorts of issues; her boyfriend and battling for custody of her recently orphaned niece Delaney. The girl’s grandparents want to raise her and have hired a lawyer to fight. She needs some backbone.
Of course, Dorothy Parker her literary icon enters when Violet sees the famous guestbook at the Algonquin Hotel. The hotel’s owner collected signatures (spirits) when they passed and there is magic. Dorothy’s spirit helps her by taking over to be the strong one and handle her challenges!
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Angela Brazil delivering a winning performance. As I have mentioned, in other reviews, I have recently discovered the talented author, Ellen Meister which writes across many genres, encouraging you to want to read all her books.
Would highly recommend her upcoming Dorothy Parker Drank Here (#2) to continue the mischief with Dorothy, and you have to read The Other Book , a mesmerizing and spellbinding novel -- an exploration of a young woman, a mother--of parallel universes, past and present, a crossroad, a pivotal choice, and a glimpse of the other life, what could have been? Read them all.
Fans of Dorothy Parker, literary fiction, iconic spirits, and wicked humor will appreciate the clever tribute. Love the new glamorous cover!
JDCMustReadBooks
A fan of both the author and Dorothy Parker, Meister creates a sassy fun book about Violet, a movie critic with all sorts of issues; her boyfriend and battling for custody of her recently orphaned niece Delaney. The girl’s grandparents want to raise her and have hired a lawyer to fight. She needs some backbone.
Of course, Dorothy Parker her literary icon enters when Violet sees the famous guestbook at the Algonquin Hotel. The hotel’s owner collected signatures (spirits) when they passed and there is magic. Dorothy’s spirit helps her by taking over to be the strong one and handle her challenges!
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Angela Brazil delivering a winning performance. As I have mentioned, in other reviews, I have recently discovered the talented author, Ellen Meister which writes across many genres, encouraging you to want to read all her books.
Would highly recommend her upcoming Dorothy Parker Drank Here (#2) to continue the mischief with Dorothy, and you have to read The Other Book , a mesmerizing and spellbinding novel -- an exploration of a young woman, a mother--of parallel universes, past and present, a crossroad, a pivotal choice, and a glimpse of the other life, what could have been? Read them all.
Fans of Dorothy Parker, literary fiction, iconic spirits, and wicked humor will appreciate the clever tribute. Love the new glamorous cover!
JDCMustReadBooks
March 16, 2013
I was super disappointed with this book. I so loved the idea of Dorothy Parker's ghost helping a mousy woman find her voice. But the writing let me down. The characters were super one-note, the plot was predictable and there was just nothing new here. The only good thing about it was that it was a super quick read....I finished it in just two sittings. So at least I didn't waste a bunch of my time reading it. The whole time I was reading it, I kept thinking about the scathing review the main character would give it (even though she was a movie critic not a book one). Oh well, off to the next book....
September 25, 2019
Violet Epps is a lauded critic of the movie franchise. While her reviews can be assertive and scathing, her real life personality is far from it. Violet suffers from extreme social anxiety and it's ruined some of her relationships, especially her fight for custody over her niece Delaney. Visiting the famous Algonquin Hotel helps soothe some of Violet's worries and to allow her to channel her hero, Dorothy Parker. When Violet accidentally takes their guest book, she brings a ghostly Dorothy with her.
I really loved this story. It's about finding your voice, fighting for what you want and its about family. Violet's relationship with her niece Delaney was so heartwarming and I hated seeing the custody battle strain it. Delaney's grandmother, Sandra, really annoyed me with her out for Violet's blood attitude. However, Ms. Dorothy Parker has a couple tricks up her sleeve and several important lessons for Violet to learn.
I don't know who Dorothy Parker is, but now I really want to. The atmosphere of this book brought back the 1920s in all its ghostly glory. I loved the friendship that Violet and Ms. Parker developed, it was so touching and they didn't shy away from calling each other out of their behavior. This book reminded me a lot of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo!
I really loved this story. It's about finding your voice, fighting for what you want and its about family. Violet's relationship with her niece Delaney was so heartwarming and I hated seeing the custody battle strain it. Delaney's grandmother, Sandra, really annoyed me with her out for Violet's blood attitude. However, Ms. Dorothy Parker has a couple tricks up her sleeve and several important lessons for Violet to learn.
I don't know who Dorothy Parker is, but now I really want to. The atmosphere of this book brought back the 1920s in all its ghostly glory. I loved the friendship that Violet and Ms. Parker developed, it was so touching and they didn't shy away from calling each other out of their behavior. This book reminded me a lot of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo!
October 10, 2012
I was recently given the honor of receiving an advance copy of Ellen Meister's book Farewell, Dorothy Parker. I must confess that, although the name Dorothy Parker was familiar to me, I didn't know much of anything at all about the woman.
Therefore, when it came time to read the book, I waited for about a week. During this week, I vacillated, trying to decide if I should read up on the late Mrs. Parker before I read a fictional novel that included her. In the end, I decided that since this was supposed to be fiction, it would be better to read it without any foreknowledge of the woman.
Farewell, Dorothy Parker is not about Dorothy Parker, though. It is the tale of Violet Epps, a movie critic who has no problem cutting down the movies that don't entertain her, but cannot for the life of her manage to stand up to the people in her real life: her boyfriend, her niece's guardians, her boss's assistant. She lets these people do what they want, and resigns herself to the consequences of their actions.
Until the day the long-dead Dorothy Parker enters her life. While at the Algonquin Hotel, Mrs. Parker drops into Violet's lap and her life, wreaking havoc with every part of Violet's life. Her romantic relationships; the battle over her niece, Delaney; her job – it's all fair game to Mrs. Parker.
Dorothy Parker pulls no punches and doesn't worry about hurt feelings. She pushes Violet to become the woman Mrs. Parker knows she can be: a woman who stands up for herself and others, and doesn't put up with any crap from anyone.
But Violet isn't the only one we see changing. Dorothy Parker's spirit has been hanging around the Algonquin Hotel since her death, unwilling (or maybe unable) to let go and move into the next realm. Initial impressions of Mrs. Parker lead us to believe that she's a hardened, cynical ghost – much as she appeared to be as a woman. But as the story moves on, as Mrs. Parker encourages Violet out of her shell, we begin to catch glimpses of another side to the ghost woman – a side that is kind and caring.
Farewell, Dorothy Parker is largely a comedy. It hits the mark with witty dialogue and hilarious circumstances. Delaney's grandfather is particularly funny in many ways. But it also has its touching moments, where we learn about the painful pasts of each of the main characters. In learning about their hurt, it becomes even easier to empathize with them.
Even the characters that are obviously not supposed to be our favorites are written in such a way that you can see their human side. You still may never be particularly fond of them, but you can see where they're coming from. There are no one dimensional characters in this book. Every one of them is the kind of person I could easily expect to run into out on the street.
Mrs. Meister did an excellent job of dropping in the necessary back story on each of the characters, giving us the tidbits we needed at just the right moment. There is always a clear distinction between present and past, yet it is still smoothly woven together to make a seamless story.
And as for Dorothy Parker: what can I say about the ghostly character that Meister created? She was great with a wisecrack, astonishingly perceptive, and almost brutally honest. She also had no problem manipulating a situation to either fit her own desires, or to achieve the effect that she knew Violet really wanted or needed. For a sometimes transparent character, Meister definitely made her very real.
Now I'll answer the question that some of you are surely asking: Did Meister capture the essence of the real Dorothy Parker? First, let me say that the author freely admits in the acknowledgments that she took certain liberties with the facts of Mrs. Parker's life, and states clearly that this is not intended as a factual account of her life.
However, after I finished the book, I did begin to do a little research into Mrs. Parker's life. Although I did not research her as thoroughly as Meister did, I did research her enough to believe that the way Mrs. Parker was depicted in the story was fairly true to life. The image I formed of Dorothy Parker from reading the book, and the image that I formed based on the factual details I found meshed very well. I would say that Meister did an excellent job of bringing Dorothy Parker back to life on the pages of the book.
Dorothy Parker once said that she would never be famous because she never did anything. Obviously, she was wrong. What's wonderful, though, is that thanks to Ellen Meister, Dorothy Parker can now become famous to a new generation of people – people who will now read and learn about her after reading Meister's book.
Farewell, Dorothy Parker is a wonderfully written novel that will make you laugh, touch you gently, and bring to life a woman who, in many ways, should be an inspiration to all women. I would highly recommend it to all women, and to readers in general.
Therefore, when it came time to read the book, I waited for about a week. During this week, I vacillated, trying to decide if I should read up on the late Mrs. Parker before I read a fictional novel that included her. In the end, I decided that since this was supposed to be fiction, it would be better to read it without any foreknowledge of the woman.
Farewell, Dorothy Parker is not about Dorothy Parker, though. It is the tale of Violet Epps, a movie critic who has no problem cutting down the movies that don't entertain her, but cannot for the life of her manage to stand up to the people in her real life: her boyfriend, her niece's guardians, her boss's assistant. She lets these people do what they want, and resigns herself to the consequences of their actions.
Until the day the long-dead Dorothy Parker enters her life. While at the Algonquin Hotel, Mrs. Parker drops into Violet's lap and her life, wreaking havoc with every part of Violet's life. Her romantic relationships; the battle over her niece, Delaney; her job – it's all fair game to Mrs. Parker.
Dorothy Parker pulls no punches and doesn't worry about hurt feelings. She pushes Violet to become the woman Mrs. Parker knows she can be: a woman who stands up for herself and others, and doesn't put up with any crap from anyone.
But Violet isn't the only one we see changing. Dorothy Parker's spirit has been hanging around the Algonquin Hotel since her death, unwilling (or maybe unable) to let go and move into the next realm. Initial impressions of Mrs. Parker lead us to believe that she's a hardened, cynical ghost – much as she appeared to be as a woman. But as the story moves on, as Mrs. Parker encourages Violet out of her shell, we begin to catch glimpses of another side to the ghost woman – a side that is kind and caring.
Farewell, Dorothy Parker is largely a comedy. It hits the mark with witty dialogue and hilarious circumstances. Delaney's grandfather is particularly funny in many ways. But it also has its touching moments, where we learn about the painful pasts of each of the main characters. In learning about their hurt, it becomes even easier to empathize with them.
Even the characters that are obviously not supposed to be our favorites are written in such a way that you can see their human side. You still may never be particularly fond of them, but you can see where they're coming from. There are no one dimensional characters in this book. Every one of them is the kind of person I could easily expect to run into out on the street.
Mrs. Meister did an excellent job of dropping in the necessary back story on each of the characters, giving us the tidbits we needed at just the right moment. There is always a clear distinction between present and past, yet it is still smoothly woven together to make a seamless story.
And as for Dorothy Parker: what can I say about the ghostly character that Meister created? She was great with a wisecrack, astonishingly perceptive, and almost brutally honest. She also had no problem manipulating a situation to either fit her own desires, or to achieve the effect that she knew Violet really wanted or needed. For a sometimes transparent character, Meister definitely made her very real.
Now I'll answer the question that some of you are surely asking: Did Meister capture the essence of the real Dorothy Parker? First, let me say that the author freely admits in the acknowledgments that she took certain liberties with the facts of Mrs. Parker's life, and states clearly that this is not intended as a factual account of her life.
However, after I finished the book, I did begin to do a little research into Mrs. Parker's life. Although I did not research her as thoroughly as Meister did, I did research her enough to believe that the way Mrs. Parker was depicted in the story was fairly true to life. The image I formed of Dorothy Parker from reading the book, and the image that I formed based on the factual details I found meshed very well. I would say that Meister did an excellent job of bringing Dorothy Parker back to life on the pages of the book.
Dorothy Parker once said that she would never be famous because she never did anything. Obviously, she was wrong. What's wonderful, though, is that thanks to Ellen Meister, Dorothy Parker can now become famous to a new generation of people – people who will now read and learn about her after reading Meister's book.
Farewell, Dorothy Parker is a wonderfully written novel that will make you laugh, touch you gently, and bring to life a woman who, in many ways, should be an inspiration to all women. I would highly recommend it to all women, and to readers in general.
September 21, 2012
If you’ve read Ellen Meister’s previous novels, then you know she is an incredibly talented and thoughtful writer. You know she is funny, sincere, and empathetic. Most of all, you know that she has a lot of heart. As such, my friends, you will find everything you’ve loved about Ellen’s previous books within her new one (humor, intrigue, family conflict, love, lust, anger, fear) but Ellen has upped the ante this time because she’s also included one more fascinating element… and that element is Dorothy Parker.
Whether you are a fan of Dorothy Parker or whether you have never heard of her before now, FAREWELL, DOROTHY PARKER will reach out and grab you and won’t let you go until you come to the end. At the heart of this novel is Violet Epps, an outwardly timid movie critic who uses her pen to speak the words she dare not say aloud. At the book’s opening, Violet has lost much in her life and is in danger of losing more (she is engaged in a custody battle over her niece).
It’s not until the spirit of Dorothy Parker enters her world that Violet begins to find her true voice, at first through channeling Dorothy Parker, but eventually by learning that the strength she has always sought so that she might express herself by speaking as well as writing, has always existed within her. And it is in using that voice that Violet is finally able to have everything she ever wanted, but didn’t dare to believe she deserved.
This book will make you laugh and cry by equal measures. Parker fans will marvel at Meister’s ability to capture so deftly the beloved author. Anyone who does not come to the book as a Parker fans will surely leave as one and leave as an Ellen Meister fan as well.
Read it.
Whether you are a fan of Dorothy Parker or whether you have never heard of her before now, FAREWELL, DOROTHY PARKER will reach out and grab you and won’t let you go until you come to the end. At the heart of this novel is Violet Epps, an outwardly timid movie critic who uses her pen to speak the words she dare not say aloud. At the book’s opening, Violet has lost much in her life and is in danger of losing more (she is engaged in a custody battle over her niece).
It’s not until the spirit of Dorothy Parker enters her world that Violet begins to find her true voice, at first through channeling Dorothy Parker, but eventually by learning that the strength she has always sought so that she might express herself by speaking as well as writing, has always existed within her. And it is in using that voice that Violet is finally able to have everything she ever wanted, but didn’t dare to believe she deserved.
This book will make you laugh and cry by equal measures. Parker fans will marvel at Meister’s ability to capture so deftly the beloved author. Anyone who does not come to the book as a Parker fans will surely leave as one and leave as an Ellen Meister fan as well.
Read it.
February 21, 2013
Sometimes it is just a welcome relief to read a humorous and less serious, just plain old fun novel. That is exactly what this book delivered.I remember my mother shooting off many of Dorothy Parker's one liners in answer to some of mine and my sister's constant questions. Violet Epps is a snarky movie critic, so one would expect her to be bold in life as well, but not true, in life she has the personality of a marshmallow. So Dorothy Parker comes to her rescue, summoned in a very strange way, and Violet's life is never the same again. Fans of Liane Moriarty will appreciate this book, has much of the same tongue in cheek humor. Great fun! ARC from publisher.
February 13, 2013
Oh, My Gosh, I’ve Brought Her Home With Me
If you are not already a Dorothy Parker fan, Ellen Meister will make you one. Farewell, Dorothy Parker is clever and witty. Thanks to this author for shedding new light on a feisty literary icon and bringing us a fun read in the process.
Violet Epps, a sharp-tongued movie reviewer, needs some help in her personal life. Whether it’s breaking up with her boyfriend or bettering her family relationships, she just doesn’t have the oomph she needs. She summons her muse, Dorothy Parker, audacious and witty writer of the 1920s, to pull her out of her timidity. What Violet doesn’t realize is that after she is invited to sign the guest book of the Algonquin Hotel, she inadvertently lets Mrs. Parker’s ghost loose and brings her home. Only after Violet finds the diminutive Mrs. Parker demanding a drink from her couch does she realize that Parker is here to stay in the form of a sharp-tongued, mentoring ghost who becomes trouble and won’t go away.
This fictionalized version of Parker’s life, verified in the author’s note, takes liberties for the sake of the narrative. The well-researched book delivers what we long for and then some. Meister captures Parker’s dry wit and sarcasm perfectly. “Don’t be a coward. It’s your moment.” Meister’s writing is funny, intelligent and full of heart, much like that of Dorothy Parker. For those unfamiliar with Parker’s writing, The Portable Dorothy Parker is the ultimate collection of this literary icon’s famous one-liners.
G.P. Putman’s Sons graciously sent me an advance review copy for my unbiased opinion.
Reviewed by Holly Weiss, author of Crestmont
March 14, 2013
so i am about 2/3's of the way through this book which i would call an entertaining distraction from what i am 'suppose to be' reading which is the Rachel Carson bio, On a Farther Shore.
i think there are a couple of things that your enjoyment of this book will depend upon:
1. at least some familiarity with Dorothy Parker.
2. the ability to take a leap of faith with the author
3. reasonable expectations - this is not Dickens
so Violet -the main character- does movie reviews and at one point -as she sits watching some sappy hollywood drivel- she repeats this mantra: surprise me. please. surprise me.
at 2/3's the way through this book, i have the same mantra. at this point i think my impression of Farewell Dorothy Parker is going to hinge completely on the ending. surprise me. please. something satisfying but please not all tightly wrapped up with a bow on top all perfect and lovely. please not that.
so having finished reading it, i come to wrap up my review and i feel a little like Violet composing the review for that sappy movie i mentioned earlier. just because she got emotional over the movie - even liked it - didn't make it a good movie and when it came time to do the review Violet's rating had to reflect the worth of the movie itself ... not the impact it had on her because she was emotional vulnerable to it. and so Farewell Dorothy Parker is getting three stars not four. i enjoyed it sure. yes. absolutely. but there was no surprise, nothing to make me see it as anything but an entertaining distraction ... and i can not give four stars to it.
i think there are a couple of things that your enjoyment of this book will depend upon:
1. at least some familiarity with Dorothy Parker.
2. the ability to take a leap of faith with the author
3. reasonable expectations - this is not Dickens
so Violet -the main character- does movie reviews and at one point -as she sits watching some sappy hollywood drivel- she repeats this mantra: surprise me. please. surprise me.
at 2/3's the way through this book, i have the same mantra. at this point i think my impression of Farewell Dorothy Parker is going to hinge completely on the ending. surprise me. please. something satisfying but please not all tightly wrapped up with a bow on top all perfect and lovely. please not that.
so having finished reading it, i come to wrap up my review and i feel a little like Violet composing the review for that sappy movie i mentioned earlier. just because she got emotional over the movie - even liked it - didn't make it a good movie and when it came time to do the review Violet's rating had to reflect the worth of the movie itself ... not the impact it had on her because she was emotional vulnerable to it. and so Farewell Dorothy Parker is getting three stars not four. i enjoyed it sure. yes. absolutely. but there was no surprise, nothing to make me see it as anything but an entertaining distraction ... and i can not give four stars to it.
March 19, 2013
*Heaves enormous sigh* I don’t really know what to do here. I got an ARC of this book free from the publisher in exchange for writing a review. And now I have to write a review for a book that I hated.
I signed up for the ARC based on my love of Dorothy Parker. I discovered one of her stories in an anthology my freshman year of college, sought out more, finally put my hands on The Portable Dorothy Parker, and then basically became obsessed with her. I wrote my senior thesis on her. I wrote another seminar paper on her in grad school. Parker is not an unusual obsession for your more bookish young ladies. She was just that awesome.
Here’s the thing Farewell doesn’t seem to know about Dorothy Parker (or care about her): she was a devastatingly talented writer. She had an amazing grasp of structure and characterization, and she could turn a phrase like nobody’s business. She didn’t do it just to engage in witty repartee; she used her words to build startling, rich images. I understand the lure of the mythology surrounding Parker: her biting wit, her high-functioning alcoholism, her place among the legendary raconteurs of the Algonquin Round Table. But this book is using Parker more like someone’s feisty old aunt.
Our protagonist here is Violet, a mid-thirties film critic who writes with verve and edge, but lives her life as a marshmallow peep. Through some necessary contrivance, she comes into possession of a book that contains Parker’s ghost. Parker becomes a de facto life coach for Violet, who is desperately in need of help with her career, her love life, and a fraught family situation. Ghost Parker, rascal that she is, often wrecks things en route to ultimately fixing them.
The story is simplistic, but that’s not where it goes wrong with me. What particularly bothered me—without cease—was the continual inability of the characters to behave in naturalistic or psychologically plausible ways. I don’t mean they made choices I disagreed with—great characters do that all the time. I mean that these characters made choices that made literally no sense in any context, neither as functional, responsible choices, nor as dysfunctional, damaging choices. They made contrived choices—baffling choices—tear-my-hair-out frustratingly inane choices.
Violet’s interactions with her love interest, for example, the too-good-to-be-true he’s-so-hot-but-also-so-incredibly-perceptive-and-nurturing kung fu instructor, indicate that she is approximately nine years old. She is so timid around him she basically faints every time they attempt to converse. I think we’re actually supposed to feel for Violet’s predicament, like “Oh that poor shy girl!” But, I reiterate, she is in her 30s. Her behavior at every turn is childish and lacks self-awareness. I feel sorry for her, all right. She earns my pity. She—and her fictional sisters in foolishness—are the reason I don’t typically read chick lit.
Another element that bothered me is that I’m not sure this author really knows what is good confrontation and what isn’t. Violet manages to unload her ungrateful boyfriend early on, by hemming and hawing over him forever, and then, with Parker’s assistance, giving him one dramatic takedown. The book doesn’t care about whether he’s a good guy or not, of course; it doesn’t give him a single good quality to hang a hat on, so we know we’re supposed to be 100% on Violet’s side. But it is not emotionally healthy to internalize your problems for an incredibly long time and then just blow up on someone for not reading your mind. You don’t want to be with him, just tell him you don’t want to be with him. Wish him well, send him off. You don’t need to eviscerate him to prove you have a backbone. But the book is so tone-deaf that it portrays this as a victory.
Later, Violet’s co-worker ‘stands up to’ an editorial assistant who made overzealous corrections to his work. And the narrative specifically sets up this juxtaposition of the two, a fifty-year-old man in the prime of his career, and a twenty-something girl trying to make a name for herself. Again, not a single good quality exists to make us feel any sympathy for this young assistant, but this man dresses her down like a DICK. Neither Violet nor the author seem to see the sexism at work here, the gross entitled behavior of this man; instead Violet wishes fervently that she also…could be a dick, I guess.
Later, Violet ‘stands up to’ the same girl by tearing her down (incompetently, because she’s Violet) and making her do demeaning work. Great management style there, excellent. She makes the girl get her coffee in the morning. Is that not an invitation to get it pissed in? But it turns out the girl likes being bitched out. She responds positively to this. It makes her feel at home. Of course it does. Because no one in this fictional world approaches anything like actual psychological realism.
But I think of all of them, the ultimate baffling, “WHAT WORLD IS THIS?” portion of the narrative was the backstory between Violet and her dearly departed sister, Ivy. Apparently the reason Violet is so timid in personality is because she repressed her biting wit as a child after being shunned by her sister. This is written as an intense childhood trauma—having her sister not speak to her for a couple of days, because Violet zinged her? First of all, Violet’s beloved mother should have shut that nonsense down. These are little elementary school-aged girls; their mother should still be running interference. “Violet, don’t be rude.” “Ivy, don’t be so sensitive.” DONE. Instead, Dear Mama is cuddling up to Violet saying, “Don’t cry, darling, Ivy will forgive you someday!”
Also, a penchant for zingers is not like, I don’t know, being a werewolf. You don’t need to reign yourself in that hard. You’re not going to kill anybody.
There’s a difference between straight talk and sass. There’s a difference between backbone and bitchiness. But this book is not nuanced enough to acknowledge those differences, much less do anything with them.
Contrivances and implausibilities aside, maybe I could forgive all of this if the book was well-written, but it isn’t. The narrative contains endless awkward moments in which Violet recounts Dorothy Parker factoids to herself.
Take this one (page 34):
Violet laughed, remembering that Dorothy Parker had spent a number of years on the West Coast, writing movie scripts and fighting with studio heads. Once, in a snide reference to the power wielded by one of the most imperious moviemakers, Dorothy Parker had quipped that the streets in Hollywood were paved with Goldwyn.
Still later, she referred to another studio as “Twentieth Century F**ks.”
Violet asked Dorothy Parker if she wanted something to eat.
There are at least a dozen incidences of Parker stories being shoehorned into the narrative this way. I am mystified as to why this was considered the best way to get that information in there. It seems like anything else would have been better. Have Dorothy tell the stories herself, as dialogue, for example! (Surely she must have been a recounter of her own adventures.) Or use metatextual footnotes. I’ve seen it done in fiction novels. Or set the anecdotes apart from the narrative as italicized chapter headings or something. ANYTHING. Anything different.
If you are a veteran reader of Dorothy Parker, I would not recommend Farewell. You will be disappointed. You will not feel her legacy is well-served. Well-drawn, complex, consistent characters such as you’re accustomed to finding in Parker’s own stories are not present here.
If everything you know about Parker can be encapsulated in a snappy quip on a refrigerator magnet, go for it.
I signed up for the ARC based on my love of Dorothy Parker. I discovered one of her stories in an anthology my freshman year of college, sought out more, finally put my hands on The Portable Dorothy Parker, and then basically became obsessed with her. I wrote my senior thesis on her. I wrote another seminar paper on her in grad school. Parker is not an unusual obsession for your more bookish young ladies. She was just that awesome.
Here’s the thing Farewell doesn’t seem to know about Dorothy Parker (or care about her): she was a devastatingly talented writer. She had an amazing grasp of structure and characterization, and she could turn a phrase like nobody’s business. She didn’t do it just to engage in witty repartee; she used her words to build startling, rich images. I understand the lure of the mythology surrounding Parker: her biting wit, her high-functioning alcoholism, her place among the legendary raconteurs of the Algonquin Round Table. But this book is using Parker more like someone’s feisty old aunt.
Our protagonist here is Violet, a mid-thirties film critic who writes with verve and edge, but lives her life as a marshmallow peep. Through some necessary contrivance, she comes into possession of a book that contains Parker’s ghost. Parker becomes a de facto life coach for Violet, who is desperately in need of help with her career, her love life, and a fraught family situation. Ghost Parker, rascal that she is, often wrecks things en route to ultimately fixing them.
The story is simplistic, but that’s not where it goes wrong with me. What particularly bothered me—without cease—was the continual inability of the characters to behave in naturalistic or psychologically plausible ways. I don’t mean they made choices I disagreed with—great characters do that all the time. I mean that these characters made choices that made literally no sense in any context, neither as functional, responsible choices, nor as dysfunctional, damaging choices. They made contrived choices—baffling choices—tear-my-hair-out frustratingly inane choices.
Violet’s interactions with her love interest, for example, the too-good-to-be-true he’s-so-hot-but-also-so-incredibly-perceptive-and-nurturing kung fu instructor, indicate that she is approximately nine years old. She is so timid around him she basically faints every time they attempt to converse. I think we’re actually supposed to feel for Violet’s predicament, like “Oh that poor shy girl!” But, I reiterate, she is in her 30s. Her behavior at every turn is childish and lacks self-awareness. I feel sorry for her, all right. She earns my pity. She—and her fictional sisters in foolishness—are the reason I don’t typically read chick lit.
Another element that bothered me is that I’m not sure this author really knows what is good confrontation and what isn’t. Violet manages to unload her ungrateful boyfriend early on, by hemming and hawing over him forever, and then, with Parker’s assistance, giving him one dramatic takedown. The book doesn’t care about whether he’s a good guy or not, of course; it doesn’t give him a single good quality to hang a hat on, so we know we’re supposed to be 100% on Violet’s side. But it is not emotionally healthy to internalize your problems for an incredibly long time and then just blow up on someone for not reading your mind. You don’t want to be with him, just tell him you don’t want to be with him. Wish him well, send him off. You don’t need to eviscerate him to prove you have a backbone. But the book is so tone-deaf that it portrays this as a victory.
Later, Violet’s co-worker ‘stands up to’ an editorial assistant who made overzealous corrections to his work. And the narrative specifically sets up this juxtaposition of the two, a fifty-year-old man in the prime of his career, and a twenty-something girl trying to make a name for herself. Again, not a single good quality exists to make us feel any sympathy for this young assistant, but this man dresses her down like a DICK. Neither Violet nor the author seem to see the sexism at work here, the gross entitled behavior of this man; instead Violet wishes fervently that she also…could be a dick, I guess.
Later, Violet ‘stands up to’ the same girl by tearing her down (incompetently, because she’s Violet) and making her do demeaning work. Great management style there, excellent. She makes the girl get her coffee in the morning. Is that not an invitation to get it pissed in? But it turns out the girl likes being bitched out. She responds positively to this. It makes her feel at home. Of course it does. Because no one in this fictional world approaches anything like actual psychological realism.
But I think of all of them, the ultimate baffling, “WHAT WORLD IS THIS?” portion of the narrative was the backstory between Violet and her dearly departed sister, Ivy. Apparently the reason Violet is so timid in personality is because she repressed her biting wit as a child after being shunned by her sister. This is written as an intense childhood trauma—having her sister not speak to her for a couple of days, because Violet zinged her? First of all, Violet’s beloved mother should have shut that nonsense down. These are little elementary school-aged girls; their mother should still be running interference. “Violet, don’t be rude.” “Ivy, don’t be so sensitive.” DONE. Instead, Dear Mama is cuddling up to Violet saying, “Don’t cry, darling, Ivy will forgive you someday!”
Also, a penchant for zingers is not like, I don’t know, being a werewolf. You don’t need to reign yourself in that hard. You’re not going to kill anybody.
There’s a difference between straight talk and sass. There’s a difference between backbone and bitchiness. But this book is not nuanced enough to acknowledge those differences, much less do anything with them.
Contrivances and implausibilities aside, maybe I could forgive all of this if the book was well-written, but it isn’t. The narrative contains endless awkward moments in which Violet recounts Dorothy Parker factoids to herself.
Take this one (page 34):
Violet laughed, remembering that Dorothy Parker had spent a number of years on the West Coast, writing movie scripts and fighting with studio heads. Once, in a snide reference to the power wielded by one of the most imperious moviemakers, Dorothy Parker had quipped that the streets in Hollywood were paved with Goldwyn.
Still later, she referred to another studio as “Twentieth Century F**ks.”
Violet asked Dorothy Parker if she wanted something to eat.
There are at least a dozen incidences of Parker stories being shoehorned into the narrative this way. I am mystified as to why this was considered the best way to get that information in there. It seems like anything else would have been better. Have Dorothy tell the stories herself, as dialogue, for example! (Surely she must have been a recounter of her own adventures.) Or use metatextual footnotes. I’ve seen it done in fiction novels. Or set the anecdotes apart from the narrative as italicized chapter headings or something. ANYTHING. Anything different.
If you are a veteran reader of Dorothy Parker, I would not recommend Farewell. You will be disappointed. You will not feel her legacy is well-served. Well-drawn, complex, consistent characters such as you’re accustomed to finding in Parker’s own stories are not present here.
If everything you know about Parker can be encapsulated in a snappy quip on a refrigerator magnet, go for it.
November 29, 2012
Violet Epps is a movie critic who is sharp-tongued in writing, but timid in real life. She's struggling to break up with her boyfriend who keeps steamrolling her, talking over her, and trying to convince her that she's really in love with him. On top of that toxic relationship, Violet is battling for custody of her recently-orphaned niece, Delaney. The girl's grandparents also want to raise her, and they hired a ferocious lawyer to fight dirty. Enter Dorothy Parker, Violet's idol, the one who inspires her to be so snarky in her movie reviews. While having lunch at the Algonquin Hotel, Violet sees the famous guestbook that the authors of the Algonquin Round Table all signed. The hotel's original owner collected signatures because he wanted to capture the spirits of the authors when they passed on, but Mrs. Parker was the only one who was caught. When Violet realizes the book has come home with her, she learns more about the magic it possesses. Mrs. Parker comes to life around Violet, helping her stand her ground, and occasionally taking control over Violet's body.
I read this whole book in one day and am ready to read it again. I have totally loved both of Ellen Meister's books, and look forward to reading much more from her.
In-depth review at Allison Writes
I read this whole book in one day and am ready to read it again. I have totally loved both of Ellen Meister's books, and look forward to reading much more from her.
In-depth review at Allison Writes
April 11, 2013
Oh, dear...it is so hard not to quote Miss Parker herself when commenting on this book. "This is not a novel to be tossed aside lightly. It should be thrown with great force." Okay, perhaps not great force, but certainly in the direction of a good editor. Farewell, Dorothy Parker has the bones of a good story with a fun premise and a strong central character, Miss Parker. The other characters are so poorly drawn that it's hard to embrace the book. I so wish that someone had taken the author in hand and helped her create believable and compelling characters in Violet and Michael and Delaney and, well, everyone living and dead, except for Miss Parker. That being said, I did finish the book. I knew Miss Parker would do something of interest in the end and, as she does in real life as well as in this work of fiction, Miss Parker does not disappoint.
February 27, 2013
I'm not having good luck with books lately...here's another where the author feels it's necessary to create a protagonist so stupid that even the most naive, unsophisticated reader will feel like Machiavelli.
Such a great premise, too. I worship Dorothy Parker...this could have been so amazing. Boooo.
Such a great premise, too. I worship Dorothy Parker...this could have been so amazing. Boooo.
August 16, 2013
When it comes to movie reviews, critic Violet Epps is a powerhouse voice. But that’s only because she’s learned to channel her literary hero, Dorothy Parker, the most celebrated and scathing wit of the twentieth century. If only Violet could summon that kind of strength in her personal life.
Gripped by paralyzing anxiety, Violet visits the Algonquin Hotel in an attempt to pull strength from the hallowed dining room, where Dorothy Parker and so many other famous writers of the 1920s traded barbs. But she gets more than she bargained for, and the feisty spirit re-materializes . . . hitching a ride onto Violet’s already troubled life.
An irreverent ghost with problems of her own—including a refusal to cross over to the afterlife—Mrs. Parker helps Violet face her fears, becoming mentor, tormentor, and, with any luck, friend. Wickedly funny and surprisingly poignant, Farewell, Dorothy Parker perfectly re-imagines one of America’s most iconic voices in a touching and unforgettable tale.
Dorothy Parker (August 22, 1893 – June 7, 1967) was an American poet, short story writer, critic and satirist, best known for her wit, wisecracks, and eye for 20th-century urban foibles.
From a conflicted and unhappy childhood, Parker rose to acclaim, both for her literary output in such venues as The New Yorker and as a founding member of the Algonquin Round Table. Following the breakup of the circle, Parker traveled to Hollywood to pursue screenwriting. Her successes there, including two Academy Award nominations, were curtailed as her involvement in left-wing politics led to a place on the Hollywood blacklist.
Dismissive of her own talents, she deplored her reputation as a "wisecracker". Nevertheless, her literary output and reputation for her sharp wit have endured.
I enjoyed the book very much. I liked that Violet's hero came back from the dead to encourage her! How many of us can say that about our earthly heroes?! LOL
I like the themes of reaching out, inside of oneself, for strength to rise to the scary challenges of life; the themes of loss and death and saying goodbye to loved ones; walking to the light after death; new friendships and how they can change lives forever; learning from those with whom one has difficulties by reaching out and not judging solely on appearances.
And, as those of you who read my reviews know, one thing I don't like is when authors have characters take the Lord's name in vain to show a their toughness or anger. Put a bunch of symbols, please, &%%#@A8^%**, and leave the rest to my imagination. I have a great imagination. :-D
Gripped by paralyzing anxiety, Violet visits the Algonquin Hotel in an attempt to pull strength from the hallowed dining room, where Dorothy Parker and so many other famous writers of the 1920s traded barbs. But she gets more than she bargained for, and the feisty spirit re-materializes . . . hitching a ride onto Violet’s already troubled life.
An irreverent ghost with problems of her own—including a refusal to cross over to the afterlife—Mrs. Parker helps Violet face her fears, becoming mentor, tormentor, and, with any luck, friend. Wickedly funny and surprisingly poignant, Farewell, Dorothy Parker perfectly re-imagines one of America’s most iconic voices in a touching and unforgettable tale.
Dorothy Parker (August 22, 1893 – June 7, 1967) was an American poet, short story writer, critic and satirist, best known for her wit, wisecracks, and eye for 20th-century urban foibles.
From a conflicted and unhappy childhood, Parker rose to acclaim, both for her literary output in such venues as The New Yorker and as a founding member of the Algonquin Round Table. Following the breakup of the circle, Parker traveled to Hollywood to pursue screenwriting. Her successes there, including two Academy Award nominations, were curtailed as her involvement in left-wing politics led to a place on the Hollywood blacklist.
Dismissive of her own talents, she deplored her reputation as a "wisecracker". Nevertheless, her literary output and reputation for her sharp wit have endured.
I enjoyed the book very much. I liked that Violet's hero came back from the dead to encourage her! How many of us can say that about our earthly heroes?! LOL
I like the themes of reaching out, inside of oneself, for strength to rise to the scary challenges of life; the themes of loss and death and saying goodbye to loved ones; walking to the light after death; new friendships and how they can change lives forever; learning from those with whom one has difficulties by reaching out and not judging solely on appearances.
And, as those of you who read my reviews know, one thing I don't like is when authors have characters take the Lord's name in vain to show a their toughness or anger. Put a bunch of symbols, please, &%%#@A8^%**, and leave the rest to my imagination. I have a great imagination. :-D
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 24, 2013
Violet Epps is a scathing movie critic who is called some not-so-nice names on internet blogs by those who follow her reviews. In person, however, she is a meek person who stifled her opinions after a childhood scene with her sister that resulted in the family shunning her with silence for being so embarrassingly outspoken. Now, however, Violet needs to get some guts in order to dump her needy, self-centered boyfriend and to speak up at work where her job is threatened by a newbie trying to impress the bosses by editing Violet’s reviews in a way that reads grammatically perfect but stilts Violet’s style big-time!
After meeting her boyfriend at the famous Algonquin Restaurant, where she fails to follow-up on her intention to call off their relationship, she accidentally slips into her bag a book signed by famous writers in the 1920s. Arriving home, however, she is shocked to discover that when the book is open, the ghost of notable writer Dorothy Parker is alive and well and is determined to change Violet from the “shrinking” side of that flower to an audacious, feisty woman who will speak her mind as required, with no holds.
What follows is a fun, spunky, tension-ridden, but endearing tale of Violet’s conversion and Dorothy’s delight in carrying forward her outrageous reputation for shocking all but getting exactly what she wants. Violet will get rid of the drip, get her colleague in the right place, and meet someone who will change her world, as Dorothy urges her to learn to flirt and become a “hot” contemporary gal. Yes, Dorothy is hysterically funny in her audacious comments and urgings which at times scare the heck out of Violet but which then make complete sense. Dorothy was a healthy dose of reality with no sugar-coated platitudes filling her writing or conversation way back when, a woman before her times but the perfect medicine for curing our heroine of the disease, excessive timidity. Absolutely delightful and great comic, romantic read!
After meeting her boyfriend at the famous Algonquin Restaurant, where she fails to follow-up on her intention to call off their relationship, she accidentally slips into her bag a book signed by famous writers in the 1920s. Arriving home, however, she is shocked to discover that when the book is open, the ghost of notable writer Dorothy Parker is alive and well and is determined to change Violet from the “shrinking” side of that flower to an audacious, feisty woman who will speak her mind as required, with no holds.
What follows is a fun, spunky, tension-ridden, but endearing tale of Violet’s conversion and Dorothy’s delight in carrying forward her outrageous reputation for shocking all but getting exactly what she wants. Violet will get rid of the drip, get her colleague in the right place, and meet someone who will change her world, as Dorothy urges her to learn to flirt and become a “hot” contemporary gal. Yes, Dorothy is hysterically funny in her audacious comments and urgings which at times scare the heck out of Violet but which then make complete sense. Dorothy was a healthy dose of reality with no sugar-coated platitudes filling her writing or conversation way back when, a woman before her times but the perfect medicine for curing our heroine of the disease, excessive timidity. Absolutely delightful and great comic, romantic read!
September 1, 2013
Movie critic Violet Epps is outspoken ... on paper. In person, she suffers from crippling social anxiety. She's afraid to break up with her loser/user boyfriend. She's afraid to speak up to her niece's grandparents ... the ones whom she is battling for custody of the teenaged girl after Violet's sister and husband die in a car accident. She's afraid to talk to her kung fu instructor, Michael, because she has a crush on him.
In other words, she's kind of a mess.
Until the day she decides to go to the Algonquin Hotel and eat where her literary idol, Dorothy Parker, used to dine -- and to break up with Carl, the loser/user. Because Carl announces her name loudly (he believes that dating her gives him prestige), Violet is asked to sign the Algonquin's historical guest book ... which, as soon as it is opened, releases the ghost of Dorothy Parker.
When Violet accidentally takes the guest book home, Dorothy comes with her.
What ensues is a story so clever and poignant that I alternately laughed and yes, cried. We learn why Violet developed her social anxiety and watch Dorothy help her through it -- physically, in some instances. We are treated to Parker's sardonic wit, tempered with more love than Parker's fans might expect. We see characters who are all in pain, trying to get through life the best they can without letting anyone know how much they need anyone else. In other words, they're all very realistic people -- including, interestingly enough, Dorothy Parker's ghost.
Most of all, what we get is a book that was so delightful that I finished it in a single day -- I did not want to stop reading. Highly recommended.
In other words, she's kind of a mess.
Until the day she decides to go to the Algonquin Hotel and eat where her literary idol, Dorothy Parker, used to dine -- and to break up with Carl, the loser/user. Because Carl announces her name loudly (he believes that dating her gives him prestige), Violet is asked to sign the Algonquin's historical guest book ... which, as soon as it is opened, releases the ghost of Dorothy Parker.
When Violet accidentally takes the guest book home, Dorothy comes with her.
What ensues is a story so clever and poignant that I alternately laughed and yes, cried. We learn why Violet developed her social anxiety and watch Dorothy help her through it -- physically, in some instances. We are treated to Parker's sardonic wit, tempered with more love than Parker's fans might expect. We see characters who are all in pain, trying to get through life the best they can without letting anyone know how much they need anyone else. In other words, they're all very realistic people -- including, interestingly enough, Dorothy Parker's ghost.
Most of all, what we get is a book that was so delightful that I finished it in a single day -- I did not want to stop reading. Highly recommended.
February 24, 2014
Let me preface this review by saying I reserve five stars to a review for books or movies that make a memorable changing effect on my life. They don't have to be serious or Shakespearean to qualify, only be able move me in a memorably profound way. I put them aside on a special shelf, which isn't a long one, where they stay to remind me of their impact, and perhaps be found and read with similar meaningfulness by someone else.
This novel, "Dorothy Parker, " has earned a place on that shelf. I stumbled upon it as an Amazon recommendation, purchased online on a whim, and received to my surprise a copy signed by the author. I won't reveal more about the plot except to say it seems poetically appropriate that Ellen Meister's autograph graced this book as Dorothy Parker's played a major part in her,"their"novel.
Before reading it I had scarce acquaintance with the life and work of Mrs. Parker, and never had read anything by Ms. Meister either. From my gushing praise you can tell I feel she did as good a job as Imaginable of channeling her famous main character.
Let me sum up by saying read this book which both amuses and touches your heart. From now on, if ever asked if I am a Dorothy Parker fan, the answer is unequivocally I am!
This novel, "Dorothy Parker, " has earned a place on that shelf. I stumbled upon it as an Amazon recommendation, purchased online on a whim, and received to my surprise a copy signed by the author. I won't reveal more about the plot except to say it seems poetically appropriate that Ellen Meister's autograph graced this book as Dorothy Parker's played a major part in her,"their"novel.
Before reading it I had scarce acquaintance with the life and work of Mrs. Parker, and never had read anything by Ms. Meister either. From my gushing praise you can tell I feel she did as good a job as Imaginable of channeling her famous main character.
Let me sum up by saying read this book which both amuses and touches your heart. From now on, if ever asked if I am a Dorothy Parker fan, the answer is unequivocally I am!
March 9, 2013
Being a Dorothy Parker fan, I so looked forward to reading this novel, but was greatly disappointed by its lack of depth. The storyline was appealing and an interesting way to show tribute to Ms. Parker. I just wish that the author would have shared more of Ms. Parker than what most fans already know. I didn't learn anything that I hadn't already discovered on my own, which really was quite basic information. As far as the writing style, the text is too "prescribed". Ms. Meister doesn't allow the reader to think or feel for herself. Instead she consistently prescribes how the reader should think or feel by explaining every exchange between the characters. It reminds me of when a person tells a joke and no one laughs so he explains the joke to make sure his audience "got it". Ms. Meister used such a technique to continually force the reader to see things as prescribed instead of trusting her writing to elicit the desired affect. This made the characters flat and difficult to connect to. The juxtaposition of Ms. Meister's style with that of her mentor was quite ironic.
April 22, 2013
I had to toss in the towel on this one, and that was tough to do becuase I am a big Dorothy Parker fan. I was listening to it on CD and the thought of 6 more disks like the first two was exhausting; maybe if I was reading it on paper I would have skimmed to the end, slowing down when Mrs. Parker appears, but as I had no option to do so with the CDs, I ditched it.
From my limited experience with the book, I would say it comes alive when Mrs. Parker is present but otherwise, it is akin to a Hallmark Hall of Fame special - sad, lonely (but beautiful) spinster, semi-secret life as a fearsome movie critic but timid in real life, with an orphaned niece, an unsuitable boyfriend and a fluffy little dog. Clear to me (and this is no spoiler), that she will get up the gumption to dump the boyfriend, gain custody of the niece and find a handsome charming boyfriend who loves fluffy little dogs. There is nothing wrong with Hallmark Hall of Fame specials, but I really was not in the mood to listen to this one. Sorry.
From my limited experience with the book, I would say it comes alive when Mrs. Parker is present but otherwise, it is akin to a Hallmark Hall of Fame special - sad, lonely (but beautiful) spinster, semi-secret life as a fearsome movie critic but timid in real life, with an orphaned niece, an unsuitable boyfriend and a fluffy little dog. Clear to me (and this is no spoiler), that she will get up the gumption to dump the boyfriend, gain custody of the niece and find a handsome charming boyfriend who loves fluffy little dogs. There is nothing wrong with Hallmark Hall of Fame specials, but I really was not in the mood to listen to this one. Sorry.
March 14, 2013
I loved the premise of this book because I'm a total Dorothy Parker fan. That biting acerbic wit! The pithy, completely to the point remarks! Why can't I have/do that? Loved all the references to DP's writings, I believe she was as self-centered as she appears in this book. She would use whoever and whatever was handy to appease her own demons. Now, having said all that, I really did not expect to like this book as much as I did. Figured everyone else on earth would get it wrong and I'm just not a talented enough writer to do it myself. I was, of course, mistaken. Ellen Meister has always been good and this novel was no exception. To make the (other) main character pretty much the opposite of Ms Parker and watch the interactions was a really good choice. Add in the stress of the sister's death and the fight for the niece just made it all work. Fun book. I read it from start to finish with complete enjoyment!
February 27, 2013
Would like to give it 2.5 stars--wasn't awful, but wasn't very good. Interesting premise--Dorothy Parker comes back to life to assist a woman in finding her voice and sass in her life and while attempting to adopt her niece. The best parts, of course, were the Dorothy Parker quips and details of her life, as well as her impressions of America today. But on the whole, this wasn't well written--fairly robotic--and totally, utterly predictable in every scene.
November 19, 2013
I am a fan of the wit and wisdom of Dorothy Parker, but even if I weren't I don't think it would matter - this novel is a good read. Thus having said, Ellen Meister not only introduces us to the witty zings (zingy wit?) of Dorothy Parker but gives a glimpse of a more poignant side to the woman many only know for her one-liners. I'm not into channeling and such, but this wonderful novel would be enough to bring a smile to Miss Parker's heart.
October 7, 2012
What elevates this fun, sweet novel to the sublime is Ellen Meister's command of Dorothy Parker's voice - she captured her exactly! I have always been a huge Dorothy Parker buff, and reading this felt like meeting an old friend. A wonderful read for anyone, whether they are familiar with Miss Parker or not!
March 5, 2013
I really wanted to like this book, but had to give up a quarter of the way in. Cute premise, but the author badly needs to follow the old "show, don't tell" strategy. If you're going to channel Dorothy Parker, your readers will expect her level of wit and sharpness, not to mention a plot that makes logical sense, as this one, unfortunately, doesn't.
April 3, 2013
Tantalizing premise. Enjoy it for what it is-- better than average chick lit-- but don't expect the acerbic wit and wisdom of Dorothy Parker.
September 26, 2019
I discovered this book while searching for more books like The Forgotten Flapper by Laini Giles and Martin Turnbull's Garden of Allah Series. While all three authors (Giles, Turnbull, and Meister) have a different style of writing and their main characters, all were similar enough to interest me and keep me reading.
This book follows the character Violet Epps and her life after she takes up residence in the Algonquin Hotel and meets the ghost of the celebrated poet, writer, and critic Dorothy Parker. Both women share equal billing in this book and it's a joy to read. With her acerbic wits and comments, Dorothy manages to help Violet get through the challenges that face her in life both personal and professional.
The unique way the author introduces Dorothy's ghosthood and how and why she hasn't moved on to "the light" is very interesting. The historical and background information moves the book along and gives a good image of the times that Dorothy Parker lived. The author has also managed to capture Dorothy's personality down to the nth degree.
One feels for both women in this book and that's something many authors fail to do. I loved the fact that the Author did not sacrifice one woman (so to speak) for the other but treated them both equally in the telling of their life stories.
I cannot wait to start the next book in the series.
This book follows the character Violet Epps and her life after she takes up residence in the Algonquin Hotel and meets the ghost of the celebrated poet, writer, and critic Dorothy Parker. Both women share equal billing in this book and it's a joy to read. With her acerbic wits and comments, Dorothy manages to help Violet get through the challenges that face her in life both personal and professional.
The unique way the author introduces Dorothy's ghosthood and how and why she hasn't moved on to "the light" is very interesting. The historical and background information moves the book along and gives a good image of the times that Dorothy Parker lived. The author has also managed to capture Dorothy's personality down to the nth degree.
One feels for both women in this book and that's something many authors fail to do. I loved the fact that the Author did not sacrifice one woman (so to speak) for the other but treated them both equally in the telling of their life stories.
I cannot wait to start the next book in the series.
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