What do you think?
Rate this book
The Arrangement: A Novel
“Absolutely dazzling.” –Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife
“Filled with food and passion...If you love historical fiction, you'll fall hard for this one.” — Bustle.com
She’d made it sound as though her husband would be joining them for dinner. She’d made it sound that way on purpose, and then she arrived alone.
Los Angeles, 1934. Mary Frances is young, restlessly married, and returning from her first sojourn in France. She is hungry, and not just for she wants Tim, her husband Al’s charming friend, who encourages her writing and seems to understand her better than anyone. After a night’s transgression, it’s only a matter of time before Mary Frances claims what she truly desires, plunging all three of them into a tangled triangle of affection that will have far-reaching effects on their families, their careers, and their lives.
Set in California, France, and the Swiss Alps, The Arrangement is a sparkling, sensual novel that explores the complexities of a marriage and the many different ways in which we love. Writing at the top of her game, Ashley Warlick gives us a completely mesmerizing story about a woman well ahead of her time, who would go on to become the legendary food writer M. F. K. Fisher.
“Filled with food and passion...If you love historical fiction, you'll fall hard for this one.” — Bustle.com
She’d made it sound as though her husband would be joining them for dinner. She’d made it sound that way on purpose, and then she arrived alone.
Los Angeles, 1934. Mary Frances is young, restlessly married, and returning from her first sojourn in France. She is hungry, and not just for she wants Tim, her husband Al’s charming friend, who encourages her writing and seems to understand her better than anyone. After a night’s transgression, it’s only a matter of time before Mary Frances claims what she truly desires, plunging all three of them into a tangled triangle of affection that will have far-reaching effects on their families, their careers, and their lives.
Set in California, France, and the Swiss Alps, The Arrangement is a sparkling, sensual novel that explores the complexities of a marriage and the many different ways in which we love. Writing at the top of her game, Ashley Warlick gives us a completely mesmerizing story about a woman well ahead of her time, who would go on to become the legendary food writer M. F. K. Fisher.
320 pages, Paperback
First published February 9, 2016
64 people are currently reading
2534 people want to read
About the author
Ashley Warlick
11 books83 followersAshley Warlick is the author of four novels. The recipient of an NEA Fellowship and the Houghton Mifflin Literary Fellowship, her work has appeared in The Oxford American, McSweeney’s, Redbook, and Garden and Gun, among others. She teaches fiction in the MFA program at Queens University in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is the editor of the South Carolina food magazine edibleUpcountry. Warlick is also the buyer at M. Judson, Booksellers and Storytellers in Greenville, SC, where she lives with her family.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews
December 11, 2015
As most of us know, there's a thing now in publishing where writers novelize the lives of brilliant well-known women. It's happened to Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell (at least twice), it's happened to Louisa May Alcott, it's happened to Edna St. Vincent Millay, Lee Miller, Edith Wharton, and now it's happened to MFK Fisher. While I can understand the impulse to write about such fascinating women, I also find it quite problematic. How does a present-day writer expect to successfully get in the head of one of these geniuses and portray her convincingly, when said writer is, ahem, no offense, probably not really a genius herself?
To be fair, I don't have a lot of experience with this type of novel, but the one I have read thus far, a novelization of Lee Miller's life, did not work for me at all. While I don't know very much about Lee Miller, I know enough to suspect she wasn't the ridiculous chick-lit heroine the book portrayed her as.
The Arrangement is trying to go a different way. One of the back-cover blurbs refers to it as "deliciously literary," and that's clearly what it's attempting to be: LITERARY, with a capital L, a capital I, and a capital TERARY. And I love literary fiction, but even I can admit that there is nothing more boring than a book that is trying desperately hard to be literary. This book works so doggedly at not being fluffy that it goes way too far in the other direction. It's dull and dead on the page. MFK Fisher doesn't truly seem inspired by her writing. Her extramarital affair is nothing but a drag, and let's not even talk about her marriage. Even her relationship with food, which should provide some vibrancy and sensuality, is mostly lifeless. Have a look at the cover, a generic, anonymous, boring photo of a woman holding a pen--it's a good emblem for what's inside, if perhaps not in the way the publisher intended. I am left wondering what the point of the whole thing is. It's just a bummer, a book that will disappoint fans of "women's fiction," fans of literary fiction, and fans of MFK Fisher alike.
If you've been paying attention, you may have noticed I gave the Lee Miller novel one star, whereas this one managed to achieve two. Why the higher rating for this one? In retrospect, I'm not sure. I suppose the writing was a little better in The Arrangement, and if I have to choose between a brilliant woman being portrayed as a silly chick-lit heroine or as a dull, sad, serious woman, I guess I'll choose the latter. But I'd rather no one attempt something like this again until they really think they can get it right.
I received this ARC from the publisher via Goodreads. Thank you, Goodreads!
To be fair, I don't have a lot of experience with this type of novel, but the one I have read thus far, a novelization of Lee Miller's life, did not work for me at all. While I don't know very much about Lee Miller, I know enough to suspect she wasn't the ridiculous chick-lit heroine the book portrayed her as.
The Arrangement is trying to go a different way. One of the back-cover blurbs refers to it as "deliciously literary," and that's clearly what it's attempting to be: LITERARY, with a capital L, a capital I, and a capital TERARY. And I love literary fiction, but even I can admit that there is nothing more boring than a book that is trying desperately hard to be literary. This book works so doggedly at not being fluffy that it goes way too far in the other direction. It's dull and dead on the page. MFK Fisher doesn't truly seem inspired by her writing. Her extramarital affair is nothing but a drag, and let's not even talk about her marriage. Even her relationship with food, which should provide some vibrancy and sensuality, is mostly lifeless. Have a look at the cover, a generic, anonymous, boring photo of a woman holding a pen--it's a good emblem for what's inside, if perhaps not in the way the publisher intended. I am left wondering what the point of the whole thing is. It's just a bummer, a book that will disappoint fans of "women's fiction," fans of literary fiction, and fans of MFK Fisher alike.
If you've been paying attention, you may have noticed I gave the Lee Miller novel one star, whereas this one managed to achieve two. Why the higher rating for this one? In retrospect, I'm not sure. I suppose the writing was a little better in The Arrangement, and if I have to choose between a brilliant woman being portrayed as a silly chick-lit heroine or as a dull, sad, serious woman, I guess I'll choose the latter. But I'd rather no one attempt something like this again until they really think they can get it right.
I received this ARC from the publisher via Goodreads. Thank you, Goodreads!
May 11, 2019
I loved it. Not everyone will. But I am this book’s audience. It is my book. And I ate every word.
January 31, 2016
It was only after reading the first quarter of this book when I realized it was written by an author living in my town. I believe she is having a release party next week and I might stop by; she recently collaborated with a few other people to open a beautiful bookstore downtown in Greenville, SC, M. Judson Books. I have not read her previous works
I was most interested in this because I knew very little about the person of M.F.K. Fisher, who I just recently discovered. She was a food writer who started out in pre-world war II times and continued to have success in publishing essays on food throughout her life (you can hear me talk more about her on Episode 017 of the Reading Envy Podcast. Not knowing much of her as a person, I didn't know what to expect from this story, nor do I know how well researched or how accurate it is. It is a novel, so I don't need truth, but the author mentions several biographies on Fisher that sparked her desire to write about her, and those may be worth looking into.
The focus of the story is a very awkward love triangle (hey look at me, reading a romance, one of my goals for the year) - Fisher sleeps with a friend of her husband's and at one point they all live together in a house! She travels with the other man and his mother in Europe. The strange element to that is that they are traveling in the years leading up to the war, as Hitler is already gaining power, and these events hardly receive mention. The characters don't seem concerned, despite the character of Tim having been a part of the previous war. Perhaps that is the luxury of being Americans abroad, not having previously experienced the war on their own soil, but I felt it was worth mentioning.
My favorite moments are those where Fisher has experiences that contribute to the writer and person she became, from memorable meals to relationships to travel. I would have loved to see excerpts of her actual writings interspersed in the text; it would have added a realistic element. The essays and books mentioned actually exist, which is good too.
There are moments in the book where an elderly MFK Fisher takes over the point of view, and I found those to be jarring - there was no break or warning that it was happening and it often happened in moments when it didn't feel like the previous scene had ended. The elderly Fisher is donating some of her books and writings to a university library, and I actually liked having the character of a librarian who couldn't resist dinner and a bath, but it might have made more sense all gathered together at the end. (Of course I do have a review copy so this may have changed.) I was confused about the child scenario and the multiple family members that move in and out, felt sorry for her husband but also for Fisher, but only at first. She really took quite a bit of control of her own life considering the time period, all to our benefit as readers!
I received a copy of this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was most interested in this because I knew very little about the person of M.F.K. Fisher, who I just recently discovered. She was a food writer who started out in pre-world war II times and continued to have success in publishing essays on food throughout her life (you can hear me talk more about her on Episode 017 of the Reading Envy Podcast. Not knowing much of her as a person, I didn't know what to expect from this story, nor do I know how well researched or how accurate it is. It is a novel, so I don't need truth, but the author mentions several biographies on Fisher that sparked her desire to write about her, and those may be worth looking into.
The focus of the story is a very awkward love triangle (hey look at me, reading a romance, one of my goals for the year) - Fisher sleeps with a friend of her husband's and at one point they all live together in a house! She travels with the other man and his mother in Europe. The strange element to that is that they are traveling in the years leading up to the war, as Hitler is already gaining power, and these events hardly receive mention. The characters don't seem concerned, despite the character of Tim having been a part of the previous war. Perhaps that is the luxury of being Americans abroad, not having previously experienced the war on their own soil, but I felt it was worth mentioning.
My favorite moments are those where Fisher has experiences that contribute to the writer and person she became, from memorable meals to relationships to travel. I would have loved to see excerpts of her actual writings interspersed in the text; it would have added a realistic element. The essays and books mentioned actually exist, which is good too.
There are moments in the book where an elderly MFK Fisher takes over the point of view, and I found those to be jarring - there was no break or warning that it was happening and it often happened in moments when it didn't feel like the previous scene had ended. The elderly Fisher is donating some of her books and writings to a university library, and I actually liked having the character of a librarian who couldn't resist dinner and a bath, but it might have made more sense all gathered together at the end. (Of course I do have a review copy so this may have changed.) I was confused about the child scenario and the multiple family members that move in and out, felt sorry for her husband but also for Fisher, but only at first. She really took quite a bit of control of her own life considering the time period, all to our benefit as readers!
I received a copy of this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 10, 2016
ARC received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
To read more of my reviews visit Carlene Inspired.
Mary Frances invites him to dine with her husband, a husband that likely was never invited himself. Based in 1934, Mary Frances has found a desire to write and a desire to love, two things most lacking in her current relationship. Leaning on Tim for support, Mary Frances finds herself first published as M.F.K. Fisher and soon after involved in an extramarital affair. Soon all three are involved in the arrangement, leaving lasting effects on their careers, their families, and their lives.
With beautiful prose and historical accuracy, Ashley Warlick weaves the tale of M.F.K. Fisher in The Arrangement. Warlick manages to take away the distaste that comes with affairs and tell the story of Mary Frances' emotionally lacking marriage to Al and ever-growing fondness for their family friend, Tim. As the title suggests, this book explains the arrangement Mary Frances has with her husband, her lover, and her writing life. Like many other literary fictions out right now, The Arrangement tells the fictionalized story of an author, M.F.K. Fisher, a well known American food writer. The life of Mary Frances is compelling, she traveled often and was a true lover of food, but this novel fails to bring to life Mary Frances and her essays and instead focuses on her extramarital relationship alone. It takes ages to reach the arrangement and unfortunately the unraveling marriage fails to evoke the emotions one would usually feel during the loss of love. I initially enjoyed The Arrangement, I wanted to learn how Mary Frances began her writing career, and the curiosity of her affair grabbed my attention, however this novel failed to deliver. Full of moments of great importance, the slow development and lack of emotion makes this book read more like an informational essay than a romanticized account.
I am a lover of words, I enjoy when an author is a quality literary writer, but then there is over the top and The Arrangement is just that, over the top. The prose is gorgeous, but it also takes away from the overall story. I felt more like I was taking in the details of what was going on around Mary Frances than I was living life as her. There are beautiful descriptions of foods, of clothing, of the faces of the characters around her, but I never felt any emotion. What started as intriguing soon grew tedious for me and I had to consciously keep myself from skimming pages. There was also no distinct voice; the changing POV's, and changing times, made for a confusing story line that I couldn't date easily. I found myself confused and disconnected from the narrative, further pulling me from the story of Mary Frances and her evolving relationship and subsequent arrangement.
While lacking the emotive writing M.F.K. Fisher put into her own essays, Warlick delivers a successful historical fiction about Mary Frances and her hunger, her hunger for life and love.
To read more of my reviews visit Carlene Inspired.
Mary Frances invites him to dine with her husband, a husband that likely was never invited himself. Based in 1934, Mary Frances has found a desire to write and a desire to love, two things most lacking in her current relationship. Leaning on Tim for support, Mary Frances finds herself first published as M.F.K. Fisher and soon after involved in an extramarital affair. Soon all three are involved in the arrangement, leaving lasting effects on their careers, their families, and their lives.
With beautiful prose and historical accuracy, Ashley Warlick weaves the tale of M.F.K. Fisher in The Arrangement. Warlick manages to take away the distaste that comes with affairs and tell the story of Mary Frances' emotionally lacking marriage to Al and ever-growing fondness for their family friend, Tim. As the title suggests, this book explains the arrangement Mary Frances has with her husband, her lover, and her writing life. Like many other literary fictions out right now, The Arrangement tells the fictionalized story of an author, M.F.K. Fisher, a well known American food writer. The life of Mary Frances is compelling, she traveled often and was a true lover of food, but this novel fails to bring to life Mary Frances and her essays and instead focuses on her extramarital relationship alone. It takes ages to reach the arrangement and unfortunately the unraveling marriage fails to evoke the emotions one would usually feel during the loss of love. I initially enjoyed The Arrangement, I wanted to learn how Mary Frances began her writing career, and the curiosity of her affair grabbed my attention, however this novel failed to deliver. Full of moments of great importance, the slow development and lack of emotion makes this book read more like an informational essay than a romanticized account.
I am a lover of words, I enjoy when an author is a quality literary writer, but then there is over the top and The Arrangement is just that, over the top. The prose is gorgeous, but it also takes away from the overall story. I felt more like I was taking in the details of what was going on around Mary Frances than I was living life as her. There are beautiful descriptions of foods, of clothing, of the faces of the characters around her, but I never felt any emotion. What started as intriguing soon grew tedious for me and I had to consciously keep myself from skimming pages. There was also no distinct voice; the changing POV's, and changing times, made for a confusing story line that I couldn't date easily. I found myself confused and disconnected from the narrative, further pulling me from the story of Mary Frances and her evolving relationship and subsequent arrangement.
While lacking the emotive writing M.F.K. Fisher put into her own essays, Warlick delivers a successful historical fiction about Mary Frances and her hunger, her hunger for life and love.
February 6, 2016
There seems to be interesting trend in writing about real life characters but in a fictional setting. This new book takes creative license with M.F.K. Fisher and brings you into the story about her love for husband's best friend and her torn feelings about the need to care for her husband.
A little shocking for the time, this book explores the love M.F.K. Fisher and Tim had for each other even though they're both married to other people. A story before their time, the bravery she dealt with, and the love and passion she realized she needed in her life. You also feel the ramifications this love and given the fact that her husband Al is withdrawing from their relationship, you cannot help but want to cheer her on.
The author has a wonderful way with prose. You can definitely sink into a comfy chair and read this for hours. A love story for the ages.
A little shocking for the time, this book explores the love M.F.K. Fisher and Tim had for each other even though they're both married to other people. A story before their time, the bravery she dealt with, and the love and passion she realized she needed in her life. You also feel the ramifications this love and given the fact that her husband Al is withdrawing from their relationship, you cannot help but want to cheer her on.
The author has a wonderful way with prose. You can definitely sink into a comfy chair and read this for hours. A love story for the ages.
didnt-finish
January 24, 2016Read a few chapters on the plane, then never thought about it again
November 21, 2018
How is it possible that I missed this book when it came out? A friend recommended it and I'm so glad she did. This is an absolutely gorgeous, sensual, beautifully written novel about MFK Fisher's affair with her husband's best friend. Food, sex, glamorous travel, and the real-life story of a woman writer I knew little about...what's not to like?
Did I mention that the writing is GORGEOUS? Truly, I can't get over how beautiful this novel is. I read that the author spent ten years researching and writing it, and I believe it.
Did I mention that the writing is GORGEOUS? Truly, I can't get over how beautiful this novel is. I read that the author spent ten years researching and writing it, and I believe it.
March 1, 2016
A very low 3 stars. Whilst interesting to read about M.F.K Fisher and her life, this is incredibly slow moving and I found very difficult to make it through. A shame as this had potential.
December 3, 2016
Carolina Southern author, Ashley Warlick, infuses fact with fiction with the exquisitely evocative THE ARRANGEMENT, Mary Frances Fischer (M.F.K)— legendary food writer and storyteller. From the classic front cover, a timeless story of a complex talented woman, her love of food and literature, her desires, passions, a love triangle, and life in the 1930s-40s.
M.F.K. Fisher books deal primarily with food, considering it from many aspects: preparation, natural history, culture, and philosophy. Fisher believed that eating well was just one of the "arts of life" and explored the art of living as a secondary theme in her writing.
Set in Depression -era California and prewar Europe, this sweeping literary tale is all about hunger — both for food and love. A wife, a lover, and an independent talented woman with desires.
Cassandra Campbell was the "perfect voice" for the audio book, delivering a magical and spellbinding performance-- for Mary Frances, the extraordinary food critic/author, and the secondary voices. (Highly recommend audio version). The sensual adventures of food writer M.F. K. Fisher will keep readers turning the pages (or glued to your listening device).
From 1934, Hollywood, Mary Frances Kennedy is married to Al Fisher, a college professor and poet. She is restless and bored. The Great Depression - times are tough. Her husband resents Mary Frances, whose talent as a writer is moving forward, and she resents Al for his lack of passion in and out of the bedroom. His writing is not going well. She wanted to make her marriage work; however, it does not seem possible.
She becomes involved in an affair with Dillwyn “Tim” Parrish, a painter, and writer--a great supporter of her work. Tim was older, a mentor and encourages her passion for writing—he taught her pleasure. A perfect match for her passion of romance and food.
Mary Frances wants more she wants to be successful, wants to be loved. Of course, in these times, divorce was unacceptable and the affair seemed to be the only logical choice. Tim, also married to a much young aspiring actress, Gigi. After she leaves him for another man, Mary Frances and Tim reconnect. However, the timing is off—Al is depressed, unable to write, perform, and suffering from the death of his father.
Torn, a love complex triangle. Scandalous. An entanglement. Pain and pleasure. Mary Frances struggles to choose between her husband and his friend, and decides instead to write--leaving behind Mary Frances, she becomes MFK Fisher.
A talented woman struggling to find a voice; a place in her world; illustrating the force that drives us to feed ourselves when we are hungry, in many ways. Spanning time and space, from California, France and the Swiss Alps--Rich in history, art, charm, travel, culture, cuisine, and epicurean delights, THE ARRANGEMENT —will make you appreciate the simple sensual pleasures of food and cooking.
In addition to the passion of food and wine, literary, and a sensuous love affair, the novel also reiterates how difficult it was during this era for a woman, both personally and professional.
Provocative, seductive, and sensuous –an ideal read for valentines, transporting readers to another place and time, assured to please culinary, foodies, literary, and historical romance fans. The characters come alive on the pages, and the author’s passion shines through—one to be savored.
Author Ashley Warlock, no stranger to food, knows her way around a kitchen. She calls herself “a passionate, obstinate home cook, as happy to read a cookbook as a novel.” The editor of the South Carolina quarterly food magazine Edible Upcountry.
A Charlotte, NC native, with hotel clients in the Charleston, SC area, so excited to discover this Southern author---my first book by Warlick, and look forward to reading more!
Mary Frances Kennedy Fisher is not just the greatest American food writer who's ever played the game, she's one of our greatest writers, period. She was, variously, a travel writer, an essayist, a chronicler of American idylls, an observer of decline, of lack, of old fashioned custom and manners, a social critic, and a historian.
Other Reading Fans of MFK Fisher, will want to read, The Theoretical Foot Feb 9, 2016. When Robert Lescher died in 2012 an unpublished manuscript of M.F.K. Fisher’s was discovered neatly packed in the one of the literary agent’s signature red boxes. Inspired by Fisher’s affair with Dillwyn Parrish -- who was to become her second husband. (currently reading). This book accounts the latter days of the romance between Fisher and Parrish. The novel itself never saw publication while Fisher was alive. Recommend reading both--a fascinating woman!
“Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly.” ― M.F.K. Fisher
JDCMustReadBooks
M.F.K. Fisher books deal primarily with food, considering it from many aspects: preparation, natural history, culture, and philosophy. Fisher believed that eating well was just one of the "arts of life" and explored the art of living as a secondary theme in her writing.
Set in Depression -era California and prewar Europe, this sweeping literary tale is all about hunger — both for food and love. A wife, a lover, and an independent talented woman with desires.
Cassandra Campbell was the "perfect voice" for the audio book, delivering a magical and spellbinding performance-- for Mary Frances, the extraordinary food critic/author, and the secondary voices. (Highly recommend audio version). The sensual adventures of food writer M.F. K. Fisher will keep readers turning the pages (or glued to your listening device).
From 1934, Hollywood, Mary Frances Kennedy is married to Al Fisher, a college professor and poet. She is restless and bored. The Great Depression - times are tough. Her husband resents Mary Frances, whose talent as a writer is moving forward, and she resents Al for his lack of passion in and out of the bedroom. His writing is not going well. She wanted to make her marriage work; however, it does not seem possible.
She becomes involved in an affair with Dillwyn “Tim” Parrish, a painter, and writer--a great supporter of her work. Tim was older, a mentor and encourages her passion for writing—he taught her pleasure. A perfect match for her passion of romance and food.
Mary Frances wants more she wants to be successful, wants to be loved. Of course, in these times, divorce was unacceptable and the affair seemed to be the only logical choice. Tim, also married to a much young aspiring actress, Gigi. After she leaves him for another man, Mary Frances and Tim reconnect. However, the timing is off—Al is depressed, unable to write, perform, and suffering from the death of his father.
Torn, a love complex triangle. Scandalous. An entanglement. Pain and pleasure. Mary Frances struggles to choose between her husband and his friend, and decides instead to write--leaving behind Mary Frances, she becomes MFK Fisher.
A talented woman struggling to find a voice; a place in her world; illustrating the force that drives us to feed ourselves when we are hungry, in many ways. Spanning time and space, from California, France and the Swiss Alps--Rich in history, art, charm, travel, culture, cuisine, and epicurean delights, THE ARRANGEMENT —will make you appreciate the simple sensual pleasures of food and cooking.
In addition to the passion of food and wine, literary, and a sensuous love affair, the novel also reiterates how difficult it was during this era for a woman, both personally and professional.
Provocative, seductive, and sensuous –an ideal read for valentines, transporting readers to another place and time, assured to please culinary, foodies, literary, and historical romance fans. The characters come alive on the pages, and the author’s passion shines through—one to be savored.
Author Ashley Warlock, no stranger to food, knows her way around a kitchen. She calls herself “a passionate, obstinate home cook, as happy to read a cookbook as a novel.” The editor of the South Carolina quarterly food magazine Edible Upcountry.
A Charlotte, NC native, with hotel clients in the Charleston, SC area, so excited to discover this Southern author---my first book by Warlick, and look forward to reading more!
Mary Frances Kennedy Fisher is not just the greatest American food writer who's ever played the game, she's one of our greatest writers, period. She was, variously, a travel writer, an essayist, a chronicler of American idylls, an observer of decline, of lack, of old fashioned custom and manners, a social critic, and a historian.
Other Reading Fans of MFK Fisher, will want to read, The Theoretical Foot Feb 9, 2016. When Robert Lescher died in 2012 an unpublished manuscript of M.F.K. Fisher’s was discovered neatly packed in the one of the literary agent’s signature red boxes. Inspired by Fisher’s affair with Dillwyn Parrish -- who was to become her second husband. (currently reading). This book accounts the latter days of the romance between Fisher and Parrish. The novel itself never saw publication while Fisher was alive. Recommend reading both--a fascinating woman!
“Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly.” ― M.F.K. Fisher
JDCMustReadBooks
December 13, 2017
So, maybe I live under a rock, but I had no clue that "M.K.F. Fisher" was a real person until 3/4 of my way in, which probably contributed towards some of my sour criticism of the text. I was pretty annoyed that Warlick seemed to "create" a character who wrote better than Warlick and readers never got to read those texts in the book. Now that I know she was a real person, I suppose I can go read her works to my heart's content, but this book was so dull that it really doesn't encourage me to do so. The plight of a woman writer who followed her "hunger" for life instead of being bound by society's restraints interested me, but, frankly, all she does is eat some exotic foods and fall in love with someone else. Obviously, doing these activities was far more sensational for her time period, but Warlick did not write in a way that effectively conveyed the scandal. The way that Gigi left her husband was far more "risky," but I was yet again disappointed to learn that all she did was quit acting and marry someone near her own age. Basically, real people are often extremely boring and should not have books written by them, or at least not by Warlick.
Don't get me wrong, I am still a loyal fan to Philippa Gregory and some historical fiction no matter how bombastic or repetitive she becomes. Yes, the Tudors (and all of their counterparts) were real people, but this was a time period when people's personal lives were not well-documented, so supposition of emotions is more accepted. Unfortunately for Warlick, the only emotion she was able to give any of her "characters" was depression. Everyone was depressed, from Gigi the ingenue to Tim's aging mother to Al and his prostitute (more on that scene later). Even Mary Frances, the only person who seems to get anything she really wants in the text, is always worrying about her life. When she felt no remorse for Tim and Gigi divorcing, I laughingly applauded her brazenness, only to be (once again) disappointed that she then leads such a bland existence, at least according to Warlick: "Oh, Tim. We ought to find me a conscience. There must be one of those around here somewhere" (32). I'd also love to know how much actual research Warlick did for this book considering everything, including the titles for the different periods of Mary Frances's life, can be directly compared almost verbatim to the Wikipedia page!
The transitions were terrible in this book to the point where I found myself wondering constantly what was going on. I don't know if Warlick suffers from an inability to structure sentences well or if she was unsuccessfully trying to present a hazy tone over the situations, but it was awful. Some reviewers on here (to my horror) are applauding her prose, to which I encourage them to ask me for some superior recommendations. Sure, Warlick describes food in detail, but so does a decent menu! The only interesting part that I wanted more on was Al with the prostitute he apparently had beaten.
Also, had this been a novel, I would have been thoroughly disappointed that Tim, Al, and Mary Francis did not live like brother husbands as he seemed to suggest!
Don't get me wrong, I am still a loyal fan to Philippa Gregory and some historical fiction no matter how bombastic or repetitive she becomes. Yes, the Tudors (and all of their counterparts) were real people, but this was a time period when people's personal lives were not well-documented, so supposition of emotions is more accepted. Unfortunately for Warlick, the only emotion she was able to give any of her "characters" was depression. Everyone was depressed, from Gigi the ingenue to Tim's aging mother to Al and his prostitute (more on that scene later). Even Mary Frances, the only person who seems to get anything she really wants in the text, is always worrying about her life. When she felt no remorse for Tim and Gigi divorcing, I laughingly applauded her brazenness, only to be (once again) disappointed that she then leads such a bland existence, at least according to Warlick: "Oh, Tim. We ought to find me a conscience. There must be one of those around here somewhere" (32). I'd also love to know how much actual research Warlick did for this book considering everything, including the titles for the different periods of Mary Frances's life, can be directly compared almost verbatim to the Wikipedia page!
The transitions were terrible in this book to the point where I found myself wondering constantly what was going on. I don't know if Warlick suffers from an inability to structure sentences well or if she was unsuccessfully trying to present a hazy tone over the situations, but it was awful. Some reviewers on here (to my horror) are applauding her prose, to which I encourage them to ask me for some superior recommendations. Sure, Warlick describes food in detail, but so does a decent menu! The only interesting part that I wanted more on was Al with the prostitute he apparently had beaten.
Also, had this been a novel, I would have been thoroughly disappointed that Tim, Al, and Mary Francis did not live like brother husbands as he seemed to suggest!
March 10, 2016
I know a lot of people tend to shy away from books about adultery…..but I personally don’t mind it. Often times the most complex romances come from complicated love triangles involving marriages and friendships, and I like complex or complicated relationships so I personally don’t mind the adultery angle–especially when it’s well done.
But like a good complicated romance, a book like this one was also complicated for me to review. On one hand, I really liked the love triangle situation. I felt like the feelings that Mary Frances and Tim shared were passionate and believable. I felt invested in their relationship and their love for each other but I didn’t necessarily feel invested in the actual characters themselves.
The feelings and romance part were well written and memorable but the characters themselves when looked at individually were kind of flat for me. For instance, Mary Frances was a woman who inspired a new literary genre with her well written love of food……but in the book I didn’t feel like she was deeply connected to her writing in the way that was expected from the woman which was implied in the book description. I don’t know if that’s because the writer didn’t research her character enough or if that was intentional or unintentional…..I just wasn’t sure. So much of the author’s focus seemed to be on the romance–which is fine–however I think it’s equally important to have the individual characters develop more so that the audience is just as invested in them as they are with the romance itself.
The other thing I noted was a lot of the book is set in pre WWII, I expected that mounting historic tension would have played a bigger role in the book itself. I felt a little disappointed that this wasn’t played up more in the book. I love war time romances and I think that the tension between Mary Frances and Tim could have only been enhanced by the dramatic historic backdrop.
All that said I did enjoy the romance part of this book immensely. What I loved most was Warlick’s ability to create almost blameless characters. There are no real good guys or bad guys in this book which is hard to do when writing a complex romance–particularly about adultery. Sometimes it’s easy to cast the husband as the ‘bad guy’ but I didn’t see this happening in this book. The relationship between Al and Mary Frances just seemed more tragic…..like two people who just grew apart, no one’s fault that she fell in love with someone else. I really liked that and respected the author for choosing to go that route…..it felt more real and genuine.
Overall this is a decent read especially for the spring time. There isn’t much written about M.F.K. Fisher so if you are interested in her as a person or even as a writer then this is a fun read that introduces the reader to her and the loose details of her life.
See my full review here
But like a good complicated romance, a book like this one was also complicated for me to review. On one hand, I really liked the love triangle situation. I felt like the feelings that Mary Frances and Tim shared were passionate and believable. I felt invested in their relationship and their love for each other but I didn’t necessarily feel invested in the actual characters themselves.
The feelings and romance part were well written and memorable but the characters themselves when looked at individually were kind of flat for me. For instance, Mary Frances was a woman who inspired a new literary genre with her well written love of food……but in the book I didn’t feel like she was deeply connected to her writing in the way that was expected from the woman which was implied in the book description. I don’t know if that’s because the writer didn’t research her character enough or if that was intentional or unintentional…..I just wasn’t sure. So much of the author’s focus seemed to be on the romance–which is fine–however I think it’s equally important to have the individual characters develop more so that the audience is just as invested in them as they are with the romance itself.
The other thing I noted was a lot of the book is set in pre WWII, I expected that mounting historic tension would have played a bigger role in the book itself. I felt a little disappointed that this wasn’t played up more in the book. I love war time romances and I think that the tension between Mary Frances and Tim could have only been enhanced by the dramatic historic backdrop.
All that said I did enjoy the romance part of this book immensely. What I loved most was Warlick’s ability to create almost blameless characters. There are no real good guys or bad guys in this book which is hard to do when writing a complex romance–particularly about adultery. Sometimes it’s easy to cast the husband as the ‘bad guy’ but I didn’t see this happening in this book. The relationship between Al and Mary Frances just seemed more tragic…..like two people who just grew apart, no one’s fault that she fell in love with someone else. I really liked that and respected the author for choosing to go that route…..it felt more real and genuine.
Overall this is a decent read especially for the spring time. There isn’t much written about M.F.K. Fisher so if you are interested in her as a person or even as a writer then this is a fun read that introduces the reader to her and the loose details of her life.
See my full review here
January 14, 2016
Warlick is a very fine writer, and this novel is rich in beautifully crafted language. I've read everything MFK Fisher wrote, so I was very keen to dive into the advance galley of this novel. For the most part, I found it engaging and compelling, but from time to time the writing style was a little too oblique, especially when talking about her physical relationship with Al. There was no reason to keep his limitations unclear-- just come out and say it! All in all, this is a love story told as a novel, but closely mirroring what really happened to real people, a portrayal of a young woman from a "good" family in a time of constraint who dared to live unconventionally, a dare that helped her go on to be brave enough to write the way she wanted to write, in the process becoming (in my mind) one of the great American writers of the 20th century.
March 9, 2016
an imagining of mfk fisher from 1934 LA, struggling with her struggling poet writer husband, she wanting to write and live a life of the mind and art, or maybe she does. then she falls in love with her husband's best friend, painter and writer himself. she is fulfilled by her lover, sexually and intellectually. while this novel seems to struggle at first, seeming a bit pedestrian (note publisher not really literary, anymore) it becomes more and more, stronger and stronger, a work of literature, and illustrates barriers women have to being considered legitimate thinkers, writers and artists.
mfk, her sad husband, and her lover buy a farm in switzerland in 1938. their 3 way eden. they have to leave. their 3 way broken, their lives threatened by nazis, but their art moves on to greater heights.
a passionate and thought provoking novel.
opps, i forgot too, the very sexy bit about the librarian visiting mfk fisher's ranch house to pick up her donated life's work paper for harvard library, librarian gets all sweaty loading up archives, mfk invites him to take a bath....then doesn't knock. :)
mfk, her sad husband, and her lover buy a farm in switzerland in 1938. their 3 way eden. they have to leave. their 3 way broken, their lives threatened by nazis, but their art moves on to greater heights.
a passionate and thought provoking novel.
opps, i forgot too, the very sexy bit about the librarian visiting mfk fisher's ranch house to pick up her donated life's work paper for harvard library, librarian gets all sweaty loading up archives, mfk invites him to take a bath....then doesn't knock. :)
January 30, 2019
This is a second novel of biographical fiction I've read this year (the other being Behave by Andromeda Romano-Lax). I thought this book was a little unwieldy compared with the other, where the strangeness of the story wasn't helped by the storytelling. For me it was exactly ok enough to keep reading.
January 17, 2018
3.5 Stars
Since the book was loosely based on M.F.K Fisher (author), I was intrigued. It kept my attention, and I enjoyed it. However, the middle lagged, which is why it received a slightly lower rating.
Since the book was loosely based on M.F.K Fisher (author), I was intrigued. It kept my attention, and I enjoyed it. However, the middle lagged, which is why it received a slightly lower rating.
November 30, 2015
This was one of those books I so badly wanted to love, but it just didn't jell for me. I was interested to find out about the life of MFK Fisher but turned out this novel dealt with her life and career from 1934 to 1943, mainly covering the unraveling of her marriage to Al to her eventual life with Dillwyn "Tim" Parrish.
The prose was gorgeously written and the setting and food descriptions were luscious, but it wasn't quite enough to keep my interest--but maybe it was my mood as others have given it five stars. It has compelled me to perhaps read a biography of MFK as I'm still interested in reading about her life--or maybe I'll just read the Wikipedia entry. :-)
The prose was gorgeously written and the setting and food descriptions were luscious, but it wasn't quite enough to keep my interest--but maybe it was my mood as others have given it five stars. It has compelled me to perhaps read a biography of MFK as I'm still interested in reading about her life--or maybe I'll just read the Wikipedia entry. :-)
January 6, 2018
This book lost me throughout the story continuously. I thought it was about an illicit affair. It was but it was so strange that it had no appeal. I finally figured that this story was during the war with Hitler and divorce is this Day was uncommon. The arrangement was pertaining to the situation and a trickier living arrangement that changed the life of each person involved.
December 27, 2015
wonderful for foodies, historical fiction lovers, feminists, lovers of France and Switzerland, and anyone who loves a passionate love story.
May 11, 2017
Gave up. To be fair, I confused this with another book by the same title. Still might try the other one!
March 2, 2020
Colossal waste of time
January 11, 2018
MFK Fisher’s Love Story
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved all the references to food in it. I loved the way it was written. Loved the love story. It left me hungry in so many ways!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved all the references to food in it. I loved the way it was written. Loved the love story. It left me hungry in so many ways!
February 17, 2025
This book wasn’t for me. I enjoyed some parts of it, but skimmed so much of it because it seemed so very interminable. The writing isn’t too bad.
March 4, 2025
“It wasn’t love, but rather an appetites demand: direct, imperative, true as love perhaps, but far more dangerous.”
January 3, 2025
Warlick writes poetically and rhythmically, however I was so bored with the plot of this book. When I finished the last page, I closed the book, and audibly said “Thank God that’s over.” 2 stars feels harsh because it was such beautiful writing but truly, thank God that’s over.
January 22, 2016
The deal-breaker for me and historical fiction is dialogue. Too stilted or too forced? See you later. Too flowery or full of period-specific-prose? Hello DNF pile. Thankfully The Arrangement by Ashley Warlick passes the dialogue test. So what about the rest?
The Arrangement tells the story of Mary Frances, best known as M.F.K. Fisher, the author whose essays about food would prove genre-defining. Living in both Los Angeles and the Swiss Alps during the 1930s, Mary Frances’s life was largely constrained by conservative social expectations about marriage, children and how a woman should occupy her time. When the story begins, she’s married to Al, a teacher and author. But the union lacks passion and she starts an affair with Al’s friend, Tim. From there unfolds the story of the unconventional ‘arrangement’ between Mary Frances, Al and Tim (no suggestion of threesomes, just a good honest love triangle).
By today’s standards, Mary Frances’s situation would hardly raise an eyebrow (although her solution, the ‘arrangement’, probably would) but it is of course the historical context that makes the story interesting. Equally, the fact that as Mary Frances became more successful, her husband became resentful, adds interest (although this perspective favours Mary Frances and her decision to be unfaithful).
“To Al, Mary Frances’s writing would always be a hobby, like her drawing, her cooking and carving and knitting, because he did not want a wife for a rival, and really, who could blame him.”
While I liked Warlick’s writing well enough, I felt she missed opportunities – lush descriptions of food, places, lovers trysts and burning passion were absent. Perhaps this was difficult to achieve because Mary Frances reveals so much of herself in her published essays – how could Warlick extend that?
“‘Hunger,’ she said. ‘I write about hunger for all kinds of things.'”
Except that hunger fails to translate. Instead, the focus is on the slow disintegration of Mary Frances’s marriage and Al’s growing anger and frustration. The problem with this approach was that I got the impression that the story was less about her desire to be with Tim and more about the need to leave Al.
I received my copy of The Arrangement from the publisher, Viking, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
3/5 Interesting but somehow lacking.
The Arrangement tells the story of Mary Frances, best known as M.F.K. Fisher, the author whose essays about food would prove genre-defining. Living in both Los Angeles and the Swiss Alps during the 1930s, Mary Frances’s life was largely constrained by conservative social expectations about marriage, children and how a woman should occupy her time. When the story begins, she’s married to Al, a teacher and author. But the union lacks passion and she starts an affair with Al’s friend, Tim. From there unfolds the story of the unconventional ‘arrangement’ between Mary Frances, Al and Tim (no suggestion of threesomes, just a good honest love triangle).
By today’s standards, Mary Frances’s situation would hardly raise an eyebrow (although her solution, the ‘arrangement’, probably would) but it is of course the historical context that makes the story interesting. Equally, the fact that as Mary Frances became more successful, her husband became resentful, adds interest (although this perspective favours Mary Frances and her decision to be unfaithful).
“To Al, Mary Frances’s writing would always be a hobby, like her drawing, her cooking and carving and knitting, because he did not want a wife for a rival, and really, who could blame him.”
While I liked Warlick’s writing well enough, I felt she missed opportunities – lush descriptions of food, places, lovers trysts and burning passion were absent. Perhaps this was difficult to achieve because Mary Frances reveals so much of herself in her published essays – how could Warlick extend that?
“‘Hunger,’ she said. ‘I write about hunger for all kinds of things.'”
Except that hunger fails to translate. Instead, the focus is on the slow disintegration of Mary Frances’s marriage and Al’s growing anger and frustration. The problem with this approach was that I got the impression that the story was less about her desire to be with Tim and more about the need to leave Al.
I received my copy of The Arrangement from the publisher, Viking, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
3/5 Interesting but somehow lacking.
January 23, 2016
This novel, based loosely on the real life of MFK Fisher, deals with her romantic entanglement as a married woman with her husband's best friend. However, it's also about the universal situation in which women, married or not, often find themselves -- of wanting more. Given the time frame of Fisher's story (just before the start of World War II), it's not surprising that a creative person like Fisher should find herself not quite satisfied with her life.
She loves her husband, but raised in a well-to-do family that clearly adored her, it's not too much of a stretch to find that keeping a home as a young married wife was not quite enough for Fisher. Time spent in France with her new husband also had a clear impact, and she seeks to chronicle her insights into food and life first in her journal, then later into articles, and eventually a book.
However, even as she is succeeding as a writer, her own husband is experiencing his own crisis. He's let go from his teaching job due to the economy. His writer's block (he's a poet) becomes acute. When his father dies, he goes into a deep spiral downward. That Mary Frances seems to be effortlessly succeeding in the publishing world while he can't seem to write is akin to adding gasoline to a slow burn.
Meanwhile, they strike up a friendship with another married couple -- Gigi (a Hollywood actress) and Tim (a novelist turned painter). Tim is able to see in Mary Frances what her own husband cannot -- her beauty, her talent, her essence. Thus begins "the arrangement," in which she and Tim find themselves to be soul mates, even while the rest of the world disapproves.
While the book keeps up a steady pace and those interested in the complexities of relationships, love, marriage, and what goes beyond will surely find this story compelling, fans of MFK Fisher (the food writer) may yearn for more of her favorite subject matter (the wonder of food and dining) in this novel.
She loves her husband, but raised in a well-to-do family that clearly adored her, it's not too much of a stretch to find that keeping a home as a young married wife was not quite enough for Fisher. Time spent in France with her new husband also had a clear impact, and she seeks to chronicle her insights into food and life first in her journal, then later into articles, and eventually a book.
However, even as she is succeeding as a writer, her own husband is experiencing his own crisis. He's let go from his teaching job due to the economy. His writer's block (he's a poet) becomes acute. When his father dies, he goes into a deep spiral downward. That Mary Frances seems to be effortlessly succeeding in the publishing world while he can't seem to write is akin to adding gasoline to a slow burn.
Meanwhile, they strike up a friendship with another married couple -- Gigi (a Hollywood actress) and Tim (a novelist turned painter). Tim is able to see in Mary Frances what her own husband cannot -- her beauty, her talent, her essence. Thus begins "the arrangement," in which she and Tim find themselves to be soul mates, even while the rest of the world disapproves.
While the book keeps up a steady pace and those interested in the complexities of relationships, love, marriage, and what goes beyond will surely find this story compelling, fans of MFK Fisher (the food writer) may yearn for more of her favorite subject matter (the wonder of food and dining) in this novel.
February 10, 2016
Full disclosure: I almost gave up on this book several times. The writing felt uneven—I’d go back and reread sentences, thinking my focus was the problem, but they weren't any clearer upon rereading. The lack of rhythm kept me distanced from the main character, a fictionalized MFK Fisher, and her two love interests, her husband and his best friend. Despite the tantalizing love triangle, a conflict of which I am usually a fan (in literature, anyway!), I wasn’t sure I knew any of the three characters well enough to care who ended up with whom.
But something made me keep reading. I’d open my Kindle and decide it wouldn't hurt to read a few more pages. And then an hour would go by, and while I still wasn’t entirely sold, I couldn’t quite bring myself to set The Arrangement aside and leave it there.
If I had to guess, I’d say it was the descriptions of food that hooked me. MFK Fisher eventually became a well-known food writer, and the joy and comfort she found in the kitchen are evident on every page of Warlick’s novel. Perhaps what felt odd to me was that the food was more sensual than the sex. Fisher (or at least her novelized self) was more sure of her love of the culinary arts than she was of her feelings towards the men in her life. I did, however, appreciate her dedication to improving her writing, even in the face of her husband’s jealousy and competitiveness. It couldn’t have been easy for a woman in that era to so unapologetically pursue professional goals instead of domestic ones, especially with a husband who positioned himself as a rival instead of a supporter.
With regards to Penguin Viking and NetGalley for the advance copy. On sale today, February 9!
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
But something made me keep reading. I’d open my Kindle and decide it wouldn't hurt to read a few more pages. And then an hour would go by, and while I still wasn’t entirely sold, I couldn’t quite bring myself to set The Arrangement aside and leave it there.
If I had to guess, I’d say it was the descriptions of food that hooked me. MFK Fisher eventually became a well-known food writer, and the joy and comfort she found in the kitchen are evident on every page of Warlick’s novel. Perhaps what felt odd to me was that the food was more sensual than the sex. Fisher (or at least her novelized self) was more sure of her love of the culinary arts than she was of her feelings towards the men in her life. I did, however, appreciate her dedication to improving her writing, even in the face of her husband’s jealousy and competitiveness. It couldn’t have been easy for a woman in that era to so unapologetically pursue professional goals instead of domestic ones, especially with a husband who positioned himself as a rival instead of a supporter.
With regards to Penguin Viking and NetGalley for the advance copy. On sale today, February 9!
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
April 28, 2020
While, I respect the amount of research that went into this novel, it is possibly the slowest and most depressing book I have ever read. The reader has an awkward feeling of intruding into to situations where one doesn't belong, much like one or more of the players in this depressing drama must have felt too. It was uncomfortable.
I do admit that knowing it's based on the life of MFK Fisher, I did do a little research of my own. I found that she spent the fall of 1927 in my own small town in central Illinois attending my own alma mater. The places she wrote about still exist, even if they've undergone changes over the years: the waffle shop at 311 West State is now a tavern and the Colonial Inn is a private residence.
These tidbits were interesting. And in the end helpful.
As I neared the end of the book, the author would suddenly shift from 1937 to sometime in the 1980's (?) with no cue to the reader. No date, no new chapter just a completely disjointed couple of paragraphs thrown in here and there. I would not have understood this had I not done my own research and a few key items stuck in my brain: the fan back chair, the black tile, the Last House. This seems to be something that an editor missed or overlooked.
The years from 1934 to 1937 seemed to take place painstakingly slow. But over the span of a few pages we go from 1939 to 1943 with lots of unanswered questions.
She was an interesting woman. And a pioneer in the field of food writers. My suggestion for anyone wanting to read about MFK Fisher is to find one of her own books to read.
I do admit that knowing it's based on the life of MFK Fisher, I did do a little research of my own. I found that she spent the fall of 1927 in my own small town in central Illinois attending my own alma mater. The places she wrote about still exist, even if they've undergone changes over the years: the waffle shop at 311 West State is now a tavern and the Colonial Inn is a private residence.
These tidbits were interesting. And in the end helpful.
As I neared the end of the book, the author would suddenly shift from 1937 to sometime in the 1980's (?) with no cue to the reader. No date, no new chapter just a completely disjointed couple of paragraphs thrown in here and there. I would not have understood this had I not done my own research and a few key items stuck in my brain: the fan back chair, the black tile, the Last House. This seems to be something that an editor missed or overlooked.
The years from 1934 to 1937 seemed to take place painstakingly slow. But over the span of a few pages we go from 1939 to 1943 with lots of unanswered questions.
She was an interesting woman. And a pioneer in the field of food writers. My suggestion for anyone wanting to read about MFK Fisher is to find one of her own books to read.
May 30, 2016
I had never heard of Mary Frances Kennedy Fisher, aka MFK Fisher before reading the blurb about this book. The cover art and the story kept calling to me but when I read the reviews I worried that I wouldn't like the story if I did pick it up. When I saw it at my local friends of the library book sale I knew that could invest the ten cents they were charging for it without any regrets if I didn't like it.
But it turns out I did like it. The story is based on the life of author, MFK Fisher and focuses on her marriage and her extra-marital affair with one of her husband's good friends. The relationships are complicated to say the least and the majority of the narrative is very subtle. The reader is primarily kept at a distance from what is happening emotionally between the characters but there are sudden burst of emotion, conflict or confusion that reveal the true turmoil that's bubbling under the surface.
The narrative shifts from the present to the past and also shifts to other characters thoughts so you need to pay attention to what's being said to know who's thinking or feeling what's being described. I thought this was an interesting look at the Fisher's marriage and an interesting marriage arrangement for any era.
But it turns out I did like it. The story is based on the life of author, MFK Fisher and focuses on her marriage and her extra-marital affair with one of her husband's good friends. The relationships are complicated to say the least and the majority of the narrative is very subtle. The reader is primarily kept at a distance from what is happening emotionally between the characters but there are sudden burst of emotion, conflict or confusion that reveal the true turmoil that's bubbling under the surface.
The narrative shifts from the present to the past and also shifts to other characters thoughts so you need to pay attention to what's being said to know who's thinking or feeling what's being described. I thought this was an interesting look at the Fisher's marriage and an interesting marriage arrangement for any era.
October 19, 2015
Fabulous read. Warlick brings vivid detail to the life of author MFK Fisher in the late 1930's and early 40's. While understated and era-appropriate, the story is shockingly and beautifully sensual. MFK Fisher wrote about hunger and desire, food and eating, and this portrait of her intense relationship with Tim reflects all those literary interests. The author skillfully weaves in pieces of MFK Fisher's much later life as well -- glimpses of her later years when she is looking back over her body of work, deciding what to share and what to keep private. The book touches on the writing process, the challenges of writing as a life's work, the challenges of writing as a woman and more specifically, a wife. Best kind of historical fiction in my book. I don't know enough about MFK Fisher to know how much of the story is factual, but regardless it rings true and is a wonderful read. It is about an affair but more truly, it is about the beginning of a passionate life.
I read an advance copy, and I think the book will be available in early 2016.
I read an advance copy, and I think the book will be available in early 2016.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews