Many thanks to the publisher for the complimentary review copy; however, these are solely my thoughts and opinions.
The Dream Lover by Elizabeth Berg
Published by Random House
On April 14th, 2015
Genre: Fiction, Literary
Pages: 368
Source: complimentary review copy
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Having never read a George Sand novel but always interested in the persona, I was thrilled to have an opportunity to read and review The Dream Lover. It was also my first Elizabeth Berg novel and an introduction to George Sand, the author and person.
If you’re not familiar with George Sand, she was born Amantine-Lucile-Aurore Dupin. As a young journalist in Paris she quickly learned how to dress as a man in order to get the cheaper theater tickets. She is known for being a prolific writer and lover ~ writing novels and essays in abundance while collecting lovers in abundance along the way as well!
Although the narrative is in the first person, neither the ‘voice’ and personality of George Sand nor of Elizabeth Berg were apparent. It did not read as a diary nor as a stranger in a coffee shop relaying her life experiences ~ felt more like a biography without the heart and soul of the person.
It became apparent very early on that George Sand/Aurore perpetually made the same mistakes in each subsequent relationship or affair. She’d fall quickly ‘in love’ with the same type of person, have the same issues as the previous relationships and continue the cycle over and over and over again. Because of the vicious never-ending cycle it almost would have been better to have read about one of George’s conquests with the added statement that this same occurrence happened every few years with x number of people. Reading the problems she had in her relationships seemed like I was reading the same chapter over and over just different names.
I must admit though it was fascinating reading about the Paris of the day and learning of the different creatives George Sand was involved like Frederic Chopin, Gustave Flaubert and the infamous actress, Marie Dorval, Sand’s believed one true love. I imagine in the day George Sand would have made front page headlines every few months with her actions. Unfortunately, I just did not connect with her in The Dream Lover.
What famous literary character can you see making front page headlines constantly?
Thank you so much TLC Book Tours for inclusion in The Dream Lover tour.
To read additional reviews please visit TLC Book Tours.
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