Zelda Fitzgerald's Save me the waltz

Jazzy cover - I like it

 

"Possessing a rapacious engulfing ego their particular genius swallowed their world in its  swift undertow and washed its cadavers out to sea. New York is a good place to be on the upgrade."

Zelda Fitzgerald's one and only published novel was a must read for me after watching "Midnight in Paris" and doing a little online research into this fabulous party girl. Discovering her tragic back story made the book of even more interest.
I know many people lurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrve her husband's works and I believe they have their moments but they are not my favourite cup of tea - each to his own.
Save this waltz began with such dense prose that I thought I would really struggle to finish the book in a timely fashion. I was wrong. The descriptions are rich, and filled with emotion and insight. I'd even consider reading this twice - which is something I usually avoid.

There is something timeless about the insanity and excess of David and Alabama's party lifestyle. Likewise Alabama's errant child to respectable staid parents brings an inherent truth that stands the test of time.

Apparently, Alabama's mania for ballet reflects Zelda's own somewhat futile efforts to embark on a dance career.

I think that it is sad that Zelda's work is not held in as high esteem as that of her husband's, whilst they have different perspectives on the same time (and their somewhat crazy relationship), there is something so compelling about this book that definitely deserves exploration. Weirdly, when I compare how I scored The Great Gatsby and this work, I've given them both 4 out of 5.  Keep the champagne following.

" She felt as if she would like to be kissing Jacques Chevre-Feuille on top of the Arc de Triomphe. Kissing the white-linen stranger was like embracing a lost religious rite".