I’m happy to announce that Kirsten Mickelwait has renewed my faith in authors and books! With compelling writing, captivating characters, and one hell of a plot, “The Ashtrays are Full and the Glasses are Empty” has it all. Start with a young girl and young boy at the turn of the 20th century; sprinkle in some historic figures like Picasso, Hemingway, and Fitzgerald; add a dash of European locations and situations, and you have one hell of a treatise on how one’s perspective changes throughout the years, but not one’s soul. Ultimately, it’s a story about marriage and how the coupling goes from romantic to challenging to profound. Definitely, definitely worth the read!

Though the pacing is slow at times, this gorgeously written novel offers a deeply compelling and emotional portrait of a woman ahead of her time. Set against the glittering backdrop of 1920s Paris and Antibes, the story follows heiress Sara Wiborg as she seeks a life of art, beauty, and meaning beyond the rigid confines of her privileged upbringing. Her marriage to Gerald Murphy, and their glamorous circle of literary and artistic icons, gives the novel its dazzle—but it’s Sara’s heartbreak, resilience, and quiet reinvention that linger. Poignant and unforgettable, this is a story of love, loss, and the creative spirit that endures even after the party ends.

I loved this story from the first page. Following Sara from the Gilded Age through the Jazz Age. Then tragedy hits her life. This is a new author to me and I look forward to more from her.

Dreams of a more artistically satisfying life than the one she’d looked to be destined for finally seem to have been realized for discontented heiress Sara Wiborg when she meets and marries a man who shares her creative, aesthetic ideal only to have the dream dampened by the discovery that he is homosexual.
Not the total disaster that that might seem, though, with how the two really do love each other and he manages to keep his physical impulses in check, but it certainly takes the bloom off her initial hopes for their marriage as they make their way through the flamboyance and notable personages of the Jazz Age.
Hemingway, the Fitzgeralds, Dos Passos, Picasso and the reliably acerbic Dorothy Parker (“the first thing I do in the morning is brush my teeth and sharpen my tongue”), they all turn up with regularity in Kirsten Mickelwait’s rendition of the period of excess and exuberance in the manner of Hemingway’s “A Moveable Feast,” which is in fact cited in her book and with which, especially in its first half, it shares the not-always riveting nature of memoirs.
More novelistically satisfying, though (and the author does express fictional intent), is the book’s second half, where for all the tribulations visited upon the unfortunate couple, and there are not a few, including health tribulations suffered by both their boys, they do make for a more engrossing read.

This is a poignant and touching historical biographical book. The writing is so compelling. This follows the story of Sara. From sharing about growing up, making friends, describing class to life before and after marriage, author has shared all the highs and lows of life. The characters are fictional but the author has taken inspiration from real life characters. There is a mention of World War. I liked how Sara and Gerald become friends first and remain friends for eleven years and then they decide to marry. Despite disapproval from Sara’s family and all the hardships, they stay together. This is such a heart wrenching story and everything that happens in the story made me sad. I felt so deeply for Sara.

Thanks to the Publisher.

4.5

“The Ashtrays are Full and the Glasses are Empty” is a historical fiction book by Kirsten Mickelwait. This book tells the story of true life couple Sara and Gerald Murphy. If you haven’t heard of them, that’s okay (I had heard of them in passing before reading this book). The Murphys were part of the post-WWI art era (think Picasso). They not only hung out with famous people (literature, news, art, fashion) but also were famous in their own right. They are, to modern readers, known for “opening” up the French Riviera for summer pleasure (it had previously closed due to it being too warm in that part of France). I found the beginning of the book a bit slow (though Dorothy Parker’s appearance was fantastic) as Ms. Mickelwait gave Sara’s background, but the book picked up once Sara and Gerald married and their adventures together began.

I was so excited when I saw this one - Everybody Was So Young is one of my favorite historical novels, and I love the world of Sara and Gerald Murphy! Their personalities and exploits are fascinating to me, as are their friendships and social positioning within the changing world of the early 20th century. I loved the cover art and title, and the book certainly opened well, but I pretty quickly found myself floundering to connect with the author's writing style. I know a fair bit about these characters, but yet still felt oddly disconnected to the story. I think it is just a matter of my reading style and the author's writing style not meshing well, which is very unfortunate...

This is an extraordinary novel about a couple that has long been associated with the lions of the post-WWI era in the arts. They are Sara and Gerald Murphy. Books have been written about them, many books have mentioned them and they served as inspiration for one of Scott Fitzgerald’s novels.

Mickelwaite has done a great job of thorough research, honing in on the more intimate aspects of the Murphy marriage. Sara is the narrator and brings the reader into the fascinating life the storied Murphy family. There is also a very timely glance into the ultimate sadness that she faced.

I loved this book, from the Hamptons to the Riviera. I was captivated by the relationships with so many of the people who defined the art world of the 20th century.

I really appreciated having the opportunity to read and delve into a unique era in cultural history. Thank you Netgalley.