Ernest Hemingway’s third child, Gregory, had a difficult life living in his father’s shadow, constantly fighting for his adoration. A sentence of praise, a constantly sought-after gift. He was born a natural athlete, handsome and intelligent. But he also lived with a secret. A secret he found terrible and shameful. Gregory liked to dress in women’s clothes. With his father a paragon of masculinity, this passion was never going to be tolerated, always considered abnormal. There had to be something wrong with his favourite son. His father’s derision only added to his crippling feelings of guilt and shame.
This novelisation of his life covers 70 years of a love/hate relationship between father and son. A relationship akin to tumultuous waves in a storm. It is about having the courage to come out of the closet and live life in an era with no tolerance for that life. It is a story about trying to live up to impossible standards while living with debilitating guilt. Guilt that his actions led to his mother’s death. A guilt that his father only exacerbates as their relationship starts to dwindle.
Most readers will know of Ernest Hemingway’s struggle with depression and his eventual suicide but may not know that his son was also afflicted and diagnosed with the same scourge. Gregory’s life is filled with tragedy and sadness, but also strength and resilience. His life was a struggle and at times it is difficult, painful, to read. But admiration is felt as he battles his urges and depression in a century that had little understanding of either.
The Broken Places is a wonderfully written debut, which has urged me to read more about the Hemingway family.
Reviewed by Neale Lucas
0 Comments