The Sun Also Rises

Fiesta, at its heart, is an introspective look into the social life of the young yet aging expatriate in a wealthy postwar 20s. Pain is a major theme–from the passionate yet strained relationship between our main characters, to Brett's various romantic interests littered throughout her story, all of the characters experience pain on various different levels. It's a testament to the hopelessness that those who lived during the first world war felt, but also to their deep resilience and yearning for better life.

Hemingway writes in such a sharply beautiful yet cohesive way. His descriptions of the life and and atmosphere in both Pamplona and Paris are not only deeply immersive but also describe the thoughts of the characters. The scenes in the countryside of Spain were most beautiful to me, though I think the entirety of the novel is incredibly pretty in a way that I don't think I'll ever see again.

**

It was very hot and bright, and the houses looked sharply white. We turned out onto the Gran Via.

‘Oh, Jake,' Brett said, ‘we could have had such a damned good time together.'

Ahead was a mounted policeman in khaki directing traffic. He raised his baton. The car slowed suddenly, pressing Brett against me.

‘Yes.' I said. ‘Isn't it pretty to think so?'

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