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I enjoyed this book, but was frequently confused about whether I was reading a work of fiction or non-fiction, and since I knew it was fiction, had some difficulty understanding to what extend I could trust the narrator.

For starters, the literary characters seemed amazingly self-aware of their ultimate importance. Everyone knew Hemingway would be one of the most important writers of his time, Hemingway knew James Joyce was doing something really noteworthy, etc. And maybe that was all true, but if it is, it seems those individuals in that place and time had a special sense because usually greatness and importance isn't realized until history has time for it all to gel.

I also found the view of Hemingway to be interesting, particularly since I've never done any study of his personal biography. Hard to say whether this interest was due to the writing in this book, or just the richness of the underlying character.

I'd probably recommend this book to anyone who came to the subject from the same direction as me--interested in the character and the historical period, but not rooted in much knowledge. I suspect that one who brought some level of expertise would be underwhelmed at best and severely annoyed at worst.