The Paris Bookseller

This short section follows the end of Sylvia’s Ulysses journey and introduces the turning points that will lead to the next phase of her life. At this point in time, Prohibition is drawing to a close, and as Sylvia observes, a new influx of artists and intellectuals are coming to Paris with new struggles and political ideals. Included in this new wave is Gisèle, a younger woman of undefined sexual fluidity, and although she ultimately comes between Sylvia and Adrienne, this development is explored “off-stage” and is only explored further in the author’s note. Even though the novel closes before the full disintegration of Sylvia and Adrienne’s relationship, Gisèle’s early presence represents the theme of Infatuation and the Fluidity of Love and hints at Sylvia’s growing uncertainty about the strength of her connection to Adrienne. Sylvia and Adrienne also begin leading subtly different lives and start to acknowledge that they need different things; Sylvia’s need for quieter hobbies and her growing dislike for the lively social scenes that still delight Adrienne are prime examples of this fundamental shift.

Because Maher must bind the events of the novel fairly closely to the events that occurred in Sylvia’s real life, the overall novel demonstrates a tendency to deviate from the standard patterns of plot development, instead wandering through the various elements of the protagonist’s life in a more organic fashion. Even so, certain overarching dynamics become apparent, and thus, as Shakespeare and Company faces greater financial difficulties, these challenges implicitly parallel the initial struggles that Sylvia faced when the shop first opened. Thus, the novel remains true to its characterization of Sylvia as someone who shifts and adapts to successive periods of upheaval and change. In several ways, this period of time acts as a reflection of Part 1 and “bookends” Sylvia’s story. Despite her financial struggles, she is now in a position of relative renown within the literary and artistic community, and so she has unique methods of recourse. Accordingly, she sells off some of the prized memorabilia that she bought years ago for the opening of her shop, as well as early examples of Joyce’s writing, thereby effectively purging her shop of all remaining reminders of the influence that first set her on her publishing path. She also embraces her central role in the artistic community by holding literary soirées that rival and even surpass Gertrude’s, for they involve far more theater and fanfare. Sylvia herself notes the parallels between these events and the original grand opening of her shop, recognizing that both are a celebration of new beginnings and of unity between the English-speaking and French literary communities. There is a sense that even as this iteration of Shakespeare and Company nears its end, it has been a rich and fulfilling journey that was well worth pursuing.

In the final pages of the novel, Maher provides a small sense of justice and closure for the protagonist’s endless struggles with the likes of Joyce, for she finally receives his symbolic monetary gift acknowledging her tireless efforts to publish Ulysses and to support him as a writer. The amount is unspecified, and it is likely that this moment of partial reconciliation is Maher’s own creation rather than a reflection of historical fact. Whether fact or fiction, the gesture does not fully redeem Joyce for his years of poor behavior toward the women in his life, but it does give his fictionalized portrayal a measure of humanity and self-awareness. As Sylvia considers returning to America for the first time in more than a decade, her contemplations illustrate the ways in which her focus has changed, implicitly ushering in the next chapter of her life.