Book Review: Tender is the Night

Tender is the Night, fiction by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is the story mostly about psychology doctor, Dick Diver, and his life as an American living in different parts of Europe.

At the book's beginning, Dick and his wife Nicole meet a very young American actress, Rosemary Hoyt, on the beach on the Riviera. Dick invites Rosemary over to his group of friends, and Rosemary becomes accepted among this rich and cultured group and falls instantly in love with Dick.

The book has 3 sections, called books. The first book is about Rosemary wanting Dick and Dick starting to want Rosemary back, although not wanting to ever hurt his wife or affect the good marriage they've got.

The second book, if I recall correctly, is mostly the background info on Nicole Diver, before she married Dick. Turns out Nicole was a mental patient and met Dick at the clinic. Recovering from some abuse from her father, Nicole never sees her father again and is able to completely recover in the clinic, especially since her thoughts are about Dick. The two marry soon thereafter and begin their new life together.

Nicole comes from a family of wealth and has quite an inheritance. She and Dick live mostly off her inheritance, although Dick is not happy to do so, but at least he can spend some time writing books rather than working as a doctor.

The third book is mostly about Dick's demise. After he and Rosemary parted ways, she still desiring him, he can think of no one other than her. He struggles being happy with life, like he was before he met Rosemary, and drinks way too much. He gets sloppy as a doctor and as a husband, and also as a friend. People start hating him instead of loving him.

Finally he gets with Rosemary and they are satisfied being together again, but then life goes on and they both realize their lives will never be as one. Nicole realizes Dick's unfaithfulness and, pretending to relapse into her prior mental state, she withdraws from the marriage, accepting another man's company. Dick accepts the separation, and continues his unhappiness.

Tender is the Night is the second book I've read by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The other of his books that I've read is The Great Gatsby. After both of these books, I will not be reading a third Fitzgerald book because of the overall tragic atmosphere of his books. I am glad to have read Tender is the Night, though, just to know what it's all about.