During the Jazz Age, Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald were at the top. Widely known and sought after, they seemed to have little to worry about. But it wasn't anything like it looked from the outside. Behind closed doors, their love burned a blaze through their home, bringing jealousy and rage with it. Zelda was committed to a Baltimore psychiatric clinic in 1932 for her schizophrenia. She befriends her nurse, Anna Howard, who has her own tragic past to contend with. However, Anna's empathetic ear and caring heart draw her deep into the Fitzgerald's lives. With Zelda's secret memoir, Anna learns much about the mysterious woman. Anna becomes emotionally attached, returning with Zelda to the Fitzgerald's home, and almost loses her own identity in the process.

I have a fascination with the Jazz Age. The flapper dresses, the music, the glamour, the super highs and rock bottom lows, they all excite and entice. The Fitzgeralds go hand in hand with all of the previous mentioned, and are synonymous with this time period. Coming off last year's cinematic experience through "The Great Gatsby", this book allowed me to continue with my curiosity. Author, Erika Robuck, takes a bit of nonfiction and interweaves it with a touching fictional character, Zelda's nurse, Anna Howard.

Anna was almost bigger than Zelda herself, and her character was more relatable. I felt for Zelda, sure, but I really felt for Anna, willingly throwing away her life for the wacky Fitzgerald's. It's funny that the made up character, Anna, felt more real than Zelda did a lot of the time. Her optimism was a little infectious. To be honest, though, some of Robuck's facts of the era were not precise.

I recommend taking CALL ME ZELDA as a work of fiction, lose yourself in the story, and enjoy it. If you go in thinking this will be historically accurate, you will be disappointed. If you're looking for an amusing read about the Fitzgeralds' coupled with an entertaining tale, you've come to the right place.