Publisher: Berkley Books / Penguin Audio
Published: March 30, 2021
Source: Print – Personal copy / Audio – via library
Summary:
An epic saga from New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Dray based on the true story of an extraordinary castle in the heart of France and the remarkable women bound by its legacy in three of humanity’s darkest hours
Most castles are protected by powerful men. This one by women…
A founding mother…
1774. Gently-bred noblewoman Adrienne Lafayette becomes her husband’s political partner in the fight for American independence. But when their idealism sparks revolution in France and the guillotine threatens everything she holds dear, Adrienne must choose to renounce the complicated man she loves, or risk her life for a legacy that will inspire generations to come.
A daring visionary…
1914. Glittering New York socialite Beatrice Astor Chanler is a force of nature, daunted by nothing–not her humble beginnings, her crumbling marriage, or the outbreak of war. But after witnessing the devastation in France and delivering war-relief over dangerous seas, Beatrice takes on the challenge of a lifetime: convincing America to fight for what’s right.
A reluctant resistor…
1940. French school-teacher and aspiring artist Marthe Simone has an orphan’s self-reliance and wants nothing to do with war. But as the realities of Nazi occupation transform her life in the isolated castle where she came of age, she makes a discovery that calls into question who she is, and more importantly, who she is willing to become.
Intricately woven and beautifully told, The Women of Chateau Lafayette is a sweeping novel about duty and hope, love and courage, and the strength we find from standing together in honor of those who came before us.
My thoughts:
I’m not sure how I didn’t write this review earlier – I read this book back in April with one of my online bookclubs but somehow the review never got done, so better late than never. One of my favorite things about being part of the #mommaleighellensbookclub, which I’m now a co-host of, is that we almost always pick at least one, if not more, fantastic historical fiction reads each month, sometimes from authors that I’m familiar with and sometimes new-to-me authors that I come to love.
Stephanie Dray is a new-to-me author but one that I had in my sights for some time and I was thrilled when we picked her latest book. While this is a thick book, it is one that kept me fully engaged from start to finish and one that I definitely see myself going back and rereading at some point just because I think there is more to glean from it when I have time to really take it in and not be rushing through it because I need to get it done before bookclub.
This is a sweeping saga of three different women spanning three different wars. It does take a bit to get into and does require patience and a lot of concentration to keep things straight but the stories of the women are so distinctive that once you get into the rhythm of the book, it becomes easier to remember where you are.
I loved how the author wove fact with fiction in this story. This is why I love reading historical fiction – I don’t ever remember reading anything about Chateau Lafayette before and the amount of research that the author put into this book is so evident. I also appreciate the author’s note included at the back of the book – I don’t know about you, but I always make sure to read this section as it includes such valuable information.
This was such a great read and now I’m so eager to read more from this very talented author. If you are a serious fan of historical fiction, don’t let the size of this book turn you off…this really is a fantastic read!
Audio thoughts:
Even though I had the print version, I decided to listen to the book and I’m so glad I did. Yes, the audiobook is long – it’s just shy of 24 hours, but it was so well done. It is narrated by Tavia Gilbert, Emma Bering, and Rachel Jacobs. There were clear differences between the voices, making the timeline switches very easy to follow.
