Stephanie Dray

The Women of Chateau Lafayette

The Women of Chateau Lafayette featured three women, all with a connection to Lafayette's ancestral home at Chavaniac. Even coming in at more than 500 pages, I feel there was too much squeezed into this book, with major events being reduced to mere sentences told in passing. 

The alternating POVs, with Adrienne, Beatrice and Marthe, weren't difficult for me to keep up with, and each chapter was relatively short, each one nearly ending on a plot twist or cliff hanger, which kept me interested enough to keep going. Adrienne and Beatrice were by far the strongest voices of the book, but it just felt like their lives were condensed. Stephanie Dray (who is one of my favorite authors) wrote that she originally planned to just write a book on Adrienne, the wife of Lafayette. I wish she would have stuck with this, especially because Beatrice, for the majority of the book, doesn't really establish a connection to the castle at Chavaniac until the end, though I really liked her character immensely. Her story had the weakest link to Chavaniac, though not Lafayette himself, and I thought she could also have used her own book that told the story of her incredible life. This could have easily turned into a trilogy. The book is marketed as women protecting the castle of Lafayette, but aside from Marthe, the other two women were not there much at all. The greater focus of the book is Lafayette's legacy.  

Speaking of Lafayette...aside from his exploits in the American Revolution, I found him unlikeable (this is probably sacrilege to the author). He takes a mistress, and in fact had at least two throughout his life, which Dray thankfully spares us in this fictional tale of the second. I just felt bad for Adrienne and yes I know times were different, but learning this about him has really sullied my admiration for Lafayette. 

I also found Marthe's POVs to be the slowest, even though they take place at the castle in Chavaniac and should have been the most action-packed. They weren't. This is because, instead of focusing more on World War 2 and the greater danger around them, the author chose Marthe's main conflict to be having a crush on another girl. I understand her inner turmoil, but thought this plot line was unnecessary especially because it doesn't go anywhere; it takes away from the rest of the book and quite frankly, it was boring. Marthe also gets over her feelings quickly, so I just don't see the point. Her chapters could have been more heart-pounding if they focused more actively on the French Resistance, but that doesn't happen until the end as well. This book has a lot of build up for very little pay off, IMO. I typically don't read World War 2, or World War 1 for that matter, historical fiction and so I admit this book probably wasn't right for me in the first place. But I was gifted it, and besides, as already mentioned, Dray has been one of my favorite authors, especially when she sticks to the ancient world. Sadly, I don't think we'll see her writing any more books that take place before the eighteenth century anytime soon. 

My last pet peeve is how often the word 'veritable' pops up in this book. So much that I couldn't help but notice it every time! Each narrator uses it, and I really thought a better editor should have caught this over use of the word and cut some out or swapped with another word. This book was a veritable let down for me, because it could have been so much more.

Amanda

The Women of Chateau Lafayette featured three women, all with a connection to Lafayette's ancestral home at Chavaniac. Even coming in at more than 500 pages, I feel there was too much squeezed into this book, with major events being reduced to mere sentences told in passing. 

The alternating POVs, with Adrienne, Beatrice and Marthe, weren't difficult for me to keep up with, and each chapter was relatively short, each one nearly ending on a plot twist or cliff hanger, which kept me interested enough to keep going. Adrienne and Beatrice were by far the strongest voices of the book, but it just felt like their lives were condensed. Stephanie Dray (who is one of my favorite authors) wrote that she originally planned to just write a book on Adrienne, the wife of Lafayette. I wish she would have stuck with this, especially because Beatrice, for the majority of the book, doesn't really establish a connection to the castle at Chavaniac until the end, though I really liked her character immensely. Her story had the weakest link to Chavaniac, though not Lafayette himself, and I thought she could also have used her own book that told the story of her incredible life. This could have easily turned into a trilogy. The book is marketed as women protecting the castle of Lafayette, but aside from Marthe, the other two women were not there much at all. The greater focus of the book is Lafayette's legacy.  

Speaking of Lafayette...aside from his exploits in the American Revolution, I found him unlikeable (this is probably sacrilege to the author). He takes a mistress, and in fact had at least two throughout his life, which Dray thankfully spares us in this fictional tale of the second. I just felt bad for Adrienne and yes I know times were different, but learning this about him has really sullied my admiration for Lafayette. 

I also found Marthe's POVs to be the slowest, even though they take place at the castle in Chavaniac and should have been the most action-packed. They weren't. This is because, instead of focusing more on World War 2 and the greater danger around them, the author chose Marthe's main conflict to be having a crush on another girl. I understand her inner turmoil, but thought this plot line was unnecessary especially because it doesn't go anywhere; it takes away from the rest of the book and quite frankly, it was boring. Marthe also gets over her feelings quickly, so I just don't see the point. Her chapters could have been more heart-pounding if they focused more actively on the French Resistance, but that doesn't happen until the end as well. This book has a lot of build up for very little pay off, IMO. I typically don't read World War 2, or World War 1 for that matter, historical fiction and so I admit this book probably wasn't right for me in the first place. But I was gifted it, and besides, as already mentioned, Dray has been one of my favorite authors, especially when she sticks to the ancient world. Sadly, I don't think we'll see her writing any more books that take place before the eighteenth century anytime soon. 

My last pet peeve is how often the word 'veritable' pops up in this book. So much that I couldn't help but notice it every time! Each narrator uses it, and I really thought a better editor should have caught this over use of the word and cut some out or swapped with another word. This book was a veritable let down for me, because it could have been so much more.

Very interesting read. It’s very cool to see three women from different time periods/wars have something in common in their home. 

Hannah Williams

Chloe Garcia

3 and 1/2. idk it was aight. it captured my attention but it didn't rly do much for me. felt a little too gimmicky. very hamilton-esque historical fiction

Monae Reads

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 on the shoulders of those who came before us.

Karen Shimek

4.5 stars An incredible historical novel set in France.

erin s

Three women, three eras, three wars, all connected through their tenacity and courage, along with their connections to the Marquis de Lafayette and his ancestral home; Stephanie Dray's The Women of Chateau Lafayette is a sweeping story of strength that will surely become a classic work of historical fiction. 

Dray's exhaustive research is evident; all three women feel fleshed out and vibrant. My personal favorite was Marthe Simonson, an orphan raised in Lafayette's former-home-turned-orphanage/school/children's hospital turning to resistance during WWII (she was actually Dray's 'invented character, an amalgamation of various members of the rural French resistance). The alternating chapters also feature the real-life characters of Lafayette's wife Adrienne Noailles in the latter half of the eighteenth century and Beatrice Chanler, an American philanthropist spearheading charity efforts during WWI through her organization the Lafayette Fund. 

I personally avoid most historical fiction set during WWII, as it often saturates the genre (and makes me sad), but I am glad that I decided to try this book despite 1/3 of it taking place during WWII, as it quickly turned out to be my favorite part. Marthe's sections paired especially well with Beatrice's, as many characters carry over from WWI into WWII, with Dray demonstrating the cycle of violence that propelled the first war into the next. The ancien regime/French Revolution content sometimes felt less solidly connected, but Adrienne's chapters read almost like foreshadowing to the struggles Beatrice and Marthe face over a century later. My really nit-picky criticism is there were too many ellipses -- characters thinking 'But what will happen next...' and so forth, sentiments which would've read stronger if they hadn't faded off at the end. 

I found this novel even more impressive after reading Dray's afterword. The meticulous time she spent reconstructing these women's lives, particularly Beatrice (I won't go into any details because spoilers, but Dray discovered some incredible secrets through archival research and interviews with Chanler's grandson) is evident throughout the book. I also found the romantic relationships of each woman interesting, ranging from flawed spouses forbidden love interests.

[4/5: This is a wide-reaching work of historical fiction that centers women and their often-overlooked work during times of conflict. It is pretty lengthy, but I anticipate it will be a popular book club pick with many things to discuss. :) Fans of historical fiction will savor The Women of Chateau Lafayette, and the characters are so distinct that I suspect even readers that rarely select historical novels will enjoy themselves as well.]

Many thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for this ARC!

Named one of 2021’s Most Anticipated Historical Novels by Oprah Magazine ∙ PopSugar ∙ SheReads ∙ Parade ∙ and more! 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. Most castles are protected by men. This one by women. A founding mother... 1774. Gently-bred noblewoman Adrienne Lafayette becomes her husband, the Marquis de Lafayette’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 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 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 firsthand, 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 powerfully told, The Women of Chateau Lafayette is a sweeping novel about duty and hope, love and courage, and the strength we take from those who came before us.

Laura Mei

I had moments where I loved this book, particularly Adrienne Lafayette's individual story, and other moments where I felt like it dragged on somewhat. I think the book would have been better with a focus on Marthe and Adrienne, as I did not feel like I was able to get to know each of the characters well enough with the constant changing in-between chapters.

The Women of Chateau Lafayette

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