Member Review

The Women of Chateau Lafayette by Stephanie Dray is unique historical novel. I thought this book was well-written with developed characters. We learn about the history of the Chateau Lafayette and three strong women. It was fascinating learning about Lafayette and his wife, Adrienne as well as Beatrice Astor Chanler. Beatrice is a bigger-than-life character and a fascinating woman. She is a lively woman with a zest for life. Beatrice was a determined woman who was intelligent and courageous. I enjoyed Beatrice’s storyline the best (as you can tell). Adrienne was a woman of strong faith and abiding principles. It can be confusing switching between the three storylines as you try to keep track of the various characters. I can tell the author did her research. It is full of historical information from the three time periods (French Revolution, World War II, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, slavery, anti-Semitism). Stephanie Dray is a detail-oriented writer which brings the scenes to life. I did feel that there was too much detail at times when a room or person would be described down to the tiniest detail. This type of detail can slow down the pacing of the story. The Women of Chateau Lafayette does contain some foul language, a lesbian flirtation, intimate situations, and violent situations. This is a long story that could have done with some editing (it would have made it a better book in my opinion). The Women of Chateau Lafayette is good historical novel that will appeal to those who love history. I liked how the three storylines intertwined and provided a complete picture. I appreciated the epilogue and author’s note. The Women of Chateau Lafayette is a well plotted book that intrigue historical fiction lovers.