Raised by pious nuns, Antoinette, the younger sister of Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, escapes to Paris, where her shared effort to launch a fashion brand is challenged by discriminating conventions and the horrors of World War I.
Everyone knows the name Coco Chanel, but few know that of her sister Antoinette, perhaps in part because Coco tried to hide her past from public view, fabricating a life that did not exist so that it might be more palatable in the elite circles that she traveled throughout her illustrious career as a prominent haute couture fashion designer. While little is known about Coco's (née Gabrielle) siblings, it is rumored that Antoinette in particular played a large role in encouraging Coco in the early days of her career and assisted her in building her fashion empire.
Judithe Little's novel The Chanel Sisters reimagines the life of Antoinette Chanel, painting in the grey areas that Coco left obscured from view, and bringing to life Coco Chanel's lionhearted youngest sister. While The Chanel Sisters is told from Antoinette's point of view, it chronicles both the girls' lives from their early days in a convent orphanage in Aubazine, to Coco's short-lived career on the stage, and later to the humble beginnings of the Chanel fashion house in Paris. We get a glimpse of the formidable Coco through the eyes of her little sister, while also discovering the likeable, genuine Antoinette for the first time. The result is a historical fiction masterpiece which is an utter delight to read.
I personally was aware of Coco Chanel in name only before reading The Chanel Sisters, so I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know not only the infamous Coco, but also her sister Antoinette in this richly detailed, engaging read. Judithe Little's writing style flows smoothly as she tells the story of the Chanel sisters, and her tale is evenly paced, not going too fast, nor going too slow, giving readers time to get to know the personalities of both Coco and Antoinette and discover how they played a significant role in each other's lives.
I quite enjoyed the sisterly relationship presented in The Chanel Sisters, and appreciated the importance of family that Little suggests played a part in Coco evolving into the powerhouse she later became. The Chanel Sisters is first and foremost the story of a family, with the noise of Chanel fashion, romantic relationships and flings, and WWI all dancing in the periphery. The Chanel Sisters is a vivid portrait of early 20th century France and is an enveloping, satisfying read for lovers of biographical fiction.
Availability: Book; eBook in cloudLibrary Rating: ***** Stars (I loved it) Reviewer: Brooke, Public Relations Librarian
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GENRE: Biographical Fiction; Historical Fiction
WRITING STYLE: Engaging; Richly Detailed
LOCATION: France
SUBJECT: Ambition; Determination; Fashion Design; Nuns; Options, Alternatives, Choices; Prejudice; Sexism; Sisters; Women & War; World War I
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