Historical Fiction

I've said it before and I'll say it again, when historical fiction is done correctly, it creates in the reader a quest for knowledge about the people or events. When I spend time researching immediately after finishing the novel, the author has created the best possible outcome with their book. This book, even with the author's note, had me searching for pictures and more information about the people I just read about. In this case, Antoinette Chanel, Boy Capel, etc.

The Chanel Sisters is told from the point of view of Antoinette Chanel, Gabrielle (Coco) Chanel's youngest sister. It starts with their time as orphans under the care of various nuns. Their father was a traveling salesman, who when his wife died of consumption, left his girls at the abbey and his sons at a farm. Gabrielle and Antoinette also had an older sister Julia-Berthe that was with them at the orphanage and we learn her history as well.

The book traverses the lives of the three women. Showing us how Gabrielle became Coco and how instrumental Antoinette was in shaping the Chanel name. LIttle takes many liberties with Antoinette's life as not much was known about her. Coco, notoriously, created an alternate history for the girls and was not inclined to discuss any details. The liberties Little took were based on heavily researched information that could be proven to make for an absolutely engaging novel. I was captivated right away and my interest only grew as I learned more about all of the Chanel's. It was also very refreshing to not have Coco be the primary focus..

An excellent read.

Get an inside peek at the lives of Antoinette and Gabrielle Chanel, also knows as Coco. The girls were abandoned at a very young age and grew up under the care of nuns. They were being prepare to live a simple but good life as wives. When it turns dark outside, the sisters turn to their secret passion. They store their romantic novels and magazine clippings underneath the floorboards, to keep the spark alive inside them.

The sisters can't stay with the nuns forever, and when they turn old enough they embark on an adventure to show everyone is society just who they are and what talents they truly have. World War I hits and the sisters have to gather up everything they have to show fashion to the world around them.

Pleasantly surprised to see the lesser-covered final Canadian chapter of Antoinette Chanel's life covered here, and in such detail. Was happy to highlight this title in Zoomer magazine’s Novel Encounters for December, my monthly look-ahead column of the forthcoming notable fiction books.

Historical fiction about the creation of the house of Chanel. Independent women striving to become something better than the class they were born into and the struggle for acceptance.

The Chanel Sisters was quite the interesting historical fiction read that kept me engaged as I turned each page.

Antoinette and Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel know they’re destined for something better. Abandoned by their family years before, they’ve grown up under the guidance of pious nuns preparing them for simple lives as the wives of tradesmen or shopkeepers. At night, their secret stash of romantic novels and magazine cutouts beneath the floorboards are all they have to keep their dreams of the future alive.The walls of the convent can’t shield them forever, and when they’re finally of age, the Chanel sisters set out together with a fierce determination to prove themselves worthy to a society that has never accepted them. Their journey propels them out of poverty and to the stylish cafés of Moulins, the dazzling performance halls of Vichy—and to a small hat shop on the rue Cambon in Paris, where a business takes hold and expands to the glamorous French resort towns. But when World War I breaks out, their lives are irrevocably changed, and the sisters must gather the courage to fashion their own places in the world, even if apart from each other.

This story was about how the Chanel sisters and their aunt forged their own way to rise above their current situation in life to create a better future for themselves. We watch this story unfold through the discerning eyes of Antoinette, and also dive into the pragmatic personality of Gabrielle (Coco) and her constant internal struggles. Gabrielle was an impulsive woman who seemed to not think before she acted. Watching Antoinette and their close friends turn into her voice of reason was an eye opener.

I really enjoyed learning how the Chanel line got started and found this one the most interesting parts of the book, and wish it had been longer. But, my favorite part of the book dealt with the romance between Antoinette and Lucho, the Argentinian Polo. I lived for the moments when they would get to bask in each other’s love.

If you are looking for historical fiction with powerful women, determination, complex family dynamics and friendships with a bit of romance, then you should check this book out

Note to reader: I’ve seen quite a few reviews that criticize this author for not writing from Coco Chanel’s point of view or including more of her in the story. Personally I think that Judithe Little did a fabulous job in choosing to explore the story through Antoinette’s point of view, and here is why:. - Coco developed a bad reputation for herself before and during WWII. She worked for the Nazi’s, turned in her own Frenchmen who were part of the resistance, and was an anti-Semite who also turned in hidden Jews to the Nazis and Vichy. For an author to take on a story from Coco’s point of view would be extremely hard given these conditions and personality.

Thank you NetGalley and Graydon House for the arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: The Chanel Sisters

Author: Judithe Little

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 3.5/5

Recommended For...: historical fiction, fashion, Chanel

Publication Date: December 29, 2020

Genre: Historical Fiction

Recommended Age: 16+ (grief, romance, sexual content)

Publisher: Graydon House

Pages: 400

Synopsis: Antoinette and Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel know they’re destined for something better. Abandoned by their family years before, they’ve grown up under the guidance of pious nuns preparing them for simple lives as the wives of tradesmen or shopkeepers. At night, their secret stash of romantic novels and magazine cutouts beneath the floorboards are all they have to keep their dreams of the future alive.

The walls of the convent can’t shield them forever, and when they’re finally of age, the Chanel sisters set out together with a fierce determination to prove themselves worthy to a society that has never accepted them. Their journey propels them out of poverty and to the stylish cafés of Moulins, the dazzling performance halls of Vichy—and to a small hat shop on the rue Cambon in Paris, where a business takes hold and expands to the glamorous French resort towns. But when World War I breaks out, their lives are irrevocably changed, and the sisters must gather the courage to fashion their own places in the world, even if apart from each other.

Review: For the most part I thought the book was pretty good. It felt well researched and I liked the voice of the narrator. I felt the book was well written, the characters well developed, and the world building was solid.

However, I did feel like the book felt more like a nonfiction than a fiction book. The book also glossed over Chanel’s involvement with Nazis and her time in occupied Paris was not mentioned. The author’s note addressed it, but the omission of it felt like hiding a lie. I feel like we do that sometimes with historical figures. We gloss over the bad and honor the good. But no one is without fault. Even Mother Theresa did bad and evil things. If we’re going to talk candidly about someone, we should talk about their whole being and not just the cherry picked parts.

Verdict: It was good, but not a total account.

When the death of their mother, the Chanel sisters, Antoinette and Gabrielle, are sent to live in a convent. There they learn discipline and sewing, and are groomed to become the wives of lower-middle class men. Unhappy with their proposed futures, Gabrielle breaks away, determined to become a performer. Antoinette takes a job in a modest hat shop, learning the trade. When it becomes clear that Gabrielle cannot get a job as a performer, she leave town to become the mistress of a wealthy man. When Gabrielle begins dabbling with hats, they are an instant success leading Gabrielle and Antoinette to open a hat shop.

This was a well written and engaging book. The sister's were dynamic and well rounded characters. The story was well paced, and did a good job of spanning a long time period. Overall, highly recommended.

“A lovely, gorgeously set, romantic story sure to charm lovers of historical fiction with its joie de vivre and savoir faire.”

In Judith Little’s beguiling The Chanel Sisters, the road to personal fulfillment starts with a dream. Sisters Gabrielle, Julia-Berthe, and Antoinette have much to overcome. They are left to fend for themselves pre-pubescence, when their mother dies and their father, known widely as a rootless “seducteur,” deposits them at an Aubazine, France, orphanage with false promises but never looks back..

My full book review will appear on release day in the New York Journal of Books.

I enjoyed this novel based on the Chanel sisters. I have read books about Coco Chanel but I had not realized she had two sisters. The changing decades provided good context as the lives of the Chanel sisters fluctuated. I’m not a fashionista but I did like reading about the changing styles and the inspiration for many of them was derived from the convent the girls were reared in. Little provides a good story. I appreciated her note at the end explaining some of the truths in the story. It’s a good piece of historical fiction.

I really enjoyed this book and felt I learned a little something about the fashion industry. I was fascinated. It's a story of perseverance and fighting for what you want. Along the way, these sisters show their strength and their bond. It was very well written, researched, and put together!

Thank you for allowing me to read this!

“This was how you get from here to there, from charity case to elegante. You don’t accept what you’re told you are. You decide for yourself”- Antoinette Chanel

The Chanel Sisters is a well-researched historical fiction novel about Antoinette and Gabrielle (“Coco”) Chanel. It is told from the perspective of Antoinette (Ninette), the younger and lesser-known sister.

The girls grow up raised by nuns in a convent. Their initial fashion inspiration comes from the French elegantes, and they are full of determination and ambition to leave their humble, impoverished, childhood and become successful and independent women. It is Gabrielle who begins designing simple hats. Antoinette lends her own expertise from working in a hat shop and drives the ‘customer relations’ part of their duo. Their business flourishes and grows, even during the first World War that ravages France as they developed their unique understated and sophisticated style. Each of the sisters (along with another family member, Adrienne Chanel) has various relationship woes as they find love, but their class status due to their poor beginnings holds them back.

I really enjoyed being transported to France in the early twentieth century. I was surprised that the story eventually took me to Ontario, Canada, and finally to Buenos Aires. It was interesting to hear the story from Ninette’s perspective as opposed to Coco’s. I wondered, as I read, about how much was based on what really happened, and it was fascinating to read the author’s note at the end. It turns out, there is little known about Antoinette, so much was conjecture. The story moves slowly along, never reaching any type of a climax. Yet, I was always interested to keep reading. I was surprised when suddenly it was done!

This book would be perfect for the historical fiction lover!

Thank you to Harlequin and Netgalley for my ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Chanel Sisters is a beautifully written novel that is just as clean and crisp as a classic Chanel suit. Judithe Little uses her creative license and what is known of the lives of the Chanel family to give us a work that is captivating, delightful, and at times, heart breaking. Written from the perspective of Antionette, the youngest sister, we are still given thorough insight to the remaining cast of characters. If you picked up the book because you are a fan of Chanel, I don't believe you will be disappointed. There is plenty of "Coco" to go around! You will see how her empire began, and learn about the people who played pivotal roles in its success. This is a wonderful read for anyone who is a lover of fashion, historical fiction, and stories about family dynamics.

Just finished the book, "The Chanel Sisters", by Judithe Little. I loved this book. It was well written and informative. I have read numerous books about Coco Chanel, the main focus usually being her rise to fame in the high-end fashion world of Paris, with not a whole lot being said about her life before she became "Coco" Chanel, inventor of " the little black dress ".

Keeping in mind that this book is a work of fiction, it is fiction based on reality. It is well researched and it was very nice to be provided with some insight of the years before becoming Coco. This book focuses on the youngest sister Antoinette and how big of a role she really did play in Coco's success. It takes a look at their life as young girls, their mother dead, their father abandoning them to the convent, where they were raised by nuns until they came of age.

It looks at the attempts of the sisters to be "better" than the social class into which they were born. The book showcases their "desire" to be "better", providing interesting tales of jobs they tried m, men they were involved with, and a unflappable need to depend on no one but each other, because they never had anyone else.

Overall, a brilliant, well-written look into what may have occurred before the fame.

I recommend this book to all historical fiction fans and to those who if your like me enjoy reading about this time period, when Hollywood and Paris were glamorous and fashion was at the height of fame!!

I give this book a 4 out of 5 star rating. The publication date is set for December 29, 2020. So everyone be sure to grab your copy.

I would like to thank NetGalley for the advance copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review. And thank you to the publishers at Harlequin Trade Publishers.
Review also posted on my website- Mycatreads.com at https://mycatreads.com/review-corner-2, and on Goodreads, and will be posted to Amazon.
#NetGalley
#TheChanelSisters

We all know about Coco Chanel. Or at least we think we do. There is not a great deal of information about her parentage or siblings. Coco was all about reinvention and that included her own story. This factionalized account focuses on her sister, Antoinette, recounting their bleak childhood and devotion to each other as they try to become “something more”. It does a nice job of portraying the times and the constraints on women, particularly those of the lower class. This would be a good book for discussion.

Left at a convent orphanage at an early age, the three Chanel sisters, Julia, Antoinette, and Gabrielle, were raised under sparse and harsh circumstances. Told by the nuns that they would never be anything more than they were, Gabrielle was determined to prove them wrong. This determination is what drove her and her sister Antoinette to not only rise above their means, but to become famous.

The Chanel Sisters by Judithe Little is a wonderful novel following the life of the three sisters from their days at the convent through WWI. I’ve read so many novels about Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel during WWII, but this one really sets the stage of describing the how and why of Coco’s life and the choices she made. Exquisitely written – you will not be able to put this novel down. Highly recommended to lovers of historical fiction.

This was a hard one for me. I was really excited to start it because I was intrigued by the story of the Chanel sisters. I thought the cover was gorgeous. By the end of the first chapter I had a feeling I was going to be disappointed. For me the pacing was incredibly slow. I also felt the book was overly descriptive, I think that about half the book could have been cut out and it still would have been a great story. I did enjoy getting to know the Chanel sisters through the eyes of the youngest sister Antoinette. When you think of Chanel you automatically think of Coco so it was nice to see her and the brand being built from the perspective of her sister. I enjoyed the overall story even though this one was a bit of a struggle for me to get through.

This well done historical fiction tracks Gabrielle (CoCo) and Antoinette Chanel from their early days at a Catholic orphanage. “All those years on the rue Cambon, in Deauville, in Biarritz, people thought they were buying Chanel, glamour, Parisian sophistication. But what they were really buying were the ornaments of our childhood, memories of the nuns who civilized us, the abbey that sheltered us.”
From the very beginning, they felt destined for Something Better. Each seeks to accomplish that through different means.
It’s a stark reminder of the importance of propriety in that time and the inability for one to move up the ranks of class. “Sometimes it seems that I don’t belong anywhere. The class I was born in won’t have me. They think I’m too high and mighty because I try to better myself. And the high and mighty won’t have me because of the class I was born in. I’m an in-between.”
It’s told solely from the perspective of Antoinette, of which little was really known compared to her famous sister.
The book paints the various times in exquisite detail - on the polo fields, in the cafes with the Bohemians, in the Paris streets during WWI.
The book details the romances of each sister, but it’s balanced with the business side of their lives.
My thanks to netgalley and Harlequin for an advance copy of this book.

This book follows the Chanel sisters from living in an orphanage and through their designing years. It was an interesting book, I didn’t know too much about them before reading this. I liked how they remained strong women throughout the entire book. I really enjoyed this book
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy

Whenever I read historical fiction that is based on real people, I find myself researching their true history and comparing fact with fiction. This was especially true after I finished The Chanel Sisters. Told from the perspective of Antoinette Chanel, Gabrielle (Coco)’s younger sister, the story takes us from the girls’ days in an orphanage run by nuns, to the making of a fashion empire, and ultimately, a denouement for Antoinette.

I was surprised to realize that it is difficult to find anything on the open web about Antoinette. However, the author managed to take major turning points of Antoinette’s life and fill in the blanks. It is fascinating to see how the sisters went from being told by the nuns that they would not amount to anything, to designing and creating trend-setting hats and clothing coveted by the wealthiest segment of society. Antoinette was instrumental in Coco’s success, applying her hat making skills to Coco’s business and moving into a prominent sales position.

The author expertly weaves in the role of the men in the women’s lives. Their father was a traveling salesman who abandoned all his children after their mother’s death. Coco’s relationship with Boy Capel was complicated by his financial investment in Coco’s business and later, his marriage to someone else. And then there’s Antoinette’s true love juxtaposed against the men she’s “supposed” to marry. Throughout the complicated relationships, the women are the visionaries and the force behind the Chanel brand.

Overall, I recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction and women’s interest. While there were parts of the story that moved a bit slowly, I continued to read with a desire to know more. The author’s notes provided further details into her research and bridged the gap between truth and fiction. Thank you Graydon House and NetGalley for an advance reader’s copy of this book!

The Chanel Sisters, written by Judithe Little and to be released December 29, 2020, is a novel about the two sisters who changed fashion forever.

Abandoned by their family, the Chanel sisters grow up in a French convent where the nuns teach them to sew and groom them to become wives of the working class. In their hearts, the girls know that they are destined for ‘Something Better’ and manage to keep their dreams alive by hiding magazine cut-outs and books beneath the floorboards of the convent. Once they are of age, they gain their freedom and relentlessly pursue their brilliant futures despite all odds. Realizing they need to attract the attention of benefactors; they begin to create a path for themselves that will attract attention. It’s at this stage that Gabrielle earns her iconic nickname, Coco. After multiple failures, these ambitious sisters finally secure an investor and open a hat shop in Paris; it’s an immediate success. When WW1 breaks out, the girls are forever changed and once again they realize the importance of their sisterly bond.

This emotionally enveloping rags-to-riches story kept me in my chair from start to finish! I absolutely loved reading about the rise of fashion’s intriguing icon. The story is narrated from Antionette’s point of view. Much is written about Coco, but very little about Antoinette, her business partner, supporter and younger sister. Coco was impulsive and ambitiously perseverant and benefitted from her sister’s voice of reason. The relationships are the highlight of the book; the sibling relationship, the friendship between Etienne and Gabrielle, the romance between Lucho and Antoinette and the business-turned-love relationship between Gabrielle and Boy. Although acceptable and understood by today’s standards, these would have been risky and unconventional relationships prior to WW1. It’s here that we understand how each played a role in the Coco Chanel success. In addition to understanding how the austere colours, simple designs and the chain became their symbol, you’ll discover how the interlocking Cs became their motif.

This meticulously researched historical fiction, sprinkled with French terms and a dash of humour, deals with the timeless need for belonging, purpose and love. The quest to become ‘Something Better’ takes the girls through loss, desperation, glamour and triumph, making readers appreciate their success even more.

Thank you Judithe Little, Harlequin/Graydon House and Netgalley for this advance copy in exchange for an honest opinion.