Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

This novel follows Gabrielle and Antoinette Chanel through their childhoods in an orphanage and through their rise to fame in France. Told from the POV of Antoinette, it is a lush, beautiful story of orphaned sisters that rely on one another in order to rise from poverty. Many know the story of Coco Chanel, and who she is, but few know of her early life and her sisters.

I find historical fiction to be incredibly interesting and this book is no exception. It's empowering to see that Coco Chanel and her sister rose from absolute poverty to create a fashion line that is still relevant and powerful today. I loved learning about their lives, even if only through a fictional lens. All in all, a very good book.

A fictionalized account of Coco Chanel and her sisters Antoinette, Adrienne, and Julia-Berthe, this book centers around the story of Antoinette. Taking place before and during WWI, the story starts with the girls as young children and moves through the creation of Coco Chanel's time as a hat and dress designer. Although classified as historical fiction, this book takes actual people and presents a story, while adhering to known facts.

I was drawn in by the gorgeous cover and the great title. However, this type of light historical fiction isn't my preference. I prefer a meatier approach with a literary tone. In THE CHANEL SISTERS, there's a lot of emphasis on romance and the female characters began to annoy me with their immaturity and superficial concerns. I wish I had liked it more. I will try others by this author.

1897. The Chanel sisters began practicing their stitches at orphanage in Aubazine. At the Pensionnat Notre Dame at Moulins town, they are charity vs paying families. While they mop the floors and scrub the pots, the privileged girls practice piano or fancy needlework. Here, they are constantly reminded of their lowly station. And they have to practice stitching in secret. A couple, who runs a shop specializing in lace and other fashionable trimmings for the fashionable ladies, hires Gabrielle. Antoinette stays at pensionnat as she is told she is too young. And to occupy her time, she fills it with talks about boys with other girls. On Sundays, Gabrielle gets extra work at tailor’s shop in order to meet officers who come there.

At the very beginning, there is already an indication of this story being driven by romance rather than fashion. When they visit their grandma and their aunt close to Gabrielle’s age, she takes them to town and some silly behavior comes out. Very quickly the story turns into the dream world. They admire elegantes. They read love stories. They dream of marrying a Count or a prince. They practice how to act like elegantes.

The story is more driven by them looking for men in order to raise them out of poverty, rather than them forging their own way through fashion. The second part of the book is much stronger, bringing Coco’s rise to fame and the love of her life, which is mature. It doesn’t bring the silly behavior, which takes part in the first part of the book.

The story is presented from POV of Antoinette, who is less mature than Coco. I think if the story were presented from Coco’s POV it would be stronger.

In the first part, I enjoyed how the girls were prepared for the life outside the convent. In the second part, I enjoyed reading what distinguished Coco. It was simplicity and precision in her fashion. And I wish those parts were explored more, instead of romance. I also enjoyed a small detail of their father being superstitious and always carrying wheat in his pocket for prosperity. And because of having five kids, he called five his lucky number. Is there a connection to the iconic fragrance Chanel no 5 or is this part complete fiction? Either way, this kind of writing makes a story stand out.

When it comes to love, it’s a different story when the love part involves Boy Capel. He was probably the love of Coco’s life. And I can’t imagine telling her story without him in it. There is not much record of Antoinette. Her love brings a fictional character of Lucho, but this was a mature experience. And I enjoyed both love stories very much. Unfortunately, the women chasing men in the first part only weakened the story.

3.5 stars

P.S. Kudos to the cover designer(s). Beautiful eye-catching cover.

There are a lot of books out right now about Coco Chanel. The rest of her family is usually only mentioned as side notes. Very interesting to read Judithe Little's take on all this. Excellent historical fiction.

Historical fiction account of the Chanel sisters as told by Antoinette Chanel, Gabrielle "Coco's" younger sister which tells of the sisters' upbringing by nuns in a strict Catholic orphanage to Coco's rise as a fashion icon.

Little is known about Coco's sister, Antoinette, so I appreciated this perspective. This book read more like a nonfiction account instead of a fictional story. I was a little disappointed that her involvement with the Nazis was glossed over; in fact very little was mentioned about her time in occupied Paris at all. I honestly got more information from the author's note at the end than I really did throughout the story.

The book cover, a 1920 fashionably seductive look, was so Coco. The book starts out with the three sisters in the catholic orphanage where they are learning to sew. Durning the holiday they join their cousin at Moulins. I was captivated by the description of the four girls watching the people of Moulins parade around the park. I pictured the pointillist paniting of Georges Seurat, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. The famouse artists Seurats and Toulouse Lautrec paintings stayed with me durning the novel as I pictured Coco and Antoinette living around Paris and enjoying haunts like the Moulin-Rouge. Coco clothes, and hats were way ahead of the fashion but so seductive, perfect for the pre World War I cabaret ambiance.

Coco and Anatoinette lives entertwined with the beginning of Coco fashion fame, starting out with the making of hats and selling them from the apartment of her lover before moving to the shop on the rue Cambon in Paris. I felt that you could peek into the timeperoid with the vivid discription of the clothes, atmosphere, and wealth that surrounds the Chanel sisters. This well researched book, The Chanel sisters, is a book you will not want to miss. Widening the books horizons with Antoinette narrarating has enabled the author to has include the lives of the sisters and their cousin, lovers and World War I.
Thank you NetGalley and Judithe Little for this copy!
Due out December 2020 from Graydon House

This is the story of the Chanel sisters loosely based on fact mostly because the story is told by Antoinette Chanel, Coco (Gabrielle) Chanel's sister. Not a lot is known about Antoinette but the author has put together a plausible storyline based on what little is known about her.

I love anything to do with fashion history. This book, however, revolves more around the romantic lives of the women in the Chanel family more than the actual couture or fashion part of their lives.

There were some events in the book that I wanted to know more about, such as the Great Flood of Paris in 1910 as well as the biographies of the people who formed an integral part of the sister's lives.

A light read recounted by Coco's sister. I would imagine that if you wanted to read more about the fashion industry, a book centering principally on Coco Chanel would be more informative.