The Women of Chateau Lafayette

By Stephanie Dray,

Book cover of The Women of Chateau Lafayette

Book description

The USA Today Bestseller!

Recommended by Oprah Magazine ∙ Cosmo∙ 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.…

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Why read it?

2 authors picked The Women of Chateau Lafayette as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

This was the first book I read in 2024, and it still resonates with me. Told from the point of view of three women—Adrienne Lafayette, Beatrice Chanler and Marthe Simon—with the Marquis des Lafayette's home in France as the centerpiece during three different time periods—the French Revolution, World War I and World War II. Adrienne and Beatrice are actual historical women; Marthe is based on a compilation of real-life women. I was drawn into all three worlds, and all three women are strong and independent with remarkable stories of courage and love. Stephanie Dray weaves their stories together seamlessly in…

We all know the Marquis de Lafayette, right? To my surprise, I didn’t know his first name or his wife’s. (Gilbert and Adrienne.) The historical novel The Women of Chateau Lafayette fills in the rest of the blanks. It starts with those Lafayettes, then weaves in women who protect Lafayette’s castle during World War I and II. While I enjoyed all three plots, the intimate portrayal of the famous Marquis fascinated me the most. I loved his youthful clumsiness, cringed at his marital infidelities, and grumbled at his hesitancy to take power when the French needed him. So, read The…

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