You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
I really enjoyed this book!! The Queen of Paris is a historical fiction novel based on the life of Coco Chanel. Coco Chanel most certainly had an interesting life and this author showed that in many different ways. At the mercy of men when she was young, she takes control of her life after the men in her life constantly disappoint her. She makes some horrible life decisions, one of which is signing a contract where she only receives 10% royalties on her own perfume. This book focuses on her trying to get control back of her perfume as well as her living in the Ritz with the Nazis when they invaded Paris. I finished this book with the same view of Coco Chanel as I did before I read it, I am not a fan of Coco Chanel, but I am a huge fan of Pamela Binnings Ewen! This book was well written, held my attention and gave me a lot to think about!!
Thank you to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
[Eye Roll.] I love books about strong women. I really like books set around WWII. I strongly disliked this book. (This is a very generous two stars.) I knew very little about Coco Chanel beforehand, but I thought her story would be intriguing. Not this novel. I’m not sure whether the author missed the more engaging parts of this woman’s life. (Honestly, I was more interested in the son who became her “nephew” than multiple chapters about the perfume recipe being “stolen” — by the guy who eventually became her lover. Harumph.) There was not a single likable character in the novel. References to the Holocaust were weak. The elitism was annoying. And the Audible narrator only added to that (with a bad Spanish accent when those characters spoke).
The Queen of Paris by Pamela Binnings Ewen is a free NetGalley ebook that I read in late February.
Initially quite wistfully ego-some as it switches between 1st and 3rd person narration (usually when recounting memories), Chanel is doted after, coddled, even in wartime, and goes through first-world problems that might be fifth-world to anyone else, when she's sought out by well-known names and dignitaries, and oversees the fate of her prized No. 5 perfume.
Initially quite wistfully ego-some as it switches between 1st and 3rd person narration (usually when recounting memories), Chanel is doted after, coddled, even in wartime, and goes through first-world problems that might be fifth-world to anyone else, when she's sought out by well-known names and dignitaries, and oversees the fate of her prized No. 5 perfume.
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Queen of Paris is a historical fiction novel about the life of Coco Chanel in Paris during the height of WWII. I wanted to read this book because I didn't know much about Chanel. The research I did after reading the book suggests that the author was well researched in her writing of this book.
The book begins as Coco Chanel is faced with the theft of the recipe for her most famous product, her perfume Chanel No. 5, To maintain her livelihood and hold onto the rights to her beloved fragrance, Coco makes some life changing decisions. The book gives flashbacks to Coco's childhood, which lends a clearer picture as to why she makes the decisions that she does.
I am grateful for the opportunity to read The Queen of Paris, and to gain a better understanding of the life of one of history's most iconic figures. Thank you to NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing and Pamela Binnings Ewen for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
The book begins as Coco Chanel is faced with the theft of the recipe for her most famous product, her perfume Chanel No. 5, To maintain her livelihood and hold onto the rights to her beloved fragrance, Coco makes some life changing decisions. The book gives flashbacks to Coco's childhood, which lends a clearer picture as to why she makes the decisions that she does.
I am grateful for the opportunity to read The Queen of Paris, and to gain a better understanding of the life of one of history's most iconic figures. Thank you to NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing and Pamela Binnings Ewen for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
I'll admit I was worried this would be "Coco-apologist" fiction, but I think it ended up doing an interesting job imagining her choices and motivations during the war, and was an interesting (and unfortunately timely) example of willfully ignorant self-interest during a crisis.
While I really enjoyed this book, I have to wonder how much of it is factual.
That's not the authors fault. Anytime I read a book about someone written as a novel and not a biography, in the back of my mind I always have ... questions.
It was an informative read, I learned a lot about Chanel and this book definitely piqued my interest about her role with the Nazis. Definitely a subject I will look into.
I thought the writing was good but at times long winded. I felt as tho I read the phrase "No. 5 is mine" about a hundred times.
And as this was all at the beginning of the book so it took a while for me to get into it.
All in all I think this is a solid 3.5 - 4 star book.
That's not the authors fault. Anytime I read a book about someone written as a novel and not a biography, in the back of my mind I always have ... questions.
It was an informative read, I learned a lot about Chanel and this book definitely piqued my interest about her role with the Nazis. Definitely a subject I will look into.
I thought the writing was good but at times long winded. I felt as tho I read the phrase "No. 5 is mine" about a hundred times.
And as this was all at the beginning of the book so it took a while for me to get into it.
All in all I think this is a solid 3.5 - 4 star book.
The story was incredible, but I didn’t like that it was written in present tense. To me it was a torture reading it.
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Coco is a completely insufferable obtuse survivor.
Good historical fiction - one more facet of Wartime Europe. I knew Coco Chanel had some Nazi ties, but not to the extent. She's a great sympathetic antagonist in this book. Maybe a little longer than it had to be, it dragged at times, but overall worth my time.