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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel was one of the founders of Chanel No. 5 perfume. One day, she received a notice that one of her former business partners, who owned 90% of the company, had stolen her perfume formula to create in the United States. She must figure out a way to prevent him from stealing her perfume. At the same time, World War II has started, with Germany taking over Paris. Coco gets involved when a close relative is taken as a prisoner of war. She has to take many dangerous risks to save her company and her family.
There were some flashbacks throughout the first half of the book to when Coco was a young adult. These were the only parts that were told in first person point of view, from Coco’s perspective. She seemed like a different person from the savvy business woman she was in the 1940s. These flashbacks did serve a purpose to show what Coco’s early life, and a life changing romance, were like. However, I didn’t like that she seemed like a completely different character from the woman she became in the 1940s.
I was surprised at some of the twists in the story. I didn’t think it was true because some things were quite scandalous and outrageous. At the end of the novel, there was an author’s note that talks about the parts of the story that were based on historical documents. Coco Chanel was a spy during WWII, though her exact missions aren’t clear. I had no idea that this famous designer had lived such a wild life.
This was a fascinating novel about Coco Chanel’s life
Thank you Blackstone Publishing for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
There were some flashbacks throughout the first half of the book to when Coco was a young adult. These were the only parts that were told in first person point of view, from Coco’s perspective. She seemed like a different person from the savvy business woman she was in the 1940s. These flashbacks did serve a purpose to show what Coco’s early life, and a life changing romance, were like. However, I didn’t like that she seemed like a completely different character from the woman she became in the 1940s.
I was surprised at some of the twists in the story. I didn’t think it was true because some things were quite scandalous and outrageous. At the end of the novel, there was an author’s note that talks about the parts of the story that were based on historical documents. Coco Chanel was a spy during WWII, though her exact missions aren’t clear. I had no idea that this famous designer had lived such a wild life.
This was a fascinating novel about Coco Chanel’s life
Thank you Blackstone Publishing for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is the story of Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel during occupied France from late 1939-1944. We also get a glimpse of younger Coco in 1909 until about 1919. It gives a very brief glimpse of Coco’s younger years and her struggle after her mother passed away and her father abandoned her, to the time where she had a child with Boy Chapel (which is only speculated), and to when France was occupied by Germany and she was in the Ritz with the German officers.
I will say the author really tries to put herself in the shoes of what Coco must have been thinking end how she moving about doing things, which is no easy feat. However, I wish the book did not go back and forth between times. It was a bit confusing ando did not feel it added much context to the “present time” events that were occurring. I also felt that at times the book dragged. There was too much mentioning of what not would do if he was there, but to me, boy played such a little part that why continue to bring him up constantly? I would have much rather learn more of how the game of her Number 5 really came to be but that was barely even mentioned.
Overall, a decent read but it could have been like 50 pages shorter.
I will say the author really tries to put herself in the shoes of what Coco must have been thinking end how she moving about doing things, which is no easy feat. However, I wish the book did not go back and forth between times. It was a bit confusing ando did not feel it added much context to the “present time” events that were occurring. I also felt that at times the book dragged. There was too much mentioning of what not would do if he was there, but to me, boy played such a little part that why continue to bring him up constantly? I would have much rather learn more of how the game of her Number 5 really came to be but that was barely even mentioned.
Overall, a decent read but it could have been like 50 pages shorter.
Thanks to #BlackstonePublishing and #netgalley for the opportunity to read and review #thequeenofparis
Pub. Date 4/7/2020
This book tells the story of Coco Chanel and her life during the Nazi occupation of Paris. The author uses flashbacks to fill in the details of her early life. Basically the book posits that Coco worked for the Nazis during the war. She lived in the Ritz hotel, where all the high ranking Nazis stayed. Her partner in her Chanel No. 5 perfume stole the recipe for her signature scent and we follow along as Coco fights to keep control of her creation. Everything she does is aimed at saving what rightly belonged to her. A well written book that I highly recommend.
Pub. Date 4/7/2020
This book tells the story of Coco Chanel and her life during the Nazi occupation of Paris. The author uses flashbacks to fill in the details of her early life. Basically the book posits that Coco worked for the Nazis during the war. She lived in the Ritz hotel, where all the high ranking Nazis stayed. Her partner in her Chanel No. 5 perfume stole the recipe for her signature scent and we follow along as Coco fights to keep control of her creation. Everything she does is aimed at saving what rightly belonged to her. A well written book that I highly recommend.
I was given a free advance copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
I struggled to finish this book. Though not overly long, this book was incredibly difficult to keep my attention on. It is written in a style that I personally don't like, and that may have made the reading experience more uncomfortable for me. I felt no connection to the characters or plot, though the book seemed so promising from previews.
I struggled to finish this book. Though not overly long, this book was incredibly difficult to keep my attention on. It is written in a style that I personally don't like, and that may have made the reading experience more uncomfortable for me. I felt no connection to the characters or plot, though the book seemed so promising from previews.
It's a well written and well researched story, engrossing and interesting.
Coco Chanel was a collaborationist and this is her story. It's not easy to write an engrossing story about someone on the wrong side of history but the author did a good job in delivering a story that keeps you hooked.
The historical background is vivid, the characters are fleshed out and the plot flows.
I recommend it.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
Coco Chanel was a collaborationist and this is her story. It's not easy to write an engrossing story about someone on the wrong side of history but the author did a good job in delivering a story that keeps you hooked.
The historical background is vivid, the characters are fleshed out and the plot flows.
I recommend it.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
Ewen selected a difficult subject matter for her book - Coco Chanel's involvement with the Nazis during WWII. It certainly doesn't make for an appealing lead protagonist. Others have downplayed this part of Chanel's life; like the recent Audrey Tautou movie Coco Before Chanel which highlighted the designer's more palatable rise to fame from humble beginnings. Props to Ewen for deciding to take the bull by the horns and focus on the least well known and most heavily covered up part of Chanel's life.
Ewen has done her research well and doesn't downplay the actual facts. Chanel lived with a German officer during the Parisian occupation and she was recruited as a spy by the Abwehr and went on several missions to support Germany. Those are damning facts to work with. Ewen's focus of the book is the why behind the behavior. Why would Coco not escape Paris when she had the chance? Why would Coco decide to continue to live in Paris during the occupation? Why would Coco decide to continue living at the Ritz hotel when the majority of its rooms had been requisitioned by top Nazi officials? Why would Coco invite a Nazi officer and spy to live with her? Why would Coco agree to spy for the Nazis? These are the questions that Ewen attempts to answer.
If the reader can step back enough from the story, if they can allow themselves to not want to be friends with Coco, if they can accept the fact that they don't like Coco as a person, then the book works. Ewen does arrive at logical conclusions for the why behind the questions. She shows the reader the mind-set, the inner workings, of Chanel and portrays her behaviors as - while not acceptable to the average person - totally understandable based on Chanel's personality and background. I don't agree with Chanel's choices but I understanding her reasoning behind the choices.
In terms of actual writing - the style, the language, the structure and syntax - Ewen deserves 5 stars. What lowers the ranking for me is the subject matter. I do find it difficult to spend my reading time with someone as unpleasant as Chanel was. Personally, I cannot say I love a book about a Nazi collaborator who doesn't end up punished but instead finds lasting fame and fortune after the war. It rankles. In a perfect world, she would have had to pay for her decisions. During the war, lots of French citizens worried about their families and careers without feeling the need to resort to working on the side of the Nazis.
Ewen has done her research well and doesn't downplay the actual facts. Chanel lived with a German officer during the Parisian occupation and she was recruited as a spy by the Abwehr and went on several missions to support Germany. Those are damning facts to work with. Ewen's focus of the book is the why behind the behavior. Why would Coco not escape Paris when she had the chance? Why would Coco decide to continue to live in Paris during the occupation? Why would Coco decide to continue living at the Ritz hotel when the majority of its rooms had been requisitioned by top Nazi officials? Why would Coco invite a Nazi officer and spy to live with her? Why would Coco agree to spy for the Nazis? These are the questions that Ewen attempts to answer.
If the reader can step back enough from the story, if they can allow themselves to not want to be friends with Coco, if they can accept the fact that they don't like Coco as a person, then the book works. Ewen does arrive at logical conclusions for the why behind the questions. She shows the reader the mind-set, the inner workings, of Chanel and portrays her behaviors as - while not acceptable to the average person - totally understandable based on Chanel's personality and background. I don't agree with Chanel's choices but I understanding her reasoning behind the choices.
In terms of actual writing - the style, the language, the structure and syntax - Ewen deserves 5 stars. What lowers the ranking for me is the subject matter. I do find it difficult to spend my reading time with someone as unpleasant as Chanel was. Personally, I cannot say I love a book about a Nazi collaborator who doesn't end up punished but instead finds lasting fame and fortune after the war. It rankles. In a perfect world, she would have had to pay for her decisions. During the war, lots of French citizens worried about their families and careers without feeling the need to resort to working on the side of the Nazis.
The Queen of Paris by Pamela Binnings Ewen is a brief snapshot of Coco Chanel's life in Nazi occupied Paris. Ewen does a phenomenal job of weaving an incredibly interesting story about a person who I found, to be honest, quite detestable. I am eager to read more by her!
Thank you, NetGalley for my review copy.
Thank you, NetGalley for my review copy.
3.75 stars. It was a bit hard to get into this book but worth hanging on for a good story.
***I received an advanced e-copy from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review
This book takes you through Coco Chanel's life, from the time she was a young girl, up until after the war when she moved to Switzerland. I have read a lot of historical fiction about WWII and particularly about Coco Chanel and her involvement with the Nazis. This book spent a lot of time on her ongoing battle with Pierre Wertheimer over rights to her Chanel No. 5 perfume, which he stole and took to America and started producing there during the war. It also spent a lot of time on her time as a spy for the Nazis. I have to admit I wasn't familiar with either of those facts so they were interesting, but I did wish there wasn't quite so much time focused on those, especially the court battle with Pierre. Otherwise, it was a fascinating book with a lot of interesting information about one of the most iconic people in the fashion industry.
This book takes you through Coco Chanel's life, from the time she was a young girl, up until after the war when she moved to Switzerland. I have read a lot of historical fiction about WWII and particularly about Coco Chanel and her involvement with the Nazis. This book spent a lot of time on her ongoing battle with Pierre Wertheimer over rights to her Chanel No. 5 perfume, which he stole and took to America and started producing there during the war. It also spent a lot of time on her time as a spy for the Nazis. I have to admit I wasn't familiar with either of those facts so they were interesting, but I did wish there wasn't quite so much time focused on those, especially the court battle with Pierre. Otherwise, it was a fascinating book with a lot of interesting information about one of the most iconic people in the fashion industry.
This story follows the new trend in historical fiction of looking into the life of female collaborators - those who worked with or were kept safe by the Nazis. This book was slow moving until Coco begins to work with the Nazis to save her business and her son. I felt the story behind Chanel No. 5 was far too long and detailed and Coco's trip for jasmine absolute had no point to the story and added nothing to the plot. This would have been a better story if about 100 pages were removed.