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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
hopeful
informative
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
I received an advanced copy of this book.
This novel tells the fictional story of Claire Eiffel and her family's strong legacy in Paris. Claire is thrown into a key family role at the age of 14 after her mother's death. She oversees the care of her younger siblings, and plays a key support role to her well-known architect father. She is very successful is both providing key advice to her father, as well in hosting key guests, and becomes indispensable to the business. But, with two brothers who have no interest in the business or engineering, Claire's father begins to groom his talented employee Adolphe Salles to lead the business in the future. Clair and Adolphe grow closer and their marriage solidifies the Eiffel family legacy in the business.
The bidding and building of the Eiffel tower is a huge undertaking for both the business and the family, and opportunities abound with work also scheduled for the Panama Canal. But projects of this size and nature are not without their challenges. The family legacy is tested in many ways, and Claire's strength is key to all family members.
I enjoyed this fictional retelling of the family and time of history.
This novel tells the fictional story of Claire Eiffel and her family's strong legacy in Paris. Claire is thrown into a key family role at the age of 14 after her mother's death. She oversees the care of her younger siblings, and plays a key support role to her well-known architect father. She is very successful is both providing key advice to her father, as well in hosting key guests, and becomes indispensable to the business. But, with two brothers who have no interest in the business or engineering, Claire's father begins to groom his talented employee Adolphe Salles to lead the business in the future. Clair and Adolphe grow closer and their marriage solidifies the Eiffel family legacy in the business.
The bidding and building of the Eiffel tower is a huge undertaking for both the business and the family, and opportunities abound with work also scheduled for the Panama Canal. But projects of this size and nature are not without their challenges. The family legacy is tested in many ways, and Claire's strength is key to all family members.
I enjoyed this fictional retelling of the family and time of history.
I love both armchair travel and learning something new. I’m interested in visionary men and strong women. It’s always a special treat to travel to Paris, and extra special to go to the Eiffel Tower. This book let me do that and learn more, while wondering: Would Eiffel have been able to do what he did without the sacrifices of his eldest daughter? How might it have felt to be her? And why isn’t he more honored among the French? This book really helped me see possible answers to those questions. Well done.
I was intrigued by the subject of this book, as I recently saw two of the Eiffel bridges in Porto and Girona. Claire had ambitions to become an artist, but had to give that up to take care of her younger siblings when her mother died. Claire becomes immersed in to the world of her father’s household and business. The role of women in these times is accurately portrayed. Choices were limited, and her choice would frustrate her later in life. I enjoyed this work of historical fiction about the woman behind the famous man. Recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
I really enjoyed this beautiful historical fiction and the amount of time and research that must have gone into this book by the author. The story was so enjoyable as well and I loved the bit of enemies to lovers we get in the start. It added to the overall story and I am HERE for it! I really loved Claire Eiffel and learning more about her family and her time.
Thank you to the author and Suzy approved book tours!
Thank you to the author and Suzy approved book tours!
To call this masterpiece historical fiction would be a dishonor to the author in my opinion. The amount of time spent on research must have been astronomical!!
This book is based on Gustave Eiffel and his family, aka the engineer behind the beautiful Eiffel Tower. When Gustave’s wife passes away, his oldest daughter Claire steps in as his right hand person, both in business and in running the home. In that point in time, it was unheard of for females to be active in a business setting. Claire makes sure her siblings are cared for, Gustave is cared for, and puts her needs or wants aside.
When it becomes obvious that Claire’s oldest brother, Edouard, will not be able to care for the business when Gustave retires, Gustave puts Claire in the sights of Adolph Salle. Claire and Adolph marry, and she continues to run both households under the same roof.
While this book is very much about Claire, it’s also about the Eiffel family. It’s about family, and supporting each other at all times.
I love books written with so much true history in them, and this book definitely did not disappoint. Claire is a very strong female, another thing unheard of in that time period. But she has no problem standing up for her beliefs, or her family. That is very apparent when Gustav becomes embroiled in the Panama Canal scandal.
This book is based on Gustave Eiffel and his family, aka the engineer behind the beautiful Eiffel Tower. When Gustave’s wife passes away, his oldest daughter Claire steps in as his right hand person, both in business and in running the home. In that point in time, it was unheard of for females to be active in a business setting. Claire makes sure her siblings are cared for, Gustave is cared for, and puts her needs or wants aside.
When it becomes obvious that Claire’s oldest brother, Edouard, will not be able to care for the business when Gustave retires, Gustave puts Claire in the sights of Adolph Salle. Claire and Adolph marry, and she continues to run both households under the same roof.
While this book is very much about Claire, it’s also about the Eiffel family. It’s about family, and supporting each other at all times.
I love books written with so much true history in them, and this book definitely did not disappoint. Claire is a very strong female, another thing unheard of in that time period. But she has no problem standing up for her beliefs, or her family. That is very apparent when Gustav becomes embroiled in the Panama Canal scandal.
Claire is the eldest daughter of architect Gustave Eiffel when her mother died she saw her childhood. Her father needs her help raising her siblings, so Claire steps into what was her mothers role which also includes helping with her fathers business. She ends up doing a great job and then travels with her father while he oversees the building of a bridge in Portugal and as she's his secretary and confidante.
Gustave knows he will have to retire one day, he plans to hand his legacy over to Adolphe Salles, his protégé and who will make both a suitable husband for Claire.
When Gustave wins his biggest commission of his career to build an iron tower on the Champs de Mars for the world trade fair that will be held in Paris in 1889, its to showcase France’s position as a leader in food, art, design, science and architecture, it’s a huge jump for him and his legacy.
Not everything goes smoothly for Gustave Eiffel, when he is chosen to build the Eiffel Tower, he only has two years to build. , this is his biggest project, residents begin to hold protest about it, saying it’s too big and will block out light, will it hold during bad weather. He begins to worry about the safety of his employees. Later we see another commission he takes in Panama that ends in disaster and he soon faces being prosecuted and sent to jail. I truly enjoyed this book and learning about a historical figure we don’t hear enough about!!
Gustave knows he will have to retire one day, he plans to hand his legacy over to Adolphe Salles, his protégé and who will make both a suitable husband for Claire.
When Gustave wins his biggest commission of his career to build an iron tower on the Champs de Mars for the world trade fair that will be held in Paris in 1889, its to showcase France’s position as a leader in food, art, design, science and architecture, it’s a huge jump for him and his legacy.
Not everything goes smoothly for Gustave Eiffel, when he is chosen to build the Eiffel Tower, he only has two years to build. , this is his biggest project, residents begin to hold protest about it, saying it’s too big and will block out light, will it hold during bad weather. He begins to worry about the safety of his employees. Later we see another commission he takes in Panama that ends in disaster and he soon faces being prosecuted and sent to jail. I truly enjoyed this book and learning about a historical figure we don’t hear enough about!!
4.5 stars
This is the third book I have read and enjoyed by this author. Aimie Runyan wrote this with a beautiful, flowing (even the title has a lovely ring to it!) language that put me right into France in the late 1800s. This is a tale about Claire Eiffel, the eldest daughter of the great engineer, Gustave Eiffel, who designed the beautiful Eiffel Tower. After the passing of her young mother, Claire becomes her father’s right hand woman. Not only did she help raise her younger siblings and care for the household, but she was her father’s confident in his many projects. Claire had a very close relationship with her Papa and I love the strength that she possessed, especially in a time that women were not always perceived to be competent enough to do the things she did. Early on in the book, her own grandmother tried to have her take the more “traditional “ role of a young woman. However, Claire pushed against her grandmother, not to be cowed by her. This novel, though by the authors admission was more fiction than fact due to the lack of information about Claire’s life, truly showed how special a woman Claire Eiffel was. I am interested in learning more about the family that was brought to light in this book.
I’ve only ever been to the airport in France, en route to other European destinations. I’ve not really had a strong desire to visit France. However, after reading this, I’m adding it to my bucket list, along with visiting the Eiffel Tower. Because after reading a book like this, you really want to visit in person!
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.
This is the third book I have read and enjoyed by this author. Aimie Runyan wrote this with a beautiful, flowing (even the title has a lovely ring to it!) language that put me right into France in the late 1800s. This is a tale about Claire Eiffel, the eldest daughter of the great engineer, Gustave Eiffel, who designed the beautiful Eiffel Tower. After the passing of her young mother, Claire becomes her father’s right hand woman. Not only did she help raise her younger siblings and care for the household, but she was her father’s confident in his many projects. Claire had a very close relationship with her Papa and I love the strength that she possessed, especially in a time that women were not always perceived to be competent enough to do the things she did. Early on in the book, her own grandmother tried to have her take the more “traditional “ role of a young woman. However, Claire pushed against her grandmother, not to be cowed by her. This novel, though by the authors admission was more fiction than fact due to the lack of information about Claire’s life, truly showed how special a woman Claire Eiffel was. I am interested in learning more about the family that was brought to light in this book.
I’ve only ever been to the airport in France, en route to other European destinations. I’ve not really had a strong desire to visit France. However, after reading this, I’m adding it to my bucket list, along with visiting the Eiffel Tower. Because after reading a book like this, you really want to visit in person!
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.