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Recommend this book:
The Last Daughter
Based on a True Story of One Girl's Courage in the Face of Evil
Belle Ami
2022 Bronze Medal
330 Pages
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Fiction - Historical - Event/Era
Reviewed by Heather Osborne for Readers' Favorite
The Last Daughter by Belle Ami is the harrowing story of the author’s mother during World War II in Europe. Dina had always lived comfortably in the loving embrace of her family. However, when Germany invaded Poland, all of that changes. Forced to leave her beloved home, her family is relocated into the Glinice ghetto. Gone are the carefree days of her childhood, replaced by fear and hunger, and hard work. Still, Dina’s family never gives up, even when they are deported to camps, bit by bit, their fates unknown. As Dina strives to survive the unthinkable, will she be able to keep her faith and make it through hell on earth?
A fantastic tale of perseverance, The Last Daughter by Belle Ami is an inspirational retelling of survival. So much is put on Dina and her family and she never gives up, constantly wishing for a better future. The novel is a stark account of her experiences during the Holocaust, without shying away from the horrors around her and all the other victims of the Nazis' atrocities. Yet, in the darkness, elements of hope keep Dina going. I particularly admired how Dina reflected back on the inspiration of her parents, using their strength and wisdom to survive, along with the unexpected kindness of strangers. It’s so important we never forget these parts of history and Dina’s experiences in the face of pure evil. I have read many memoirs of people who survived the Holocaust and The Last Daughter definitely is worth checking out for historical readers.
The Last Daughter by Belle Ami is the harrowing story of the author’s mother during World War II in Europe. Dina had always lived comfortably in the loving embrace of her family. However, when Germany invaded Poland, all of that changes. Forced to leave her beloved home, her family is relocated into the Glinice ghetto. Gone are the carefree days of her childhood, replaced by fear and hunger, and hard work. Still, Dina’s family never gives up, even when they are deported to camps, bit by bit, their fates unknown. As Dina strives to survive the unthinkable, will she be able to keep her faith and make it through hell on earth?
A fantastic tale of perseverance, The Last Daughter by Belle Ami is an inspirational retelling of survival. So much is put on Dina and her family and she never gives up, constantly wishing for a better future. The novel is a stark account of her experiences during the Holocaust, without shying away from the horrors around her and all the other victims of the Nazis' atrocities. Yet, in the darkness, elements of hope keep Dina going. I particularly admired how Dina reflected back on the inspiration of her parents, using their strength and wisdom to survive, along with the unexpected kindness of strangers. It’s so important we never forget these parts of history and Dina’s experiences in the face of pure evil. I have read many memoirs of people who survived the Holocaust and The Last Daughter definitely is worth checking out for historical readers.
Recommend this book:
A Small Hotel
Suanne Laqueur
2022 Silver Medal
514 Pages
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Fiction - Historical - Event/Era
Reviewed by Jennifer Ibiam for Readers' Favorite
Astrid Virtanen visited Martha in Clayton as part of her journey to see the world before making one final decision. She was Martha’s cousin, a housekeeper to the Fiskares who owned a hotel on the island. The firstborn Fiskare, Kennet, fell in love with Astrid through a picture, even before he saw her in the flesh. The duo hit it off and enjoyed a summer romance until her mother arrived and ruined everything. Astrid had family commitments caused by financial difficulties and a dependent, manipulative mother. Circumstances separated Kennet and his lover, and he reeled from the heartbreak until the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Kennet joined the army, where he knew a different love that changed him, but something was missing. Is there hope for Astrid and Kennet? A Small Hotel by Suanne Laqueur has the details.
A Small Hotel by Suanne Laqueur is a heartwarming story that started on a slow note before sucking me in. I was hooked until the end, as it showcased two kinds of love, both revolving around family. This novel also explored romance, stigmatization, marriages of convenience, parental love, and more. I loved the plot and storyline because they were brilliant and unique. It pained me how parents mortgaged their children’s lives for financial benefit. The year 1941 was such a memorable year, and I loved how Laqueur transitioned the action from a cute island love affair to the war front, effortlessly blending fact and fiction. The same-sex affair stigmatization, near-death experiences, loss of comrades, and the hell of concentration camps were some of the most defining moments in this novel. Veterans suffer their trauma for life. Ingrid and Emil deserve a story. A Small Hotel was captivating, emotional, and inspiring.
Astrid Virtanen visited Martha in Clayton as part of her journey to see the world before making one final decision. She was Martha’s cousin, a housekeeper to the Fiskares who owned a hotel on the island. The firstborn Fiskare, Kennet, fell in love with Astrid through a picture, even before he saw her in the flesh. The duo hit it off and enjoyed a summer romance until her mother arrived and ruined everything. Astrid had family commitments caused by financial difficulties and a dependent, manipulative mother. Circumstances separated Kennet and his lover, and he reeled from the heartbreak until the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Kennet joined the army, where he knew a different love that changed him, but something was missing. Is there hope for Astrid and Kennet? A Small Hotel by Suanne Laqueur has the details.
A Small Hotel by Suanne Laqueur is a heartwarming story that started on a slow note before sucking me in. I was hooked until the end, as it showcased two kinds of love, both revolving around family. This novel also explored romance, stigmatization, marriages of convenience, parental love, and more. I loved the plot and storyline because they were brilliant and unique. It pained me how parents mortgaged their children’s lives for financial benefit. The year 1941 was such a memorable year, and I loved how Laqueur transitioned the action from a cute island love affair to the war front, effortlessly blending fact and fiction. The same-sex affair stigmatization, near-death experiences, loss of comrades, and the hell of concentration camps were some of the most defining moments in this novel. Veterans suffer their trauma for life. Ingrid and Emil deserve a story. A Small Hotel was captivating, emotional, and inspiring.
Recommend this book:
Captain Sedition
The Death of the Age of Reason
K. C. Fusaro
2022 Gold Medal
347 Pages
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Fiction - Historical - Event/Era
Reviewed by Lex Allen for Readers' Favorite
In Captain Sedition by K.C. Fusaro, expatriate Joethan Wolfe, raised in England and now a courier for the power brokers of England, returns to America, the land of his birth, to find and secure the release of his father who has been charged with sedition. He has a pardon signed by the King. It's 1774 and the American Revolution is right around the corner. Wolfe negotiates a dangerous path between the Crown's military, loyalists, and American rebels. His friendship with Benjamin Franklin helps, but it's his own wits, dueling skills, and keen sense of timing that must see him through a variety of situations, from danger to intrigue to love.
From page one, author K.C. Fusaro establishes a sense of presence and pace for the reader that is at once undeniable and inescapable. Across the board, from character to location to dress, language, personal mannerisms of individual characters, and customs of pre-revolutionary America, verisimilitude--a sense of reality--abounds. A sense of historical urgency and fact keeps the reader enthralled by this rousing story of early America. Fusaro writes with authority, attention to detail, and the all-important spellbinding momentum that carries the lead character Wolfe through a myriad of disparate characters and situations. This includes a rendezvous with Prudence, a childhood friend and playmate now grown into a beautiful and unpredictable woman. Thoroughly captivating is an understatement for this magnificent story that doesn't end with Captain Sedition: The Death of the Age of Reason, but continues with book two, The Wages of Glory. Mr. Fusaro has a new fan here and I'm confident many, many more will follow.
In Captain Sedition by K.C. Fusaro, expatriate Joethan Wolfe, raised in England and now a courier for the power brokers of England, returns to America, the land of his birth, to find and secure the release of his father who has been charged with sedition. He has a pardon signed by the King. It's 1774 and the American Revolution is right around the corner. Wolfe negotiates a dangerous path between the Crown's military, loyalists, and American rebels. His friendship with Benjamin Franklin helps, but it's his own wits, dueling skills, and keen sense of timing that must see him through a variety of situations, from danger to intrigue to love.
From page one, author K.C. Fusaro establishes a sense of presence and pace for the reader that is at once undeniable and inescapable. Across the board, from character to location to dress, language, personal mannerisms of individual characters, and customs of pre-revolutionary America, verisimilitude--a sense of reality--abounds. A sense of historical urgency and fact keeps the reader enthralled by this rousing story of early America. Fusaro writes with authority, attention to detail, and the all-important spellbinding momentum that carries the lead character Wolfe through a myriad of disparate characters and situations. This includes a rendezvous with Prudence, a childhood friend and playmate now grown into a beautiful and unpredictable woman. Thoroughly captivating is an understatement for this magnificent story that doesn't end with Captain Sedition: The Death of the Age of Reason, but continues with book two, The Wages of Glory. Mr. Fusaro has a new fan here and I'm confident many, many more will follow.
Recommend this book:
A Distant Horizon
The Distant Series Book 1
AnneMarie Brear
2022 Gold Medal
302 Pages
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Fiction - Historical - Event/Era
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite
A Distant Horizon is a work of fiction in the historical, interpersonal drama, and women’s fiction subgenres. It forms the opening installment of The Distant Series and was penned for the general adult reading audience by author AnneMarie Brear. Set during the intensely difficult Irish Potato Famine of the mid-nineteenth century, we meet our protagonist Ellen Kittrick after many years of strife, when she is struggling and at her wit’s end. With a family to support and her husband out of work, Ellen makes a series of bold moves to elevate her family and ensure survival, but these moves are not without danger, difficulty, and discrimination.
Author AnneMarie Brear has crafted a sweeping historical saga with atmosphere, emotion, and drama aplenty that will surely satisfy any fan of the genre. Ellen Kittrick’s life is filled with all the cinematically-described hardships of poverty, unemployment, and starvation that you’d expect, but this novel goes beyond the simple sympathy vote and paints Ellen as a woman of character, intellect, and ingenuity at a time when women were not expected to rise up and be bold decision-makers in their families. Then, when the scene changes to life in an Australian colony, a whole new series of well-researched historical troubles crop up, which Ellen once again battles with the audience right on her shoulder. Brear’s intense narration and emotive dialogue really help you get into the heads of the characters and understand the period better, making A Distant Horizon a spectacular series opener that ticks every box for historical saga fans.
A Distant Horizon is a work of fiction in the historical, interpersonal drama, and women’s fiction subgenres. It forms the opening installment of The Distant Series and was penned for the general adult reading audience by author AnneMarie Brear. Set during the intensely difficult Irish Potato Famine of the mid-nineteenth century, we meet our protagonist Ellen Kittrick after many years of strife, when she is struggling and at her wit’s end. With a family to support and her husband out of work, Ellen makes a series of bold moves to elevate her family and ensure survival, but these moves are not without danger, difficulty, and discrimination.
Author AnneMarie Brear has crafted a sweeping historical saga with atmosphere, emotion, and drama aplenty that will surely satisfy any fan of the genre. Ellen Kittrick’s life is filled with all the cinematically-described hardships of poverty, unemployment, and starvation that you’d expect, but this novel goes beyond the simple sympathy vote and paints Ellen as a woman of character, intellect, and ingenuity at a time when women were not expected to rise up and be bold decision-makers in their families. Then, when the scene changes to life in an Australian colony, a whole new series of well-researched historical troubles crop up, which Ellen once again battles with the audience right on her shoulder. Brear’s intense narration and emotive dialogue really help you get into the heads of the characters and understand the period better, making A Distant Horizon a spectacular series opener that ticks every box for historical saga fans.
Recommend this book:
Prospects of a Woman
A Novel
Wendy Voorsanger
2021 Finalist
352 Pages
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Fiction - Historical - Event/Era
Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite
Prospects of a Woman: A Novel by Wendy Voorsanger is the story of Elizabeth as she discovers the meaning of independence and what it means to be truly free. Elizabeth and her husband Nate travel from Massachusetts to California to find her father who has suddenly become rich. However, when they get there, her father refuses to accept them and leaves them alone. Hungry and poor, she and Nate have to work harder than they ever did to find sustenance and even live. However, when their marriage starts to fall apart, Elizabeth learns that there is more to being a woman than just a wife. She realizes she has rights and a future. She can become whoever she wants to be, become the master of her destiny and she does not need a man by her side to be happy.
Set in the time of the California gold rush, Elizabeth is a woman who goes through some tough times but makes it out alive with sheer determination and grit. Prospects of a Woman by Wendy Voorsanger is a complex and sometimes dark novel that shares the harsh realities of a time when the characters are just learning about themselves and their full potential. There is both beauty and innocence in the way Elizabeth blooms right in front of the reader’s eyes. She learns how she can be the hero of her own story by earning her money and by not following a pipe dream that may or may not be real. This novel is fascinating in its complexity; it is empowering and the author makes sure the reader gets a rush of excitement as they turn pages. This one deserves the prime spot on your bookshelf!
Prospects of a Woman: A Novel by Wendy Voorsanger is the story of Elizabeth as she discovers the meaning of independence and what it means to be truly free. Elizabeth and her husband Nate travel from Massachusetts to California to find her father who has suddenly become rich. However, when they get there, her father refuses to accept them and leaves them alone. Hungry and poor, she and Nate have to work harder than they ever did to find sustenance and even live. However, when their marriage starts to fall apart, Elizabeth learns that there is more to being a woman than just a wife. She realizes she has rights and a future. She can become whoever she wants to be, become the master of her destiny and she does not need a man by her side to be happy.
Set in the time of the California gold rush, Elizabeth is a woman who goes through some tough times but makes it out alive with sheer determination and grit. Prospects of a Woman by Wendy Voorsanger is a complex and sometimes dark novel that shares the harsh realities of a time when the characters are just learning about themselves and their full potential. There is both beauty and innocence in the way Elizabeth blooms right in front of the reader’s eyes. She learns how she can be the hero of her own story by earning her money and by not following a pipe dream that may or may not be real. This novel is fascinating in its complexity; it is empowering and the author makes sure the reader gets a rush of excitement as they turn pages. This one deserves the prime spot on your bookshelf!
Recommend this book:
The Only Blue Door
Based on actual events in World War II
Joan Fallon
2021 Honorable Mention
450 Pages
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Fiction - Historical - Event/Era
Reviewed by Edith Wairimu for Readers' Favorite
A young British girl sent to Australia with her siblings during the height of World War II is determined to trace and reunite with her family again in Joan Fallon’s moving historical novel, The Only Blue Door. Before the war, Maggie and her family lived an idyllic life in London’s East End. Their house has the only door painted blue. Maggie’s father had painted it her favorite color before leaving for the war. As other women and children are evacuated, Maggie’s family remains in London. Her mother, Irene, is convinced that the war will soon be over and is determined to receive her husband when he returns. But things take a turn for the worst, and in all the confusion, the children are sent to Australia as migrant children.
Even when faced with grim circumstances, all the main characters in this moving novel display courage and strength. Maggie provides direction and takes care of her siblings while also trying to cope with changes and challenges. Her sister, Grace, survives physical and emotional torture in the orphanage where she is placed with Maggie. Separated from his sisters, their brother, Billy, is forced to carve out a life of his own. Irene is also forced to move forward without knowing the fate of her children. The story also covers the horrors immigrant children had to endure, including separation from their families, mistreatment in orphanages run by unqualified staff, and trauma from their experiences and the war. The Only Blue Door by Joan Fallon is a powerful coming-of-age novel about immigrant children who learn to survive in a foreign country during World War II.
A young British girl sent to Australia with her siblings during the height of World War II is determined to trace and reunite with her family again in Joan Fallon’s moving historical novel, The Only Blue Door. Before the war, Maggie and her family lived an idyllic life in London’s East End. Their house has the only door painted blue. Maggie’s father had painted it her favorite color before leaving for the war. As other women and children are evacuated, Maggie’s family remains in London. Her mother, Irene, is convinced that the war will soon be over and is determined to receive her husband when he returns. But things take a turn for the worst, and in all the confusion, the children are sent to Australia as migrant children.
Even when faced with grim circumstances, all the main characters in this moving novel display courage and strength. Maggie provides direction and takes care of her siblings while also trying to cope with changes and challenges. Her sister, Grace, survives physical and emotional torture in the orphanage where she is placed with Maggie. Separated from his sisters, their brother, Billy, is forced to carve out a life of his own. Irene is also forced to move forward without knowing the fate of her children. The story also covers the horrors immigrant children had to endure, including separation from their families, mistreatment in orphanages run by unqualified staff, and trauma from their experiences and the war. The Only Blue Door by Joan Fallon is a powerful coming-of-age novel about immigrant children who learn to survive in a foreign country during World War II.
Recommend this book:
, Victoria has given up on the idea of finding a suitable marriage partner. Besides, she’s turn...){kind=link}
Lie A Little . . . To Love A Lot
A heart-warming Victorian family saga (The Faredene Saga Book 1)
Debra Delaney
2021 Bronze Medal
486 Pages
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Fiction - Historical - Event/Era
Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite
Life for a lonely spinster in the Victorian era could potentially stretch on endlessly into oblivion. It wasn’t a cheerful thought for Victoria Kavanagh. Already in her twenties when her father passes away (her mother passed away when she was younger), Victoria has given up on the idea of finding a suitable marriage partner. Besides, she’s turned off men in general after having witnessed first-hand the brutal hand her father used on her mother. She wants nothing to do with that kind of abuse. But she does want a child. When a baby is left abandoned under a pew at the church where she attended services, Victoria decides it was a mother-daughter match meant to be. But there are specific protocols that a young woman must follow in this era, and adopting a child as a spinster is frowned upon, if not even illegal. This is where Lie A Little... To Love A Lot by author Debra Delaney really takes off.
Debra Delaney’s novel, Lie A Little … To Love A Lot: A heart-warming Victorian family saga (The Faredene Trilogy Book 1), is a comfortable, Victorian-era historical romance novel. Set with similar staging and style to Catherine Cookson and Anne Perry, this story will have the reader captivated from beginning to end. The plot follows Victoria’s search for a new role as an entrepreneur and a single mother. At the same time, she faces the challenges of Victorian-era prejudices and female stereotypes, not to mention the brutality of so many men who took advantage of their power to subjugate the women they controlled. The author has a powerful command of language – her descriptive narrative and in-depth character development are on a par with the likes of Cookson and Perry, and the author makes the reader feel like part of the story. Her use of strong female characters who stand up against the controlling powers of tradition allows the reader to be immersed in another type of history lesson of the Victorian era. This story will enrapture readers from beginning to end.
Life for a lonely spinster in the Victorian era could potentially stretch on endlessly into oblivion. It wasn’t a cheerful thought for Victoria Kavanagh. Already in her twenties when her father passes away (her mother passed away when she was younger), Victoria has given up on the idea of finding a suitable marriage partner. Besides, she’s turned off men in general after having witnessed first-hand the brutal hand her father used on her mother. She wants nothing to do with that kind of abuse. But she does want a child. When a baby is left abandoned under a pew at the church where she attended services, Victoria decides it was a mother-daughter match meant to be. But there are specific protocols that a young woman must follow in this era, and adopting a child as a spinster is frowned upon, if not even illegal. This is where Lie A Little... To Love A Lot by author Debra Delaney really takes off.
Debra Delaney’s novel, Lie A Little … To Love A Lot: A heart-warming Victorian family saga (The Faredene Trilogy Book 1), is a comfortable, Victorian-era historical romance novel. Set with similar staging and style to Catherine Cookson and Anne Perry, this story will have the reader captivated from beginning to end. The plot follows Victoria’s search for a new role as an entrepreneur and a single mother. At the same time, she faces the challenges of Victorian-era prejudices and female stereotypes, not to mention the brutality of so many men who took advantage of their power to subjugate the women they controlled. The author has a powerful command of language – her descriptive narrative and in-depth character development are on a par with the likes of Cookson and Perry, and the author makes the reader feel like part of the story. Her use of strong female characters who stand up against the controlling powers of tradition allows the reader to be immersed in another type of history lesson of the Victorian era. This story will enrapture readers from beginning to end.
Recommend this book:
Chateau Laux
A Story of Colonial America
David Loux
2021 Bronze Medal
292 Pages
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Fiction - Historical - Event/Era
Reviewed by Edith Wairimu for Readers' Favorite
In David Loux’s immersive historical novel, Chateau Laux, the fate of a young family is changed by a heinous crime that leaves a trail of far-reaching and devastating results. It is the early 1700s and Lawrence Kraymer is one of Philadelphia’s successful merchants after inheriting his grandfather’s prosperous brewery. Craving a break from years of toiling alongside his grandfather, he plans a hunting trip. While lost in the woods, he stumbles upon a farmhouse whose hospitable owner, Pierre, gives him a warm welcome. Lawrence becomes enchanted by his host’s oldest daughter, Catharine. To please her and her father, he commissions the construction of a magnificent château. Though its construction is well-intended, it becomes the scene of an unspeakable crime.
When reading Chateau Laux by David Loux, the events felt more convincing since the novel is based on a real and documented historical event. I also appreciated the depth of the story which is achieved by including bits of French history. The riveting historical detail is creatively woven into Pierre’s background and paints a picture of the bitter political division in France at the time. Symbolism is also used to enhance the story such as when the château is used as an ominous sign from Pierre’s past. Loux’s storytelling is elegant and lyrical. The characters display recognizable human nature from their conversations and behavior. There are also profound lessons to be learned along the way from the main characters’ experiences and Pierre’s wisdom. Chateau Laux portrays its historical settings and characters with skill and excellence. The story is well-developed and all its elements are skillfully achieved. I highly recommend it.
In David Loux’s immersive historical novel, Chateau Laux, the fate of a young family is changed by a heinous crime that leaves a trail of far-reaching and devastating results. It is the early 1700s and Lawrence Kraymer is one of Philadelphia’s successful merchants after inheriting his grandfather’s prosperous brewery. Craving a break from years of toiling alongside his grandfather, he plans a hunting trip. While lost in the woods, he stumbles upon a farmhouse whose hospitable owner, Pierre, gives him a warm welcome. Lawrence becomes enchanted by his host’s oldest daughter, Catharine. To please her and her father, he commissions the construction of a magnificent château. Though its construction is well-intended, it becomes the scene of an unspeakable crime.
When reading Chateau Laux by David Loux, the events felt more convincing since the novel is based on a real and documented historical event. I also appreciated the depth of the story which is achieved by including bits of French history. The riveting historical detail is creatively woven into Pierre’s background and paints a picture of the bitter political division in France at the time. Symbolism is also used to enhance the story such as when the château is used as an ominous sign from Pierre’s past. Loux’s storytelling is elegant and lyrical. The characters display recognizable human nature from their conversations and behavior. There are also profound lessons to be learned along the way from the main characters’ experiences and Pierre’s wisdom. Chateau Laux portrays its historical settings and characters with skill and excellence. The story is well-developed and all its elements are skillfully achieved. I highly recommend it.
Recommend this book:
The Women of Chateau Lafayette
Stephanie Dray
2021 Silver Medal
576 Pages
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Fiction - Historical - Event/Era
Reviewed by Heather Osborne for Readers' Favorite
Three women, three wars, and one castle. The Women of Chateau Lafayette by Stephanie Dray is a historical fiction novel spanning the lives and influences of Adrienne Lafayette, Beatrice Chanler, and Marthe Simone, each saga coming together at one remarkable spot: Chavaniac. Adrienne must stand by her husband, the famed General Lafayette, as he fumbles in the lavish court of Versailles through the Reign of Terror and his subsequent imprisonment. Beatrice is a staunch philanthropist, advocating for the Americans to aid the French during the First World War. Marthe is an orphan, who grew up to teach at Chavaniac, and finds herself a somewhat unwilling participant in the French resistance during World War Two. Each woman has her strengths and weaknesses, but all are formidable forces as they fight for what they believe in.
There are not enough words to praise Stephanie Dray’s magnificent The Women of Chateau Lafayette. Certainly an epic novel, it’s worth the time to read as Dray weaves together the lives of three evocative women. There were parts where I felt palpable heartbreak, especially in the life of Adrienne Lafayette. Her struggles, perseverance, and triumphs during one of the most harrowing events in French history were inspiring, as were her relationships with American dignitaries and presidents. Beatrice, likewise, rose above her humble beginnings as an actress and singer and became known to heads of state and ambassadors. She latched onto her cause and was a relentless force for good when the USA was hesitant to enter World War One. Dray also created a believable character in reluctant resistance fighter Marthe. I could feel her hesitance to put herself in danger, but her morals and ethics ultimately won. I highly recommend The Women of Chateau Lafayette to anyone with a passion for historical fiction and those who enjoy stories about strong, resilient women. This one will stick with me for some time, long after I’ve read the last page.
Three women, three wars, and one castle. The Women of Chateau Lafayette by Stephanie Dray is a historical fiction novel spanning the lives and influences of Adrienne Lafayette, Beatrice Chanler, and Marthe Simone, each saga coming together at one remarkable spot: Chavaniac. Adrienne must stand by her husband, the famed General Lafayette, as he fumbles in the lavish court of Versailles through the Reign of Terror and his subsequent imprisonment. Beatrice is a staunch philanthropist, advocating for the Americans to aid the French during the First World War. Marthe is an orphan, who grew up to teach at Chavaniac, and finds herself a somewhat unwilling participant in the French resistance during World War Two. Each woman has her strengths and weaknesses, but all are formidable forces as they fight for what they believe in.
There are not enough words to praise Stephanie Dray’s magnificent The Women of Chateau Lafayette. Certainly an epic novel, it’s worth the time to read as Dray weaves together the lives of three evocative women. There were parts where I felt palpable heartbreak, especially in the life of Adrienne Lafayette. Her struggles, perseverance, and triumphs during one of the most harrowing events in French history were inspiring, as were her relationships with American dignitaries and presidents. Beatrice, likewise, rose above her humble beginnings as an actress and singer and became known to heads of state and ambassadors. She latched onto her cause and was a relentless force for good when the USA was hesitant to enter World War One. Dray also created a believable character in reluctant resistance fighter Marthe. I could feel her hesitance to put herself in danger, but her morals and ethics ultimately won. I highly recommend The Women of Chateau Lafayette to anyone with a passion for historical fiction and those who enjoy stories about strong, resilient women. This one will stick with me for some time, long after I’ve read the last page.
Recommend this book:
The Ones We Leave Behind
Deanna Lynn Sletten
2021 Gold Medal
414 Pages
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Fiction - Historical - Event/Era
Reviewed by Sefina Hawke for Readers' Favorite
The Ones We Leave Behind by Deanna Lynn Sletten is a historical event/era novel that would appeal most to a mixed audience of mature young adults and adults who enjoy cross-generational stories. Two women from the same family in different time periods both had their lives changed forever. In 1955, a crime of passion leads to Anna spending decades in prison and leaving her two young children without a mother for most of their lives. In 2020, Diane’s life changes when she answers her mother’s phone, only to find out that the grandmother whom she did not know was alive was being released from prison. That one phone call brings about a meeting of grandmother and granddaughter as the two learn how similar they are and the difference that circumstance can make in the path one’s life takes.
The Ones We Leave Behind by Deanna Lynn Sletten was a very well-written historical fiction novel with a thought-provoking cover image. The author did an amazing job of staying true to the different time periods during which the lives of the two women took place; the historical accuracy of the story really had me forgetting the fictional nature of the narrative at times. I did find the spousal abuse displayed in the book to be emotionally strong, and I found myself putting the book down for a break here and there, but the spousal abuse was needed for the story and the author did a good job of not making it emotionally scarring. Of the two women, I found myself connecting more with Diane as I just felt myself becoming emotionally attached to her and wanting to see where she would end up.
The Ones We Leave Behind by Deanna Lynn Sletten is a historical event/era novel that would appeal most to a mixed audience of mature young adults and adults who enjoy cross-generational stories. Two women from the same family in different time periods both had their lives changed forever. In 1955, a crime of passion leads to Anna spending decades in prison and leaving her two young children without a mother for most of their lives. In 2020, Diane’s life changes when she answers her mother’s phone, only to find out that the grandmother whom she did not know was alive was being released from prison. That one phone call brings about a meeting of grandmother and granddaughter as the two learn how similar they are and the difference that circumstance can make in the path one’s life takes.
The Ones We Leave Behind by Deanna Lynn Sletten was a very well-written historical fiction novel with a thought-provoking cover image. The author did an amazing job of staying true to the different time periods during which the lives of the two women took place; the historical accuracy of the story really had me forgetting the fictional nature of the narrative at times. I did find the spousal abuse displayed in the book to be emotionally strong, and I found myself putting the book down for a break here and there, but the spousal abuse was needed for the story and the author did a good job of not making it emotionally scarring. Of the two women, I found myself connecting more with Diane as I just felt myself becoming emotionally attached to her and wanting to see where she would end up.
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