Introduction

Named one of 2021’s Most Anticipated Historical Novels by Oprah Magazine, 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.

Most castles are protected by men. This one by women.

A founding mother...
1774. Gently-bred noblewoman Adrienne Lafayette becomes her husband, the Marquis de Lafayette’s political partner in the fight for American independence. But when their idealism sparks revolution in France and the guillotine threatens everything she holds dear, Adrienne must renounce the complicated man she loves, or risk her life for a legacy that will inspire generations to come.

A daring visionary...
1914. Glittering New York socialite Beatrice Chanler is a force of nature, daunted by nothing—not her humble beginnings, her crumbling marriage, or the outbreak of war. But after witnessing the devastation in France firsthand, Beatrice takes on the challenge of a lifetime: convincing America to fight for what's right.

A reluctant resistor...
1940. French school-teacher and aspiring artist Marthe Simone has an orphan's self-reliance and wants nothing to do with war. But as the realities of Nazi occupation transform her life in the isolated castle where she came of age, she makes a discovery that calls into question who she is, and more importantly, who she is willing to become.

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Excerpt

ADRIENNE LAFAYETTE

Versailles, Winter 1774
The duc de Chartres was ten years my senior and a puckish mischief-maker who often goaded the queen and her ladies into drunken carriage racing in the streets. I did not wish to encourage him. Still, with the queen’s prodding, I agreed to dance. When he extended an arm, I rested my fingertips upon it. “Your Serene Highness—” ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

Which heroine’s story did you enjoy reading the most? Which one inspired you the most or made you the most emotional? Which heroine do you most identify with?
Of Adrienne’s many acts of courage, which one stands out in your memory the most? What do you think you would have done in her place?
Beatrice Chanler was the wife of a millionaire. She could have stayed out of both world wars if she’d wanted to. Why did she fling herself into the war relief effort? And why did she feel so obligated to help children?
It takes Marthe a long time to translate her frustration, anger, and disgust at the Vichy regime into concrete action. That mirrors the experience of the French people’s slow boiling fury at the situation that existed before the French Revolution. When is a person finally moved to act? And are younger people, like Marthe, quicker and more willing to take those risks?

Weblinks

»	Author's website
»	Research Photos Part 1
»	Research on Beatrice Chandler

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