User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
Gabrielle Bonheur ‘Coco’ Chanel (1883-1972) remains to be an icon of couture and perfume Chanel No. 5. But she was also a Nazi spy. Was it of her own choice or was she forced to collaborate with the Nazi’s?
French Riviera, 1944. Gabrielle Chanel – Coco to most – just learned that her business partner has stolen the No. 5 perfume formula.
Pierre Wertheimer, Jewish businessman, flees Europe for America taking with him the formula to produce it in the US.
“Since closing her line of couture last year after the worker’s strike, No. 5 has become her primary source of income.”
She takes the case to court.
The story alternates between 1940-1944 and her past.
1909. On a hot humid day, “on a whim I tied a black grosgrain ribbon around the rim of a straw boater, a lighter, cooler hat than fashionable ladies wore.” Then suddenly, some ladies crave her hat. Before she knows, she is in business of selling hats.
“Then came jackets and skirts and blouses… (…) classic, simple…”
1940. As France is under German control, now it’s also governed by German laws. She thinks she can outsmart SS officer. But she makes a fatal mistake. And now she can lose everything, even her freedom.
Vividly imagined story has a heart-warming ending, even tear-dropping. To have such a friend…
The focus of the story is Coco Chanel, not the gruesome events of WWII. At the same time, the author skillfully puts dimensions into the time period. It is interesting to read how war is progressing in France, some not feeling the effect of it at all, at least at the beginning of the war. And after liberation, the terror, or the Purge, that follows on the streets of Paris.
Coco Chanel is very real. She is a very complex woman. Among her many traits, she is ambitious, driven, arrogant, and more. Events in her life propel her to be certain way. She makes a name for herself, but she is not so lucky with the love of her life – Boy Capel. Despite her superiority, she still can be a likeable character and you do feel sympathy for her and feel for her lost love.
With smooth prose and evoking characters, this story of an iconic couturier is revealed in engrossing layers.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
The three stars are for the incredible writing talent of the author because it takes a masterful effort to have me read an entire story and hate the title character.
The Queen of Paris is none other than Coco Chanel and this volume focuses on her collaboration with the Nazi regime that occupied Paris. This, of course, is now established in the historical record that Chanel was anti-Semitic. To what extent were the activities that she engages in collaboration is what the author deals with creating a storyline.
Most of the WWII books that not only grace my shelves but also other readers as well are tales of those who resisted, who joined the fight against the occupiers in one way or another and then there are also the dozens and dozens of Holocaust survivor stories which have been read. Then here comes this book which is about a self-centered, egotistical and entitled French woman who merely looks at the Jewish roundups and shrugs and says "This has nothing to do with me." Basically, here comes a story that focuses on the majority of why people "looked the other way." For Coco Chanel, she was concerned about her family and her business.
As I stated in my first paragraph, I read the entirety of this book and never liked Chanel. I just couldn't. I also really couldn't find the empathy that I think the author wanted me to have even with the back story that was presented in flashbacks. Does the fact that your father abandoned you as a child and your lovers rejected you, give you permission to do the things you did during a time of war? I don't know but this book sure has twisted me in knots just thinking about it. As I said, it's a whole shade of grey.
Goodreads review published 13/04/20
Publication Date 07/04/20
Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
I have just read “The Queen of Paris” A Novel of Coco Chanel by Pamela Binnings Ewen
What an intriguing book. Pamela Binnings Ewen writes eloquently. The author has done a great deal of research, and the book was very engaging and very interesting. Her description of Coco Chanel and the era was very visual.
It is a storyline takes place during the four years of Nazi occupation in Paris in the midst of WWII
I am giving this book a solid 4.5 stars
I found it a wonderful read, but at times a bit hard to follow all of the characters, and a bit long winded, however a book that I would highly recommend to those who love a good historical fiction
#TheQueenOfParis #NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing
Rating: really liked it
4 Stars for The Queen of Paris: A Novel of Coco Chanel (audiobook) by Pamela Binnings Ewen read by Gabrielle De Cuir.
This is a beautifully written story about a powerful lady who didn’t have many redeeming qualities. The story takes place in Paris during the German occupation during WWII. This book claims to be a novel, so it’s fiction. But in the description it mentions that it’s partly based on new information that’s been recently uncovered. I was hoping to learn more about this interesting woman but I’m not sure what part of this story actually happened and what was made up. I wished the author made that more clear.
Rating: really liked it
This is a fascinating look at the iconic Coco Chanel during the time of the Nazi occupation of France. It is 1940 and Chanel has built up a company and a legacy with her couture and her signature perfume, Chanel no. 5. Using flashbacks, Ewen paints a picture of a poverty stricken and abandoned Coco, who learns to trust no one in her quest for a better life. Now her business partner, Pierre Wertheimer, has left with the formula for Chanel no. 5 and resettled in New York in order to begin production there, all behind Coco Chanel’s back. She is desperate to seize control back and is even willing to use the new Nazi courts and their anti-Semitic laws against the Jewish Pierre. Drawing the attention of the Nazis and their realization that Coco’s son is in a concentration camp, leads to Coco’s recruitment into the Nazi spy network. She is sent to Spain to convince Franco to join forces with Hitler and Mussolini in their quest to conquer Europe. Coco remains a guest of the Ritz hotel, even though it was being used as the Nazi Headquarters.
Though it has never been proven that the child Coco claimed to be her nephew, was really her son, Ewen takes some liberties by creating this bond to explain some of Coco Chanel’s motivations for helping the Nazi’s. It is true that she was able to use her business acumen after the Allies freed Paris, to escape the fate of other suspected Nazi sympathizers, by handing out free bottles of Chanel no. 5 to GIs. Despite her denials of ever working with the enemy, files released years later, confirmed that she did indeed have at least a code name and handlers.
This portrayal of Coco is not without sympathy. Though characterized as arrogant; myopically ambitious and ruthless; and often uncaring to those suffering around her; Ewan softens her character by her portrayal of a sad and lonely childhood, and Coco’s unwavering love toward a son who does not reciprocate her feelings.
The prose and descriptions of both a conquered Paris, and an earlier world of upper-class luxury; paint a vivid picture of the France of Coco Chanel’s time. This is a well-researched, unapologetic work of historical fiction, and an interesting view of a strong, powerful woman and who she really was. This would be a great read for those interested in WWII historical fiction, biographical fiction, and fiction about the world of couture fashion and one of its most celebrated women.
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for the e-ARC.
Rating: really liked it
This was like the perfect historical fiction novel. It had all the elements, it was well written, and it kept my attention. Coco Chanel, at least depicted by this novel, was quite self-serving. She was far from a humanitarian or social justice minded. She takes care of herself and her own. She wasn't as easy to root for given her character style, although you could see she was placed in a difficult impossible situation her whole life. Coco Chanel is the story of a young girl who faced early loss and abandonment, and then had that repeated over and over again. Seemingly, that develops a character who has her aches and pains, but rather than transform those into a sense of universal struggle or common good, her aloneness and survival instincts became stronger and more of a character style. In this depiction, she absolutely did love. She loved deeply and greatly. But only in her own circle, and could not afford any more. Even drugs kept her away from having to deal with the horrors of reality and her reality. Her refusal to "know and see" did the rest. For which, she would likely have no apology. She did the best she could for what she needed to do for herself and protect what little she could. The way it all worked out in the end was fascinating and a little charming to me. And it made sense. This is a woman you don't want to see lose, but you don't quite want to see her win either. Its actually an amazing tale of a woman I knew little about.
Coco Chanel is my Remarkable Person of the Year (2022). Recently, I am having some difficulty with this particular self-designed challenge. It sort of made sense. There are at least a few Remarkable People on my TBR that caught my eye, and I would like to know a little more about. But I found the last few years, that over the course of the year, I get very bored with a character. I already feel like I had her life mapped out in this particular historical fiction book, I'm not sure I want to read the same book or similar books twice, or over and over again. This may be the last year of the challenge, or I may have to re-vamp it. But the Chanel Sisters is on my TBR and that seems to add more about her earlier life. There is a Rhys Bowen mystery, and maybe some of these will have a different style and take on her. We shall see. Mademoiselle Chanel appears to be the other straight historical fiction novel, and perhaps that should be next, or perhaps I should do some other looks in between. I loved the Mata Hari year, and even Eve had a lot of different takes. There is so much Queen Elizabeth on my TBR that if I dived into it, I would really clean it out. Same with Marie Antoinette. And with Elizabeth II. I am sort of thinking, maybe next year I will start a multi year challenge and kind of rotate between the three, so I am less bored or oversaturated. Or maybe one of those years in between, and during, I throw in another person for the year. I have Marilyn Monroe, and oddly enough, two books on the Queen of Sheba. Anyway, my point is, that I am taking over-saturation into account as I am thinking about how to structure this particular interest in CoCo this year. One of the things I really love about Goodreads, is how exposed I am to a variety of genres and interests. I love that my reading is peppered with bestsellers and mysteries, non-fiction on occasion, more in the last few years. Historical fiction, contemporary fiction, WWII and holocaust, Tudor and Court style novels, and of course a good dose of Magic done well. And always, always love.
Rating: really liked it
Thanks to Netgalley for the early copy and to Blackstone for approving my request to read.
Well, The Queen of Paris gets two stars from me. First, the good. Pamela Bunnings Ewen writes beautifully. She uses lush prose and brings the beautiful scenery and luxury of Coco Chanel’s lifestyle to the page with astounding clarity. She has certainly done a thorough job with her research. That’s THE only reason I’m giving the book any stars.
Now, the bad. I somehow did not know that Coco Chanel was a Nazi Collaborator. I could blame that on not really being familiar or a fan girl of the Chanel brand, but my own ignorance is appalling. I requested this book because I figured it would be cool to learn about a woman who built a legacy long after she had passed on.
Coco seems like the type of woman who ruthlessly went for what she wanted. To the point of selfishness and at times, humiliation. This story does not depict a kind or even likable person in my eyes. It might just be the subject matter, but I could not find admiration in Coco’s choice to collaborate with Nazis, and even take a Nazi lover, even if it was to help her friends and family. I can understand her thought process, as it would be unimaginable to know that your friends and family were in the hands of terrible people (that you are also willingly sleeping with). But, I think the admiration for people in that time lies with the ones who did everything to survive and fight AGAINST the Nazi wishes.
This book made me realize that Coco Chanel was talented and commanding, but a terribly lonely social climber… willing to tear the world apart to suit her whims and fancies. I could find no joy in this book because of what I learned, but sadly, I know there’s plenty of people out there who are Chanel fans who will use this book as a means to heighten her pedestal.
Rating: really liked it
Can you truly enjoy a book and kind of dislike the main character?
The Queen of Paris challenges the reader to determine an answer to this question as they see the choices and lifestyle famous perfumer Coco Chanel benefited from during France's occupation in WWII. Personally I don’t like all her decisions and struggle to determine which truly saved her life and which were in her own best interest to keep her elegant, high lifestyle. One thing I do know is that this book is well worth the read and fairly different from your average WWII fiction.
Villain or SurvivorIn the spectrum of WWII historical fiction there are clear survivor stories where I think people cannot be held accountable for some of their action based on circumstances. The Tattoist of Auschwitz is the first that comes to mind; but nowheres near the only example. In The Queen of Paris we see the luxury that Coco Chanel retained during the occupation of France by the Nazi's. Did she have to endure Germans in her living space (ie: hotel)? Yes. Did she have to perhaps 'make nice' with some of them? Sure. But did she have to eat so luxuriously, attend parties, have tobacco access, and pass on notes? Here I am not so sure. Given the conditions for the 'average' person in France at the time even the hardships that Coco Chanel experiences are actually luxuries to most. Arguably she would have been in better shape if the Nazi's had won the war...
So is she a villain or a survivor?
Hating the Main CharacterI love villains. Always have. As a kid I thought they were the best as they were always so powerful and didn't rely on love or luck to get by. Yep I'm pretty black hearted a lot of the time when it comes to romance. Villains are interesting as they are often made into awful people because of circumstance and so I tend to have more empathy for them than heroes. A few mainstream examples of villains I adore include: Loki, Maleficent, Gollum, Harley Quinn, and many more. So I'm used to disliking a lot about the main character in a story.
So what makes CoCo different?Coco Chanel was a real person, in real life situations. It's one thing to have fan-girl love for the characters above; but we all know in real life most people are not going to make those exact choices. But in the case of Coco she really did do these things. She really did spy and pass information to the Germans. She really did benefit from their time in Paris; and she really did flee in fear of persecution when France was freed from occupation as she was certainly a sympathizer if nothing else. While people around her were starving, murdered in camps, stripped of everything they owned and their humanity; she wined and dined with prestigious Germans. This is a lot harder for me to forgive.
Pamela Binnings Ewen does an excellent job of showing some of the tight spots Coco was in and how at times it certainly felt like she had few 'good' choices. But the reality is that she had the means to help a lot of people; and she didn't try until it was too late. Being more concerned about securing ingredients for her perfume than helping a friend in true peril is only one example of her choices not sitting right for me.
OverallI could be a total hypocrite for criticizing Coco Chanel's choices and life. Having never been in the types of situations she was; it's hard to say if I might have chosen to fight a little harder. What I do know, in early 2021 as I write this, is that those who are anti-maskers or don't understand the necessity of the lockdowns for the COVID-19 pandemic are the types of people I might put into a bin with Coco. It's not hard to: wear a mask for the majority of people (I had to get over my own anxiety about it), avoid holding gatherings, and be conscious of those around you by sanitizing and keeping your distance. These are relatively simple requests in comparison to the strict curfews, persecution, rations, etc. that most of Europe experienced in WWII.
So, I would like to think that unlike Coco Chanel, I would have used celebrity power to benefit as many people as possible; while still staying relatively safe. She did not need to remain at the hotel like she did; and she did not need to participate in the spying. Those are decisions she made of her own will. But don't trust me on it, read this brilliantly written book and determine for yourself; is she a villain or a survivor?
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
Rating: really liked it
I’d like to start by thanking Blackstone Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC. Prior to reading this book, I did not know much about the story of Gabrielle (Coco) Chanel. I have read a lot of WWII historical fiction, so I was very excited to read this. I've seen some claims that she was anti-Semitic so I was interested to see how that was approached in this novel and if I felt like I could come to the same conclusion. Of course, this is historical FICTION, so I understand that there may be some slant.
The author's style in this book is very engaging and has the right amount of description. The writing was easy to follow and I like that the chapters were relatively short. My one concern with the writing style in Queen of Paris is that the pacing seemed a little strange; the years 1940 and 1941 take up nearly 85% of the novel while the remaining years through the end of WWII seemed rushed.
This is one of the first novels I can remember classified as a WWII historical fiction that I've read that isn't focused on a "hero"... someone who resists the Nazis, is part of the French Resistance, or is Jewish and taken to a concentration camp. I liked that this was a different viewpoint and that Coco Chanel is clearly not a one-dimensional "perfect" person. While her character can be annoying at times and she frequently makes idiotic decisions, I think that is refreshing for this genre. While reading, I would find her actions to be frustrating and inappropriate, but then she'd surprise me by doing something I could understand. I am not saying I agree with every decision she made throughout this novel, I'm just saying it was refreshing to read about a "gray" character and attempt to understand the reasoning behind the decisions she made.
In summary, I did enjoy reading this novel. At the end, the thought that stuck with me was that we all make poor decisions in our life, largely driven by our own experiences. Should we be forgiven for these mistakes if they are made because we are naive and acting in our own self interest? I'm not sure of the answer to that question, but this book will definitely make you think about it.
Overall, a 3.5 star read for me.
Rating: really liked it
Thank you to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for the opportunity to read the Advanced Readers Copy of The Queen of Paris, by Pamela Binnings Ewan., in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
The subject of the Queen of Paris, Coco Chanel, is not new to me. The character in which she was portrayed was certainly not one fit of the title. Queen. Chanel was described as being anything but true to her homeland of Paris France. She was a Nazi sympathizer and collaborator. With the German Occupancy of France in WWII, Coco did whatever slanderous actions needed to guarantee her personal prosperity. Coco lived a selfish life. Some called it survival, but to many she was simply a traitor to her country. It's as though war was beneath her, a mere nuisance.
This story was one of love, loss, solitude, greed, and success, but always at a price. Chanel was a force to be reckoned with. It was not simply by chance that she became the business tycoon in which she built an empire. I found her to be rather cold and calculating. I found it hard to like her or root for her success. Coco lived a lonely existence beneath all the glitz, and to that I think she was deserving.
I like the way this story flowed. The author was able to strip away this woman of wealth and power and show her deep and monstrous soul. She may have persevered, even prospered, however her lonely existence was brought upon by her own very thoughts and actions.
#Netgalley #TheQueenofParis #PamelaBinningsEwan
Rating: really liked it
I really enjoyed this well researched book. The character, lifestyle, loves, struggles and strength of character of Coco Chanel were fascinatingly depicted. The historical background of the German occupation of France was very interesting and her fight to retain control of her perfume empire was riveting. Her Nazi involvement was an eye opener. I loved that she gave all uniformed allied soldiers liberating Paris a bottle of Chanel Number 5. One of those was my Father and my Mother used the perfume her whole lifetime. The only thing that jarred with me was the Americanisms which seemed out of place in a story set in Europe! Such as Fall instead of Autumn, trunk instead of boot...But that’s just my prejudice. I strongly recommend this book. I also enjoyed Mademoiselle Chanel by CW Gortner
Rating: really liked it
Just stop with this nonsense of humanizing and redeeming Nazis. Coco Chanel was NOT a hero or heroic figure in any sense of the word. SHE WAS AN AVOWED ANTI-SEMITE AND NAZI COLLABORATOR. I cannot say how appalled I am by the entire premise of this book.
Rating: really liked it
Coco Chanel,the immensely talented fashion icon and the magician behind Chanel no. 5, is the subject of The Queen Of Paris. How much is known about her during WW II? Was she really a nazi collaborator and if so was it because she believed in their cause or did circumstances force her to it. In a series of flashbacks to her childhood and young adult years this novel presents a very plausible motivation and a possible answer. A question remains what would I or anyone else do in her situation?
To avoid giving too much away, I will not go into a summary of the book. Other reviews have done this and better then I could. Suffice it to say the book covers Coco during the years of WW II with the above mentioned flashbacks covering her earlier years.
Coco is a difficult protagonist to like. She was a driven self made woman at a time when this was exceedingly rare. She was egotistical and often very selfish. She chose men in her life that were socially unavailable to her. She was mistress material not wife material in the upper class European circles she found herself in. Her reliance on these men often led to disastrous personal choices. I believe the results of these choices and the abandonment she perceived from a young age. Informed her choices during the war years.
This book was well written. The characters are fully fleshed out. The plot moves forward at a fast pace building tension throughout. I feel the book would have been better if it included both an epilogue and an authors note. I would have liked to know what happened to some of the main characters and how much of what happened during the war years was true.
Rating: really liked it
The Queen of Paris was another interesting look at the life of Coco Chanel, particularly her battle to regain control of Chanel No. 5 and her involvement with the German Reich during WWII.
This book depicted Chanel's struggle to keep/regain her power and influence. Given her life in her early years, she may have felt this was her right and in a way I could understand that. Whether or not you agree with Coco Chanel's actions or her alliances is a separate issue, in my opinion.
This book served to further fuel my interest in her life and her story. I really enjoyed reading this story, I couldn't put it down. It was very well-written. I felt as if I was living alongside Chanel in Paris.
A special thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC.
Rating: really liked it
Just finished reading this amazing book and I’m in awe.The author brought this icon to life in these pages.The different roles she played during World War II and the reasons why.This book goes beyond the facade to show us the real woman.The one who did what she had to for love of family and Chanel No 5.
Extremely interesting details of how the rich lived during this time.
You won’t be able to put it down once you start.
Thankyou Netgalley for this ARC.
