Publishers Weekly
10/05/2020
Little (Wickwythe Hall) imagines the relationship between Coco Chanel and her younger sister, Antoinette, in this admirable fictional biography. The story of the sisters’ onerous childhood begins in 1897 after their mother dies when they are 11 and eight, and their father, a wandering peddler, abandons the family and gives the girls to a convent orphanage. The author mines the girls’ austere upbringing by the nuns to show how they would later develop their fashion sensibility (“An insistence on craftsmanship, of stitches perfectly made. The calming contrast of black and white,” Antoinette observes), which is further stoked after their aunt shows them fashion magazines. Later chapters follow Coco’s trajectory from Paris hatmaker to fashion force of nature, as well as both sisters’ shifting fortunes in romance. Antoinette improves on the construction of Coco’s signature hats, while accepting Coco’s personal life as a well-kept mistress. Though aspects of each sister’s love lives occasionally come off as tiresome, the descriptions of the millinery trade are consistently fascinating. Little’s story of two indomitable women offers an eye-opening account of the unsung Antoinette and her pivotal role in her famed sister’s success. Fashion aficionados in particular will appreciate this take on the life of a legend. (Dec.)
From the Publisher
PRAISE FOR THE CHANEL SISTERS
“I loved this story of two ambitious women who dare to envision brilliant futures for themselves and refuse to settle for anything less. Judithe Little has created a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the rags-to-riches rise of fashion’s most intriguing icon.”—Elise Hooper, author of The Other Alcott and Fast Girls
“Triumphant yet heartbreaking, this so true-to-life story of the fabulous Chanel sisters hits all the right notes: luxury settings, especially Paris, love and betrayal, and family bonds that both build and bind. Judithe Little has a big gift she shares with us in The Chanel Sisters. I loved this great escape.”—Karen Harper, New York Times bestselling author of The Queen's Secret
“A stirring rags-to-riches story to be sure, but more than that, The Chanel Sisters explores with care the timeless need for belonging, purpose, and love, and the heart’s relentless pursuit of these despite daunting odds. Beautifully told to the last page.”—Susan Meissner, bestselling author of The Last Year of the War
“With compassion, sensitivity, and dashes of humor, Judithe Little masterfully reveals the little-known story of Coco Chanel’s younger sister, Antoinette. From a convent orphanage to the rue Cambon in Paris, this meticulously researched and emotionally enveloping narrative about the sisters’ determined climb out of poverty and into high society is historical fiction at its finest. Antoinette Chanel will capture your heart. If you read only one book this year, make it The Chanel Sisters.”—Ann Weisgarber, award-winning author of The Personal History of Rachel DuPree
“[F]ascinating. Little’s story of two indomitable women offers an eye-opening account of the unsung Antoinette and her pivotal role in her famed sister’s success. Fashion aficionados in particular will appreciate this take on the life of a legend.”—Publishers Weekly
“Full of rich period detail and lush descriptions of the designs that would make Chanel famous, Little's novel is a tribute to gritty hard work, ingenuity and determination. A moving portrait of the deep and complex bonds between sisters, Ninette's story shines a light on a courageous, talented woman too often left in her sister's shadow.”—Shelf Awareness
“The Chanel Sisters is a multi-layered, elegantly crafted story with enthralling attention to historic detail. It is a lovely, gorgeously set romantic story sure to charm lovers of historical fiction with its joie de vivre and savoir faire; a rags-to-riches adventure that adds depth of field to a woman who became a household name.”—New York Journal of Books
“Little expertly explores the rags-to-riches story of Antoinette and Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, the sisters who would go on to change fashion forever. While Coco would become an icon, many don't know about her equally indomitable younger sister who was left in history's shadows. The true-to-life tale includes heartbreak, loss, love and triumph, and is filled with impeccably researched details about Paris during World War I.”—Entertainment Weekly
