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The Chanel Sisters
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A novel of survival, love, loss, triumph—and the sisters who changed fashion forever
Antoinette and Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel know they’re destined for something better. Abandoned by their family years before, they’ve grown up under the guidance of pious nuns preparing them for simple lives as the wives of tradesmen or shopkeepers. At night, their secret stash of romantic nov ...more
Antoinette and Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel know they’re destined for something better. Abandoned by their family years before, they’ve grown up under the guidance of pious nuns preparing them for simple lives as the wives of tradesmen or shopkeepers. At night, their secret stash of romantic nov ...more
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Kindle Edition, 329 pages
Published
December 29th 2020
by Graydon House
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This is a fascinating historical novel which is based on some facts and the gaps filled with fiction. The story of the Chanel sisters is narrated by the less well known Antionette and she gives an excellent voice to the rags to riches story and lasting fame of Gabrielle, better known as Coco Chanel.
This is a very enjoyable well written novel that is hard to put down. Particularly interesting is the convent orphanage where the girls learn to sew under the exacting standards of the nuns. The auth ...more
This is a very enjoyable well written novel that is hard to put down. Particularly interesting is the convent orphanage where the girls learn to sew under the exacting standards of the nuns. The auth ...more

4 ooh la la stars
I really enjoyed this historical fiction story about the Chanel sisters – there was actually a large family – 3 sisters, 2 brothers and an aunt who was almost the same age as the sisters. How two of the sisters started and grew the Chanel empire was a fascinating story! The author definitely used some historical research, but like many books with this model, much is created for the sake of a good storytelling.
I assumed that the Chanel family was ultra-wealthy and created the emp ...more
I really enjoyed this historical fiction story about the Chanel sisters – there was actually a large family – 3 sisters, 2 brothers and an aunt who was almost the same age as the sisters. How two of the sisters started and grew the Chanel empire was a fascinating story! The author definitely used some historical research, but like many books with this model, much is created for the sake of a good storytelling.
I assumed that the Chanel family was ultra-wealthy and created the emp ...more

This well done historical fiction tracks Gabrielle (CoCo) and Antoinette Chanel from their early days at a Catholic orphanage. “All those years on the rue Cambon, in Deauville, in Biarritz, people thought they were buying Chanel, glamour, Parisian sophistication. But what they were really buying were the ornaments of our childhood, memories of the nuns who civilized us, the abbey that sheltered us.”
From the very beginning, they felt destined for Something Better. Each seeks to accomplish that th ...more
From the very beginning, they felt destined for Something Better. Each seeks to accomplish that th ...more

Rags to riches. From their humble beginnings raised in a convent by nuns to the glitz and glamour of Paris. This was a riveting tale about Antoinette and her better known sister Gabrielle (Coco) Chanel. Judithe Little has crafted a well researched fictional biography about these fascinating sisters. The story is told completely through the eyes of Antoinette Chanel. I thought this was extremely impactful because you really got the chance to know and understand Coco from the perspective of her cl
...more

Aug 22, 2020
Jessica | JustReadingJess
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
edelweiss
The Chanel Sisters is an interesting historical fiction novel about Antoinette and her sister Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel. The book starts out with the sisters living in an orphanage as children. The Chanel Sisters goes through the sisters’ lives and struggles. The sisters are trying to be more throughout the book. Little is known about Antoinette, so Judithe Little based the book on what she thinks and hopes happened in Antoinette’s life.
The Chanel Sisters is fascinating. Antoinette and Gabrielle h ...more
The Chanel Sisters is fascinating. Antoinette and Gabrielle h ...more

1897. The Chanel sisters began practicing their stitches at orphanage in Aubazine. At the Pensionnat Notre Dame at Moulins town, they are charity vs paying families. While they mop the floors and scrub the pots, the privileged girls practice piano or fancy needlework. Here, they are constantly reminded of their lowly station. And they have to practice stitching in secret. A couple, who runs a shop specializing in lace and other fashionable trimmings for the fashionable ladies, hires Gabrielle. A
...more

Check out all of my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
THE CHANEL SISTERS by Judithe Little is a historical fiction novel featuring the Chanel sisters and is told from the perspective of the youngest sister from the time they are placed in a convent orphanage until her death in 1921. The author gives us a fascinating look at the early establishment of a new fashion style and the birth of a business empire run by women in a society dominated by men.
With the death of their mother and aba ...more
THE CHANEL SISTERS by Judithe Little is a historical fiction novel featuring the Chanel sisters and is told from the perspective of the youngest sister from the time they are placed in a convent orphanage until her death in 1921. The author gives us a fascinating look at the early establishment of a new fashion style and the birth of a business empire run by women in a society dominated by men.
With the death of their mother and aba ...more

"Nature gives you the face you have at twenty. Life shapes the face you have at thirty. But at fifty you get the face you deserve." Coco Chanel
Thanks, Coco, I'll remember those words as I creep ever closer to the latter .... 🙄
I admit going into this one, other than the brand, I knew little about Coco Chanel - oh, and that it was the title of a Nicki Minaj song (although now I find out it is really a reference to cocaine, not Coco Chanel - oops!) The book cover caught my eye though, with a blurb ...more
Thanks, Coco, I'll remember those words as I creep ever closer to the latter .... 🙄
I admit going into this one, other than the brand, I knew little about Coco Chanel - oh, and that it was the title of a Nicki Minaj song (although now I find out it is really a reference to cocaine, not Coco Chanel - oops!) The book cover caught my eye though, with a blurb ...more

A beautifully written and captivating rags to riches story.
I will admit I didn't know much about the Chanel sisters or their family. This was very interesting.
Another great pick by Sweetreads Box! ...more
I will admit I didn't know much about the Chanel sisters or their family. This was very interesting.
Another great pick by Sweetreads Box! ...more

“A lovely, gorgeously set, romantic story sure to charm lovers of historical fiction with its joie de vivre and savoir faire.”
In Judith Little’s beguiling The Chanel Sisters, the road to personal fulfillment starts with a dream. Sisters Gabrielle, Julia-Berthe, and Antoinette have much to overcome. They are left to fend for themselves pre-pubescence, when their mother dies and their father, known widely as a rootless “seducteur,” deposits them at an Aubazine, France, orphanage with false promise ...more
In Judith Little’s beguiling The Chanel Sisters, the road to personal fulfillment starts with a dream. Sisters Gabrielle, Julia-Berthe, and Antoinette have much to overcome. They are left to fend for themselves pre-pubescence, when their mother dies and their father, known widely as a rootless “seducteur,” deposits them at an Aubazine, France, orphanage with false promise ...more

The Chanel Sisters
A entertaining and enlightening historical fiction novel full of tragedy and hopefulness.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
SUMMARY
Antoinette and Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel are abandoned by their family at a young age. Nuns at the orphanage are preparing them to lead simple lives as the wives of tradesmen or shopkeepers. But the sisters are not content with what the nuns tell them they will be. They wanted something more...something better.
When they are finally old enough, the Chanel sisters set out toge ...more
A entertaining and enlightening historical fiction novel full of tragedy and hopefulness.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
SUMMARY
Antoinette and Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel are abandoned by their family at a young age. Nuns at the orphanage are preparing them to lead simple lives as the wives of tradesmen or shopkeepers. But the sisters are not content with what the nuns tell them they will be. They wanted something more...something better.
When they are finally old enough, the Chanel sisters set out toge ...more

The Chanel Sisters is the remarkable and sometimes heartbreaking story of Coco Chanel and her sister, Antoinette. After overcoming poverty and growing up in a convent, the sisters struggled to make their way in the world and left an indelible mark. I loved this story and can’t wait to see what Judithe Little writes next!

THE CHANEL SISTERS tells the addictive tale of the early life of French designer Coco Chanel and her younger sister Antoinette. Raised in a convent after their mother died, they’re left with nothing but courage to pursue their dreams of being accepted and respected. Fashion-mad and ambitious, they start with a small pre-WWI hat shop in Paris that eventually blossoms into haute couture’s most famous brand. An enthralling read for hf lovers who adore fashion and the early 20th Century — my kind of
...more

I loved this book. It's historical fiction as there's not a lot out there about Coco Chanel's sister Antoinette and she tells the story. I love the author's version of her life. If you like historical fiction you'll love this book. I won this book on Goodreads and feel lucky to have won it.
...more

THE CHANEL SISTERS tells the addictive tale of the early life of French designer Coco Chanel and her younger sister Antoinette. Raised in a convent after their mother died, they’re left with nothing but courage to pursue their dreams of respect and acceptance. Fashion-mad and ambitious, they start with a small pre-WWI hat shop in Paris that eventually blossoms into haute couture’s most famous brand. An enthralling read for hf lovers who adore fashion and the early 20th Century — my kind of book!
...more

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.
Book: The Chanel Sisters
Author: Judithe Little
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommended For...: historical fiction, fashion, Chanel
Publication Date: December 29, 2020
Genre: Historical Fiction
Recommended Age: 16+ (grief, romance, sexual content)
Publisher: Graydon House
Pages: 400
Synopsis: Antoinette and Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel know they’re destined for something better. Abandoned by their family years befor ...more
Book: The Chanel Sisters
Author: Judithe Little
Book Series: Standalone
Rating: 3.5/5
Recommended For...: historical fiction, fashion, Chanel
Publication Date: December 29, 2020
Genre: Historical Fiction
Recommended Age: 16+ (grief, romance, sexual content)
Publisher: Graydon House
Pages: 400
Synopsis: Antoinette and Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel know they’re destined for something better. Abandoned by their family years befor ...more

Thank you to the publisher, Graydon House, for providing me with an ARC of The Chanel Sisters in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
The Gist
At times it’s very tough to get excited about anything, since the world turned upside down almost a year ago. I thought the story, The Chanel Sisters, could help me forget reality a little bit while I took a trip into the world of historical fiction.
For a while, it certainly looked that way, until…Well, until this 400-page book began to ...more
The Gist
At times it’s very tough to get excited about anything, since the world turned upside down almost a year ago. I thought the story, The Chanel Sisters, could help me forget reality a little bit while I took a trip into the world of historical fiction.
For a while, it certainly looked that way, until…Well, until this 400-page book began to ...more

I actually expected something a little different from what I got with this novel.
For some reason, I thought I would learn a bit more about Coco Chanel (Gabrielle). However, this was an interesting look into the lives of all of the Chanel sisters. We learn next to nothing about the boys in this book.
Be aware that unless you are fluent in French, and perhaps what might be outdated
French, you may be at sea with a lot of the words and terms as I was. Thank goodness for Kindle translations!
I was a ...more
For some reason, I thought I would learn a bit more about Coco Chanel (Gabrielle). However, this was an interesting look into the lives of all of the Chanel sisters. We learn next to nothing about the boys in this book.
Be aware that unless you are fluent in French, and perhaps what might be outdated
French, you may be at sea with a lot of the words and terms as I was. Thank goodness for Kindle translations!
I was a ...more

4.5 I really enjoyed this. Saskia Maarleveld is by far my favorite historical fiction narrator. Interestingly enough, the main POV of the book is Coco Chanel’s sister, Antoinette Chanel. If you love fashion I think you’ll love this one just as much as I did.

Dec 11, 2020
Carol (Reading Ladies)
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
netgalley-and-other-arcs,
historical-fiction
4.5 Stars
I’m delighted to take part in the Fall 2020 Blog Tours for Historical Fiction From Harlequin Trade Publishing! Thanks for the invitation. Thanks #Netgalley #HarlequinPublishing @HarperCollins for an electronic complimentary copy of #TheChanelSisters for review. All opinions are my own.
Hats…Fashion…Perfume
Raised in a strict convent orphanage, the Chanel sisters, Gabrielle (“Coco”) and Antoinette, know that they are destined for something better. They hide romantic novels and fashion maga ...more
I’m delighted to take part in the Fall 2020 Blog Tours for Historical Fiction From Harlequin Trade Publishing! Thanks for the invitation. Thanks #Netgalley #HarlequinPublishing @HarperCollins for an electronic complimentary copy of #TheChanelSisters for review. All opinions are my own.
Hats…Fashion…Perfume
Raised in a strict convent orphanage, the Chanel sisters, Gabrielle (“Coco”) and Antoinette, know that they are destined for something better. They hide romantic novels and fashion maga ...more

This is a fiction book about the Chanel Sisters before they became "Chanel". We follow the sisters as they grow from children living in a conventional to adults trying to make their way into life. We follow them through the times that led to their fashion dynasty and through World War I.
I enjoyed this book immensely and highly recommend it if you enjoy historical fiction. ...more
I enjoyed this book immensely and highly recommend it if you enjoy historical fiction. ...more

Wow. It’s rare to start a book and immediately feel like you will love it. I felt that way with this book and I was absolutely right :)
It was refreshing to read about Coco Chanel before she was Coco.
This book is about The Chanel sisters and their honorary sister Adrienne.
The name Chanel was not a good connection when the girls were growing up. Antoinette, Gabrielle and Julia-Berthe were left with the nuns after their mom died. Their dad had run off and left them to fend for themselves.
The nuns t ...more
It was refreshing to read about Coco Chanel before she was Coco.
This book is about The Chanel sisters and their honorary sister Adrienne.
The name Chanel was not a good connection when the girls were growing up. Antoinette, Gabrielle and Julia-Berthe were left with the nuns after their mom died. Their dad had run off and left them to fend for themselves.
The nuns t ...more

This gorgeously-written book chronicles the lives of Antoinette and Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel from their early years at the convent orphanage in Aubazine. Their time at the orphanage left a lasting impression on both girls and forged a determination in Coco to create a better life for herself and to seek entrée into the upper-crust society who refused to accept her. From the days of their hat shop on rue Cambon in Paris to the years after the war, Little tells the women’s stories through the eyes
...more

Author Judithe Little has written an engrossing and intimate story about the Chanel sisters. Told from the point of view of the youngest sister, Antoinette, we learn of their hardscrabble, lonely childhoods, their yearnings for something better, and their ultimate success. The portraits of these young women in this book are honest, revealing their ambitions as well as the desires of their hearts. I was transported to the stark convent where they lived following the death of their mother to the g
...more

Thank you to Netgalley and Headline for the arc of The Chanel Sisters by Judithe Little.
4 star read- This is a historictal fiction following a convent orphanage which is were girls learn to sew under the exact standards as the nuns. it covers the time period of 1897 and 1921. It is very emotional when it describes the effects of the first world war and more about CoCo;s dreams and desires this is an interesting and entertaining great read, i love so much this was a great book, highly recommend
4 ...more
4 star read- This is a historictal fiction following a convent orphanage which is were girls learn to sew under the exact standards as the nuns. it covers the time period of 1897 and 1921. It is very emotional when it describes the effects of the first world war and more about CoCo;s dreams and desires this is an interesting and entertaining great read, i love so much this was a great book, highly recommend
4 ...more

I found The Chanel Sisters very interesting! It is a well-written historical fiction, and the story is told from the point of view of the middle Chanel sister, Antoinette. Readers get a glimpse at the beginnings of the Chanel fashion house as well as the sister’s humble childhood and later romantic escapades.
The story provides much information about Gabrielle (Coco) not only as it pertains to her younger sister, Antoinette, but also about their growing business and various romantic dalliances. ...more
The story provides much information about Gabrielle (Coco) not only as it pertains to her younger sister, Antoinette, but also about their growing business and various romantic dalliances. ...more

Review originally published at My Bookish Banter
The Chanel Sisters was absolutely unputdownable, and I was sucked into the book from the very start. Every piece of the story had its own charm, whether it was the years spent at the orphanage, the struggle to make a living after being freed from the walls of the convent, or the ups and downs in the personal lives of the Chanel sisters through and after the war. The pace REALLY picks up in the second half, and I read the last 50% in a single sittin ...more
The Chanel Sisters was absolutely unputdownable, and I was sucked into the book from the very start. Every piece of the story had its own charm, whether it was the years spent at the orphanage, the struggle to make a living after being freed from the walls of the convent, or the ups and downs in the personal lives of the Chanel sisters through and after the war. The pace REALLY picks up in the second half, and I read the last 50% in a single sittin ...more

This is the story of the Chanel Sisters - Julia - Berthe the oldest, Gabrielle "Coco", and Antoinette "Ninette" - and their story from childhood through the end of their lives. Judithe Little did a great job telling their story sticking to the actual history of their lives, as much as was available for Julia and Ninette. I never knew the sad story of their childhood and upbringing, as it was. The inspiration Coco used for her CC symbol, her hats, her clothing line and even her signature perfume
...more

Thanks to #Edelweiss and #GraydonHouse for the opportunity to read and review this book. Pub date 12/29/2020
I was delighted to read a book that told the story of Chanel from the point of view of the unknown sister Antoinette . The story begins with their life in the convent where they grew up. Ninette actually is an integral part of Coco's rise to fame. She worked in the hat shop, where she developed the expertise for making hats, and more importantly had the skills as a sales person that helped ...more
I was delighted to read a book that told the story of Chanel from the point of view of the unknown sister Antoinette . The story begins with their life in the convent where they grew up. Ninette actually is an integral part of Coco's rise to fame. She worked in the hat shop, where she developed the expertise for making hats, and more importantly had the skills as a sales person that helped ...more

Historical fiction account of the Chanel sisters as told by Antoinette Chanel, Gabrielle "Coco's" younger sister which tells of the sisters' upbringing by nuns in a strict Catholic orphanage to Coco's rise as a fashion icon.
Little is known about Coco's sister, Antoinette, so I appreciated this perspective. This book read more like a nonfiction account instead of a fictional story. I was a little disappointed that her involvement with the Nazis was glossed over; in fact very little was mentioned ...more
Little is known about Coco's sister, Antoinette, so I appreciated this perspective. This book read more like a nonfiction account instead of a fictional story. I was a little disappointed that her involvement with the Nazis was glossed over; in fact very little was mentioned ...more
topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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Coco Chanel was a Nazi collaborator--why isn't this in the novel? | 1 | 11 | Dec 11, 2020 08:10PM |
Judithe Little is the author of THE CHANEL SISTERS (Graydon House), to be released December 29, 2020.
A graduate of the University of Virginia with a BA in Foreign Affairs and a law degree, she has studied in France and interned at the US Department of State. She lives in Texas with her husband and three children.
Judithe is also the author of the award-winning WWII historical novel WICKWYTHE HALL. ...more
A graduate of the University of Virginia with a BA in Foreign Affairs and a law degree, she has studied in France and interned at the US Department of State. She lives in Texas with her husband and three children.
Judithe is also the author of the award-winning WWII historical novel WICKWYTHE HALL. ...more
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