Chateau Laux by David Loux

Jan 25, 2021 Brittany W1114 rated it really liked it

3.5-4 stars

“Finding something and losing it too soon was much worse than never having had it in the first place....”

“If the same star could be viewed by two different people, or by the same person in two different places, under entirely different circumstances, was it indeed the same star after all?”

David Loux’s novel builds alongside Lawrence’s chateau to create a sometimes-charming and often-suspenseful narrative dealing with themes of religion, familial relationships, love, marriage, lust, ...more

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Aug 09, 2021 D.K. Marley rated it it was amazing

“That’s the way it is, you know – human nature – to keep our secrets until we are forced to expose them.”

Inspired by a shocking incident in eighteenth century America, Château Laux is the story of Lawrence Kraymer, a young entrepreneur from a youthful Philadelphia, who chances upon a French aristocrat and his family living on the edge of the frontier.

Born to an unwed mother and raised by a disapproving and judgmental grandfather, Lawrence is drawn to the close-knit family. As part of his courtsh ...more

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Jan 29, 2021 Mark Zvonkovic rated it it was amazing

Shelves: reviews

This beautiful piece of storytelling set in colonial times that will forever touch a reader’s heart and soul.

Colonial Pennsylvania, 1710 - 1715, Lawrence, a parentless young man who had been frequently demeaned by his grandfather, was rewarded by an inheritance of a prosperous brewery in Philadelphia. He hired a Native American guide to take him hunting in the wild, beyond the small farms and homesteads just on the fringes of the civilized world. When the guide decided to travel deeper into the This beautiful piece of storytelling set in colonial times that will forever touch a reader’s heart and soul.

Colonial Pennsylvania, 1710 - 1715, Lawrence, a parentless young man who had been frequently demeaned by his grandfather, was rewarded by an inheritance of a prosperous brewery in Philadelphia. He hired a Native American guide to take him hunting in the wild, beyond the small farms and homesteads just on the fringes of the civilized world. When the guide decided to travel deeper into the wild lands, on his way north to the New York colonies, Lawrence remained behind to hunt alone, and during three solitary days he discovered the parts of himself not injured by his grandfather’s abuse. The imagery of this event in the novel is beautiful. “The wilderness didn’t judge. In aloneness, he found peace–if only for the moment–and his veins filled with a rushing motion, like the waters of a cold mountain stream.” On his way back to civilization, Lawrence became lost and a storm made him seek shelter at an isolated farm, just on the edge of the wild. The farmer, Pierre, and his family took him in. Pierre, older than Lawrence, old enough to be his father, had come to the colonies from France, carrying with him his own scars of family abandonment, which, like Lawrence, he wanted to leave behind. From here the story unwinds, narrated in alternating sections by Lawrence, Pierre, Pierre’s daughter, Catharine, Pierre’s son, Jean, and several smaller characters when warranted by the story’s twists and turns.

The writing in Chateau Laux is excellent, but what is most remarkable is the storytelling. The pacing in which the story is unfolded and the characters are revealed puts the reader in a comfortable chair, sitting in front of a roaring fire, mesmerized by the words in the narrative, and hoping that the storyteller will continue, without interruption, until the novel’s end. There are back stories, carefully placed, that bring the narrators to life and, in several instances, serve as portents of tragedy to come. Imagery is often employed to build the carefully constructed plot. An example is an observation made, upon Jean’s returning home to learn a dog had bitten Catharine, that “Ever quiet as it slipped into late afternoon, the day had the eerie apprehension of one thing ending and another not yet begun.” Pierre’s backstory is carefully layered into present events, and supports how important moments in the story are presented, like the arrival of Lawrence, Jean’s joining a militia, and a tragic fire. In Pierre’s past he mourned the loss of his mother, “putting her to rest while the drunken soldiers slept, placing her so deep she would never be disturbed.” He cannot forget how his father rode away to petition the king and then failed to return, or how he was shown kindness during his tenure in the tailor shop after arriving in Philadelphia. The mixing of the past and the present gives an emotional depth to the story it would not otherwise have. Pierre kept the history of his family in France close, the reader hears much of it in interior monologue, until the night before Jean left with the militia, when he told Jean about his ancestor Iñigo. This lays the groundwork for what is to come. He advised his son, “No matter the circumstance, remember that you are not an island of fear and despair.” Although delivered by Pierre as fatherly advice, this proves to be a powerful observation in the story made true by the struggles of all of the narrators. And for Pierre, the backstory of his life in France came together with his present life after the McDonall incident, when he made the self-observation that, “He had a family that needed his guidance, in spite of his shortcomings, and his father had come through for him, after all, these many years later, a whisper from the past, the voice of reason.” Lawrence did not have the good fortune of a father like Pierre’s. But Pierre in the end took on that role for Lawrence in a brilliant conclusion when he granted the Chateau, and in a symbolic manner, Lawrence, use of his name.

The character development in Chateau Laux makes the novel great. So many modern novels have poorly crafted characters, who are no more than skeletons, placeholders for cheap twists of plot and, sadly, social commentary. Chateau Laux is art, the best of creative writing, a lighthouse among dim lights. A reader will feel Pierre and Lawrence, and the rest of the narrators, in his or her heart and soul. They become real people in a real story, and the moral a reader can take away is, as it should be, a moral composed by the reader, and not dictated by the author. It is a miracle of sorts, that the world is given such a beautiful work by David Loux, an event not unlike the birth of twin foals.

Mark Zvonkovic is the author of A Lion in the Grass and The Narrows.
...more

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Mar 23, 2021 Mark Zvonkovic rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This beautiful piece of storytelling set in colonial times that will forever touch a reader’s heart and soul.

Colonial Pennsylvania, 1710 - 1715, Lawrence, a parentless young man who had been frequently demeaned by his grandfather, was rewarded by an inheritance of a prosperous brewery in Philadelphia. He hired a Native American guide to take him hunting in the wild, beyond the small farms and homesteads just on the fringes of the civilized world. When the guide decided to travel deeper into the This beautiful piece of storytelling set in colonial times that will forever touch a reader’s heart and soul.

Colonial Pennsylvania, 1710 - 1715, Lawrence, a parentless young man who had been frequently demeaned by his grandfather, was rewarded by an inheritance of a prosperous brewery in Philadelphia. He hired a Native American guide to take him hunting in the wild, beyond the small farms and homesteads just on the fringes of the civilized world. When the guide decided to travel deeper into the wild lands, on his way north to the New York colonies, Lawrence remained behind to hunt alone, and during three solitary days he discovered the parts of himself not injured by his grandfather’s abuse. The imagery of this event in the novel is beautiful. “The wilderness didn’t judge. In aloneness, he found peace–if only for the moment–and his veins filled with a rushing motion, like the waters of a cold mountain stream.” On his way back to civilization, Lawrence became lost and a storm made him seek shelter at an isolated farm, just on the edge of the wild. The farmer, Pierre, and his family took him in. Pierre, older than Lawrence, old enough to be his father, had come to the colonies from France, carrying with him his own scars of family abandonment, which, like Lawrence, he wanted to leave behind. From here the story unwinds, narrated in alternating sections by Lawrence, Pierre, Pierre’s daughter, Catharine, Pierre’s son, Jean, and several smaller characters when warranted by the story’s twists and turns.

The writing in Chateau Laux is excellent, but what is most remarkable is the storytelling. The pacing in which the story is unfolded and the characters are revealed puts the reader in a comfortable chair, sitting in front of a roaring fire, mesmerized by the words in the narrative, and hoping that the storyteller will continue, without interruption, until the novel’s end. There are back stories, carefully placed, that bring the narrators to life and, in several instances, serve as portents of tragedy to come. Imagery is often employed to build the carefully constructed plot. An example is an observation made, upon Jean’s returning home to learn a dog had bitten Catharine, that “Ever quiet as it slipped into late afternoon, the day had the eerie apprehension of one thing ending and another not yet begun.” Pierre’s backstory is carefully layered into present events, and supports how important moments in the story are presented, like the arrival of Lawrence, Jean’s joining a militia, and a tragic fire. In Pierre’s past he mourned the loss of his mother, “putting her to rest while the drunken soldiers slept, placing her so deep she would never be disturbed.” He cannot forget how his father rode away to petition the king and then failed to return, or how he was shown kindness during his tenure in the tailor shop after arriving in Philadelphia. The mixing of the past and the present gives an emotional depth to the story it would not otherwise have. Pierre kept the history of his family in France close, the reader hears much of it in interior monologue, until the night before Jean left with the militia, when he told Jean about his ancestor Iñigo. This lays the groundwork for what is to come. He advised his son, “No matter the circumstance, remember that you are not an island of fear and despair.” Although delivered by Pierre as fatherly advice, this proves to be a powerful observation in the story made true by the struggles of all of the narrators. And for Pierre, the backstory of his life in France came together with his present life after the McDonall incident, when he made the self-observation that, “He had a family that needed his guidance, in spite of his shortcomings, and his father had come through for him, after all, these many years later, a whisper from the past, the voice of reason.” Lawrence did not have the good fortune of a father like Pierre’s. But Pierre in the end took on that role for Lawrence in a brilliant conclusion when he granted the Chateau, and in a symbolic manner, Lawrence, use of his name.

The character development in Chateau Laux makes the novel great. So many modern novels have poorly crafted characters, who are no more than skeletons, placeholders for cheap twists of plot and, sadly, social commentary. Chateau Laux is art, the best of creative writing, a lighthouse among dim lights. A reader will feel Pierre and Lawrence, and the rest of the narrators, in his or her heart and soul. They become real people in a real story, and the moral a reader can take away is, as it should be, a moral composed by the reader, and not dictated by the author. It is a miracle of sorts, that the world is given such a beautiful work by David Loux, an event not unlike the birth of twin foals.

Mark Zvonkovic is the author of A Lion in the Grass and The Narrows. More information at www.markzvonkovic.com. ...more

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Apr 08, 2021 Mary Yarde rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

“All by itself, a house—however grand—is only an empty space. It is the person who counts. A man is destined to fill his home to whatever fullness it represents. It takes a big man to fill a big house and an even bigger man to fill a château. Oui, monsieur, I think this is the answer that I have for you…”

Lawrence Kraymer’s life has not been one of ease and convenience, but one where no love was lost between him and the grandfather who raised him. While it was his grandfather who built up the bre ...more

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Aug 13, 2021 Liz Walker rated it it was ok · review of another edition

I found the story disjointed, with scenes that seemed to add nothing to the development of either storyline or character.

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May 19, 2021 gj indieBRAG rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: b-r-a-g-medallion-books

We are proud to announce that CHATEAU LAUX by David Loux is a B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree. This tells readers that this book is well worth their time and money!

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Aug 27, 2021 Barbara Stark-Nemon rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This enchanting novel absorbs, entertains, and instructs as all good historical fiction must. Loux's fine plotting, beautiful evocation of colonial Pennsylvania, and sometimes dreamy exploration of the humanity in highs and lows of life make Chateau Laux a special treat. ...more

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Jul 06, 2021 Kristy L rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Chateau Laux is eloquently written by David Loux, in a style that allows the reader to visualize the scene in his/her mind. The historical background is precise and intriguingly presented. The story holds the reader's attention and entices you to keep reading. I look forward to the sequel. ...more

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May 06, 2021 Jerri Jarvis rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: old-friends, historical-fiction

This historical, family saga takes place in pre-Revolutionary War Pennsylvania. But the story really begins 20+ years before in France where the family patriarch Pierre Laux, a French aristocrat, is forced to flee to America and make a new life on his own. He settles in the western Pennsylvania frontier wilderness, and carves out a prosperous farm, along with a large close-knit family. Lawrence Kraymer is a young wealthy owner of a successful brewery in Philadelphia. He stumbles upon the Laux ho ...more

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May 16, 2021 Freydont rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Sometimes, but not often, you just must rave about a novel. Chateau Laux by David Loux is just such a novel. The prose is elegantly straightforward; the characters are portrayed with sensitivity and insight; the plot is compelling and evolves with turns of incident, place, and increasing poignancy; the description of Eighteenth-Century Pennsylvania has a dreamy familiarity to it. On top of that, the story is filled with adventure and wisdom. I’m always a draw to stories connected to the Cathars, ...more

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May 27, 2021 Barbara rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

It is not often that one comes across a contemporary novel (or novelist) who will be remembered as on of the classics but Chateau Laux and author David Loux are among the rare ones whom history will place among the great ones. The story is elegant, albeit disturbing at times, the characters are so well developed that you would recognize any one of them if they walked into the room, and the prose is poetic. I highly recommend this book and moreover, that you retain it on your shelf because you'll ...more

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Apr 17, 2021 Janet rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I enjoyed this book so much, from start to finish. There were times of trepidation, when I could feel the upcoming pain and tragedy on the horizon and wasn't sure I wanted to know what happened. But I was so glad I continued. Overall I enjoyed getting to know the characters and seeing their perseverance. Knowing it was based on real people and events added even more to the experience. ...more

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May 05, 2021 Sue Duits rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Chateau Laux was beautifully written. Love, tragedy, pain, suspense...this book had it all and I couldn’t put it down. It was so beautifully written that I could almost insert myself into this 18th century true story.

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Apr 12, 2021 Catherine Felt rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This was a compelling read from start to finish.
I couldn’t put the book down, and read it in a day. The characters drew me in and the story was rich in historical drama. Beautifully written!

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Apr 17, 2022 Dean McIntyre rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

CHATEAU LAUX by David Loux (Wire Gate Press, 2021) is inspired by an actual tragic event in the author's family history from 18th century Colonial America. Lawrence, a young entrepreneurial brewery owner from Philadelphia goes on a trip north to New York and encounters a French aristocratic family living on the frontier. The warm and affirming nature of the family is a sharp contrast to the abusive grandfather and unwed mother who raised him in France. He becomes engaged to one of the family's d ...more

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Jun 05, 2022 Emily rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I received a free copy of this book through the GoodReads First Reads giveaways.

As a fan of historical fiction, I really enjoyed Chateau Laux. The novel to me was a journey of finding one's true self. Lawrence Kraymer, raised by his grandfather after his mother died, spends his youth trying to find his place in this world. After a journey into the unknown forest of the new territory Lawrence stumbles upon the Laux homestead while in search of shelter and this moment changes his life forever. La ...more

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Oct 09, 2022 Heather rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. Highly recommend. What a really fun read! I think it is a good pick for Halloween Month 🎃!

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