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Le Chateau
What really happened at the chateau?
When Charlotte regains consciousness after an accident, she finds herself living a stranger’s life. The previous five years are a blank, and her husband, Henri, and daughter, Ada, are strangers. Arriving at their family chateau in southern France, she hopes to regain her memories. Instead she feels isolated and unsettled. Strange events hint at underlying darkness and menace. Charlotte doesn’t know who to trust.
Did she really have an affair with their charming Irish neighbour, as her enigmatic mother-in-law suggests? And what of Henri? He seems loving and kind, a good parent, but Charlotte is wary. Then there is Ada, a little girl who just wants her mother back.
With the help of her friend and fellow Australian Susannah, Charlotte starts to piece together events, but her newfound confidence is shaken with news that puts a deadline on her quest…
Le Chateau is a suspenseful gothic tale that will appeal to readers of Daphne du Maurier and Kate Morton.
When Charlotte regains consciousness after an accident, she finds herself living a stranger’s life. The previous five years are a blank, and her husband, Henri, and daughter, Ada, are strangers. Arriving at their family chateau in southern France, she hopes to regain her memories. Instead she feels isolated and unsettled. Strange events hint at underlying darkness and menace. Charlotte doesn’t know who to trust.
Did she really have an affair with their charming Irish neighbour, as her enigmatic mother-in-law suggests? And what of Henri? He seems loving and kind, a good parent, but Charlotte is wary. Then there is Ada, a little girl who just wants her mother back.
With the help of her friend and fellow Australian Susannah, Charlotte starts to piece together events, but her newfound confidence is shaken with news that puts a deadline on her quest…
Le Chateau is a suspenseful gothic tale that will appeal to readers of Daphne du Maurier and Kate Morton.
336 pages, Paperback
Published September 1, 2016
3 people are currently reading
93 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Ridout
1 book9 followersSarah Ridout has a Masters in Creative Writing (First Class Honours), from University College Dublin (UCD).
'Le Chateau' draws on her experiences as an expatriate, her knowledge of France, its people and customs. 'Le Chateau' is published by Echo Publishing.
Sarah's next books are set in Russia and Australia respectively. Travel, and her twelve years living in Europe, provide immersion in other cultures. She enjoys reading, film, is an art lover and collector.
'Le Chateau' draws on her experiences as an expatriate, her knowledge of France, its people and customs. 'Le Chateau' is published by Echo Publishing.
Sarah's next books are set in Russia and Australia respectively. Travel, and her twelve years living in Europe, provide immersion in other cultures. She enjoys reading, film, is an art lover and collector.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
February 9, 2017
3★
I thought I’d like this one, and it started off just fine. Charlotte, young Australian wife, married to a handsome Frenchman, mother of a five-year-old daughter, has awakened from a coma and says she remembers nothing of the last five years. She doesn’t remember Henri or Ada or anything of her life in France. The family doctor is driving her home to the chateau.
He sounds lovely, in a romance novel kind of way, but she’s obviously uncomfortable, since he’s a stranger to her.
She remembers a fair bit about Australia and her best friend, Susannah, who was also her London flatmate when she met Henri. Susannah explains the romance, the work Charlotte did for Henri, how they married and had Ada in Paris. Finally, how she discovered who Henri really was and why he was called back to the chateau.
It seems to me she’s lost a lot more than five years because Ada is either five or turning five during the course of the book, but perhaps I’m being picky. There did seem to be a number of similar anomalies and too many things thrown into the story.
Her mother-in-law, Madame, is a weird, cold, cultish lady who has her own wing in the castle. She’s a most peculiar bird indeed. Then we see some kind of pagan goings-on, but they are never really explained.
Characters change tone and voice. Henri, at one point, swears at someone as an Aussie would, not a Frenchman, and it didn’t sound like something Charlotte would say either.
And there are so many little trails Charlotte follows that seem as if they’re mysterious, but we are pretty much left in the dark, expected to be satisfied with the Mills and Boon (or more like 50 shades?) style of the last chapters.
That dragged on and nobody sounded like themselves, they sounded like teenagers.
BUT, the author’s sense of place and setting were excellent, and I did enjoy France, the gardens and the chateau.
It’s a debut novel, and I think Ridout has a future and already has plenty of fans. The plot and the setting were all there to begin, but somehow I felt this one strayed off course.
I thank the author, NetGalley and Bonnier Publishing Australia for the preview copy from which I’ve quoted (so the text may have changed).
I thought I’d like this one, and it started off just fine. Charlotte, young Australian wife, married to a handsome Frenchman, mother of a five-year-old daughter, has awakened from a coma and says she remembers nothing of the last five years. She doesn’t remember Henri or Ada or anything of her life in France. The family doctor is driving her home to the chateau.
”Out the entranceway comes the man they say is my husband. He beams and rushes down the stairs, bounding as if he had done this hundreds of times; he knows every indentation in the steps, in the grooves and hollows of the driveway.
His boots grind the pebbles. He touches me as if fearful I might break.
’Chérie, Charlotte.’ He embraces me. ’Salut, Jérémie,’ he says to the doctor.
His voice is a rich port, all hidden depths and subtlety. His stubble grazes my cheek and I smell lemon, clean and fresh. His teeth as he talks: all pearly gleam.”
He sounds lovely, in a romance novel kind of way, but she’s obviously uncomfortable, since he’s a stranger to her.
She remembers a fair bit about Australia and her best friend, Susannah, who was also her London flatmate when she met Henri. Susannah explains the romance, the work Charlotte did for Henri, how they married and had Ada in Paris. Finally, how she discovered who Henri really was and why he was called back to the chateau.
It seems to me she’s lost a lot more than five years because Ada is either five or turning five during the course of the book, but perhaps I’m being picky. There did seem to be a number of similar anomalies and too many things thrown into the story.
Her mother-in-law, Madame, is a weird, cold, cultish lady who has her own wing in the castle. She’s a most peculiar bird indeed. Then we see some kind of pagan goings-on, but they are never really explained.
Characters change tone and voice. Henri, at one point, swears at someone as an Aussie would, not a Frenchman, and it didn’t sound like something Charlotte would say either.
And there are so many little trails Charlotte follows that seem as if they’re mysterious, but we are pretty much left in the dark, expected to be satisfied with the Mills and Boon (or more like 50 shades?) style of the last chapters.
That dragged on and nobody sounded like themselves, they sounded like teenagers.
BUT, the author’s sense of place and setting were excellent, and I did enjoy France, the gardens and the chateau.
”There are windows across from where I sit. If I lean and stretch to the left, the trees that mark the end of the field are visible. Denuded, gnarled limbs are stark against the blue horizon. Feathered tips of a cypress cluster peek over a faded tile roof.”
It’s a debut novel, and I think Ridout has a future and already has plenty of fans. The plot and the setting were all there to begin, but somehow I felt this one strayed off course.
I thank the author, NetGalley and Bonnier Publishing Australia for the preview copy from which I’ve quoted (so the text may have changed).
October 13, 2016
Sarah Ridout is a debut author and her first venture into writing a novel made quite the impression on me. There is much to love about Le Chateau, it is an exquisite gothic tale, set in the vineyards of Southern France. It is an addictive novel of one woman’s quest to unlock the key to her life before amnesia set in, following an accident she has no knowledge of happening.
The focus of the Le Chateau is the life of an Australian woman Charlotte de Chastenet, who has an affluent life living in a French Chateau in Southern France. She has a charming husband named Henri and a beautiful young daughter, named Ada. Living together in the French Chateau, they are constantly overseen by Henri’s domineering mother ‘Madame’. The book opens as Charlotte returns to the chateau following a two week stay in hospital, which was the result of an accident. Charlotte has no knowledge of how and why the accident occurred. The accident led to a severe head injury, which has contributed to Charlotte’s current state of amnesia. Charlotte is encouraged to return home, in that hope that a familiar environment will help jog her memories. Instead of which, the exercise serves to confuse Charlotte further. She has no trust in those around her and strange happenings seem to occur while she attempts to recoup her memories. Added to Charlotte’s problems, is a secret pregnancy and her doubts over who the Father of her baby is. Henri’s mother Madame is quick to suggest to Charlotte that she has been unfaithful to her husband prior to the tragic accident. Le Chateau is the compelling story of Charlotte’s attempts to put the pieces of her life back together and save her marriage to Henri.
Le Chateau is an elegant piece of writing that had me drawn into Charlotte’s story from the opening page, to the close of the novel. Amnesia is not an easy topic to tackle but Ridout handles this topic with confidence and precision of a skilled writer. This main topic of the story is so compelling, that I it renders you unable to put it down. This happened to me as soon as I picked the novel up, I read it in two close sittings. Ridout is adept at getting inside her main character’s innermost thoughts and feelings. She is precise in her depiction of the complete confusion and mistrust that comes with a victim suffering from amnesia. Charlotte is a finely drawn character, who I was easily able to sympathise with. I was genuinely invested in and cared about her journey to reclaim her life and marriage. There are some touching moments in the novel, whereby Charlotte and Henri, who feel likes strangers to one another, try to reconnect after such a tragic incident. These scenes definitely pulled at the heartstrings and offered another layer, romance to the novel. Supporting the main protagonist Charlotte and her husband Henri (who I was never quite sure to trust) are also some very well formed secondary characters. From possible love interest Ryan, to Charlotte’s only trusted friend, to Henri’s enigmatic mother the ‘Madame’, Le Chateau is not short on memorable characters. These also include the chateau itself, that is so overbearing it could be seen as an additional character.
By far the setting has got to be the element of the book I loved the most. I made a trip to France last year and in 2010, so Le Chateau provided me with the chance to re-imagine my time in one of my most favourite locations in the world. Ridout clearly knows this area in and out, her local knowledge shines through in her writing, giving her reader vivid imagery of her setting. This is a novel that is paced perfectly, the final outcome was both shocking and fitting in my eyes. Before closing this review, I must make comment on the front cover of the book, which is absolutely stunning. It is also very reflective of the book itself, the impressionist style portrait of the couple of the front, links to the painting references contained in Le Chateau. The image of the couple is also quite blurred, which I also feel is a reflection of Charlotte’s mind for much of the novel, as she tries to clear her image of her life. What a wonderful choice for a front cover!
Suspense, romance and a poignant journey to the truth, defines the direction of Sarah Ridout’s debut novel Le Chateau. It is an authentic and compelling novel, that resonated with this reader deeply. It features a stunning French gothic style setting, that draws you deep into this addictive novel. I enjoyed my first experience of the Sarah Ridout's writing and I can’t wait to explore more of her writing in the future.
*I wish to thanks The Reading Room and Echo Publishing for providing a copy of this book for review purposes.
The focus of the Le Chateau is the life of an Australian woman Charlotte de Chastenet, who has an affluent life living in a French Chateau in Southern France. She has a charming husband named Henri and a beautiful young daughter, named Ada. Living together in the French Chateau, they are constantly overseen by Henri’s domineering mother ‘Madame’. The book opens as Charlotte returns to the chateau following a two week stay in hospital, which was the result of an accident. Charlotte has no knowledge of how and why the accident occurred. The accident led to a severe head injury, which has contributed to Charlotte’s current state of amnesia. Charlotte is encouraged to return home, in that hope that a familiar environment will help jog her memories. Instead of which, the exercise serves to confuse Charlotte further. She has no trust in those around her and strange happenings seem to occur while she attempts to recoup her memories. Added to Charlotte’s problems, is a secret pregnancy and her doubts over who the Father of her baby is. Henri’s mother Madame is quick to suggest to Charlotte that she has been unfaithful to her husband prior to the tragic accident. Le Chateau is the compelling story of Charlotte’s attempts to put the pieces of her life back together and save her marriage to Henri.
Le Chateau is an elegant piece of writing that had me drawn into Charlotte’s story from the opening page, to the close of the novel. Amnesia is not an easy topic to tackle but Ridout handles this topic with confidence and precision of a skilled writer. This main topic of the story is so compelling, that I it renders you unable to put it down. This happened to me as soon as I picked the novel up, I read it in two close sittings. Ridout is adept at getting inside her main character’s innermost thoughts and feelings. She is precise in her depiction of the complete confusion and mistrust that comes with a victim suffering from amnesia. Charlotte is a finely drawn character, who I was easily able to sympathise with. I was genuinely invested in and cared about her journey to reclaim her life and marriage. There are some touching moments in the novel, whereby Charlotte and Henri, who feel likes strangers to one another, try to reconnect after such a tragic incident. These scenes definitely pulled at the heartstrings and offered another layer, romance to the novel. Supporting the main protagonist Charlotte and her husband Henri (who I was never quite sure to trust) are also some very well formed secondary characters. From possible love interest Ryan, to Charlotte’s only trusted friend, to Henri’s enigmatic mother the ‘Madame’, Le Chateau is not short on memorable characters. These also include the chateau itself, that is so overbearing it could be seen as an additional character.
By far the setting has got to be the element of the book I loved the most. I made a trip to France last year and in 2010, so Le Chateau provided me with the chance to re-imagine my time in one of my most favourite locations in the world. Ridout clearly knows this area in and out, her local knowledge shines through in her writing, giving her reader vivid imagery of her setting. This is a novel that is paced perfectly, the final outcome was both shocking and fitting in my eyes. Before closing this review, I must make comment on the front cover of the book, which is absolutely stunning. It is also very reflective of the book itself, the impressionist style portrait of the couple of the front, links to the painting references contained in Le Chateau. The image of the couple is also quite blurred, which I also feel is a reflection of Charlotte’s mind for much of the novel, as she tries to clear her image of her life. What a wonderful choice for a front cover!
Suspense, romance and a poignant journey to the truth, defines the direction of Sarah Ridout’s debut novel Le Chateau. It is an authentic and compelling novel, that resonated with this reader deeply. It features a stunning French gothic style setting, that draws you deep into this addictive novel. I enjoyed my first experience of the Sarah Ridout's writing and I can’t wait to explore more of her writing in the future.
*I wish to thanks The Reading Room and Echo Publishing for providing a copy of this book for review purposes.
June 21, 2017
I'm a sucker, when it comes to a big, spooky, perhaps haunted house, lost memory and the promise of a mystery.
Which is why I was easily sold when I read this blurb (*taken from Goodreads):
When Charlotte regains consciousness after an accident, she finds herself living a stranger’s life. The previous five years are a blank, and her husband, Henri, and daughter, Ada, are strangers. Arriving at their family chateau in southern France, she hopes to regain her memories. Instead she feels isolated and unsettled. Strange events hint at underlying darkness and menace. Charlotte doesn’t know who to trust.
So, I don't know about you... But to me, that sounds good. Promising, even.
Except I kind of also wish it delivered..?
Books with a premise like that can kick butt. They can kick butt hard and thoroughly! But they can also fall flat. So flat, it's not even a pancake, it's so gone. It's like... Splat-flat. Not there anymore.
(if you have trouble viewing the images, try reading this review on my blog)
And usually, there are reasons they do that. Very often, those reasons are all the same. So we shall discuss these reasons now.
Reason 1. The obvious villain.
Page 3, enter the villain. Who is, obviously, your lovely little lady, the mother-in-law, lady of the house. I wonder what perpetuates the stereotype?... Well, I *really* don't know. Could it be that in most stories, the rich mom is a maniac? And could it be made it more obvious that she is..? And while we're at it, why is she always meddling in the dark arts?
Reason 2. The husband.
For some reason, the husband always has to be oblivious to life and its happenings. He will never notice that his mother is a murderous, scheming bitch. He will just leave his poor, helpless wife (mind you, recently released from hospital with head trauma and amnesia of the past five years) in the care of his mother, to be further drugged and abused. #oblivious
Reason 3. The ally.
For some reason, the ally our protagonist usually has is a quirky friend from her old life. Most of the time she is also promiscuous. Dear god, I must contain myself to stop rolling those eyes. Don't want a sprain.
Reason 4. The neighbour.
Is it so wrong of me to expect the neighbour to be a nice old guy with no sexual interest in the story? Why does he always have to be trying to have an affair with the protagonist? Just...
Reason 5. The bitch.
If you think we've had enough cliche tropes already... Well, I wish we were done. We aren't. You know how in these stories, there always seems to be the perfect looking, every single bit of straight hair in the right place bitch with a boring classic two-piece ladies suit, just trying to take the protagonist's place? Usually working with the maniacal mother-in-law, too? Her dream daughter-in-law? Yes, that one. Okay, so maybe not always the two-piece classical clothes, but usually ditto on the perfect straight hair (don't get me started about how I hate people always judging us girls with curls as 'inappropriate' and 'artsy' as if it's something we weren't just born with). So yeah, more eye rolling.
Reason 6. The details.
I just want to ask you. Does it not puzzle you how the sick and frail person, barely able to walk, always gets put in the third floor, with some crazy, dangerous spiral stairs that they need to take if they want to... I don't know, go to the bathroom? Who would do that??? What world does that even make sense in? And why is this in every single book like this?
While reading this book, I know I constantly kept asking myself, is this a mystery? Romance..? Is this a gothic... something..? What is this book about? It was so sad that the mystery never delivered (when you know exactly what will happen after like 40% of the book). All those hints about the paranormal? Never got anywhere. Just... Meh.
So I know I will be picking and choosing my book blurbs with more care in the future. I thank the publisher for providing me the copy in exchange for my honest review. I'm glad I didn't have to pay for this book. I would have been sad.
Read Post On My Blog | My Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter
When Charlotte regains consciousness after an accident, she finds herself living a stranger’s life. The previous five years are a blank, and her husband, Henri, and daughter, Ada, are strangers. Arriving at their family chateau in southern France, she hopes to regain her memories. Instead she feels isolated and unsettled. Strange events hint at underlying darkness and menace. Charlotte doesn’t know who to trust.
So, I don't know about you... But to me, that sounds good. Promising, even.
Except I kind of also wish it delivered..?
Books with a premise like that can kick butt. They can kick butt hard and thoroughly! But they can also fall flat. So flat, it's not even a pancake, it's so gone. It's like... Splat-flat. Not there anymore.
(if you have trouble viewing the images, try reading this review on my blog)
And usually, there are reasons they do that. Very often, those reasons are all the same. So we shall discuss these reasons now.
Reason 1. The obvious villain.
Page 3, enter the villain. Who is, obviously, your lovely little lady, the mother-in-law, lady of the house. I wonder what perpetuates the stereotype?... Well, I *really* don't know. Could it be that in most stories, the rich mom is a maniac? And could it be made it more obvious that she is..? And while we're at it, why is she always meddling in the dark arts?
Reason 2. The husband.
For some reason, the husband always has to be oblivious to life and its happenings. He will never notice that his mother is a murderous, scheming bitch. He will just leave his poor, helpless wife (mind you, recently released from hospital with head trauma and amnesia of the past five years) in the care of his mother, to be further drugged and abused. #oblivious
Reason 3. The ally.
For some reason, the ally our protagonist usually has is a quirky friend from her old life. Most of the time she is also promiscuous. Dear god, I must contain myself to stop rolling those eyes. Don't want a sprain.
Reason 4. The neighbour.
Is it so wrong of me to expect the neighbour to be a nice old guy with no sexual interest in the story? Why does he always have to be trying to have an affair with the protagonist? Just...
Reason 5. The bitch.
If you think we've had enough cliche tropes already... Well, I wish we were done. We aren't. You know how in these stories, there always seems to be the perfect looking, every single bit of straight hair in the right place bitch with a boring classic two-piece ladies suit, just trying to take the protagonist's place? Usually working with the maniacal mother-in-law, too? Her dream daughter-in-law? Yes, that one. Okay, so maybe not always the two-piece classical clothes, but usually ditto on the perfect straight hair (don't get me started about how I hate people always judging us girls with curls as 'inappropriate' and 'artsy' as if it's something we weren't just born with). So yeah, more eye rolling.
Reason 6. The details.
I just want to ask you. Does it not puzzle you how the sick and frail person, barely able to walk, always gets put in the third floor, with some crazy, dangerous spiral stairs that they need to take if they want to... I don't know, go to the bathroom? Who would do that??? What world does that even make sense in? And why is this in every single book like this?
While reading this book, I know I constantly kept asking myself, is this a mystery? Romance..? Is this a gothic... something..? What is this book about? It was so sad that the mystery never delivered (when you know exactly what will happen after like 40% of the book). All those hints about the paranormal? Never got anywhere. Just... Meh.
So I know I will be picking and choosing my book blurbs with more care in the future. I thank the publisher for providing me the copy in exchange for my honest review. I'm glad I didn't have to pay for this book. I would have been sad.
Read Post On My Blog | My Bookstagram | Bookish Twitter
October 2, 2016
Le Chateau is Sarah Ridout's debut novel.
As you can guess from the title, the setting for this novel is a French Chateau, in the South of France.
The blurb tells you a lot about the premise. Australian Charlotte de Chastenet was in a coma for two weeks and has amnesia. She finds herself living in a huge, cold Chateau, with a husband and daughter, whom she doesn't remember. She doesn't remember her very cold and proper mother in law, either.
Charlotte is confused and can't trust anyone. Somehow she remembers her best friend, Susannah. Luckily for Charlotte, Susannah visits and is trying to help Charlotte put things together. Charlotte is under an almost permanent fuzziness, which seems to make her even more confused. Did she have an affair with her handsome, next door neighbour, Ryan? Her mother in law seems to imply so. She also seems to go out of her way to bring Charlotte and Ryan together. While Charlotte can't remember Henry and their life together she can't believe that she would have cheated on him.
Told in the first person, Ridout did a good job conveying Charlotte's confusion and frustrations.
The descriptions are vivid. Le Chateau is a very sensory novel, with the visual, olfactory and auditory senses fully fledged and beautifully expressed. This novel even has a soundtrack of sorts, most of it, David Bowie's songs. I guess you can't go wrong with that.
Amnesia is a good device for creating suspense and intrigue. I usually grumble about it, as I find it too convenient and most authors tend to make it too over-the-top and I have trouble suspending my disbelief. In this case, Ridout showed great restraint and I didn't have any "yeah right" moments. So that in itself is a great skill that I appreciate.
This was a very accomplished debut novel. Sarah Ridout showed great skill and I'm looking forward to reading her next novel.
I've received this novel via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the publishers, Echo, for the opportunity to read and review this novel.
Cover: 5 stars. I love everything about it, including the fonts.
As you can guess from the title, the setting for this novel is a French Chateau, in the South of France.
The blurb tells you a lot about the premise. Australian Charlotte de Chastenet was in a coma for two weeks and has amnesia. She finds herself living in a huge, cold Chateau, with a husband and daughter, whom she doesn't remember. She doesn't remember her very cold and proper mother in law, either.
Charlotte is confused and can't trust anyone. Somehow she remembers her best friend, Susannah. Luckily for Charlotte, Susannah visits and is trying to help Charlotte put things together. Charlotte is under an almost permanent fuzziness, which seems to make her even more confused. Did she have an affair with her handsome, next door neighbour, Ryan? Her mother in law seems to imply so. She also seems to go out of her way to bring Charlotte and Ryan together. While Charlotte can't remember Henry and their life together she can't believe that she would have cheated on him.
Told in the first person, Ridout did a good job conveying Charlotte's confusion and frustrations.
The descriptions are vivid. Le Chateau is a very sensory novel, with the visual, olfactory and auditory senses fully fledged and beautifully expressed. This novel even has a soundtrack of sorts, most of it, David Bowie's songs. I guess you can't go wrong with that.
Amnesia is a good device for creating suspense and intrigue. I usually grumble about it, as I find it too convenient and most authors tend to make it too over-the-top and I have trouble suspending my disbelief. In this case, Ridout showed great restraint and I didn't have any "yeah right" moments. So that in itself is a great skill that I appreciate.
This was a very accomplished debut novel. Sarah Ridout showed great skill and I'm looking forward to reading her next novel.
I've received this novel via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the publishers, Echo, for the opportunity to read and review this novel.
Cover: 5 stars. I love everything about it, including the fonts.
January 23, 2018
Le Chateau is a romantic and suspenseful mystery set in a chateau in France, and so it ticks a lot of boxes for me. Sarah Ridout is an Australian author who has a Masters in Creative Writing from University College Dublin, and spent eight years living in southern France. The novel is rich in sensory detail about the French countryside, food and local customs, all of which I loved.
The protagonist of the book is a young Australian woman named Charlotte who is married to a Frenchman. She does not, however, remember him. Or their daughter, Ada. Or, indeed, any detail of her life in the past five years. An accident has robbed her of her memory, and now she must return to living at his family’s chateau and picking up the threads of a life she cannot remember. Strange menacing events frighten and unsettle her, and Charlotte does not know who to trust. Physically weak, emotionally fragile, she must try to find out the truth of what happened to her, before more harm is done.
The story reminded me of the Gothic romances by authors like Victoria Holt and Mary Stewart that I devoured as a teenager. A house full of secrets, a brooding atmosphere of darkness and danger, the exotic setting of a chateau in the sun-drenched south of France, eerie hints of some kind of supernatural threat, and a fast-paced suspenseful plot all add up to a real page-turner. I must admit I guessed the villain early on in the narrative, and so I would have loved a real humdinger of a plot twist at the end. Nonetheless, I enjoyed it hugely.
The protagonist of the book is a young Australian woman named Charlotte who is married to a Frenchman. She does not, however, remember him. Or their daughter, Ada. Or, indeed, any detail of her life in the past five years. An accident has robbed her of her memory, and now she must return to living at his family’s chateau and picking up the threads of a life she cannot remember. Strange menacing events frighten and unsettle her, and Charlotte does not know who to trust. Physically weak, emotionally fragile, she must try to find out the truth of what happened to her, before more harm is done.
The story reminded me of the Gothic romances by authors like Victoria Holt and Mary Stewart that I devoured as a teenager. A house full of secrets, a brooding atmosphere of darkness and danger, the exotic setting of a chateau in the sun-drenched south of France, eerie hints of some kind of supernatural threat, and a fast-paced suspenseful plot all add up to a real page-turner. I must admit I guessed the villain early on in the narrative, and so I would have loved a real humdinger of a plot twist at the end. Nonetheless, I enjoyed it hugely.
October 13, 2016
Le Chateau is the first novel by Australian author, Sarah Ridout. Ex-pat Aussie Charlotte de Chastenet wakes in hospital with amnesia after an accident: she can’t remember anything of the last five years, not her husband, Henri, not her almost five-year-old daughter, Ada, not the Chateau they live in and not the accident that caused her coma and memory loss. When her doctor, Jeremie brings her home to the Chateau, she will be living amongst strangers.
Despite her own confusion, Charlotte sees that Henri is loving and caring: he gives her her own bedroom, promising to be patient, sure that her memory will eventually return. And Charlotte wants to avoid causing young Ada any more distress: when Charlotte’s best friend Susannah, someone she does remember, arrives from England, they make a concerted effort to do what they can jog her memory.
Charlotte’s unenviable situation leaves her at the mercy of those around her: Henri’s mother implies a relationship with a neighbour that has Charlotte doubting herself, even though such behaviour would be completely out of character. It soon becomes evident (to the reader, if not to Charlotte or Henri) that Madame de Chastenet has her own agenda. And then Charlotte learns something that makes it imperative to find out just whom she can trust.
Ridout gives the reader a plot that is original and creative; as Charlotte gathers clues about her life and her accident, the tension slowly builds to an exciting and dramatic climax; the characters could do with a little more development, but this deficit can perhaps be explained by the premise that an amnesiac is the narrator. And while the dialogue was sometimes a little stiff, it is conceivable that French speakers using English might speak that way.
Ridout’s familiarity with her setting is apparent on every page: her detailed descriptions of the countryside, the architecture, the customs and attitudes of the locals, all speak of intimate knowledge born of experience together with extensive research. Ridout seamlessly includes some interesting facts about the Cathars, the Occitan and biodynamic viticulture, as well as a generous helping of David Bowie songs. An impressive debut novel.
With thanks to Echo Publishing for this copy to read and review
Despite her own confusion, Charlotte sees that Henri is loving and caring: he gives her her own bedroom, promising to be patient, sure that her memory will eventually return. And Charlotte wants to avoid causing young Ada any more distress: when Charlotte’s best friend Susannah, someone she does remember, arrives from England, they make a concerted effort to do what they can jog her memory.
Charlotte’s unenviable situation leaves her at the mercy of those around her: Henri’s mother implies a relationship with a neighbour that has Charlotte doubting herself, even though such behaviour would be completely out of character. It soon becomes evident (to the reader, if not to Charlotte or Henri) that Madame de Chastenet has her own agenda. And then Charlotte learns something that makes it imperative to find out just whom she can trust.
Ridout gives the reader a plot that is original and creative; as Charlotte gathers clues about her life and her accident, the tension slowly builds to an exciting and dramatic climax; the characters could do with a little more development, but this deficit can perhaps be explained by the premise that an amnesiac is the narrator. And while the dialogue was sometimes a little stiff, it is conceivable that French speakers using English might speak that way.
Ridout’s familiarity with her setting is apparent on every page: her detailed descriptions of the countryside, the architecture, the customs and attitudes of the locals, all speak of intimate knowledge born of experience together with extensive research. Ridout seamlessly includes some interesting facts about the Cathars, the Occitan and biodynamic viticulture, as well as a generous helping of David Bowie songs. An impressive debut novel.
With thanks to Echo Publishing for this copy to read and review
July 13, 2017
Le Chateau by Sarah Ridout is a deeply mysterious and highly contemplative study in human behaviour. I was instantly drawn into Charlotte's story, engrossed right from the first page. Suffering from amnesia after an accident, Charlotte can't remember any of her recent history. Her husband is a stranger, her daughter unknown, her home completely unfamiliar. Charlotte is desperate to remember her life, but as pieces begin to present themselves, she begins to question if she really wants to know who she is.
I found the whole notion of not remembering who you are utterly fascinating as the basis for a story. Sarah presents this extremely well, leaving no aspect unexplored. I love how Charlotte began to resist her returning memories as they began to show her in a light she didn't approve of. It would be so odd to be in a situation such as that, so confusing and overwhelming. By presenting the story from Charlotte's perspective and in first-person narrative, Sarah was able to articulate this emotional roller-coaster to perfection.
What I found most interesting about Le Chateau was the way in which Sarah explored the different ways people behave when they feel under threat. Take Charlotte's mother in law. She was extremely passive-aggressive throughout the entire story. At times I was amazed at how brazenly rude to Charlotte she was. Then there was Ryan; that part of the story turned out to be an eye opener on the crazy neighbour front. And Ines. A bizarre woman if there ever was one. Put all together, there was a definitive menacing undertone to Le Chateau that was utterly riveting. When the story reached its climax, I was surprised by the lengths certain characters had gone to in order to ensure their own motivations were realised.
Interspersed with the music of David Bowie, and set in a château deep in the French country side, Le Chateau is atmosperic, alluring, and intense. It's a sophisticated story that will draw you in and keep you tight within its embrace until the very end.
Le Chateau is book 43 in my 2017 Australian Women Writers Challenge.
I found the whole notion of not remembering who you are utterly fascinating as the basis for a story. Sarah presents this extremely well, leaving no aspect unexplored. I love how Charlotte began to resist her returning memories as they began to show her in a light she didn't approve of. It would be so odd to be in a situation such as that, so confusing and overwhelming. By presenting the story from Charlotte's perspective and in first-person narrative, Sarah was able to articulate this emotional roller-coaster to perfection.
What I found most interesting about Le Chateau was the way in which Sarah explored the different ways people behave when they feel under threat. Take Charlotte's mother in law. She was extremely passive-aggressive throughout the entire story. At times I was amazed at how brazenly rude to Charlotte she was. Then there was Ryan; that part of the story turned out to be an eye opener on the crazy neighbour front. And Ines. A bizarre woman if there ever was one. Put all together, there was a definitive menacing undertone to Le Chateau that was utterly riveting. When the story reached its climax, I was surprised by the lengths certain characters had gone to in order to ensure their own motivations were realised.
Interspersed with the music of David Bowie, and set in a château deep in the French country side, Le Chateau is atmosperic, alluring, and intense. It's a sophisticated story that will draw you in and keep you tight within its embrace until the very end.
Le Chateau is book 43 in my 2017 Australian Women Writers Challenge.
September 21, 2016
Le Chateau, Sarah Ridout
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: general fiction (adult), Women’s fiction
Well, seems I’ve hit lucky again with another debut read. Its always a gamble when you have to rely on just a brief description to make your choice, when you’ve no idea if you like the author's writing style, if the plot will really work for you, and when it comes together as it did here I feel really satisfied.
Descriptions are so, so succinct its really hard to judge if its a book for you in a few short sentences.
I love romance and enjoy stories that blend it with an element of suspense as this one does, not too deep, just the right amount to add extra interest to the story. But romance with who – husband Henri, father of their child Ada, or Ryan, neighbour who Henri’s mother keeps suggesting Charlotte knows rather too well....
Poor Charlotte doesn’t know what to think, would she have an affair, is she really that sort of person and if she is, what went wrong, as it seems she and Henri were so in love. Sadly after an accident she remembers nothing of her life, who she is, where she’s come from and as for her husband and family that’s all a total blank.
Its a fabulous story slowly revealing Charlotte’s memories, and all the while we get her inner thoughts.
Henri seems so devoted, so in love with her but she doesn’t feel anything – and Ryan, he seems a somewhat slick Englishman but he too sort of indicates that maybe he was more than a neighbour to her.
Ada her daughter is wonderful, portrayed so well how a child would react in this situation, carefully groomed by everyone to try not to press but she’s a child and needs her mum, needs reassurance. Charlotte can’t give that yet, but soon comes to adore her anyway, and there are some really tender moments with the two – the rabbit, the bed bugs lines – they made things very real and made me think how it would be – and is for some people – in this very situation in real life.
Charlotte is a great character, it would be so easy to give up, go with the flow, accept what she’s being told but she wants to remember, wants to know if she really was cheating on Henri, needs the truth. It seems impossible, their life seems almost charmed so if she was what went wrong?
Her quest for answers brings back her long time best friend and business partner Suzanne, who is another terrific person. She’s come to the chateau to help Charlotte find answers, and like Charlotte she’s not convinced things are as they seem. The two go to some strong methods in their search for answers.
Ryan, the handsome Englishman who looks after her and Ad's horses is a charmer, but is he telling the truth,, or just what he wants her to belive? Why would he lie, he's got no obvoius motive but would she really have been cheating?
Of course one of the main characters is Madame, Henri’s mother. Outwardly charming to Charlotte she still feels somehow wrong to her. There’s nothing she can pinpoint, nothing obvious and she’s so thoughtful and kind, suggesting rests, arranging delicious meals, making suggestions to help her recall her memory but I just couldn’t take to her.
I adore characters like that and when Ines comes on the scene I was so happy. Another person to dislike – I adore those kind of characters!! If a story is filled with just good people for me its bland, I need some horrible, devious, complicated characters to keep things fun!
Its a great read, the suspense element is well done, cleverly revealed, with the reader being taken down roads along with Charlotte and wondering which is the right one, where is the truth and what will it reveal.
I loved the ending, loved the way things worked out – its a fabulous debut read and I look forward to more from Sarah.
Stars: Five, a great first novel
ARC supplied by Netgalley and publisher
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: general fiction (adult), Women’s fiction
Well, seems I’ve hit lucky again with another debut read. Its always a gamble when you have to rely on just a brief description to make your choice, when you’ve no idea if you like the author's writing style, if the plot will really work for you, and when it comes together as it did here I feel really satisfied.
Descriptions are so, so succinct its really hard to judge if its a book for you in a few short sentences.
I love romance and enjoy stories that blend it with an element of suspense as this one does, not too deep, just the right amount to add extra interest to the story. But romance with who – husband Henri, father of their child Ada, or Ryan, neighbour who Henri’s mother keeps suggesting Charlotte knows rather too well....
Poor Charlotte doesn’t know what to think, would she have an affair, is she really that sort of person and if she is, what went wrong, as it seems she and Henri were so in love. Sadly after an accident she remembers nothing of her life, who she is, where she’s come from and as for her husband and family that’s all a total blank.
Its a fabulous story slowly revealing Charlotte’s memories, and all the while we get her inner thoughts.
Henri seems so devoted, so in love with her but she doesn’t feel anything – and Ryan, he seems a somewhat slick Englishman but he too sort of indicates that maybe he was more than a neighbour to her.
Ada her daughter is wonderful, portrayed so well how a child would react in this situation, carefully groomed by everyone to try not to press but she’s a child and needs her mum, needs reassurance. Charlotte can’t give that yet, but soon comes to adore her anyway, and there are some really tender moments with the two – the rabbit, the bed bugs lines – they made things very real and made me think how it would be – and is for some people – in this very situation in real life.
Charlotte is a great character, it would be so easy to give up, go with the flow, accept what she’s being told but she wants to remember, wants to know if she really was cheating on Henri, needs the truth. It seems impossible, their life seems almost charmed so if she was what went wrong?
Her quest for answers brings back her long time best friend and business partner Suzanne, who is another terrific person. She’s come to the chateau to help Charlotte find answers, and like Charlotte she’s not convinced things are as they seem. The two go to some strong methods in their search for answers.
Ryan, the handsome Englishman who looks after her and Ad's horses is a charmer, but is he telling the truth,, or just what he wants her to belive? Why would he lie, he's got no obvoius motive but would she really have been cheating?
Of course one of the main characters is Madame, Henri’s mother. Outwardly charming to Charlotte she still feels somehow wrong to her. There’s nothing she can pinpoint, nothing obvious and she’s so thoughtful and kind, suggesting rests, arranging delicious meals, making suggestions to help her recall her memory but I just couldn’t take to her.
I adore characters like that and when Ines comes on the scene I was so happy. Another person to dislike – I adore those kind of characters!! If a story is filled with just good people for me its bland, I need some horrible, devious, complicated characters to keep things fun!
Its a great read, the suspense element is well done, cleverly revealed, with the reader being taken down roads along with Charlotte and wondering which is the right one, where is the truth and what will it reveal.
I loved the ending, loved the way things worked out – its a fabulous debut read and I look forward to more from Sarah.
Stars: Five, a great first novel
ARC supplied by Netgalley and publisher
February 9, 2017
I really enjoyed this debut novel by Sarah Ridout. It's not high browed, just a good story with a Gothic undertone.
Henri and Charlotte are very in love. They met in Paris when Henri was at art school and they have since married and had a daughter called Ada. But their lives change when Henri has to give up his passion of being an artist, as he is called back to the family winery business after his father died. The story picks up when Charlotte comes home after an unfortunate accident and she has total amnesia. Her only memory is of good friend Susannah and she has to place trust in those around her for the rest of her memories.
Little by little she begins to fall in love with Henri again and some memories slowly return. But there is always some strange undercurrent around and Charlotte often feels unsettled.
What I loved about this story is that there was no big cast of characters to follow. I really wasn't sure who to trust either. There were times where I queried Susannah's friendship, was Henri too possessive and what about Henri's mother, Madame? These were all questions that ran around in my head and the ending just right for me. A good book to escape into.
This book also had a lot of David Bowie song references but unfortunately these were lost on me.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to review.
Henri and Charlotte are very in love. They met in Paris when Henri was at art school and they have since married and had a daughter called Ada. But their lives change when Henri has to give up his passion of being an artist, as he is called back to the family winery business after his father died. The story picks up when Charlotte comes home after an unfortunate accident and she has total amnesia. Her only memory is of good friend Susannah and she has to place trust in those around her for the rest of her memories.
Little by little she begins to fall in love with Henri again and some memories slowly return. But there is always some strange undercurrent around and Charlotte often feels unsettled.
What I loved about this story is that there was no big cast of characters to follow. I really wasn't sure who to trust either. There were times where I queried Susannah's friendship, was Henri too possessive and what about Henri's mother, Madame? These were all questions that ran around in my head and the ending just right for me. A good book to escape into.
This book also had a lot of David Bowie song references but unfortunately these were lost on me.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to review.
October 8, 2016
Mystery, suspense and romance are all rolled into the beautiful setting of rural France in Sarah Ridout's debut novel, Le Chateau.
Australian expatriate, Charlotte de Chastenet wakes from a coma to learn she's been in an accident. Nobody will tell her about the accident and she doesn't remember her handsome husband Henri, their little daughter Ada or their imposing chateau set amongst a vineyard. But Charlotte knows there is something terribly wrong in the family's chateau.
As Charlotte regains her memory, she struggles knowing who to trust; her too-perfect husband, her good-looking neighbour Ryan, her kindly mother-in-law or her childhood friend Susannah.
I read Le Chateau in two days and loved it. Congratulations Sarah Ridout on a compelling, beautifully written romance. Le Chateau will appeal to lovers of mystery, women's literature, contemporary fiction and romance. A fine read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Echo Publishing for an advance copy of Le Chateau in exchange for an honest review.
Australian expatriate, Charlotte de Chastenet wakes from a coma to learn she's been in an accident. Nobody will tell her about the accident and she doesn't remember her handsome husband Henri, their little daughter Ada or their imposing chateau set amongst a vineyard. But Charlotte knows there is something terribly wrong in the family's chateau.
As Charlotte regains her memory, she struggles knowing who to trust; her too-perfect husband, her good-looking neighbour Ryan, her kindly mother-in-law or her childhood friend Susannah.
I read Le Chateau in two days and loved it. Congratulations Sarah Ridout on a compelling, beautifully written romance. Le Chateau will appeal to lovers of mystery, women's literature, contemporary fiction and romance. A fine read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Echo Publishing for an advance copy of Le Chateau in exchange for an honest review.
February 22, 2017
Sarah Ridout's debut novel, Le Chateau, is an elegant and engrossing read that will certainly stand the test of time with readers. The mystery/suspense that forms the basis of this story was compelling and believable and Ridout presents the story with an integrity that ensured it avoided any cliché sometimes associated amnesia plots.
Told in the first person from Charlotte's perspective, Ridout bravely and with exacting detail portrays the character's frustrations, confusion, and uncertainty. This strengthened the story overall and illustrates the power of Ridout's storytelling and writing abilities.
Another worthy mention is Le Chateau's southern France setting which Ridout delivered with a vividly poetic style and provided an additional layer of nuanced beauty to the storyline.
Le Chateau is a must-read novel from one of Australia's newest storytellers.
Told in the first person from Charlotte's perspective, Ridout bravely and with exacting detail portrays the character's frustrations, confusion, and uncertainty. This strengthened the story overall and illustrates the power of Ridout's storytelling and writing abilities.
Another worthy mention is Le Chateau's southern France setting which Ridout delivered with a vividly poetic style and provided an additional layer of nuanced beauty to the storyline.
Le Chateau is a must-read novel from one of Australia's newest storytellers.
December 4, 2016
'Le Chateau' is an atmospheric slow-burning story, with a sting in its tail. The greatest strength of this novel is the lyrical writing, which beautifully evokes the French countryside and builds the characters into three dimensional people. Despite the gorgeous locations, and the fact everyone seems to care for and want to help the injured Charlotte, there is an undercurrent of malevolence which keeps the storyline interesting. Not everything is as it seems in this engaging novel.
August 30, 2016
Le Chateau is the gripping and atmospheric debut novel by Sarah Ridout, informed by Sarah's many years living in the south of France. Le Chateau is a romantic gothic mystery that centres on Charlotte de Chastenet, an Australian living in France, who regains consciousness after a serious accident, only to find her amnesia means she cannot remember anything from the previous five years. Her husband, Henri, and her little girl, Ada, are strangers to her. She is taken from the hospital to the family chateau to recover, but while she hopes to regain her memories, she only becomes more isolated and unsettled. She doesn't know who to trust, and strange events and disturbing behaviour by those around her confuse her even more. Charlotte embarks on a quest to put her life back together, but how can she, when she doesn't remember who she is?
Sarah's writing takes us to the setting of Le Chateau, a family home in a beautiful vineyard in rural France. The house itself is a character in the story - it is magical, austere, commanding and permanent, filled with servant's staircases and stunning rooms decorated with opulent furnishings. The environment - surrounded by grapevines and horses, by local farmers and tended fields - is depicted with the experience of someone who has lived there. The passages describing other locations, such as the beaches and tourist areas, are also compelling. Balancing these visions of southern France are Charlotte's memories of the Australian bush - particularly the smell of eucalypts. We get the sense early on that Charlotte is torn between her competing feelings for so many things, her childhood home and her current family, her love for her husband and her feelings for another man; her sense of herself is pulled in different directions and she has no compass with which to divine her true centre.
Smell, touch and feeling are senses explored with a romantic sensuality and a heightened sexuality in the book. The passages written about developing relationships, and accompanying physical closeness, are tender and compassionate. The rising sexual tension builds throughout the story, and the chapters that describe the climax are well-paced, exciting and not over-done. The physical act of making love is written with passion and emotion.
At the heart of this story is a mystery about what happened to Charlotte, the truth behind her accident, and who she can trust. The reader is gently led along one path and then another, as Charlotte struggles to remember what happened before her accident - her actions, her desires, her mistakes. As her memory returns, in fragments, she begins to understand who she is, and the motivations behind her relationships with those around her.
It is very interesting to read about an established relationship - a married couple, with a child - where one half of that couple has no memories of their shared past. Sarah explores the difficulties of this complex situation with care.
The music of David Bowie has a strong role in the story, and is referenced throughout, almost as if the music is speaking to Charlotte and in some small way determining her choices.
While the house and the grounds (and the surrounding countryside) are described in great detail, I would have liked to know more about the enigmatic neighbours, and I would have welcomed the further development of some of the minor characters and their motivations. (Henri's mother, Madame, a publicly prominent figure, and a neighbour, Ryan, both develop slightly sinister sides, which works well.)
I certainly felt immersed in the culture and community of France while reading this novel - the smells, sounds and colours of the country carried me away to the chateau in my head. Sarah's strengths in depicting romantic relationships, and her ability to tease the reader onwards with the development of a family mystery make this a great read.
Sarah's writing takes us to the setting of Le Chateau, a family home in a beautiful vineyard in rural France. The house itself is a character in the story - it is magical, austere, commanding and permanent, filled with servant's staircases and stunning rooms decorated with opulent furnishings. The environment - surrounded by grapevines and horses, by local farmers and tended fields - is depicted with the experience of someone who has lived there. The passages describing other locations, such as the beaches and tourist areas, are also compelling. Balancing these visions of southern France are Charlotte's memories of the Australian bush - particularly the smell of eucalypts. We get the sense early on that Charlotte is torn between her competing feelings for so many things, her childhood home and her current family, her love for her husband and her feelings for another man; her sense of herself is pulled in different directions and she has no compass with which to divine her true centre.
Smell, touch and feeling are senses explored with a romantic sensuality and a heightened sexuality in the book. The passages written about developing relationships, and accompanying physical closeness, are tender and compassionate. The rising sexual tension builds throughout the story, and the chapters that describe the climax are well-paced, exciting and not over-done. The physical act of making love is written with passion and emotion.
At the heart of this story is a mystery about what happened to Charlotte, the truth behind her accident, and who she can trust. The reader is gently led along one path and then another, as Charlotte struggles to remember what happened before her accident - her actions, her desires, her mistakes. As her memory returns, in fragments, she begins to understand who she is, and the motivations behind her relationships with those around her.
It is very interesting to read about an established relationship - a married couple, with a child - where one half of that couple has no memories of their shared past. Sarah explores the difficulties of this complex situation with care.
The music of David Bowie has a strong role in the story, and is referenced throughout, almost as if the music is speaking to Charlotte and in some small way determining her choices.
While the house and the grounds (and the surrounding countryside) are described in great detail, I would have liked to know more about the enigmatic neighbours, and I would have welcomed the further development of some of the minor characters and their motivations. (Henri's mother, Madame, a publicly prominent figure, and a neighbour, Ryan, both develop slightly sinister sides, which works well.)
I certainly felt immersed in the culture and community of France while reading this novel - the smells, sounds and colours of the country carried me away to the chateau in my head. Sarah's strengths in depicting romantic relationships, and her ability to tease the reader onwards with the development of a family mystery make this a great read.
October 25, 2017
I did not expect to love this book so much but I absolutely did! Beautifully written and I was seriously unable to put it down. I read most of it in one night. The novel opens with Charlotte returning home after suffering a head injury and how she puts the pieces of her life back together. As the reader we go with her as we too do not know who to trust and feel uncertainty about everyone. A wonderful suspenseful and romantic tale which will keep you guessing until the end. A very enjoyable read!
March 7, 2017
Imagine having a terrible accident that leaves you with amnesia and wipes out memories of the last five years of your life. Your husband is a stranger, you don’t remember giving birth to your daughter, your home is an immense chateau in France that’s more than a little creepy that your family shares with your mysterious mother-in-law. This is Charlotte de Chastenet’s reality. Her husband, Henri, longs for her memory to be restored, but Charlotte suspects he is hiding things from her. Madame, as her mother-in-law is called, insinuates Charlotte had an affair with a neighbor, but rather than being upset about it, she often encourages Charlotte to go see the man. Her daughter, Ada, is sweet and happy to her mother home again, but she is sad and hurt when she notices Charlotte’s lack of memory about her—making Charlotte feel guilt on top of everything else.
The one person Charlotte knows she can trust is her old friend Susanna, whom she remembers clearly. Susanna comes to the chateau often, trying to help Charlotte with her memory as well as trying to solve the twin enigmas of Madame and the man with whom Charlotte may or may not have had an affair. Complicating matters further are the weird—and sometimes frightening—things Charlotte sees around the chateau and vineyards. Odd, ritualistic celebrations and Madame’s increasingly curious behavior have Charlotte on edge. She needs her memory back—and fast—because time is running out.
Sarah Ridout’s debut novel was a very enjoyable read. The chateau had just enough creepiness to give me a little shiver of unease whenever Charlotte was walking through it. Except Ada and Susanna, I suspected almost everyone Charlotte interacted with of hiding secrets or having ulterior motives. Discovering the answers to my many questions was never disappointing, and at times the answers were truly shocking.
I also like the way the cover ties into the theme of the story. The woman is blurred, unclear… you can only see the suggestion of her face, but not enough to make out any definite details, and her surroundings are equally obscured. It perfectly illustrates someone trying to remember their forgotten past based only on vague glimpses of moments they lived. The answers are so close, but deeply shrouded in shadows, and just out of reach.
I’ll be watching for news about this author… I’d like to read more of her work in the future.
I received an advance review copy of this book courtesy of Netgalley and Echo Publishing.
The one person Charlotte knows she can trust is her old friend Susanna, whom she remembers clearly. Susanna comes to the chateau often, trying to help Charlotte with her memory as well as trying to solve the twin enigmas of Madame and the man with whom Charlotte may or may not have had an affair. Complicating matters further are the weird—and sometimes frightening—things Charlotte sees around the chateau and vineyards. Odd, ritualistic celebrations and Madame’s increasingly curious behavior have Charlotte on edge. She needs her memory back—and fast—because time is running out.
Sarah Ridout’s debut novel was a very enjoyable read. The chateau had just enough creepiness to give me a little shiver of unease whenever Charlotte was walking through it. Except Ada and Susanna, I suspected almost everyone Charlotte interacted with of hiding secrets or having ulterior motives. Discovering the answers to my many questions was never disappointing, and at times the answers were truly shocking.
I also like the way the cover ties into the theme of the story. The woman is blurred, unclear… you can only see the suggestion of her face, but not enough to make out any definite details, and her surroundings are equally obscured. It perfectly illustrates someone trying to remember their forgotten past based only on vague glimpses of moments they lived. The answers are so close, but deeply shrouded in shadows, and just out of reach.
I’ll be watching for news about this author… I’d like to read more of her work in the future.
I received an advance review copy of this book courtesy of Netgalley and Echo Publishing.
November 11, 2016
Make sure you've cleared some space in your diary before starting Le Chateau, the debut novel from Brisbane-based author Sarah Ridout, because once you've read the first few pages, you won't want to put it down!
Fortunately I chose a lazy/rainy weekend to get stuck in and instantly found myself drawn into the mysterious world of central character Charlotte de Chastenet, whose life is turned upside down when an accident causes amnesia, leaving her struggling to remember anything from the last five years. Set amongst the vineyards in the south of France, with most of the action taking place in around an imposing Gothic chateau, this is a sexy and evocative thriller with lots of simmering undertones.
While her charming and handsome husband Henri and gorgeous little daughter Ada desperately will Charlotte to piece their old life back together, she wrestles with feelings she doesn't understand...and an endless list of questions. Can she really trust Henri? Why won't anyone tell her about her accident? What is Henri's constantly lurking mother, 'Madame', playing at? And who is Ryan, the sexy Irish neighbour, whose gaze lingers for a little too long?
I found the story pace spot on and the meticulous attention to detail made me feel like I was immersed in life in Languedoc, as well as learning much along the way about the region's history, rituals and the art of biodynamic farming. A lovely way to while away the weekend - I would recommend getting your hands on a copy as soon as you can.
Oh and for any overseas readers (like me!) I spotted Le Chateau on Book Despository who deliver it free of charge. Bonus.
Fortunately I chose a lazy/rainy weekend to get stuck in and instantly found myself drawn into the mysterious world of central character Charlotte de Chastenet, whose life is turned upside down when an accident causes amnesia, leaving her struggling to remember anything from the last five years. Set amongst the vineyards in the south of France, with most of the action taking place in around an imposing Gothic chateau, this is a sexy and evocative thriller with lots of simmering undertones.
While her charming and handsome husband Henri and gorgeous little daughter Ada desperately will Charlotte to piece their old life back together, she wrestles with feelings she doesn't understand...and an endless list of questions. Can she really trust Henri? Why won't anyone tell her about her accident? What is Henri's constantly lurking mother, 'Madame', playing at? And who is Ryan, the sexy Irish neighbour, whose gaze lingers for a little too long?
I found the story pace spot on and the meticulous attention to detail made me feel like I was immersed in life in Languedoc, as well as learning much along the way about the region's history, rituals and the art of biodynamic farming. A lovely way to while away the weekend - I would recommend getting your hands on a copy as soon as you can.
Oh and for any overseas readers (like me!) I spotted Le Chateau on Book Despository who deliver it free of charge. Bonus.
September 9, 2017
Le Chateau by Sarah Ridout
This is romantic thriller/mystery set in France. When Charlotte wakes after an accident and can’t remember anything about her immediate past she must rely and trust on her family to help her to remember who she is.
Charlotte, an orphan, had lived the young Australian dream of working successfully in Europe and fallen in love with Henri, a dashing, successful French artist. The attractive wonderful husband however had thrown off his artist persona after the death of his father and dragged Charlotte and their young daughter Ada to his family estate where they have been living (in incredible luxury) under the control of the demanding mother-in-law.
As her memories gradually return however, Charlotte begins to mistrust herself and her memories especially when her mother-in-law and other acquaintances imply she was not behaving appropriately before her accident.
Can Charlotte reunite with Henri and be true to herself? Readers will have to read to the end to find out.
This is romantic thriller/mystery set in France. When Charlotte wakes after an accident and can’t remember anything about her immediate past she must rely and trust on her family to help her to remember who she is.
Charlotte, an orphan, had lived the young Australian dream of working successfully in Europe and fallen in love with Henri, a dashing, successful French artist. The attractive wonderful husband however had thrown off his artist persona after the death of his father and dragged Charlotte and their young daughter Ada to his family estate where they have been living (in incredible luxury) under the control of the demanding mother-in-law.
As her memories gradually return however, Charlotte begins to mistrust herself and her memories especially when her mother-in-law and other acquaintances imply she was not behaving appropriately before her accident.
Can Charlotte reunite with Henri and be true to herself? Readers will have to read to the end to find out.
August 20, 2019
When Charlotte de Chastenet returns to her family’s chateau in the south of France suffering amnesia as a result of an accident, the building and landscape—and most importantly, her family—are foreign to her. Beneath her fingertips she feels that “[t]here is an energy of secrets in the old timber.” It is this energy of secrets that pulls the reader along in Sarah Ridout’s gothic mystery, Le Chateau. Below every surface the reader, and Charlotte, feels the hum of a dark secret but is unable to grasp what it is. Elusive, as are her memories.
Read the rest of my review here: https://kalinapier.wordpress.com/2016...
Read the rest of my review here: https://kalinapier.wordpress.com/2016...
October 17, 2016
This is a great book for those who like a combination of history, romance and suspense all bound up with a sense of luxury. A great novel in the gothic tradition.
This novel was a real page turner! Once you get started you can't stop reading - you just want to find out what happened at the Chateau, what is being hidden and why. The ending does not disappoint.
A gripping, interesting read with great romance. Highly recommended! Le Chateau
This novel was a real page turner! Once you get started you can't stop reading - you just want to find out what happened at the Chateau, what is being hidden and why. The ending does not disappoint.
A gripping, interesting read with great romance. Highly recommended! Le Chateau
May 2, 2017
After Charlotte's accident she had no recollection of her life beforehand. what was her life like? Did she love her husband? Or was there someone else she loved more?
Everyone was pushing her in different directions, giving her little snippets of information. but who was telling her the truth?
Eventually charlotte starts to regain her memory, but there are still so many unanswered questions. Who can she really trust?
Brilliantly written book that I could not put down.
Thank you Bookstore and Echo publishing for giving me the chance to read and review this wonderful book.
Everyone was pushing her in different directions, giving her little snippets of information. but who was telling her the truth?
Eventually charlotte starts to regain her memory, but there are still so many unanswered questions. Who can she really trust?
Brilliantly written book that I could not put down.
Thank you Bookstore and Echo publishing for giving me the chance to read and review this wonderful book.
November 28, 2016
Sarah Ridout’s “Le Chateau” is a fascinating, intriguing story of knowing and not knowing. Her vivid, original description and storytelling acquaints the reader with Charlotte’s lost world in her family’s attempts to bring her memory back after an accident. Charlotte’s confusion is then shared by the reader. The chateau and the characters in all their tones come alive in Ridout’s delightful & original style. It is a wonderful book.
October 30, 2016
The author of Le Chateau Sarah Ridout constructed a brilliantly crafted and extremely clever plot. One that I did not see coming. If you have ever or even never travelled around France this is the opportunity to feel you are there, thankfully without the jet lag. Once I began reading I could not put the book down and I give it five stars and more if it was possible. Jacqueline Kerr
November 13, 2016
A French chateau is the perfect setting for this story of mystery, intrigue and passion. An enjoyable read, I was in from the start and had to keep turning the page to see how it would resolve. The author delivers on all this genre promises.
October 15, 2016
I really enjoyed 'le chateau'. It is well documented and the plot is gripping.
June 14, 2017
'Le Chateau' (Echo Publishing), a debut novel by Sarah Ridout, is an unforgettable story about a woman forgetting. Charlotte doesn’t remember her husband, Henri, or their five-year-old daughter, Ada. She doesn’t remember the century’s old chateau where she lives in the south of France, or its surrounding vineyard. And neither does she remember her imperious mother-in-law, Madame de Castanet, who occupies one wing of the chateau. Charlotte is amnesic after a mysterious accident that left her in a coma. Just like Dorothy in Ada’s favourite story The Wizard of Oz, Charlotte must find her way home to the family she is told is hers but is one she neither knows nor trusts.
The unfamiliar and disquieting chateau that Charlotte returns to adds to her sense of alienation and displacement. It’s cold, worn steps, dark rooms and empty, unused spaces remind readers of Daphne du Maurier’s Mandeley in Rebecca. The plot in 'Le Chateau' is built around a comparable mystery: What happened to Rebecca? What happened to Charlotte? From beginning to end, readers are taken on an atmospheric journey of discovery where no one and nothing is as it seems in this suspenseful novel.
As Charlotte recuperates from her accident she must try and piece together the mysteries of her life, which she does with the help of Australian compatriot and friend, Susannah. Their pithy dialogue quickly builds character and highlights elements of the languid Australian culture compared to that of the more formal French one, as expected under Madame’s watchful and critical eye.
But even with Susannah’s help, voids in Charlotte’s memory persist and she continues to struggle with trust. Is Henri, who seems caring and kind, really the man Charlotte once loved? If so, why is she wary of him? Or does she love her handsome Irish neighbour, Ryan Carter, whom her mother-in-law tartly suggests Charlotte had an affair with? But just as Charlotte starts to gradually piece together events prior to her accident, she is shaken by news that adds to her vulnerability and presses her need to find out more, and quickly.
There are interesting correlations with real life in 'Le Chateau'. Charlotte’s disconnection to place and people is reflective of the expat’s life; the alienation that non-nationals feel when cultural and traditional knowledge – knowledge which often runs generationally deep – is inaccessible to them. But equally, Charlotte’s amnesia also reflects the desire we have to erase those arguments and disappointments we inflict upon those we care for, and those that are inflicted upon us. In 'Le Chateau', Charlotte has the seductive opportunity to remain ignorant to any imperfections that might have existed in her marriage to Henri. The only trouble is, in not being able to remember or trust in her prior actions, or the motives and actions of those around her, puts Charlotte at risk of losing everything.
What remains true for her though is the quick and easy love she once again feels for Ada, her daughter. It reminds us of the power of blood ties and those instinctive forces that connect mother and child. And in Charlotte’s case, this means protecting Ada at all cost even though unsure of the forces she is protecting her against.
Ridout writes about France with such rich detail that it is clear from the first pages that here is a writer who knows something of the life she describes. Her descriptions of the seasonal changes of a working vineyard through to the heady scents of bouillabaisse, lapin à la moutarde and tarte aux pommes, allow readers to draw on all of their senses as they imagine the exotic setting she’s created. We see the rolling countryside, witness ghoulish pagan festivals, hear the calls of santé when wine glasses clink. And the smatterings of French Ridout uses throughout her novel are light-handed and rarely require translation. They also bring a lyricism to the dialogue, matched by her many references to the music of David Bowie and the poetry of Pablo Neruda.
'Le Chateau' is a sensual and sexy romance. It draws on Gothic tropes, which bring a deep sense of foreboding to its deliciously evocative and authentic French setting. Readers will be kept guessing right to the end as Charlotte unravels the mysteries and implications of her past, which run much deeper than the five years that have been displaced from her memory.
The unfamiliar and disquieting chateau that Charlotte returns to adds to her sense of alienation and displacement. It’s cold, worn steps, dark rooms and empty, unused spaces remind readers of Daphne du Maurier’s Mandeley in Rebecca. The plot in 'Le Chateau' is built around a comparable mystery: What happened to Rebecca? What happened to Charlotte? From beginning to end, readers are taken on an atmospheric journey of discovery where no one and nothing is as it seems in this suspenseful novel.
As Charlotte recuperates from her accident she must try and piece together the mysteries of her life, which she does with the help of Australian compatriot and friend, Susannah. Their pithy dialogue quickly builds character and highlights elements of the languid Australian culture compared to that of the more formal French one, as expected under Madame’s watchful and critical eye.
But even with Susannah’s help, voids in Charlotte’s memory persist and she continues to struggle with trust. Is Henri, who seems caring and kind, really the man Charlotte once loved? If so, why is she wary of him? Or does she love her handsome Irish neighbour, Ryan Carter, whom her mother-in-law tartly suggests Charlotte had an affair with? But just as Charlotte starts to gradually piece together events prior to her accident, she is shaken by news that adds to her vulnerability and presses her need to find out more, and quickly.
There are interesting correlations with real life in 'Le Chateau'. Charlotte’s disconnection to place and people is reflective of the expat’s life; the alienation that non-nationals feel when cultural and traditional knowledge – knowledge which often runs generationally deep – is inaccessible to them. But equally, Charlotte’s amnesia also reflects the desire we have to erase those arguments and disappointments we inflict upon those we care for, and those that are inflicted upon us. In 'Le Chateau', Charlotte has the seductive opportunity to remain ignorant to any imperfections that might have existed in her marriage to Henri. The only trouble is, in not being able to remember or trust in her prior actions, or the motives and actions of those around her, puts Charlotte at risk of losing everything.
What remains true for her though is the quick and easy love she once again feels for Ada, her daughter. It reminds us of the power of blood ties and those instinctive forces that connect mother and child. And in Charlotte’s case, this means protecting Ada at all cost even though unsure of the forces she is protecting her against.
Ridout writes about France with such rich detail that it is clear from the first pages that here is a writer who knows something of the life she describes. Her descriptions of the seasonal changes of a working vineyard through to the heady scents of bouillabaisse, lapin à la moutarde and tarte aux pommes, allow readers to draw on all of their senses as they imagine the exotic setting she’s created. We see the rolling countryside, witness ghoulish pagan festivals, hear the calls of santé when wine glasses clink. And the smatterings of French Ridout uses throughout her novel are light-handed and rarely require translation. They also bring a lyricism to the dialogue, matched by her many references to the music of David Bowie and the poetry of Pablo Neruda.
'Le Chateau' is a sensual and sexy romance. It draws on Gothic tropes, which bring a deep sense of foreboding to its deliciously evocative and authentic French setting. Readers will be kept guessing right to the end as Charlotte unravels the mysteries and implications of her past, which run much deeper than the five years that have been displaced from her memory.
September 20, 2016
In Le Chateau, Sarah Ridout has updated the Gothic novel and sent it to the French countryside. From the start, Ridout’s prose resists the lure of the overwrought. It is tightly written but with moments of lyricism particularly when describing the beauty of the vineyards and surrounding landscape.
This is the story of Charlotte, who is discharged from hospital following an accident - an accident she cannot recall. But that is the least of her problems. Charlotte has no memory of the home that she returns to - the fabulous Chateau - and no memory of her husband, Henri or her young daughter Ada. It is apparent that she has always been something of an outsider, an Australian who married into the wealthy and ancient family of de Chastenets.
The Chateau is a real presence in the novel, a character in itself, willful and fickle showing an alternating sinister and beautiful façade to the stranded Charlotte. In the background of the Chateau, and of the story, is Madame, Henri’s widowed mother. Charlotte’s enigmatic mother-in-law is worthy of a Du Maurier novel.
At the beginning, I felt that the character of Charlotte was drawn a little thin. She seems to have little volition, little substance. But on reflection, I think that this is how the author has chosen to manifest Charlotte's own feelings of flimsiness: she has no sense of self, no memory, no past. Amnesia can be a tricky fictional trope but Ridout handles it with all the necessary gothic style and it always serves the plot well. Henri and Ada are sympathetically drawn and the character of Susanna, Charlotte’s Australian friend, is perfect for stirring and disturbing the old world of the French Chateau.
This is a clever and intriguing read, tightly paced with a good helping of tension, sexual and otherwise! Like Charlotte herself, I wanted to find out the secrets that haunt the story and was compelled to read on.
This is the story of Charlotte, who is discharged from hospital following an accident - an accident she cannot recall. But that is the least of her problems. Charlotte has no memory of the home that she returns to - the fabulous Chateau - and no memory of her husband, Henri or her young daughter Ada. It is apparent that she has always been something of an outsider, an Australian who married into the wealthy and ancient family of de Chastenets.
The Chateau is a real presence in the novel, a character in itself, willful and fickle showing an alternating sinister and beautiful façade to the stranded Charlotte. In the background of the Chateau, and of the story, is Madame, Henri’s widowed mother. Charlotte’s enigmatic mother-in-law is worthy of a Du Maurier novel.
At the beginning, I felt that the character of Charlotte was drawn a little thin. She seems to have little volition, little substance. But on reflection, I think that this is how the author has chosen to manifest Charlotte's own feelings of flimsiness: she has no sense of self, no memory, no past. Amnesia can be a tricky fictional trope but Ridout handles it with all the necessary gothic style and it always serves the plot well. Henri and Ada are sympathetically drawn and the character of Susanna, Charlotte’s Australian friend, is perfect for stirring and disturbing the old world of the French Chateau.
This is a clever and intriguing read, tightly paced with a good helping of tension, sexual and otherwise! Like Charlotte herself, I wanted to find out the secrets that haunt the story and was compelled to read on.
October 4, 2016
Le Chateau is a Gothic Romance about an Australian girl, Charlotte, who married into an ancient family, the de Chastenets and whose estate is in the Languedoc region of France.
The novel begins with Charlotte being driven home from hospital where she has been recovering from an accident which has left her with amnesia. She doesn't recognise her husband, her daughter or her home, the Chateau. Everyone is suspicious and every move sinister. Is this really the place where she lived and are these people really her loved ones ?
Gradually, with the help of on old friend, Susannah, she pieces together her past and learns to trust again, especially her husband Henri. She learns that she and Henri were very much in love and had a wonderful life in Paris before coming to the ancestral home. Living at the Chateau has not been good for their relationship. But as she recovers her memory and her love for Henri she begins to understand the reasons for this. And they all revolve around her mother-in-law Madame Antoinette !!
She is a truly sinister Mrs Danvers character and suitably gets her comeuppance at the end of the novel.
This is a lovely piece of writing which keep the reader's interest and emotions engaged. We bask in the wealthy world of Henri and his ancient family and we learn some interesting aspects to life in the Languedoc. It was formerly a seat of the Cathars, a breakaway religious group which suffered greatly at the hand of the orthodox Catholic Church, with thousands of their members being slaughtered. Thus there is a dark side to the region and this influences life at the Chateau.
We also learn about biodynamic farming a la Rudolf Steiner and this also adds to the darker aspects of the novel.
This has been a lovely sojourn in Southern France and I would highly recommend it.
The novel begins with Charlotte being driven home from hospital where she has been recovering from an accident which has left her with amnesia. She doesn't recognise her husband, her daughter or her home, the Chateau. Everyone is suspicious and every move sinister. Is this really the place where she lived and are these people really her loved ones ?
Gradually, with the help of on old friend, Susannah, she pieces together her past and learns to trust again, especially her husband Henri. She learns that she and Henri were very much in love and had a wonderful life in Paris before coming to the ancestral home. Living at the Chateau has not been good for their relationship. But as she recovers her memory and her love for Henri she begins to understand the reasons for this. And they all revolve around her mother-in-law Madame Antoinette !!
She is a truly sinister Mrs Danvers character and suitably gets her comeuppance at the end of the novel.
This is a lovely piece of writing which keep the reader's interest and emotions engaged. We bask in the wealthy world of Henri and his ancient family and we learn some interesting aspects to life in the Languedoc. It was formerly a seat of the Cathars, a breakaway religious group which suffered greatly at the hand of the orthodox Catholic Church, with thousands of their members being slaughtered. Thus there is a dark side to the region and this influences life at the Chateau.
We also learn about biodynamic farming a la Rudolf Steiner and this also adds to the darker aspects of the novel.
This has been a lovely sojourn in Southern France and I would highly recommend it.
October 25, 2016
Sarah Ridout's debut novel, Le Chateau, is a fast, page-turning story that kept me fully engaged to the last page. The premise of a mysterious accident that leaves the main character, Charlotte, confused and unable to trust the people around her and the stories she is told, leads the reader down the path of inquiry with her. One of my favorite things about reading fiction is when a good author takes my thoughts beyond their story. In this, Ridout does not disappoint.
Charlotte has a combination of Traumatic Brain Injury and psychologic repression resulting in a memory loss of the previous 5 years, with full memory prior to that. She proceeds with a slow, steady process of re-gaining hints and clips of memory as she separates from the incident both temporally and geographically. As a physician and psychiatrist (full disclosure) I found this combination plausible and the premise of its evolution and ultimate solution quite interesting. I struggled a bit however with the introduction of a 'potion' (tea) that was never fully explained, a hint at powerful psychic powers that some people have genetically, and a forced hypnosis (which is hard to imagine). Nonetheless, the question of how one's life would be experienced if the previous 5 years were suddenly erased is provocative indeed, and is a fabulous book club discussion.
In the end it became more of a romance than the darker, gothic mystery/thriller I had expected from the description, but in that genre it succeeds.
This is a well-done debut novel from an author with much talent and I think it will appeal to readers of romance and women's fiction with an added bit of suspense and a thought-provoking plot.
I received this novel via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the author and the publisher, Echo, for the opportunity to read and review this novel.
Charlotte has a combination of Traumatic Brain Injury and psychologic repression resulting in a memory loss of the previous 5 years, with full memory prior to that. She proceeds with a slow, steady process of re-gaining hints and clips of memory as she separates from the incident both temporally and geographically. As a physician and psychiatrist (full disclosure) I found this combination plausible and the premise of its evolution and ultimate solution quite interesting. I struggled a bit however with the introduction of a 'potion' (tea) that was never fully explained, a hint at powerful psychic powers that some people have genetically, and a forced hypnosis (which is hard to imagine). Nonetheless, the question of how one's life would be experienced if the previous 5 years were suddenly erased is provocative indeed, and is a fabulous book club discussion.
In the end it became more of a romance than the darker, gothic mystery/thriller I had expected from the description, but in that genre it succeeds.
This is a well-done debut novel from an author with much talent and I think it will appeal to readers of romance and women's fiction with an added bit of suspense and a thought-provoking plot.
I received this novel via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to the author and the publisher, Echo, for the opportunity to read and review this novel.
September 27, 2016
I really enjoyed Le Chateau. Charlotte has had an accident and when she regains consciousness she has amnesia and cannot recall most of her recent past, including her husband and daughter. As she returns home to the family she cannot remember, she is constantly plagued by doubts and confusion as to who to trust, and what is true. As her story unravels she questions every connection she has to people except for that of her best friend Susannah who comes to the chateau to help her. Strange things are happening at the Chateau, and Henri’s mother seems to be at the centre of it all. Susannah and Charlotte decide to investigate and try to get to the bottom of the mysterious happenings and hopefully along the way see her memories return to her.
The story is tense and atmospheric with a good dose of mystery thrown in. I love the hints of occult permeating the story. I adore Henri and Ada. You have to love a guy that has such faith in the love they share. I had a suspicion about the tea from the beginning but I thought it was to keep her memory at bay. I despised Ryan and Ines from the outset. I also detested mother from the get go. While I understand her motivation, to be so self-serving that you use her condition to further your own agenda is just abhorrent. I did have one issue with the story however. We get no sense of her memories returning other than the occasional hot dream right before Biarritz, but then they arrive in Biarritz and its suddenly all back and she can remember every little detail. I feel that was all a little too quick. When the truth comes out with Madame it is truly intense and suspenseful. A very engaging story that had me questioning everything and longing to see how it played out.
The story is tense and atmospheric with a good dose of mystery thrown in. I love the hints of occult permeating the story. I adore Henri and Ada. You have to love a guy that has such faith in the love they share. I had a suspicion about the tea from the beginning but I thought it was to keep her memory at bay. I despised Ryan and Ines from the outset. I also detested mother from the get go. While I understand her motivation, to be so self-serving that you use her condition to further your own agenda is just abhorrent. I did have one issue with the story however. We get no sense of her memories returning other than the occasional hot dream right before Biarritz, but then they arrive in Biarritz and its suddenly all back and she can remember every little detail. I feel that was all a little too quick. When the truth comes out with Madame it is truly intense and suspenseful. A very engaging story that had me questioning everything and longing to see how it played out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 29, 2017
This first novel from Sarah Ridout was quite an impressive work! The characters are written so vividly. The sinister atmosphere is immediately palpable. Certain characters provoke your immediate dislike... and, as the story unfolds, you find out why. It is very easy to "feel" Charlotte's confusion and frustration over her memory loss. Ada is so very charming and lovable. And, Henri... He is ever the handsome, gallant, devoted, romantic French gentleman... or is he?
This was a well-crafted tale with a nice twist at the end. I very much enjoyed it and will be looking forward to future offerings by Ridout.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Bonnier Publishing Australia in order to read and give an honest review.
This was a well-crafted tale with a nice twist at the end. I very much enjoyed it and will be looking forward to future offerings by Ridout.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Bonnier Publishing Australia in order to read and give an honest review.
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