Review of Champagne Widows
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Priya Mathew
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- Latest Review: Champagne Widows by Rebecca Rosenberg
Review of Champagne Widows
[Following is a volunteer review of "Champagne Widows" by Rebecca Rosenberg.]
Rebecca Rosenberg has written a compelling narrative in Champagne Widows. The main spotlight of the saga is on Barbe-Nicole and her journey of creating the world’s finest Champagne.
In addition to Barbe-Nicole, Rebecca has also interwoven a secondary storyline that follows parallel to the first, that of Gen Napolean Bonaparte, his successes and struggles, and his love for his wife Josephine.
Set against the backdrop of post-revolutionary France, the narrative also provides insight into the challenges faced by the citizens of Europe, especially by citizens of France during the six coalition wars.
Champagne Widows is divided into sections corresponding to each period of the coalition wars. Within each section, the story is divided into bite-size chapters with French headings, translated into English, which beautifully encapsulate the essence of the chapter.
Rosenberg uses descriptive language to bring the settings and characters in the story to life. You could almost smell the aroma of various kinds of wines they produced, feel the atmosphere in the wine cellar and the vineyards, or be able to picture the physical characteristics of various characters based on her descriptions, allowing me to picture the scenes as I was reading the book.
Each of the characters in the story adds another beautiful layer to the narrative. For example, in the case of her siblings, I loved her brother Jean-Baptiste’s flamboyance and defiance of societal norms and how it mirrored Barbe-Nicole’s struggles to conform to societal expectations. At the same time, her sister Clementine is portrayed as the ideal image of femininity that Barbe-Nicole feels she has to emulate.
Throughout the narrative, the exploration of gender roles and how society expected women to behave was especially thought-provoking. I think Barbe-Nicole’s reluctance to conform to gender norms, and her yearning for independence and agency resonated with me, and it highlighted the timeless struggle that women still have, to gain autonomy and self-expression.
The book is edited professionally and has a polished and cohesive narrative throughout. This added to the overall reading experience. From the rich historical detail to the compelling plot to rich characterization, Champagne Widows hit all the right notes for me, delivering an engaging and immersive narrative that kept me captivated from the start of the book until the end. As such, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars for the reasons mentioned above and would highly recommend it to any reader seeking a captivating historical novel, especially to those who appreciate a good glass of champagne.
******
Champagne Widows
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Rebecca Rosenberg has written a compelling narrative in Champagne Widows. The main spotlight of the saga is on Barbe-Nicole and her journey of creating the world’s finest Champagne.
In addition to Barbe-Nicole, Rebecca has also interwoven a secondary storyline that follows parallel to the first, that of Gen Napolean Bonaparte, his successes and struggles, and his love for his wife Josephine.
Set against the backdrop of post-revolutionary France, the narrative also provides insight into the challenges faced by the citizens of Europe, especially by citizens of France during the six coalition wars.
Champagne Widows is divided into sections corresponding to each period of the coalition wars. Within each section, the story is divided into bite-size chapters with French headings, translated into English, which beautifully encapsulate the essence of the chapter.
Rosenberg uses descriptive language to bring the settings and characters in the story to life. You could almost smell the aroma of various kinds of wines they produced, feel the atmosphere in the wine cellar and the vineyards, or be able to picture the physical characteristics of various characters based on her descriptions, allowing me to picture the scenes as I was reading the book.
Each of the characters in the story adds another beautiful layer to the narrative. For example, in the case of her siblings, I loved her brother Jean-Baptiste’s flamboyance and defiance of societal norms and how it mirrored Barbe-Nicole’s struggles to conform to societal expectations. At the same time, her sister Clementine is portrayed as the ideal image of femininity that Barbe-Nicole feels she has to emulate.
Throughout the narrative, the exploration of gender roles and how society expected women to behave was especially thought-provoking. I think Barbe-Nicole’s reluctance to conform to gender norms, and her yearning for independence and agency resonated with me, and it highlighted the timeless struggle that women still have, to gain autonomy and self-expression.
The book is edited professionally and has a polished and cohesive narrative throughout. This added to the overall reading experience. From the rich historical detail to the compelling plot to rich characterization, Champagne Widows hit all the right notes for me, delivering an engaging and immersive narrative that kept me captivated from the start of the book until the end. As such, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars for the reasons mentioned above and would highly recommend it to any reader seeking a captivating historical novel, especially to those who appreciate a good glass of champagne.
******
Champagne Widows
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
"Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers." - Charles W. Eliot
Latest Review: Champagne Widows by Rebecca Rosenberg
