This is a paid review by BlogHer, but any and all opinions are my own.
This month’s book in the BlogHer book clulb was The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty, and of *all* the books I’ve personally reviewed for BHBC, this was, by far, my most favorite.
The book is a fictional story of Cora Carlisle, the aforementioned female chaperone of a a fifteen-year-old girl, Louise Brooks, who was a woman who actually existed in the 20s era as an actress, dancer, and performer. (Side note: This is Louise for real—
Anyway, the story is more or less about Cora’s adventure to New York City—a city in which she once lived, before she was dumped off at an orphanage, and subsequently sent to the Midwest in order to be a child to childless parents. Cora accompanies Louise to New York City after Louise’s parents OK her wanton career in show business. While in New York, Cora visits her old orphanage in order to research her life before being shipped to Wichita, Kansas, and with surprising results, the story takes a turn that no one—probably not even Cora herself—expects. I won’t spoil the outcome any further than I already may have, but if you’re looking for a book to read, this is The Book of the Summer. Or at the very least, the book of my summer. It’s a must-read, so here’s a link to Amazon, where you should probably go ahead and stick it in your cart. Tell ‘em Sarah sent you (not that it’s going to do you any good).
We will be discussing The Chaperone with the BlogHer Book Club for the next several weeks. Come join the conversation!
Does sound interesting. I’m a fan of the whole “discovering a lost or forgotten past” thing.
It definitely is … I didn’t want to go into it too much for fear of spoilers, but it’s honestly a really good read!