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Coco chanel & Igor stravinsky
Soon to be a major motion picture
Coco Chanel and Composer Igor Stravinsky.
Their love affair inspired their art.
Their art defined an era.
In 1913, at the premiere of Igor Stravinsky's Rite of Spring, the young couturiere Coco Chanel witnesses the birth of a musical revolution- one that, like her designs, rips down the artifice of the old regime and ushers in something profoundly modern. Seven years later, she invites Stravinsky and his family, now exiled from their Russian homeland, for a summer at her villa, and the powerful charge between them ignites into a deep love affair. As Stravinsky enjoys a new burst of creativity and Chanel brings forth her own revolutionary creation-the perfume Chanel No. 5-their love threatens to overtake work, family and life.
286 pages, Hardcover
First published December 31, 2002
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December 14, 2021
So basically Chris Greenland did all this research and from it all he has to say and show is that Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky were both horrible people.
Yes? No? Because that is the only thing I took away from this. And that is a horrible shame.
I will give a star to the fact that the whole book was loyal to its title and description; it is the story of how Coco & Igor fell in love and through it it's also a telling of how horrible they were as human beings.
Which leaves me very disenchanted.
According to this book, while geniuses in their own fields of work as they may have been, neither of them shed a single inch of care when it came anyone else's feelings throughout the whole story no matter what destruction lay behind them as they maintained their daily meet & shags and ignored his 4 kids and sick, oh yes very sick wife.
While he is enjoying the daily comforts of a new huge office, a new home for his bird collection and of course the pleasures of Coco's legs around him, his very sick wife is withering away with no friends, no company and a nasty lung eating disease guaranteeing her a slow and blood choking death.
Not only does Coco not feel guilty for depriving this woman of her husband at a time like this, no no no, she is GREATLY INCOVENIENCED by her and finds her weakness disgusting and off putting.
She doesn't take any care not to share her romance with her friends and have the world know of her feelings for Igor, she is however annoyed that she can't just hold his hand if she wants to or just do him right there on the dinner table.
Igor on the other side not only feels no shame for his actions but discusses his affair with this wife quite often, daring to even ask her for more time when she finally pulls her self out of the deep depression he sent her in and decides to leave him. He asks for just some more days or weeks, he is ALMOST FINISHED he says!!!!
I mean sure, it's nice to finally find out how the ever iconic Chanel 5 perfume was born but the rest was far far from a fairytale story about legends.
There are details and dialogues that are extremely personal and private leading me to believe that most of this book must be fiction. Just how could the author possibly know these things, there's just no way.
My 2 cents is that if someone is interested in reading a book about the legendary designer, pick up another one.
Yes? No? Because that is the only thing I took away from this. And that is a horrible shame.
I will give a star to the fact that the whole book was loyal to its title and description; it is the story of how Coco & Igor fell in love and through it it's also a telling of how horrible they were as human beings.
Which leaves me very disenchanted.
According to this book, while geniuses in their own fields of work as they may have been, neither of them shed a single inch of care when it came anyone else's feelings throughout the whole story no matter what destruction lay behind them as they maintained their daily meet & shags and ignored his 4 kids and sick, oh yes very sick wife.
While he is enjoying the daily comforts of a new huge office, a new home for his bird collection and of course the pleasures of Coco's legs around him, his very sick wife is withering away with no friends, no company and a nasty lung eating disease guaranteeing her a slow and blood choking death.
Not only does Coco not feel guilty for depriving this woman of her husband at a time like this, no no no, she is GREATLY INCOVENIENCED by her and finds her weakness disgusting and off putting.
She doesn't take any care not to share her romance with her friends and have the world know of her feelings for Igor, she is however annoyed that she can't just hold his hand if she wants to or just do him right there on the dinner table.
Igor on the other side not only feels no shame for his actions but discusses his affair with this wife quite often, daring to even ask her for more time when she finally pulls her self out of the deep depression he sent her in and decides to leave him. He asks for just some more days or weeks, he is ALMOST FINISHED he says!!!!
I mean sure, it's nice to finally find out how the ever iconic Chanel 5 perfume was born but the rest was far far from a fairytale story about legends.
There are details and dialogues that are extremely personal and private leading me to believe that most of this book must be fiction. Just how could the author possibly know these things, there's just no way.
My 2 cents is that if someone is interested in reading a book about the legendary designer, pick up another one.
January 19, 2014
The blurb on the back of the book says, in part, "As Stravinsky enjoys a new burst of creativity, Chanel brings forth her own revolutionary creation---the perfume Chanel No. 5. But when their love threatens to overtake work, family and life, the couple must consider whether their relationship can survive."
Had I written the blurb it would have said, "At the cusp of the roaring '20's in Paris, a rich supporter of the arts Coco Chanel, an orphan in a society of class, rose to change women's wear forever. Igor Stravinsky, a composer whose success was not yet firmly established moved with his family from their Russian home due to the Russian Revolution. Living meagerly, Stravinsky depended at times on the benevolence of patrons.
"One such patron was Chanel who invited the family to her newly renovated estate west of Paris.
"Here Chanel and Stravinsky began a torrid (hot and heavy)love affair in the study area of Chanel's home where Stravinsky composed on his own piano, works that continue to delight the public to this day.
"All this under the watchful eye of Stravinsky's ill wife, housekeepers and children.
"Was it lust, love or friendship? Did they inspire each other? Who knows???"
The writing is somewhat flowery, romance in tone but it seemed forced just like the words written by the Penguin editors...love? Hummm, good question.
But what's love got to do with it anyhow?
I seldom wear perfume but ordered the smallest bottle of the iconic Chanel No. 5. (Years ago I wore it regularly. I love it.) But I have yet to put a composition by Stravinsky on the CD player.
Had I written the blurb it would have said, "At the cusp of the roaring '20's in Paris, a rich supporter of the arts Coco Chanel, an orphan in a society of class, rose to change women's wear forever. Igor Stravinsky, a composer whose success was not yet firmly established moved with his family from their Russian home due to the Russian Revolution. Living meagerly, Stravinsky depended at times on the benevolence of patrons.
"One such patron was Chanel who invited the family to her newly renovated estate west of Paris.
"Here Chanel and Stravinsky began a torrid (hot and heavy)love affair in the study area of Chanel's home where Stravinsky composed on his own piano, works that continue to delight the public to this day.
"All this under the watchful eye of Stravinsky's ill wife, housekeepers and children.
"Was it lust, love or friendship? Did they inspire each other? Who knows???"
The writing is somewhat flowery, romance in tone but it seemed forced just like the words written by the Penguin editors...love? Hummm, good question.
But what's love got to do with it anyhow?
I seldom wear perfume but ordered the smallest bottle of the iconic Chanel No. 5. (Years ago I wore it regularly. I love it.) But I have yet to put a composition by Stravinsky on the CD player.
January 3, 2011
Such a pretty cover, but not much more.
I had no idea that Stravinsky and Chanel had an affair. I was intrigued by that bit of history, especially since Stravinsky is one of my favorite composers and Chanel is fascinating, especially for her perfume. But back to this book...
I should have noticed that this was a fictionalized novel about the affair. I would've been leery of it had I noticed. People such as these, especially put together under scandalous circumstances, don't need the help of fiction to make them exciting. The mere fact that it's fictionalized makes it tawdry.
I decided to give the book a chance anyway, but the writing gives so little to the story that it's sad. The language is at no higher than a 7th grade level, ever. Writers of bodice busters have better skill with steamy romance than Greenhalgh and there's less tension in this plot than a G-string tuned to an F... flat. Oh, and yes, the gross abuse of musical metaphor (yes, I get it, Stravinsky was a musical genius, please don't tell me her spine resembled the stops of a flute) just ruined it. It wasn't just weak metaphor, it was extended metaphor, mixed metaphor, the whole nine yards. The few moments when he gets it right don't carry the rest of this garbage. I should not, in the middle of the steamiest, most tension-taught scene in the story feel the need to snort and roll my eyes. Ever.
I'm seriously pissed that I wasted the $10 to buy this book. Have at it, paperbackswap.com.
I had no idea that Stravinsky and Chanel had an affair. I was intrigued by that bit of history, especially since Stravinsky is one of my favorite composers and Chanel is fascinating, especially for her perfume. But back to this book...
I should have noticed that this was a fictionalized novel about the affair. I would've been leery of it had I noticed. People such as these, especially put together under scandalous circumstances, don't need the help of fiction to make them exciting. The mere fact that it's fictionalized makes it tawdry.
I decided to give the book a chance anyway, but the writing gives so little to the story that it's sad. The language is at no higher than a 7th grade level, ever. Writers of bodice busters have better skill with steamy romance than Greenhalgh and there's less tension in this plot than a G-string tuned to an F... flat. Oh, and yes, the gross abuse of musical metaphor (yes, I get it, Stravinsky was a musical genius, please don't tell me her spine resembled the stops of a flute) just ruined it. It wasn't just weak metaphor, it was extended metaphor, mixed metaphor, the whole nine yards. The few moments when he gets it right don't carry the rest of this garbage. I should not, in the middle of the steamiest, most tension-taught scene in the story feel the need to snort and roll my eyes. Ever.
I'm seriously pissed that I wasted the $10 to buy this book. Have at it, paperbackswap.com.
November 1, 2010
The only thing I know about Coco Chanel is that she designed clothes and had a very famous perfume that some French peasant dumped into the bathtub during The Vistors. The only thing I know about Igor Stravinksy is that his "Rite of Spring" was in Disney's Fantasia, which is where I first heard it. (It is amazing that most people's exposure to classical music starts with cartoons, isn't it?). I don't know how much of this work is fiction.
It's an okay book. Part of the problem is that the two title characters are really unlikable in terms of the novel. This seems intentional; Greenhalgh seems to capture prefectly the discomfortable love affair. He also is sympathic to the secondary characters whose lives are affected by the affair. He does this in varying degrees, sometimes in a disjonted way, for the point of view sometimes shifts greatly and suddenly. He tends to rely heavily on Igor's wife, Catherine, most likely to offset a somewhat negative description of her as given by Chanel and Stravinksy.
So why two stars, you ask. Well, the writing could be a little better. It's not the style is bad, but sometimes the use of verbs doesn't work. For instance, during a fight with his wife, Stravinksy is described as being "shocked into utterance", which is somewhat strange because he just spoke. Such wording occurs too much in the novel, and is jarring because it interrupts an otherwise smooth book.
It's an okay book. Part of the problem is that the two title characters are really unlikable in terms of the novel. This seems intentional; Greenhalgh seems to capture prefectly the discomfortable love affair. He also is sympathic to the secondary characters whose lives are affected by the affair. He does this in varying degrees, sometimes in a disjonted way, for the point of view sometimes shifts greatly and suddenly. He tends to rely heavily on Igor's wife, Catherine, most likely to offset a somewhat negative description of her as given by Chanel and Stravinksy.
So why two stars, you ask. Well, the writing could be a little better. It's not the style is bad, but sometimes the use of verbs doesn't work. For instance, during a fight with his wife, Stravinksy is described as being "shocked into utterance", which is somewhat strange because he just spoke. Such wording occurs too much in the novel, and is jarring because it interrupts an otherwise smooth book.
May 16, 2011
Many of the reader reviews say this book is badly written, but I couldn't disagree more. The book balances scene and summary nicely; the scenes are well dramatized, and the summary is dense, lyrical, figurative. I'm not surprised to learn that the author is also a poet. As for the "likeability" of the characters, well, artists of this caliber *are* generally sort of assholes--ambitious, selfish, self-absorbed--and that is the point of the story, I think. It's fascinating to watch these two iconic individuals fall in love and the wreckage they leave behind. The only thing I'd pose as a fault would be the anti-climactic end, but then again, the book is true to the facts of their relationship, so what's the writer to do? All in all, I think this book deserves a wider audience.
December 10, 2011
Не беше крайно зле. Давам й 3 точки, защото описанията на един разпадащ се брак и двама егоцентрични гении, изгубени в страстта си един към друг, поразително се покриваха с моята представа за действителността. Чисто и просто, описаните събития ме докоснаха и съпреживях някои ситуации много силно.
Така и не разбрах от чии мемоари е съставена главно книгата. Най-голям принос май са имали слугите на Коко и затова образите за мен бяха съставени откъслечно и до края все нещо не ми достигаше, за да ги усетя. Като цялостно впечатление от книгата у мен остана убеждението, че авторът е разполагал с 5 страници за историята на този романс и по 2 странички за характерите на главните герои. "Облякъл" ги е с битови подробности и житейски обстоятелства и така се е получила "Коко и Игор".
Така и не разбрах от чии мемоари е съставена главно книгата. Най-голям принос май са имали слугите на Коко и затова образите за мен бяха съставени откъслечно и до края все нещо не ми достигаше, за да ги усетя. Като цялостно впечатление от книгата у мен остана убеждението, че авторът е разполагал с 5 страници за историята на този романс и по 2 странички за характерите на главните герои. "Облякъл" ги е с битови подробности и житейски обстоятелства и така се е получила "Коко и Игор".
January 20, 2019
Hayal kırıklığı..Hasta karısını aynı çatıda aldatan bir koca ve bir modacı kadın.. Kitabın ana konusu bu.. Sevmediğim gibi çeviriyi de beğenmedim..
February 13, 2010
1. I really only read this book because the movie interested me. Based on this book, I'm sure the movie is first rate . . . at least according to the rules of Truffaut (second rate novels make first rate movies, allegedly!).
2. The good thing about this novel is the wealth of physical detail. And of course, it's a very interesting premise for a novel, with a tight focus.
2a. Although I think the focus works against it a bit. Not as much as other parts of the book, but there are bunches of interesting people close to Chanel and Stravinsky and they don't get much exposure here.
3. But, of course, the biggest problem is the way Coco and Igor is written. I like present tense, and it worked here. The tense is not the problem! The style is. It is written without much literary technique at all, in what is essentially strings of declarative, informative sentences. There are no layers to explore, because Greenhalgh puts everything on the surface - so exploration or actually thinking about the book is useless. Here is passage to illustrate what I mean:
See? That's terrible writing. Although the information is interesting, and you could maybe get away with that kind of organizational clumsiness in nonfiction or a book review (this isn't knocking non-fiction and reviewers - they are supposed to be straightforward! fiction is not) but in a novel? No.
4. The use of symbolism and motifs are similarly obvious and stupid. Repeated symbols include: black/white, birds, perfume, music (Le Sacre du Printemps especially), Vassily-the-cat/Chanel's Alsatien's, Stravinsky's tea and vodka preferences. These symbols are crammed into the novel like symbolism is going out of style.
5. In conclusion, ugh.
2. The good thing about this novel is the wealth of physical detail. And of course, it's a very interesting premise for a novel, with a tight focus.
2a. Although I think the focus works against it a bit. Not as much as other parts of the book, but there are bunches of interesting people close to Chanel and Stravinsky and they don't get much exposure here.
3. But, of course, the biggest problem is the way Coco and Igor is written. I like present tense, and it worked here. The tense is not the problem! The style is. It is written without much literary technique at all, in what is essentially strings of declarative, informative sentences. There are no layers to explore, because Greenhalgh puts everything on the surface - so exploration or actually thinking about the book is useless. Here is passage to illustrate what I mean:
But Coco can't shake the impression that [Catherine Stravinsky's] intellect has been won at the expense of vitality and life. She hates sickness in people, and is slow to tolerate their ills. If she's honest with herself, it's also got something to do with class. Coco sees in Catherine the anaemia of the upper orders, the thinness of blue blood, the weakness of an aristocracy that has had its arrogance exposed.
Her attitude is complicated, too, by the fact that, when she was eleven, she watched her own mother succumb agonisingly to consumption. Now part of her feels resentful that Catherine is so pampered, while her mother died with a quickness reserved for the lonely and impoverished.
See? That's terrible writing. Although the information is interesting, and you could maybe get away with that kind of organizational clumsiness in nonfiction or a book review (this isn't knocking non-fiction and reviewers - they are supposed to be straightforward! fiction is not) but in a novel? No.
4. The use of symbolism and motifs are similarly obvious and stupid. Repeated symbols include: black/white, birds, perfume, music (Le Sacre du Printemps especially), Vassily-the-cat/Chanel's Alsatien's, Stravinsky's tea and vodka preferences. These symbols are crammed into the novel like symbolism is going out of style.
5. In conclusion, ugh.
September 22, 2010
You've all heard of Coco Chanel, the famous fashion designer? Well this is the story of her amorous relationship with the composer Igor Stravinsky. Over the summer of 1913 she puts up the Stravinksy's in her beautiful estate in Grasse and brings an expected level of chaos into their lives.
Having know little of Chanel but her clothes before picking up this gem of a novel I was surprised to learn of her complicated life. After all a bastard orphan up-starter isn't exactly what I would picture when I pictured Coco but that is exactly how Greenhalgh portrays her. Chanel is the essence of a modern woman, and because of that woman today will relate to her strength and power. Igor is intriguing. He is described as unattractive, but the intensity of which he works on his music is heart warming, and his inner turmoil over his love for his wife Catherine, and Coco is adorable.
This was the perfect end of summer read. Greehalgh has a way of describing places so you feel your there. And what better place to spend the last days of summer than 1910's Paris? This was a really great read, and while all of the characters were deeply flawed, most were easy to relate to. Not the best book I've read all summer but still fun.
Having know little of Chanel but her clothes before picking up this gem of a novel I was surprised to learn of her complicated life. After all a bastard orphan up-starter isn't exactly what I would picture when I pictured Coco but that is exactly how Greenhalgh portrays her. Chanel is the essence of a modern woman, and because of that woman today will relate to her strength and power. Igor is intriguing. He is described as unattractive, but the intensity of which he works on his music is heart warming, and his inner turmoil over his love for his wife Catherine, and Coco is adorable.
This was the perfect end of summer read. Greehalgh has a way of describing places so you feel your there. And what better place to spend the last days of summer than 1910's Paris? This was a really great read, and while all of the characters were deeply flawed, most were easy to relate to. Not the best book I've read all summer but still fun.
November 13, 2012
In hindsight I changed my rating from 3 to 2 stars. It was a fucking depressing read. It wasn't a good, slightly comforting depression either just straight up sad. The story revolves around Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky and the summer affair they had at Coco's newly purchased country home. It was a pathetic affair. Igor taking 20 minutes from his afternoon to be carnal with Chanel in his studio which is conveniently located under his bedroom and is resident to his despondent wife who happens to ignore the obvious truth of the twos affair, (despite being told otherwise by Igor at confrontation), because what more is a bedridden wife with 4 or 5 (can't seem to remember at this point) children to do?
With that said whether or not the writing deserved a mere 2 star rating is hard to say at this point (it has been a while since I completed the book and clearly hasn't made that much of an impression on me as represented by my indifference to really care) but it was extremly satisfying and then embarrassing when the two finally (unoficially) ended the affair. Do I regret reading the book with the inability to unread and forgot it? No, of course not, I just wouldn't read it again.
With that said whether or not the writing deserved a mere 2 star rating is hard to say at this point (it has been a while since I completed the book and clearly hasn't made that much of an impression on me as represented by my indifference to really care) but it was extremly satisfying and then embarrassing when the two finally (unoficially) ended the affair. Do I regret reading the book with the inability to unread and forgot it? No, of course not, I just wouldn't read it again.
November 18, 2012
This book was quite giggle-worthy. The florid descriptions were quite awesome and if not for those, this book would only contain about 75 pages of actual action and driving story. The events covered within seem to take place over the course of maybe a month. I'm not really sure since I had no idea about the affair of Coco and Igor prior to reading this. Honestly, I had no knowledge of the two people at all. And it seems that, despite having lived amazing lives as separate individuals, the affair was almost a defining moment in both of their lives. Who knows. Surely not I, since the book kindly stops right after it ends. Another thing that I will never understand is the attraction between the two. I mean, I understand that sometimes you just can't explain why you love someone but this relationship is confusing. This is not helped by the authors need to describe things like Mosquitos as "fizzing like the winding of an old watch". The phrasing might be wrong but you get the idea. No? Yeah well, the entire book is like that. Good luck.
June 10, 2010
Coco Chanel has had a lot of attention recently including two movies. And now this fictional biography explores another angle--her relationship with the composer Igor Stravinsky. I enjoyed the exploration of their overlapping lives with the backdrop of the roaring twenties and thirties. Stravinsky was much more passive than his strident and bold music suggests. The attraction was based on their respect of each other's creativity and originality. In that area of life they were kindred spirits even if their temperaments were not ultimately compatible. Still, they occasionally crossed paths throughout their lives and after Stravinsky moved to America.
January 25, 2010
As much as I love Gabrielle Chanel the book was written quite poorly-sex scenes were worse than a beach reads! There were interesting aspects of the book but for me the highlite of the book was the chonology of her life parallel to Igor Stravinskys in the final pages of the book. I would be interested to read a more serious biography about her in the future.
September 15, 2010
It was a good read, if only because it was a period piece and highlights the start of her career and how the two influenced each other. It was a quick read as well, finished on two flights.
February 5, 2012
Trashy romance novels aren't actually trashy when they're about Stravinsky... right? Right?
August 28, 2019
The true love affair between coco and Igor Stravinsky who was married at that time. Coco a very talented lady who chose to live on her own and focus on her career.
March 15, 2010
I now hate Coco Chanel and Igo Stravinsky.
June 13, 2015
This book is set (except for footnotes) in the one year period in 1920 during which Coco Chanel had an affair with Ivor Stravinsky after inviting Stravinsky, his wife Catherine, and their two children to move into the new estate which she had purchased in Paris near her clothes designing, production, and sales establishments. Much is made of Chanel's defensiveness about being "in commerce" versus having been in a long established family with inherited wealth and/or royal connections. An introductory chapter sketches in Coco's nature as a young woman through her memories as an old woman. Chapter two moves from her memories to 1913 as current time in which Chanel and Stravinsky meet for a brief period. By chapter three (and these are short chapters in a short book) we are into 1920 and the cohabitation, attraction, and affair are begun.
[Most useful to me was the chronology of the life events of both Chanel and Stravinsky at the back of the book. In that chronology Greenhalgh makes sure that the readers knows about Chanel's anti-Semitic attitudes and connections with Nazis and Nazi-sympathizers. I insert this here because I don't want to have the 1920 period appear to be the most important part of either life. Both Chanel and Stravinsky have long lives and sets of accomplishments]
In 1920 Coco Chanel was well aware of Stravinsky's reputation as a genius but also of the public's often negative responses to his innovations, especially the exiting of most of the audience early during the first performance of The Rite of Spring in 1913. Greenhalgh describes the conversation between Chanel and Stravinsky at a dinner in which each has an almost electric reaction to the other, although their spoken exchanges dwindled rapidly. Greenhalgh also depicts Chanel's invitation for Stravinsky to share her new home as somewhat awkward while it becomes established that he is married and needs a place for his entire family, due to his lack of money and also the cramped apartment in which they have been living. He also depicts Chanel as the initiator of the first physical part of the affair.
Two aspects of this story caught my interest. First were the aspects of Stravinsky's composing and the features he was wrestling with. I thought Greenhalgh did an excellent job of bringing these to life but I would not have been prepared to attend to some of this without a bit of a background in musical history and recently reading Richard Powers' most excellent novel Orfeo. I did not know that Stravinsky was described as becoming an adherent to the 12 tone system of composing of Schoenberg. Greenhalgh does an excellent job of showing Stravinsky wrestling with the physical composing of the auditory creation of separate systems for each of the horns and finally having the insight that it is rhythm which is the binding system--at least as he conceives it at that time. By the way, he is composing new work, his Symphonies of Wind Instruments, revising The Rite of Spring, and also dabbling in arrangement of other music, including for the novelty mechanical piano, the only part of this work that is described as bringing in income.
The second was the family dynamics: Stravinsky's wife Catherine is ill, with tuberculosis (consumption) and Chanel insists on providing what she thought was the best of 1920's Parisian medical care. That care was not, of course, very good nor was it very effective. Well before 1920 patients were sent for their "rest" into the mountains and other areas with good air and a therapeutic relief of stress. Catherine stays in polluted Paris and in a stressful atmosphere in which she is suddenly dependent upon others and also does not have the central part of her children's lives which she had had when she was healthier. Additionally, she seems and hears her husband and, increasingly, her children come under the spell of the vigorous (and controlling) Coco Chanel. Her children are cared for by the household servants but mostly by their governess (and later are sent out to a school). The oldest girl is particularly charmed by and favored by Chanel and we learn in the appendix that she later becomes part of Chanel's establishment.
Catherine and, more slowly and through just a sense that things "aren't as usual," the children notice when suddenly the daily routine of their father's work is broken up in the afternoon. This was when first Coco Chanel seduced Stravinsky in his studio and then they began to make love daily at about the same time mid-afternoon. I thought it was interesting that each phase of the affair took only a few weeks and yet it had that timeless quality that early romances seem to have; somehow Greenhalgh made this come alive with his writing. Catherine's visceral, emotional, and intellectual reactions are conveyed--and then her awkwardness and agony in making her complaints to her husband seem even more painful. Stravinsky, the guilty party, is repelled by Catherine's complaints but yet he still has a historic love for her, his memory of her as a young girl/young woman, and his love for her as the mother for his children. Greenhalgh includes far more aspects of the family dynamics but I will leave that up to those who want to read this for themselves.
Eventually, Coco realizes that she does not really love Ivor who she sees as non-decisive and not having the--what? decisiveness? visor?--character that she wants in a lover. To break it off decisively, she invites the former former Russian Grand Duke Dimitri into the home as a guest, fellow horse rider, and lover. While her love affair with Stravinsky ends, they continue to have friendly relations over most of the rest of their lives. Stravinsky was born in 1882 and Chanel in 1883; they die in their 1980's. This book would be a greatly misleading picture into their lives without the chronology of each of their lives and as their lives intersect in the appendix. It is for that reason that I rate the book only 3 stars. I thought Greenhalgh did a good job with a limited set of goals.
Commentary: I bought this as a "airport book" right after 9/11. I have handwritten notes about bathrooms being unavailable one hour after take off and one hour before landing so really not being available in flights from Detroit to New York! It just sat on my bookshelf neglected until June 9, 2015!
[Most useful to me was the chronology of the life events of both Chanel and Stravinsky at the back of the book. In that chronology Greenhalgh makes sure that the readers knows about Chanel's anti-Semitic attitudes and connections with Nazis and Nazi-sympathizers. I insert this here because I don't want to have the 1920 period appear to be the most important part of either life. Both Chanel and Stravinsky have long lives and sets of accomplishments]
In 1920 Coco Chanel was well aware of Stravinsky's reputation as a genius but also of the public's often negative responses to his innovations, especially the exiting of most of the audience early during the first performance of The Rite of Spring in 1913. Greenhalgh describes the conversation between Chanel and Stravinsky at a dinner in which each has an almost electric reaction to the other, although their spoken exchanges dwindled rapidly. Greenhalgh also depicts Chanel's invitation for Stravinsky to share her new home as somewhat awkward while it becomes established that he is married and needs a place for his entire family, due to his lack of money and also the cramped apartment in which they have been living. He also depicts Chanel as the initiator of the first physical part of the affair.
Two aspects of this story caught my interest. First were the aspects of Stravinsky's composing and the features he was wrestling with. I thought Greenhalgh did an excellent job of bringing these to life but I would not have been prepared to attend to some of this without a bit of a background in musical history and recently reading Richard Powers' most excellent novel Orfeo. I did not know that Stravinsky was described as becoming an adherent to the 12 tone system of composing of Schoenberg. Greenhalgh does an excellent job of showing Stravinsky wrestling with the physical composing of the auditory creation of separate systems for each of the horns and finally having the insight that it is rhythm which is the binding system--at least as he conceives it at that time. By the way, he is composing new work, his Symphonies of Wind Instruments, revising The Rite of Spring, and also dabbling in arrangement of other music, including for the novelty mechanical piano, the only part of this work that is described as bringing in income.
The second was the family dynamics: Stravinsky's wife Catherine is ill, with tuberculosis (consumption) and Chanel insists on providing what she thought was the best of 1920's Parisian medical care. That care was not, of course, very good nor was it very effective. Well before 1920 patients were sent for their "rest" into the mountains and other areas with good air and a therapeutic relief of stress. Catherine stays in polluted Paris and in a stressful atmosphere in which she is suddenly dependent upon others and also does not have the central part of her children's lives which she had had when she was healthier. Additionally, she seems and hears her husband and, increasingly, her children come under the spell of the vigorous (and controlling) Coco Chanel. Her children are cared for by the household servants but mostly by their governess (and later are sent out to a school). The oldest girl is particularly charmed by and favored by Chanel and we learn in the appendix that she later becomes part of Chanel's establishment.
Catherine and, more slowly and through just a sense that things "aren't as usual," the children notice when suddenly the daily routine of their father's work is broken up in the afternoon. This was when first Coco Chanel seduced Stravinsky in his studio and then they began to make love daily at about the same time mid-afternoon. I thought it was interesting that each phase of the affair took only a few weeks and yet it had that timeless quality that early romances seem to have; somehow Greenhalgh made this come alive with his writing. Catherine's visceral, emotional, and intellectual reactions are conveyed--and then her awkwardness and agony in making her complaints to her husband seem even more painful. Stravinsky, the guilty party, is repelled by Catherine's complaints but yet he still has a historic love for her, his memory of her as a young girl/young woman, and his love for her as the mother for his children. Greenhalgh includes far more aspects of the family dynamics but I will leave that up to those who want to read this for themselves.
Eventually, Coco realizes that she does not really love Ivor who she sees as non-decisive and not having the--what? decisiveness? visor?--character that she wants in a lover. To break it off decisively, she invites the former former Russian Grand Duke Dimitri into the home as a guest, fellow horse rider, and lover. While her love affair with Stravinsky ends, they continue to have friendly relations over most of the rest of their lives. Stravinsky was born in 1882 and Chanel in 1883; they die in their 1980's. This book would be a greatly misleading picture into their lives without the chronology of each of their lives and as their lives intersect in the appendix. It is for that reason that I rate the book only 3 stars. I thought Greenhalgh did a good job with a limited set of goals.
Commentary: I bought this as a "airport book" right after 9/11. I have handwritten notes about bathrooms being unavailable one hour after take off and one hour before landing so really not being available in flights from Detroit to New York! It just sat on my bookshelf neglected until June 9, 2015!
October 28, 2025
Der Autor hat großartige Arbeit geleistet. Nicht nur Coco Chanel und Igor Strawinsky sind starke Persönlichkeiten, auch die Nebenfiguren, insbesondere Strawinskys Ehefrau Jekatarina, bleiben im Gedächtnis.
Gerade sie hat mich tief beeindruckt – eine Frau, die trotz schwerer Krankheit bis zuletzt Haltung bewahrt und für ihre Familie da war. Ihre stille Stärke steht im starken Kontrast zu den beiden kreativen Genies, die von Leidenschaft, Ehrgeiz und Stolz getrieben sind.
Ehrlich gesagt, fand ich die Geschichte als Ganzes eher unsympathisch. Sie zeigt viel Ego, wenig Rücksicht und die schmerzhaften Grenzen zwischen Kunst, Liebe und Moral.
Coco Chanel wird als unabhängige, kompromisslose Frau dargestellt – das kann ich in Teilen nachvollziehen. Aber sie geht in dieser Geschichte einige Schritte zu weit.
Liebe und Gefühle kann man nicht kontrollieren, doch wenn eine kranke Ehefrau und Kinder im selben Haus leben, bekommt alles eine andere moralische Dimension.
Trotzdem – oder vielleicht gerade deshalb – ist das Buch lesenswert. Es zwingt einen, über Freiheit, Verantwortung und die Schattenseiten der Leidenschaft nachzudenken.
Gerade sie hat mich tief beeindruckt – eine Frau, die trotz schwerer Krankheit bis zuletzt Haltung bewahrt und für ihre Familie da war. Ihre stille Stärke steht im starken Kontrast zu den beiden kreativen Genies, die von Leidenschaft, Ehrgeiz und Stolz getrieben sind.
Ehrlich gesagt, fand ich die Geschichte als Ganzes eher unsympathisch. Sie zeigt viel Ego, wenig Rücksicht und die schmerzhaften Grenzen zwischen Kunst, Liebe und Moral.
Coco Chanel wird als unabhängige, kompromisslose Frau dargestellt – das kann ich in Teilen nachvollziehen. Aber sie geht in dieser Geschichte einige Schritte zu weit.
Liebe und Gefühle kann man nicht kontrollieren, doch wenn eine kranke Ehefrau und Kinder im selben Haus leben, bekommt alles eine andere moralische Dimension.
Trotzdem – oder vielleicht gerade deshalb – ist das Buch lesenswert. Es zwingt einen, über Freiheit, Verantwortung und die Schattenseiten der Leidenschaft nachzudenken.
June 29, 2020
I will probably review my review in a while. Yet, freshly read, I see more positives than negatives to this book, as a potential response to some of other readers’ comments.
This is a very readable book by a very poetic and well-read author. Then, I guess it never crossed the author’s mind to make the characters more likeable, as some readers suggested that he managed to create two despicable characters. From someone who has only ‘heard of’ Chanel and discovered Stravinsky by watching Disney movies...well, I would not expect a very elaborate review. So yes, the people depicted are people, and Chanel’s portrait is not at all far from reality. All characters are different tones of black and white, as the piano. Musical innuendos are everywhere..so what?
If you like to read a book light as a poem and heavy as a war, imperfect as life and sublime in its hopelessness, do not pass by Coco & Stravinsky. The only pre-requisite is that you know something about these people before starting the book.
This is a very readable book by a very poetic and well-read author. Then, I guess it never crossed the author’s mind to make the characters more likeable, as some readers suggested that he managed to create two despicable characters. From someone who has only ‘heard of’ Chanel and discovered Stravinsky by watching Disney movies...well, I would not expect a very elaborate review. So yes, the people depicted are people, and Chanel’s portrait is not at all far from reality. All characters are different tones of black and white, as the piano. Musical innuendos are everywhere..so what?
If you like to read a book light as a poem and heavy as a war, imperfect as life and sublime in its hopelessness, do not pass by Coco & Stravinsky. The only pre-requisite is that you know something about these people before starting the book.
February 14, 2024
Ich war am Ende einfach nur genervt
Ich finde Coco ist skrupelos, aber sie ist niemandem etwas
schuldig, aber Igor ist einfach ein Arsch!
Ich kann nicht in Worte fassen wie sehr er mich anwidert!
Nicht nur das er seine sterbeskranke Frau betrüg o nein sie ist währendessen! im gleichem Haus und dazu fühlt er sich nicht mal schuldig o nein er gibt seiner STERBESKRANKEN Frau die Schuld, weil sie ihn nicht BEFRIEDIGEN kann !!!
Coco ist einfach eine Sugarmami und sie darf mit ihren Geld und Zeit machen, was sie will aber Igor ist einfach ein gekränkter Mann, der nebenbei die Affäre beenden, als seine Mami aus Russland kommt!
Freud würde das Buch lieben !
Ich wusste es ist eine Affäre, aber wenn lgor Coco vögelt, will ich nicht die Sicht von der KRANKEN Frau lesen! Lass sie mich ignorieren, so wie es lgor und Coco tun !
O und zu der Sache mit gegenseitigen inspieren in der Arbeit, bullshit! Coco hat Igor nicht gebraucht aber Igor Coco Geld sehr wohl.
Ps Schreibstil trotzdem gut, deswegen 3 Sterne
Ich finde Coco ist skrupelos, aber sie ist niemandem etwas
schuldig, aber Igor ist einfach ein Arsch!
Ich kann nicht in Worte fassen wie sehr er mich anwidert!
Nicht nur das er seine sterbeskranke Frau betrüg o nein sie ist währendessen! im gleichem Haus und dazu fühlt er sich nicht mal schuldig o nein er gibt seiner STERBESKRANKEN Frau die Schuld, weil sie ihn nicht BEFRIEDIGEN kann !!!
Coco ist einfach eine Sugarmami und sie darf mit ihren Geld und Zeit machen, was sie will aber Igor ist einfach ein gekränkter Mann, der nebenbei die Affäre beenden, als seine Mami aus Russland kommt!
Freud würde das Buch lieben !
Ich wusste es ist eine Affäre, aber wenn lgor Coco vögelt, will ich nicht die Sicht von der KRANKEN Frau lesen! Lass sie mich ignorieren, so wie es lgor und Coco tun !
O und zu der Sache mit gegenseitigen inspieren in der Arbeit, bullshit! Coco hat Igor nicht gebraucht aber Igor Coco Geld sehr wohl.
Ps Schreibstil trotzdem gut, deswegen 3 Sterne
May 31, 2025
I’m marking this as read for the time being until (or if) I can find a copy for myself at home. A digital copy is not available through iBooks. Current point reached: Chapter 10.
So far it is quite good. The point of view of the moment at any given point is a little muddled as he switches between characters in the same scene like a game of tag. Not sure how much of it has been fictionalised as huge parts of it sound like post modern fanfiction concerning two (probable) famous figures. I don’t think I know anything about Igor Stravinsky and very little of Coco Chanel outside of her wartime connections and the perfume.
At the point of returning the book back to the shelf, Coco Chanel was contemplating an affair with Igor (her friend encouraging it too). Igor is trying to step away and not rock the boat with his wife and children but apparently quite aware of the allure Coco represents. Can’t say more than that for now.
So far it is quite good. The point of view of the moment at any given point is a little muddled as he switches between characters in the same scene like a game of tag. Not sure how much of it has been fictionalised as huge parts of it sound like post modern fanfiction concerning two (probable) famous figures. I don’t think I know anything about Igor Stravinsky and very little of Coco Chanel outside of her wartime connections and the perfume.
At the point of returning the book back to the shelf, Coco Chanel was contemplating an affair with Igor (her friend encouraging it too). Igor is trying to step away and not rock the boat with his wife and children but apparently quite aware of the allure Coco represents. Can’t say more than that for now.
July 3, 2021
This book was okay. It was well-written. Parts of it were beautiful to read. I especially liked the last 30+ pages where the author concluded the story. However, much of the story was not enjoyable. For me, this was because the characters were not likeable. Both Coco and Igor came across as selfish, spoiled, despicable people. Maybe this is an accurate portrayal. If so, well done, Chris Greenhalgh. Possibly the story comes across more effectively as a movie. I have not seen it.
I am interested in Chanel, having studied fashion as a university student. However, the author focused more on Igor's career and the details of his music than on Chanel. However, I enjoyed the part about the development of Chanel No. 5, my favorite fragrance.
I am interested in Chanel, having studied fashion as a university student. However, the author focused more on Igor's career and the details of his music than on Chanel. However, I enjoyed the part about the development of Chanel No. 5, my favorite fragrance.
Want to Read
January 29, 2026Coco Chanel and Composer Igor Stravinsky. Their love affair inspired their art. Their art defined an era. In 1913, at the premiere of Igor Stravinsky's Rite of Spring, the young couturiere Coco Chanel witnesses the birth of a musical revolution- one that, like her designs, rips down the artifice of the old regime and ushers in something profoundly modern. Seven years later, she invites Stravinsky and his family, now exiled from their Russian homeland, for a summer at her villa, and the powerful charge between them ignites into a deep love affair. As Stravinsky enjoys a new burst of creativity and Chanel brings forth her own revolutionary creation-the perfume Chanel No. 5-their love threatens to overtake work, family and life.
November 29, 2020
I know nothing about the lives of either Chanel or Stravinsky, so I can make no judgements on the veracity of the story as it's presented. I can make judgements on the quality of storytelling, which I found to be two-dimensional and stodgy. With this tale of an artist taking his family to live at a patron's villa and then starting an affair under his wife's nose, I found myself reminiscing back to The Paris Wife, and I'm afraid this one suffered in comparison.
March 23, 2022
Finally...my first book of the year, read! Just what I was looking for. Not too taxing, enjoyable, and I read it in two days. Honestly, I was afraid that my attention span had been shortened from too much electronic media, but no, I surprised myself, I am still capable of reading books. As both a real person and a romance novel heroine, Coco Chanel is pretty awesome. She's not your typical romance hero shrinking violet, unexperienced, young...no, no, no. She is not any of these things, and it's refreshing.
She does things on her own terms, and she's certainly not pining away. The author did a very good job of setting the mood and capturing another era, so A++ on that!
She does things on her own terms, and she's certainly not pining away. The author did a very good job of setting the mood and capturing another era, so A++ on that!
May 12, 2024
Μυθιστορηματική περιγραφή της ερωτικής σχέσης της Γαλλίδας σχεδιάστριας Κοκό Σανέλ με τον Ρώσσο συνθέτη Ιγκόρ Στραβίσνσκι στη Γαλλία της δεκαετίας του 1920. Η Κοκό Σανέλ είναι ήδη μια πετυχημένη πλούσια σχεδιάστρια μόδας στο Παρίσι. Ο Ιγκόρ Στραβίνσκι έχει φύγει από την Ρωσία λόγω της Οκτωβριανής Επανάστασης και ζει εξόριστος στο Παρίσι μαζί με τη γυναίκα του και τα τέσσερα παιδιά του. Η Σανέλ τον βοηθά οικονομικά και έλκεται από την μουσική ιδιοφυία του. Οι δυο τους θα ζήσουν μια έντονη αλλά χωρίς μέλλον ερωτική σχέση. Διαβάζεται ευχάριστα, κυρίως λόγω της περιγραφής της εποχής του μεσοπολέμου αλλά και της προσπάθειας του συγγραφέα για το χτίσιμο των χαρακτήρων των δύο πρωταγωνιστών.
April 7, 2018
I think i learned a lot about Coco Chanel's personality from reading this book. The story of her affair with Igor makes her seem cold and manipulative. I would now like to read more books about her to learn about her life outside of the timeperiod without Igor.
I was surprised that during her death she was thinking of Igor. It really seemed like she moved on after their brief affair and had a full life afterward so it was a little strange to me that she would think of him at her end of life.
I was surprised that during her death she was thinking of Igor. It really seemed like she moved on after their brief affair and had a full life afterward so it was a little strange to me that she would think of him at her end of life.
November 21, 2018
So, so. didnt' really get into it until the last 50 pages. Something about Greenhalgh's writing just didn't click with me. Could be that he is a screenwriter and not a novelist. Throughout the entire book I kept thinking that Greenhalgh needed help. The erotic scenes fell flat on me as did his description of the first performance of The Rites of Spring. The story lacked ooomph until the last 50 pages and then it took off. Perhaps the movie will be better since Greenhalgh is a screenwriter.
February 21, 2018
I thought, because I love both of these artists, that I would enjoy a book about them. Unfortunately I did not. This book was all surface and not nearly enough depth. I feel like the author did his research but could have done so much more with this book. I need to cleanse my palette by listening to The Firebird.
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