What do you think?
Rate this book
Chateau Ella
"ISN'T IT TIME I KNEW THE TRUTH, MAMA?"
Tucked away in a bureau drawer lay the necklace a Hungarian housewife had taken from the baby girl she named Kirstina and raised as her own. Born amid savage violence, Kristina would grow up in solid comfort, ignorant of her true heritage. A golden-haired beauty, she would be swept toward triumph in the glamoorous, competitive world of ballroom dancing, only to be brutally betrayed by a handsome young Baron and a nation in thrall to fascism. Freeing to France, she sought santuary in the old cheateau she would transform into Europe's grandest hotel. Kirstina had escaped, but the past would follow her lovely daughter,Ella, to America. And there, in another fabulous hotel, ChateauElla, the secrets of three generations would ignite and explode in a shattering climax of truth and desire.
Tucked away in a bureau drawer lay the necklace a Hungarian housewife had taken from the baby girl she named Kirstina and raised as her own. Born amid savage violence, Kristina would grow up in solid comfort, ignorant of her true heritage. A golden-haired beauty, she would be swept toward triumph in the glamoorous, competitive world of ballroom dancing, only to be brutally betrayed by a handsome young Baron and a nation in thrall to fascism. Freeing to France, she sought santuary in the old cheateau she would transform into Europe's grandest hotel. Kirstina had escaped, but the past would follow her lovely daughter,Ella, to America. And there, in another fabulous hotel, ChateauElla, the secrets of three generations would ignite and explode in a shattering climax of truth and desire.
565 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 1988
6 people are currently reading
105 people want to read
About the author
Hilary Norman
50 books38 followersBorn and raised in London, loved reading but deeply lazy about writing at school, preferring drama. A brief acting career, then moved into the production side at the BBC's radio drama department - later at London's Capital Radio, by which time the writing "switch" had been flicked on. Spent as much time as possible travelling in the US, working and writing. First novel, IN LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP published in 1986 after five years of writing. Wrote sagas with big dramatic finishes in the early days, and then, as the body count rose, made the move into psychological suspense and thrillers. Last book LAST RUN soon out in trade paperback, and the latest (and 20th) -RALPH'S CHILDREN - out soon in hardcover.
Living in London with husband Jonathan, and dog Poppy.
Living in London with husband Jonathan, and dog Poppy.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 5, 2017
If you liked the Thornbirds,then this is a book you would enjoy.
In the same tradition but the book unfolds on the brink of WWI.
In the opening a young mother leaves her baby daughter on the church steps, but before she leaves the child she takes off the gold star of David from around her neck & places it on her daughters.
Father Jozsef who finds the child hides the necklace before the police or anyone else see's it,and takes the child into his care.
He then finds a loving home to take the the baby in the form of his childless cousin.
Only after she falls in love with this child, Jozsef reveals the secret of her & the necklace.
Wanting a child so bad for so long IIona dosent care, but keeps the truth from her husband who supports anti-semitism.
We then follow "Krisztina shortly threw her childhood to a beautiful young woman who becomes a dancer & meets David Kaufmann, a Jewish boy whom she partners with & the two fall in love.
As the war escalates her father forbids her to see or dance with David again, and Krisztina's life as well as those around her she loves is to take many paths as to the decisions she must make.
THE MEN IN KRIZSTINA'S LIFE:
DAVID:
Her first love..only one moment of passion to last, as will he be forever lost to her?
LAURENT:
A man who would stop at nothing to have her, but would end up destroying only himself.
WILLIAM:
The Englishman she hid from the German soldiers & whom she could once again find love?
I really liked the female characters in this saga, they were confidant & strong and they took their sorrows and somehow found joy in a time of fear & loss & hatred.
The history throughout the book (WWI) was lightly touched upon, but the author left no doubt as to what wasn't told in full detail, and it was easy to fill in yourself with our knowledge of a time that no one will ever forget or of the lives that were lost.
So does Krizstina find out whom she is? And how does it affect those she loves?
You need to read this wonderful book to find out!
The rest of the story follows Krizstina's daughter Ella a beauty in her own right, and her son Oliver twisted by his fathers hatred & the paths they themselves take.
You also get a great read on the making of a hotel & all that is involved.
I absolutely loved this saga!
Filled with betrayals, family secrets, romantic passion, tragedy, courage and triumph.
I was sad to see it end & when I closed the book the characters stayed with me long after.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
In the same tradition but the book unfolds on the brink of WWI.
In the opening a young mother leaves her baby daughter on the church steps, but before she leaves the child she takes off the gold star of David from around her neck & places it on her daughters.
Father Jozsef who finds the child hides the necklace before the police or anyone else see's it,and takes the child into his care.
He then finds a loving home to take the the baby in the form of his childless cousin.
Only after she falls in love with this child, Jozsef reveals the secret of her & the necklace.
Wanting a child so bad for so long IIona dosent care, but keeps the truth from her husband who supports anti-semitism.
We then follow "Krisztina shortly threw her childhood to a beautiful young woman who becomes a dancer & meets David Kaufmann, a Jewish boy whom she partners with & the two fall in love.
As the war escalates her father forbids her to see or dance with David again, and Krisztina's life as well as those around her she loves is to take many paths as to the decisions she must make.
THE MEN IN KRIZSTINA'S LIFE:
DAVID:
Her first love..only one moment of passion to last, as will he be forever lost to her?
LAURENT:
A man who would stop at nothing to have her, but would end up destroying only himself.
WILLIAM:
The Englishman she hid from the German soldiers & whom she could once again find love?
I really liked the female characters in this saga, they were confidant & strong and they took their sorrows and somehow found joy in a time of fear & loss & hatred.
The history throughout the book (WWI) was lightly touched upon, but the author left no doubt as to what wasn't told in full detail, and it was easy to fill in yourself with our knowledge of a time that no one will ever forget or of the lives that were lost.
So does Krizstina find out whom she is? And how does it affect those she loves?
You need to read this wonderful book to find out!
The rest of the story follows Krizstina's daughter Ella a beauty in her own right, and her son Oliver twisted by his fathers hatred & the paths they themselves take.
You also get a great read on the making of a hotel & all that is involved.
I absolutely loved this saga!
Filled with betrayals, family secrets, romantic passion, tragedy, courage and triumph.
I was sad to see it end & when I closed the book the characters stayed with me long after.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
September 28, 2013
This is the kind of big, thick, glitz-and-glam novel they just don't publish anymore. Delicious fluffy melodrama to get lost in.
November 26, 2008
An older epic saga. It kept my attention.
March 18, 2021
Ενώ ήταν ωραίο και καλογραμμένο το βρήκα λίγο ανευρο, υποτονικό χωρίς κορύφωση. Ακόμα και οι δραματικές σκηνές του ήταν δοσμένες χωρίς ψυχή
October 17, 2014
This is one of my all-time favorites! I read it in the 1980's and was thrilled it was now available as a Kindle book. This is historical fiction at its finest. It is multi-generational and brings its readers right into the story. I have downloaded Hilary Norman's other books and am excited to re-read them again - I know I won't be disappointed!
May 18, 2014
love it
April 7, 2022
Well- that was not appropriate for my younger self- full of erotica and affair and an anti-Semitic twist. Do I recommend this book? Egh not so much. The author was good and it was well written, but I wasn't wrapped up in it like some books can do.
March 18, 2018
Great book. Wonderful characters.
February 17, 2015
A baby is found being guarded by a dog during a purge against Jews in Hungary pre World War II. She is adopted by a Catholic family with only the mother knowing her secret. The book tells the story of Kristina and her daughter Ella. The battles they went through. The loves they had and lost. A dynasty of world class hotels. And love for family.
I loved the bits of history thrown in the fiction. And what happens when you love too much.
I loved the bits of history thrown in the fiction. And what happens when you love too much.
May 24, 2010
Common novel, but it was good.
September 10, 2010
I read this earlier this year and really liked it.
to-read-mine
October 23, 2012Hmmm, my cover is very very different. Same ISBN # too.
Read
June 29, 2011great
August 30, 2020
I really really loved this book and wanted it to be a 5 star review but the ending was dreadful. If you want laughs, romance, death, etc this is a great book for all of your emotions.
Read
August 28, 2013Read 10/97
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews