The Women of Chateau Lafayette

Written in 2021 by New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Stephanie Dray, The Women of Chateau Lafayette is a multi-timeline historical fiction novel that recounts the intertwined and trepidatious lives of three women across four different wars through their connection to Chavaniac, the famous castle of the revolutionary hero Lafayette. The novel joins Dray’s growing number of award-winning historical fiction titles, such as the Cleopatra’s Daughter trilogy, which was nominated for a RITA Award and won the Golden Leaf Award in 2012, and America’s First Daughter, which was nominated for the Audie Award in 2017. Fascinated by history, revolutions, and republics, Dray often delves into the lives of the overshadowed women in history and the inconceivable odds they faced; her narratives seek to reinstate these women as crucial figures in historical events. Other works by this author include My Dear Hamilton and Becoming Madam Secretary.

This study guide refers to the Penguin eBook edition distributed by Google Play Books and published in 2021.

Content Warning: This guide describes and discusses the source text’s depiction of alcohol addiction and suicidal ideation. The novel also alludes to antisemitic beliefs and sentiments in line with the propagation of Nazi ideology during World War II; such concepts are replicated in this guide only in direct quotes from the source material.