lindaunconventionalbookworms's review against another edition
5.0
This review was originally posted on (un)Conventional Bookviews
The Chateau was wickedly delicious and deliciously wicked. I loved this glimpse into Kingsley's past, how he was already both a giver and a receiver of pain..
Reisz always mesmerizes me with her storytelling, and I was immediately immersed in The Chateau with Kingsley. In this story, I got to know Kingsley better, and I loved seeing him as a young man. How he lived with the aftermath of his relationship with Søren. What he actually did for the hidden branch of the French government. And how he got entangled with a community where women were boss.
In the Chateau, Kingsley wasn't only a government agent, he was also a player. And he played rather well if the girl he woke up with the first morning was any indication. However, he soon had a visit to tell him he was needed for work. Even if he was still on sick leave. Only, this mission was rather different than the other missions he had in the past. He had to find a mysterious woman in order to extract a young man from her sex sect. That's all he knew before he went to a phone booth to call her.
The Chateau itself was rather magnificent, and really a place where I could see Kingsley staying. He got a little bit of everything he needed there - a place to belong, pain, pleasure, and intrigue. However, his loyalties were not fully with the Madam, and so he needed to do his job elsewhere. In between the current events of the story, Kingsley has some very vivid dreams. Dreams of a white-blond boy. In the woods. And he still doesn't know where that boy is in real life.
I think what happened in The Chateau participated in making Kingsley the man he is in all the Original Sinners books - a little stand-offish, very confident, and always there for both Søren and Nora. It was a pleasure to see his character development, and I loved the overall feel of the story.
Young Kingsley was rather cocky, but he had reason to be.
The Madam was so mysterious and intriguing, and I loved seeing how she had made her Chateau a safe haven for women, where men were the maids and took orders from the women.
The side characters were well fleshed out, even those who were only mentioned once or twice felt very real to me.
The Chateau is written in third person point of view, past tense, and from Kingsley's perspective. Between the dreams and King's real life at the time, I couldn't put the book down from start to finish.
Ms. Reisz always brings out all the feels! I felt Kingsley's torment, and I felt his joy. I felt his happiness and fears, his hopes and his despair. Masterfully done, this book made me want to re-read the whole Original Sinners series.
Even though it is a dream, and no one has spoken but him, Kingsley knows he is supposed to sit and stay and play the game. It's the rules. If he doesn't play, he'll wake up, and the last thing he wants is to wake up now, to wake up ever.
It had been a long time since Kingsley had laughed so freely with a girl. Polly rolled onto her back in a giggling fit, swept up in the silliness like a child. God, what a beautiful, bizarre looking-glass world this château was.
The Chateau was wickedly delicious and deliciously wicked. I loved this glimpse into Kingsley's past, how he was already both a giver and a receiver of pain..
Story:
Reisz always mesmerizes me with her storytelling, and I was immediately immersed in The Chateau with Kingsley. In this story, I got to know Kingsley better, and I loved seeing him as a young man. How he lived with the aftermath of his relationship with Søren. What he actually did for the hidden branch of the French government. And how he got entangled with a community where women were boss.
In the Chateau, Kingsley wasn't only a government agent, he was also a player. And he played rather well if the girl he woke up with the first morning was any indication. However, he soon had a visit to tell him he was needed for work. Even if he was still on sick leave. Only, this mission was rather different than the other missions he had in the past. He had to find a mysterious woman in order to extract a young man from her sex sect. That's all he knew before he went to a phone booth to call her.
The Chateau itself was rather magnificent, and really a place where I could see Kingsley staying. He got a little bit of everything he needed there - a place to belong, pain, pleasure, and intrigue. However, his loyalties were not fully with the Madam, and so he needed to do his job elsewhere. In between the current events of the story, Kingsley has some very vivid dreams. Dreams of a white-blond boy. In the woods. And he still doesn't know where that boy is in real life.
I think what happened in The Chateau participated in making Kingsley the man he is in all the Original Sinners books - a little stand-offish, very confident, and always there for both Søren and Nora. It was a pleasure to see his character development, and I loved the overall feel of the story.
Characters:
Young Kingsley was rather cocky, but he had reason to be.
The Madam was so mysterious and intriguing, and I loved seeing how she had made her Chateau a safe haven for women, where men were the maids and took orders from the women.
The side characters were well fleshed out, even those who were only mentioned once or twice felt very real to me.
Writing style :
The Chateau is written in third person point of view, past tense, and from Kingsley's perspective. Between the dreams and King's real life at the time, I couldn't put the book down from start to finish.
Feels :
Ms. Reisz always brings out all the feels! I felt Kingsley's torment, and I felt his joy. I felt his happiness and fears, his hopes and his despair. Masterfully done, this book made me want to re-read the whole Original Sinners series.
Even though it is a dream, and no one has spoken but him, Kingsley knows he is supposed to sit and stay and play the game. It's the rules. If he doesn't play, he'll wake up, and the last thing he wants is to wake up now, to wake up ever.
It had been a long time since Kingsley had laughed so freely with a girl. Polly rolled onto her back in a giggling fit, swept up in the silliness like a child. God, what a beautiful, bizarre looking-glass world this château was.
em_lavee's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
hannas_heas47's review against another edition
5.0
Thanks Netgalley for a ARC to read and give my honest opinion.
I am absolutely mesmerized by this author's writing, it doesn't matter what kind of kink her books contain, I will read it and enjoy. Kingsley is 24 in this novel, and he is sent in to a "cult" to rescue the nephew of his Colonel's. The story has some references to the Story of "O" and the Looking Glass which I thought was unique and entertaining. Kingsley has reached a point in his life where he can neither go forward or back and the story is about encouraging him to move on. I laughed...I cried... it was just an emotionally wonderful book. I am so hooked on this beautiful series.
“Not all problems are meant to be solved,” she said. “Some are meant to be endured. All too often we learn more from living with the question than we ever would from the answer.”
I'd give this book ten stars if I could, just an amazing and beautiful book.
I am absolutely mesmerized by this author's writing, it doesn't matter what kind of kink her books contain, I will read it and enjoy. Kingsley is 24 in this novel, and he is sent in to a "cult" to rescue the nephew of his Colonel's. The story has some references to the Story of "O" and the Looking Glass which I thought was unique and entertaining. Kingsley has reached a point in his life where he can neither go forward or back and the story is about encouraging him to move on. I laughed...I cried... it was just an emotionally wonderful book. I am so hooked on this beautiful series.
“Not all problems are meant to be solved,” she said. “Some are meant to be endured. All too often we learn more from living with the question than we ever would from the answer.”
I'd give this book ten stars if I could, just an amazing and beautiful book.
junyreads's review against another edition
4.0
The plot twist? The plot twist. Also madame… god what a woman. The ending also was satisfactory!
creativelifeofliz's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
I enjoyed the mystery of this book, even if we don't get all the answers.
txkikind's review against another edition
4.0
I liked it. It reminded me of a tamer, opposite world version of The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty. The dialogue could be a little cheesy sometimes but the sexy narrative was sexy and got the job done!
mirakelsey's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
edenvescence's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0