Chateau Laux is a novel based on a shocking event in the lives of a first-generation family in the American colonies. Lawrence Kraymer is a young entrepreneur from Philadelphia who takes a hunting trip up along the Delaware, and in the process, stumbles on Pierre Laux, a French aristocrat and his family living on the edge of what was then a vast wilderness. Intoxicated with this exotic family, Lawrence pursues an engagement with one of Pierre’s daughters, and builds her a château in a misguided attempt to prove himself worthy. In so doing, he sets in motion a sequence of events that has tragic consequences in this literary treatment of an actual historical incident.
Loux writes with panache. His characters are lively and well-developed, and his alternating of point of view chapters allows for nuanced portraits of Lawrence and the Laux family. Intimate historical details concerning Pierre’s upbringing in France and Lawrence’s life as a brewer lend the story immersive credibility. The courtship between Lawrence and Catharine is sweet and poetic, weaving hope through a narrative that depicts the at-times harsh reality of its era. Highlights include heartfelt moments of introspection as the young Jean Laux comes of age and finds his place in the world, as well as clear-eyed accounts of how “horrendously difficult” life can be. Laux persuasively steeps readers in 18th century minds, always attentive to the opportunities and dangers colonists faced.
For all the tender power of the prose, and the flashes of inspired character-driven drama, Loux’s story at times lacks a sense of urgency. The initial thrust of the narrative — Lawrence’s bid to build a chateau — pays off in the novel’s middle, and momentum then stalls, despite the appeal of each character’s personal quests. Still, Loux’s adept handling of Colonial place and detail, and the squalls of fate that waylay the protagonists, offers readers of serious historical fiction a striking journey into the past.
Takeaway: Colonial America comes to vivid life in this nuanced, engaging historical novel.
Great for fans of: Willa Cather, Amy Belding Brown’s Flight of the Sparrow.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: B-
Based in truth, David Loux's historical novel Chateau Laux is a bittersweet story of tragedy, found family, and reconciliation . . . an engrossing novel set during colonial times.
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A debut novel about two colonists in America whose lives become entwined during the early years of the 18th century . . . A haunting, eloquent, and engaging historical drama.
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This beautiful piece of storytelling set in colonial times that will forever touch a reader's heart and soul . . . The writing in Chateau Laux is excellent, but what is most remarkable is the storytelling . . .It is a miracle of sorts, that the world is given such a beautiful work . . .
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Chateau Laux by David Loux is a brilliant portrayal of ambition, tragedy, and reconciliation. This engaging historical masterpiece was inspired by real events . . .I liked the author's style of writing because it made the novel more complex and unusual . . . The plot was unpredictable and shocking . . . Poignantly written, Chateau Laux effortlessly blends history and culture with recurring concepts of good and evil . . . I rate this novel a perfect four out of four.
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