
Assessment:
Plot/Idea: Fallon presents an extremely thorough and finely written historical memoir—filling in gaps of a possible relative's life and establishing part of a genealogy. It may mostly appeal to scholarly readers, those interested in Chateaubriand or buffs of French history.
Prose: The prose is excellent, well-organized, and well-cited. It is quite scholarly in tone, however, and may not appeal to more casual readers. Photographs, paintings, letters, and diary entries enhance the text.
Originality: This work is highly original in concept and execution, as the purpose is to establish genealogical ties between the author and Chateaubriand. Although the author gathers material from established sources, he also integrates quite a bit of original material through his years of research.
Character Development/Execution: The character of Chateaubriand is quite clear, established by interviews, articles, biographies, letters and photographs.
Date Submitted: November 08, 2021


Fallon aptly recruits myriad external resources (genealogists, biographers, police departments, trips abroad) to investigate Chateaubriand, Mary, and then Thomas Fallon (Mary’s son). Each is placed in thorough historical context (French Revolution, New World, 19th century sexual norms) so seamlessly that this book’s human interest is impossible to divorce from either its literary analysis (Fallon includes excerpts of Chateaubriand’s posthumous autobiography, whose title translates to Memoirs from Beyond the Grave) or the “known fact”s of the history. The prose, while lightly erudite, is unfailingly clear and engaging.
Fallon builds toward a compelling hypothesis, sometimes with excitement and at other times cautiously: “Of course, other imagined explanations, ordinary and bland, might be applied to the same known facts.” As tends to be the case with family legends, though, the author here finds the research eventually contesting those “known facts.” Still, the remarkable relationship between these figures and his family nevertheless remains enticing, and Fallon’s not insignificant discoveries—as well as his found historic documents—are presented with academic rigor and a storyteller’s élan. Whether fascinated by genealogical research or simply interested in the story of an empathic young girl and the man who loves her, inquisitive readers will enjoy this quick, compelling account of a rich slice of French history.
Takeaway: A lively dive into French history, family legend, and a storied lover and writer’s possible secret.
Great for fans of: François-René de Chateaubriand’s Memoirs From beyond the Grave, Malcolm Scott’s Chateaubriand: The Paradox of Change.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: A+
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A