Title: American Duchess: A Novel of Consuelo
Vanderbilt
Author: Karen Harper
Published: 2019
Call #: FIC Harper
This is the fictionalized biography of Consuelo Vanderbilt, the American
heiress who marries the Duke of Marlborough at just 18
years old. It was the time that men of
position were looking for American heiresses to help shore up their
estates. The Duke’s estate was none
other than Blenheim Palace, the only
non-royal country house in England to hold the title of palace and the
birthplace of Winston Churchill. To this palace the young Consuelo comes to
live. Her wedding was called “the
biggest wedding of the century”. Her
marriage is difficult, however. Her
mother bullied her into it and she was in love with someone else. Consuelo tries to make the best of it and she uses her position to help as many
people as she could. She gives the Duke
two sons fulfilling her main function and she learns to run the household being
a great hostess to the aristocratic society in which she finds herself. Sadly, the
marriage deteriorates further and eventually she divorces the Duke. She fights for women’s right to vote and women's rights.
The story begins in 1895, during the Gilded Age, and ends just after WWII. If you are interested in the Gilded Age or love Downton Abbey, like me,
this is a great read! Harper makes the grand estates come to life, making it easy for the reader to picture this world. The story itself is filled with the kind of drama that can only come from a story based on real life figures. Through all of it, Consuelo's longing to carve out her own path drives the story along and makes the reader root for her to find happiness at the end.
Michaelle S.
Popular Materials Asst.
Popular Materials Asst.
