The Chaperone

By: Laura Moriarty

Narrated by: Elizabeth McGovern

Length: 13 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

The Chaperone is a captivating novel about the woman who chaperoned an irreverent Louise Brooks to New York City in 1922, and the summer that would change them both.

Only a few years before becoming a famous actress and an icon for her generation, a 15-year-old Louise Brooks leaves Wichita to make it big in New York. Much to her annoyance, she is accompanied by a thirty-six-year-old chaperone who is neither mother nor friend. Cora Carlisle is a complicated but traditional woman with her own reasons for making the trip. She has no idea what she’s in for: Young Louise, already stunningly beautiful and sporting her famous blunt bangs and black bob, is known for her arrogance and her lack of respect for convention. Ultimately, the five weeks they spend together will change their lives forever.

For Cora, New York holds the promise of discovery that might prove an answer to the question at the center of her being, and even as she does her best to watch over Louise in a strange and bustling city, she embarks on her own mission. And while what she finds isn’t what she anticipated, it liberates her in a way she could not have imagined. Over the course of the summer, Cora’s eyes are opened to the promise of the 20th century and a new understanding of the possibilities for being fully alive.

©2012 Laura Moriarty (P)2012 Penguin Audio

Times change and eyes open to new understanding

Great audio narration and a very enlightening story. Recommend to anyone who likes to view any debate from all sides.

Perfection.

It’s been a long time since I’ve felt a book was as lovely and touching as “The Chaperone” turned out to be. I was unable to put down this engaging story once started; so much so that when my ipod fell to the floor and gasped its final breath last night, I found myself rushing to reach the store prior to its closing so I could grudgingly replace the traitorous device.

While (in reality) Louise Brooks may have been the star, in this novel it’s Cora Carlisle that captures our hearts. We join Cora in 1922, during the summer of her 36th year. For reasons that will soon be reveled, she has decided to chaperone a then 15 year old Louise from Wichita Kansas to New York City, so Louise may participate in a dancing program she has been accepted to. I was amazed at how complete and authentic Cora was; reminding me of my mother, or the stories she tells me of my grandmother, at every turn. It would be so easy for an author to sell a character like this short; representing her strength but not her fear, or her fear without the background that caused it, or highlighting her open mind without bothering to first show us the searching or struggle gone through in order to open that mind. What makes us honorable in life is not what comes easily, but rather that which has been hard fought. As we look back on Cora’s first 36 years, and follow her through the rest of her life, we are presented with a picture of a complete, strong, and kind woman that I will miss now that the story is over.

I’ve always been a fan of Elizabeth McGovern, and the narration was superb, treating Cora with the grace and dignity she deserved.

I really don’t know how I'll be able to move from this special story to any other book. It leaves all other options looking a bit lackluster.

Great characters and wonderful insight

I was not expecting much of what happened in this book. The character development was one of the best I have read in a long time.The details of the era were fascinating and I enjoyed the twists and turns in the plot. The only negative was that I think the author wanted to wrap everything up perfectly at the end, some things could have been left to the imagination. All in all it was entertaining, had a great message and was well written. I liked Elizabeth McGoverns narration as I think it was accurate for the era and for a Kansas matron. I would highly recommend using your credits on this one!

A late coming of age

In 1922, Cora Carlisle is a 36-year-old Wichita housewife with an idyllic life: handsome lawyer husband, a beautiful home, twin boys about to leave the nest, good friends who join her in performing good works for the community. What could trouble a woman in her position, other than the corset that only fast women are abandoning?

Cora has a secret--or, actually, two secrets. The first is that when she was six years old, she was sent out from a New York Catholic charity home on an orphan train, which took orphaned children to stops along the line in the Midwest, to be displayed like livestock to prospective new families. Laura was one of the lucky ones, taken in by a loving farming couple from a rural area not far from Wichita. When she became engaged, her prospective in-laws counseled her that it might be best to keep her orphan background a secret. That's the way things were in 1922.

Cora's second secret is something you'll have to read for yourself.

Laura jumps at the chance to act as chaperone to 15-year-old Louise Brooks when Louise is in New York City for the summer to go to dance school. Brooks, you may know, is a real-life character who came to epitomize the Jazz Age. The actress with the perfect, mysteriously unsmiling face and gleaming cap of jet-black hair was a Hollywood bad girl who could have given any of today's models a run for their money. At 15, author Moriarty's conception of Louise was every bit as unconventional and rebellious, challenging every piece of homespun advice and moral counsel Cora tries to give her. Louise knows Cora won't follow through on her threat to haul Louise straight back to Wichita. She just doesn't know why. While Louise is at dance class each day, Cora is working hard to track down her origins.

Cora's search and what she finds, dealing with Louise's constant attacks on her views, and experiencing art and life in New York City all chip away at Cora's unquestioning acceptance of the conventions of her time and place about sex, race and class. She returns to Wichita as her own person; someone who will make her own decisions and judgments. Moriarty then takes us through the rest of Cora's life, showing us the liberties Cora achieves and the compromises she feels she still must make for the sake of convention and her family.

Louise Brooks's life is counterpoint to Cora's throughout the book, illustrating the possible prices to pay and benefits to gain from the women's very different approaches to life. This story of Cora's life's journey is heart-warming and engaging.

The audio edition is narrated by Elizabeth McGovern, currently of Downton Abbey fame. She has a lovely reading voice (though her Kansas accent sounds closer to a dialog coach's conception than the real deal) and having her as narrator makes the listener picture her as Cora, which I think adds something to the story.

Excellent Picture of Era

The first half of the story was excellent. The author painted a word picture of life in the United States in the first half of the 20th century. I felt instant sympathy for the protagonist and for her young charge who was smart, beautiful, damaged and completely undisciplined. For movie buffs, even this fictional glimpse of a reigning beauty queen is a treat. My admiration for Cora was based as much on her ability to learn and change as well as her pragmatic approach to life. I might add here that the narrator helped me to know both characters. Elizabeth McGovern knows her craft.
The second half of the book was a complete disappointment. I felt the end of the story was contrived and not satisfactory at all. Actually I half listened until the end. I wished for better for the plucky woman who headed off to find her roots. Even as a fictional character she deserved a more honest life.

Great Character Development

If you could sum up The Chaperone in three words, what would they be?

Fascinating story of a woman and the girl-woman she was hired to chaperone. The story was a trip through the sexual morals of the 20th century and what happens when sexual identities are suppressed. Lives are sadly changed and coping skills are twisted to conform to society expectations. The book definitely held my attention. The writing was fast paced, but still had many parts that caused me to think and reflect on what life was like throughout the twenties, thirties, forties, fifties and sixties. I plan to recommend this book to my book club.

What other book might you compare The Chaperone to and why?

Parts of it reminded me of "East of Eden," other parts reminded me of "The Thorn Birds," and of a book I recently read, "People of the Book. It really was unlike any other book I have read.

Which scene was your favorite?

I liked the part when she finally discovered the reasons for her charges behavior and how it changed her perception of who she was.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, it was a bit too long for that in my hurried life, but I was anxious to get back to it when I could not listen to it.

I colorful walk through time & changing attitudes

Every generation thinks the previous generation is full of old fuddy duddies. The chaperone illustrates this in a tale of Cora's life from an orphanage beginning to a full life of family and love. This highly enjoyable novel was made better by the exceptional narration by Elizabeth McGovern.

Such a character piece!

I have read this book and loved it and had to get it on audible. its hard to put to words the love and life shown in this story. but it is beautiful.

Good historical fiction

What does Elizabeth McGovern bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I had a hard time with her Kansas accent, wondering if that was accurate, which made me realize how few people I know from Kansas. But her voice was soothing and added character to the characters.

Any additional comments?

I can see why this is a popular summer read. It's easy to get behind the characters and become wrapped up in their world. It bothers me when modern values are given to characters in historical fiction but Cora's beliefs were based on her life events and it was easy to see how her great secrets would lead to her more progressive beliefs. I actually gasped out loud at one twist. Love that!

Surprisingly entertaining

I really enjoyed this book, especially the follow up with all the characters. There are plenty of interesting plot twists to keep you interested to know more and keep on reading/listening. I like historical fiction a lot, and I have already recommended this book to a few people.