The Chateau on Sunset
Natasha Lester
Ballantine Books
September 1957: Aria Jones, almost fourteen and orphaned, arrives at the fabled Chateau Marmont, an establishment run by her aunt on Sunset Boulevard, L.A. Two weeks ago she had a family. Now Aria finds herself thrust into the care of an indifferent aunt amid the chaotic lifestyle of the Hollywood wannabes who throng its premises. Two starlets, Calliope and Flitter, take her under their wing, and Aria soon learns the ropes. Seeing the way the movers and shakers of Hollywood operate, their wealth, power and sense of entitlement, is an eye-opener for the young girl. The casting couch and excesses of every kind are all too real in the glitzy world of movie-making.
1964: Aria is a fixture at the Chateau, helping to wrangle the residents and guests into some kind of order. One day a young girl appears who reminds Aria of her own first day in her new home. She learns Adele’s father, reclusive pop star Theo Winchester, has just bought the Chateau. A lot will change, but a lot will stay the same—including the degrading treatment of women in the notorious Hollywood system. Growing increasingly close to the troubled Adele, Aria works in her own quiet way to exact revenge on the arrogant Kings of Hollywood. In the process she uncovers a dangerous secret that could mean heartbreak. Will she break free into the wider world beyond the fake confines of Hollywood, or will it swallow her whole, as it’s done to many a young dreamer?
Lester brings her usual delicate touch for historical narrative to The Chateau on Sunset. Aria is an engaging Jane Eyre-like character, and her efforts to assert her intelligence and independence in the face of male dominance are inspiring. If I have a criticism it’s that the two timelines are too close, leading to some reader confusion.
