First published 2015
George Sand abandons her marriage and arrives in Paris during the 1830s, determined to make her living as a writer. She adopts men's clothing, smokes cigars, and begins crafting the novels that will make her the most celebrated female author of her era. Sand navigates the city's artistic circles, forming passionate relationships with composer Frederic Chopin, painter Eugene Delacroix, and fellow writers like Gustave Flaubert and Victor Hugo. She also begins an affair with an actress named Marie, defying every social convention of her time. As Sand's literary reputation grows, so does the scandal surrounding her unconventional lifestyle. She must balance her need for creative freedom with the demands of love and the expectations of a society that views her behavior as outrageous. Berg captures Sand's struggle to live authentically while pursuing both artistic excellence and emotional fulfillment in an age when women faced severe constraints on their personal and professional choices.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, biographical-fiction, 19th-century
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family, unconventional-heroine
Setting: Paris
Period: 1830s
368 pages · Hardcover · Random House
Content warnings: sexism