The Glass ChAteau: A Novel

Written by Stephen P. Kiernan

Narrated by Raphael Corkhill

From the critically acclaimed author of Universe of Two and The Baker’s Secret, a novel of hope, healing, and the redemptive power of art, set against the turmoil of post-World War II France and inspired by the life of Marc Chagall

“[A] spellbinding fable of sanctuary, art, and recovery.” — Booklist (starred review)

World War II is over. Amid jubilation in the streets of France, however, there are throngs of people stunned by the recovery work ahead. Every bridge, road, and rail line, every church and school and hospital, has been destroyed. Disparate factions—from Communists, to Resistance fighters, to those who supported appeasement of the Nazis—must somehow unite and rebuild their devastated country.

Asher lost his family during the war, and in revenge served as an assassin in the Resistance. Burdened by grief and guilt, he wanders through the blasted countryside, stunned by what has become of his life. When he arrives at le Château Guerin, all he seeks is a decent meal. Instead he finds a sanctuary, an oasis even though everyone there is as damaged as him. The people there are calming themselves, and recovering inch by inch, by turning sand into stained glass, and then into windows for the bombed cathedrals of France.

The chateau is a volatile place, and these former warriors are as hard, and fragile, as glass. Each man carries secrets from the war too -- Asher has chosen to hide his Jewish faith so he will not be expelled by the devout Catholics who own the chateau. But all of the damaged men are guided by women of courage and affection. And Asher turns out to have a gift for making windows. As the secrets of the chateau’s residents become known one by one, they experience more heated conflict and greater challenges. Yet when they work together in common purpose, they put their fighting aside. And as Asher recovers, he finds a way to turn the recovery of broken men into the healing of a broken country. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: Jun 20, 2023
• ISBN: 9780063227323

Stephen P. Kiernan

Stephen P. Kiernan is the author of the novels The Curiosity, The Hummingbird, The Baker's Secret, Universe of Two, and The Glass Chateau. A graduate of Middlebury College, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop, he spent more than twenty years as a journalist, winning many award before turning to fiction writing. He has also worked nationwide on improving end of life medical care through greater use of hospice. Kiernan lives in Vermont.

Reviews for The Glass ChAteau

[Mike Barker · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A beautiful story of redemption. I believe it’s my favorite post war novel.

[rmarcin-630843 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Asher, a Jew, is grieving the loss of his wife and child who were killed in WWII. He is angry at the Germans, and fears for his life as a Jew. He wanders through France, and finally is welcomed at the château. He doesn't admit that he is Jewish, but goes along with the Catholic customs. There, he is trained to make glass for the stained windows of the cathedrals that were destroyed during the war. He has a relationship with Marie, but she is also grieving. He is also befriended by others, and shown how friendship can transcend race and religion. Historic fiction - but went on a bit long for me.

[kimkimkim-7 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I kept avoiding this book, maybe the cover, maybe the title but neither intrigued me sufficiently to move it to the top of my reading pile. Another WW II post war book - something was putting me off, holding me back. But then I started reading and still was not totally committed. I am not sure exactly which page hooked me but when it happened I was all in. I didn’t find the story nearly as important as the individual character portrayals and their search for understanding, redemption, closure and forgiveness. Asher, the protagonist, who has lost everything, ponders what he would become if he was able to “put down the grief, the hunger for revenge, the guilt over what the war had required him to do”. He wants peace, reconciliation and reconstruction and more he wants “a terrible storm to pass.” When he is accepted as a member of the Chateau he understands that he is not alone in this search - all of the residents of the Chateau are horribly damaged, concealing heartbreaking secrets. Their faith and labor at glass making are going to challenge them and provide the basis of their healing. The lessons taught and learned are simple yet extraordinary. A fish leaping so high out of the water teaches “that all we get: from the unknown into this nonstop miracle, before we plunge back into unknowing”. “The discovery that fury was a a form of love.” There are just so many incredible observations as these men travel from what they were to what they had become to what they could be.As a brief aside - the not so hidden references to Chagall and his symbolism were well placed curiosities that left room for a tangential hmmm. Was that a hidden something and where was it going or just an author’s prerogative to insert something that was an important “influence.” The explanation in the acknowledgments answered those questions.This book is a thought provoking masterpiece. Incredibly well written and meticulously researched. So many thanks to HarperCollins and NetGalley for a copy.

[carolee888 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I am struggling through the end of The Glass Chateau by Stephen P. Kiernan. It is a novel inspired by Marc Chagall. The main character has lost his wife and daughter in WWII, fought in the French Resistance, killed 22, and feels that all hope is gone. The devastation description reminds me of Ukraine. The Ukraine War continues, and I hope that eventually, the rebuilding will begin.But the love story is too soap opera for me. I would have preferred to read another book about Chagall. Both the main character and Chagall did stained glass windows. I have a blue glass lion from the New York World’s Fair and was fascinated by how the glass blower made it. Now I know more than I wanted to know about the craft and will never ever attempt it! The book slogged along and suddenly pops in a fascinating fact here and there.Update, the last four chapters are the best in the book. I raised my evaluation to 4 because of them. It was a pain for me to read because of the slow pace at the beginning and the middle.Worth reading but be prepared to not dash through the book quickly. I still want to read a biography of Marc Chagall. I have been inspired by his paintings so much.

[ang709 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a moving story of a broken man in a broken world searching for goodness, hope, and ultimately redemption. Though it was very much a character-driven novel, at times (especially at the beginning) it had the feel of an epic journey. The ending was touching and truly brought the story full circle.I also appreciated the author's notes about the inspiration behind the story.This would be a good read for those interested in historical fiction, especially if they enjoy stories about the resilience of the human spirit.Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the early read.

[susan0316 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

When you read a lot of books like I do, you realize that there are good books and not so good books. Occasionally you get a surprise and read a GREAT book. A book that is so beautifully written it made me read much slower than usual so I wouldn't miss any of the lyrical sentences. A book with a main character who you know that you'll never forget - one who touches not only your mind but also your soul. A book with a theme that gives you a point of view that you've never read before and makes you think. The Glass Chateau by Stephen P. Kiernan is all that and more. It's one if the best books that I've read in a long time and I know it will be on my top 10 list for 2023.As the novel begins, the war in France has been over for a month. After the celebrations, the people realized what needed to be done to return to normal. Many people had no homes, every bridge and road had been destroyed, most churches and houses were gone and many families were wiped out. There were many people alone in the world, wondering how to bring life in France back to some kind of normalcy. Asher, a young Jewish man, has lost his wife and daughter and had his business destroyed. In retaliation for the shooting of his loved ones, he has been an assassin in the French resistance. He knows how many people he killed and one in particular haunts his dreams. All Asher wants now is peace and forgiveness. He wanders through the French countryside for a year looking for a place of peace. Several people tell him that peace can be found in Clovide but no one is exactly sure where it is. As Asher travels, he is plagued with doubt and fear combined with extreme hunger but he continues his odyssey. When he finally finds the castle her finds that it is full of a group of men who as damaged as he is but slowly recovering as they work together to make a stain glassed windows for the local Catholic cathedral. When Asher is allowed to stay, he realizes that he must hide his Jewish religion or he fears that they might not let him stay. There is plenty of food and constant work to make the glass. Asher finds that he has an artistic talent and begins to enjoy the process of making glass. Will working with glass - making beautiful glass from common ordinary sand - help Asher find his peace and redemption or are his wounds too deep to be healed?This is a beautiful well written novel with fantastic characters . I won't forget Asher and his quest for peace. I actually read this book a month ago and I find my mind going back to the story and the characters. To me, that is a sign of a great piece of fiction."Victory does not equal peace."