Paperback, 400 pages
Published Dec. 31, 2018 by William Morrow Paperbacks.
I reaaaally wanted to love everything about that book... and I almost did, except for a particularly unpleasant plot point that felt... avoidable. And it is a pity, really, because if not for that plot point, that book would probably have ended up in the (tiny) list of "to re-read when I need something comforting" books.
I love historical fiction that pulls you in from the beginning. This is the story of two women from very different backgrounds who meet in the embroidery workshop of a dress designer in London immediately after World War II.
Ann is English. She lost her parents before the war and her brother during the Blitz. She lives with her sister-in-law, trying to scrape by.
Miriam is a French Jew who was in a concentration camp for part of the war. No one in England knows about this part of her life. All they know is that she is a skilled embroiderer who worked in a design house in Paris.
Fast forward to 2016 and a woman in Toronto gets a box of pictures and embroidery from her recently deceased grandmother. She knew her grandmother was from England but she never talked about her life there. She also didn't know how …
I love historical fiction that pulls you in from the beginning. This is the story of two women from very different backgrounds who meet in the embroidery workshop of a dress designer in London immediately after World War II.
Ann is English. She lost her parents before the war and her brother during the Blitz. She lives with her sister-in-law, trying to scrape by.
Miriam is a French Jew who was in a concentration camp for part of the war. No one in England knows about this part of her life. All they know is that she is a skilled embroiderer who worked in a design house in Paris.
Fast forward to 2016 and a woman in Toronto gets a box of pictures and embroidery from her recently deceased grandmother. She knew her grandmother was from England but she never talked about her life there. She also didn't know how to sew as far as her granddaughter knew. Why does she have all this?
This is a great story of female friendship and support. It also shows you the amazing amount of handwork that goes into couture dresses. I like stories based on unknown women who have had a part, however small, in historical events.
I had never really looked at the dress before. It is so detailed with both embroidery and applique. I can't imagine doing that day in and day out. (I hurt my hands just trying to hand sew one quilt.) They only had a few weeks to get that all finished. It is amazing.
Purchase Links
HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
About Jennifer Robson
Jennifer Robson is the USA Today and #1 Toronto Globe & Mail bestselling author of Somewhere in France, After the War is Over and Moonlight Over Paris. She holds a doctorate from Saint Antony’s College, University of Oxford. She lives in Toronto with her husband and young children.
Find out more about Jennifer at her website, and connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Blog Tour
Monday, December 31st: Instagram: @ladyofthelibrary
Monday, December 31st: Reading Reality
Wednesday, January 2nd: Instagram: @my_book_journey_
Wednesday, January 2nd: 5 Minutes For Books
Thursday, January 3rd: Bloggin’ ‘Bout Books
Friday, January 4th: Into the Hall of Books
Monday, January 7th: BookNAround
Monday, January 7th: InkyMoments
Tuesday, January 8th: Jessicamap Reviews
Wednesday, January 9th: Instagram: @giuliland
Thursday, January 10th: A Chick Who Reads
Monday, January 14th: Instagram: @ciannereads
Tuesday, January 15th: Instagram: @sjwonderlandz
Tuesday, January 15th: Based on a True Story
Wednesday, January 16th: Always With a Book
Wednesday, January 16th: Instagram: @tbretc
Thursday, January 17th: Instagram: @somekindofalibrary
Thursday, January 17th: Doing Dewey
Thursday, January 17th: Instagram: @theunreadshelf
Friday, January 18th: Broken Teepee
Tuesday, January 22nd: A Bookish Way of Life
Friday, January 25th: As I turn the pages
This review was originally posted on Based On A True Story
