The Dressmaker
A Novel
-
-
3.5 • 2 Ratings
-
-
- $11.99
-
- $11.99
Publisher Description
From international bestselling author Posie Graeme-Evans comes the passionate tale of a woman ahead of her time who uses her talent to succeed against all odds in Victorian England.
Growing up in rural Norfolk, Ellen Gowan’s childhood was poor but blessed with affection. At fifteen, she marries Raoul de Valentin, the dangerous descendant of French aristocrats, who then abandons her when she becomes pregnant. Determined that she and her daughter will not only survive but thrive, Ellen uses her talent as a dressmaker to begin the long, difficult climb to success.
Claiming to be a widow, Ellen toils first in a clothing sweat shop before opening her own salon in fashionable Berkeley Square. One single dress, a ballgown created for the enigmatic Countess of Hawksmoor, the leader of London society, transforms Ellen’s fortunes, bringing profound success. But the return of her husband threatens to destroy all that Ellen has achieved.
An evocative and poignant novel, The Dressmaker sweeps us to the opulent and sometimes sinister world of Victorian England and introduces us to a woman whose inner strength will inspire everyone who reads it.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Big girls in 19th-century England don't cry in Graeme-Evans's light tale about a plucky heroine who endures a series of harsh trials on her way to becoming London's leading dressmaker. Things start to go south for curate's daughter Ellen Gowan on her 13th birthday, when the dress Connie, her mother, makes her, entices one of her father's students to steal a kiss. Scandal and ruination seem imminent when her father dies, forcing mother and daughter to seek refuge with Connie's sister, who lives in terror of her baronet husband. There, Ellen's friendship with her cousin, Oriana, blossoms, until once again a young man stirs trouble, and Connie and Ellen land in London, where Connie succumbs to illness and Ellen marries a cad who leaves her pregnant and alone. But with a little help from friends, family, and unlikely sources, Ellen becomes the go-to creator of "all manner of finery" for England's most prominent families. Yes, it's formulaic, far-fetched, and soppy with sentiment, but it's also a lot of fun, and Graeme-Evans (The Innocent) is unapologetic in her celebration of the joys of pretty clothes and the thrills of overcoming adversity.
