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She Wore Only White
At the turn of the twentieth century, five thousand people a day arrived at New York’s Ellis Island, their journeys to America signifying a new beginning. But the ocean crossing also has a deeper symbolic meaning: there comes a time for us all when we find ourselves afloat, between phases of our lives, where we say goodbye to our past and move on to new horizons.
For Valentina Meyer, harboring a deep secret of tremendous guilt and pain drives her to board a trans-Atlantic voyage as a stowaway, searching desperately for a new life on a distant shore. Accompanying her is a varied cast of eccentric and unique individuals, each in search of a new and better life. Finding solace—even love—in the companionship of their fellow guests, their arrival in America puts an abrupt end to their camaraderie as Valentina’s future is immediately put in jeopardy. A probing, affecting exploration of the hidden corners of the human heart, She Wore Only White is literature at its finest.
For Valentina Meyer, harboring a deep secret of tremendous guilt and pain drives her to board a trans-Atlantic voyage as a stowaway, searching desperately for a new life on a distant shore. Accompanying her is a varied cast of eccentric and unique individuals, each in search of a new and better life. Finding solace—even love—in the companionship of their fellow guests, their arrival in America puts an abrupt end to their camaraderie as Valentina’s future is immediately put in jeopardy. A probing, affecting exploration of the hidden corners of the human heart, She Wore Only White is literature at its finest.
284 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
390 people are currently reading
1508 people want to read
About the author
Dörthe Binkert
22 books12 followersDörte Binkert, born in Westfalia, studied German, Art History and Politics in Frankfurt.
She has been working as chief editor for various German publishers and is now living as a free-lance author and agent in Zurich.
Dr. phil. Dörthe Binkert wurde 1949 in Hagen in Westfalen geboren und wuchs in Frankfurt am Main auf. In Frankfurt studierte sie auch Germanistik, Kunstgeschichte und Politik. Nach ihrer Promotion arbeitete sie dreißig Jahre lang für große deutsche Publikumsverlage, u.a. als Cheflektorin. Sie veröffentliche zahlreiche Sachbücher, vor allem zu Frauenthemen.
Seit 2007 ist sie als freie Autorin tätig. Dörthe Binkert zog 1975 nach Zürich, wo sie bis heute lebt und arbeitet. 2008 erschien ihr erster historischer Roman Weit übers Meer, der zu Beginn des 20. Jahrhunderts auf einem Ozeandampfer spielt.
She has been working as chief editor for various German publishers and is now living as a free-lance author and agent in Zurich.
Dr. phil. Dörthe Binkert wurde 1949 in Hagen in Westfalen geboren und wuchs in Frankfurt am Main auf. In Frankfurt studierte sie auch Germanistik, Kunstgeschichte und Politik. Nach ihrer Promotion arbeitete sie dreißig Jahre lang für große deutsche Publikumsverlage, u.a. als Cheflektorin. Sie veröffentliche zahlreiche Sachbücher, vor allem zu Frauenthemen.
Seit 2007 ist sie als freie Autorin tätig. Dörthe Binkert zog 1975 nach Zürich, wo sie bis heute lebt und arbeitet. 2008 erschien ihr erster historischer Roman Weit übers Meer, der zu Beginn des 20. Jahrhunderts auf einem Ozeandampfer spielt.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 229 reviews
March 8, 2014
Three stars because I felt like the author was in a hurry to finish it... There was an amazing story built up of self discovery, of comraderie found among strangers, and then all of a sudden it was 'everybody off the ship, get on your way, and good riddance'. I would have liked to have had a few more chapters to delve into how the characters move forward from their newfound insights and intrigues. I also felt as though there were a few characters' stories thrown in with no real purpose other than to fill gaps, but definitely would have been more interesting if developed further... Other than the end, it was an excellent book!
June 7, 2014
Have you ever chosen a book from the title and the cover's art work alone? Well, that is how I chose this one. I had no idea what the story was about when I began. Now that I have finished it, what I take away is how the people we meet have the power to completely change the direction of our life, and that one chance brief encounter can stay with you forever. The book itself was a rich character study of so many people.... all brought together on a ship crossing the Atlantic. This story was created from a short newspaper article from long ago that caught the writer's attention. One woman in an evening gown stows away on an ocean liner. She had only the one dress, so what was remembered was that she wore only white. As always... this makes me only want to know the real story all the more.
June 21, 2013
This is not my 'normal' type of book and the cover would never have caught my eye but I had a free book voucher from Amazon to use on selected books so I bought 'She Only Wore White'.
This is essentially a romance novel, based on a true story and it follows a few different characters whilst they make a journey on a ship to New York. I found the story a bit slow but easy to read and interesting enough for me to continue reading. The characters where described very well and I had no trouble keeping up with each one of them. The main character is a woman dressed all in white and as the main character, I was expecting her to have more of an impact on me and the other characters than she did. She started off quite strong and ended up quite weak. I found her difficult to relate to and found it a bit annoying that she seemed to get every man that met her under her spell.
I probably wouldn't have paid for this book but I think that if you are a fan of this genre, you will enjoy this book. I am not a fan of this genre and didn't dislike the story.
This is essentially a romance novel, based on a true story and it follows a few different characters whilst they make a journey on a ship to New York. I found the story a bit slow but easy to read and interesting enough for me to continue reading. The characters where described very well and I had no trouble keeping up with each one of them. The main character is a woman dressed all in white and as the main character, I was expecting her to have more of an impact on me and the other characters than she did. She started off quite strong and ended up quite weak. I found her difficult to relate to and found it a bit annoying that she seemed to get every man that met her under her spell.
I probably wouldn't have paid for this book but I think that if you are a fan of this genre, you will enjoy this book. I am not a fan of this genre and didn't dislike the story.
November 15, 2014
The story is intriguing, but the writing is borderline terrible. The author can't decide whether she's telling the story in third person limited (from the perspective of 1, 2, 3, or 10 different characters) or in third person omniscient, and this can change from one sentence to the next. Oh, and did I mention that the prologue and epilogue are in first person by a narrator that has virtually nothing to do with the story? The back stories are misplaced, sometimes unnecessary and cumbersome. The quotations (from where?) are just completely confusing. A lot of this probably comes from the fact that the author is used to writing non-fiction. There are a few issues with the translation, but those are definitely secondary to the general writing style.
I really wanted to like this book, and as I mentioned earlier, the story is intriguing, but someone else should have written it.
I really wanted to like this book, and as I mentioned earlier, the story is intriguing, but someone else should have written it.
March 22, 2014
This story, of historical fiction,was written about the cruise ship S.S. Kroonland on a 9 day voyage from Antwerp to Ellis Island (near New York), near the turn of the 20th century, a little before the time of the Titanic.
The German author found her inspiration from a newspaper clipping about a beautiful, mysterious stowaway, in a white evening gown, on this ship - and wove a compelling story about the intertwining of this lady with several other of the first class passengers.
I actually felt like a passenger on this ship - and thoroughly enjoyed the stories that unfolded. It is a fascinating time in history!
It was disappointing to have so little revealed about how the lives of the characters unfolded after the 9 day cruise was over! Still, that is life!
The German author found her inspiration from a newspaper clipping about a beautiful, mysterious stowaway, in a white evening gown, on this ship - and wove a compelling story about the intertwining of this lady with several other of the first class passengers.
I actually felt like a passenger on this ship - and thoroughly enjoyed the stories that unfolded. It is a fascinating time in history!
It was disappointing to have so little revealed about how the lives of the characters unfolded after the 9 day cruise was over! Still, that is life!
September 21, 2016
No plot. Went nowhere and made little sense. Dont even know why I wasted time with it. I guess since it was based on a true story, I thought something might "happen". Didnt.
June 30, 2024
Den Anfang fand ich noch reizend, mutete die Geschichte wie ein alter schwarz weiß Film an. Aber dann verlor sich dieser Effekt und die Geschichte artete in Belangloses ab.
Dagegen fand ich ihr Buch "Brombeersommer" so gut.
Dagegen fand ich ihr Buch "Brombeersommer" so gut.
July 18, 2014
A young woman, dressed in a stunning evening gown of white, boards a NYC bound ocean liner in Antwerp and immediately stirs up gossip and speculation. In 1902 when the Kroonland sets sail on a crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, Valentina boards at the last moment and throws herself upon the mercy of a senior crewman that she knows. Once the ship has set sail, he brings the young woman to the captain. Valentina admits to being a stowaway and throws herself upon the mercy of the captain. She says that she is running away from her old life and hopes to begin anew in New York. Since she is obviously a lady of quality, she is given a stateroom to stay in and told that she may only have freedom of the ship in the evening due to her lack of otherwise suitable clothing. Along the way she is helped by several others who make her journey tolerable and she also manages to fall in love - even though she is running away from a husband and the recent death of a child.
As we follow Valentina's journey we meet several noteworthy characters: a sculptor whose work will be displayed at the World's Fair in St. Louis, a married gentleman who is traveling with his newly pregnant mistress, a young man and his frail sister, the ship's doctor, and the pompous captain along with Jan, the officer who helped Valentina escape her life. Each of these characters would be worthy of a book of their own as their backstories are full of twists as turns. But as so often happens on board a ship, we are allowed only a cross-section of these stories pertaining to their relationships while at sea.
She Wore Only White is based on a true story and gives us insight into the trials and tribulations of not only the lower classes (steerage) but also of those priviledged first-class travelers. I would have liked a bit more in the way of interaction between the classes. The dialogue felt stilted (translation perhaps from the original book?) and the entire thing was much too introspective for me. There were no disasters like with Titanic, although some of the characters could have done with an ice-berg sized shake-up.
As we follow Valentina's journey we meet several noteworthy characters: a sculptor whose work will be displayed at the World's Fair in St. Louis, a married gentleman who is traveling with his newly pregnant mistress, a young man and his frail sister, the ship's doctor, and the pompous captain along with Jan, the officer who helped Valentina escape her life. Each of these characters would be worthy of a book of their own as their backstories are full of twists as turns. But as so often happens on board a ship, we are allowed only a cross-section of these stories pertaining to their relationships while at sea.
She Wore Only White is based on a true story and gives us insight into the trials and tribulations of not only the lower classes (steerage) but also of those priviledged first-class travelers. I would have liked a bit more in the way of interaction between the classes. The dialogue felt stilted (translation perhaps from the original book?) and the entire thing was much too introspective for me. There were no disasters like with Titanic, although some of the characters could have done with an ice-berg sized shake-up.
March 11, 2012
This is kind of an unusual book from the inspiration even to the way the story comes together. This book was inspired by an old newspaper article about a woman stowaway in a white evening gown.
The book starts out promising with a group of first class passengers boarding a boat headed to NY with a mysterious and elegant stowaway without a male escort on board. Amongst the passengers relationships bloom, promises are broken and the characters secrets are VERY slowly revealed.
Valentina the main character and the "woman who only wears white" is escaping an unhappy love life and a mysterious past. We also have Henri who is an outlandish and philandering sort of man. Then there's Billie who is a mistress, William who is also a philanderer and who is envious of the possessions of others, there's Lily who is one of the only genuine characters on board and finally there's the love interest of Valentina, Thomas. Then there are many other couples aboard whom we are very briefly introduced to.
What could've been a very interesting and original story was bogged down by not enough character development in the beginning of the book. Almost immediately after you are introduced to the characters aboard the flashbacks and even flash-forwards start. The flashbacks and flash-forwards are told from alternating character point-of-views and interviews with the ships crew, one after the other. Personally, I found it confusing since it started so early in the book (in the 1st or 2nd chapter) and continued on. I thought this book would've been better if the characters were more developed before the flashbacks began. Flashbacks and flash-forwards are a difficult thing to make fluid in this type of storyline and in my opinion there were way too many of them.
Overall, this is a decent book and if you are looking for a unique type of historial romance or character study then you will probably enjoy it. If you are a reader who doesn't enjoy constant flashbacks and flash-forwards in the plotline then you probably will not enjoy this book.
The book starts out promising with a group of first class passengers boarding a boat headed to NY with a mysterious and elegant stowaway without a male escort on board. Amongst the passengers relationships bloom, promises are broken and the characters secrets are VERY slowly revealed.
Valentina the main character and the "woman who only wears white" is escaping an unhappy love life and a mysterious past. We also have Henri who is an outlandish and philandering sort of man. Then there's Billie who is a mistress, William who is also a philanderer and who is envious of the possessions of others, there's Lily who is one of the only genuine characters on board and finally there's the love interest of Valentina, Thomas. Then there are many other couples aboard whom we are very briefly introduced to.
What could've been a very interesting and original story was bogged down by not enough character development in the beginning of the book. Almost immediately after you are introduced to the characters aboard the flashbacks and even flash-forwards start. The flashbacks and flash-forwards are told from alternating character point-of-views and interviews with the ships crew, one after the other. Personally, I found it confusing since it started so early in the book (in the 1st or 2nd chapter) and continued on. I thought this book would've been better if the characters were more developed before the flashbacks began. Flashbacks and flash-forwards are a difficult thing to make fluid in this type of storyline and in my opinion there were way too many of them.
Overall, this is a decent book and if you are looking for a unique type of historial romance or character study then you will probably enjoy it. If you are a reader who doesn't enjoy constant flashbacks and flash-forwards in the plotline then you probably will not enjoy this book.
March 11, 2012
3.5 stars
"The storms within us are oftentimes more tempestuous than the storms at sea."
Antwerp, 1904. The SS Kroonland is preparing to sail for Ellis Island when a woman clad in a white ball gown and diamond earrings arrives at the gangplank and walks on board. She has no money, no luggage, no identification and no ticket. What events could drive a woman to just walk away from a comfortable life with nothing but the clothes on her back? And what of her fellow passengers on the SS Kroonland? Might they have a ghost or two in their own past lives that need to be exorcised?
That's pretty much all you need to know, this is one of those get a bunch of strangers into a room together and watch all the layers of their past lives slowly peel away, forever changing them and sending them into new, uncharted territory. The author based her story on a real woman in white who stowed away on the SS Kroonland, but her characters are completely fictional. There are a lot of POV switches and flashbacks, and while I thought they worked well in this story, I suspect some readers might be driven to distraction by them. I'd also have liked to see more character development and emotional connections, but despite those quibbles it was a satisfying read overall. 3.5/5 stars.
Reviewed for Amazon Vine.
"The storms within us are oftentimes more tempestuous than the storms at sea."
Antwerp, 1904. The SS Kroonland is preparing to sail for Ellis Island when a woman clad in a white ball gown and diamond earrings arrives at the gangplank and walks on board. She has no money, no luggage, no identification and no ticket. What events could drive a woman to just walk away from a comfortable life with nothing but the clothes on her back? And what of her fellow passengers on the SS Kroonland? Might they have a ghost or two in their own past lives that need to be exorcised?
That's pretty much all you need to know, this is one of those get a bunch of strangers into a room together and watch all the layers of their past lives slowly peel away, forever changing them and sending them into new, uncharted territory. The author based her story on a real woman in white who stowed away on the SS Kroonland, but her characters are completely fictional. There are a lot of POV switches and flashbacks, and while I thought they worked well in this story, I suspect some readers might be driven to distraction by them. I'd also have liked to see more character development and emotional connections, but despite those quibbles it was a satisfying read overall. 3.5/5 stars.
Reviewed for Amazon Vine.
June 29, 2014
I loved it.
If you love historical romance with a little drama added in for good measure, are fascinated with stories about Titanic, then you will really enjoy this. Although this is not about the Titanic it is about another Red Star Line ship and it really gives you a feel of what it would have been like to be on a luxury liner in that time period.
I believe ever one in life has a moment in time when they wish they could just drop everything they are doing and run away. A chance to start over again.
This is about a woman who does just that when her life, after a tragedy, just doesn't seem worth living. Every corner in your home, every person you see, every song you hear is a reminder of what you lost and you just want to get away from it all to find some peace.
This is a beautifully written story, with characters you feel you know and a storyline that breaks your heart at times, fills you with joy at others and reminds you how fragile life and love are.
I couldn't put it down till I found out how it ended. There were a few parts that were a little slow but it took nothing from the story. Recommend Highly.
If you love historical romance with a little drama added in for good measure, are fascinated with stories about Titanic, then you will really enjoy this. Although this is not about the Titanic it is about another Red Star Line ship and it really gives you a feel of what it would have been like to be on a luxury liner in that time period.
I believe ever one in life has a moment in time when they wish they could just drop everything they are doing and run away. A chance to start over again.
This is about a woman who does just that when her life, after a tragedy, just doesn't seem worth living. Every corner in your home, every person you see, every song you hear is a reminder of what you lost and you just want to get away from it all to find some peace.
This is a beautifully written story, with characters you feel you know and a storyline that breaks your heart at times, fills you with joy at others and reminds you how fragile life and love are.
I couldn't put it down till I found out how it ended. There were a few parts that were a little slow but it took nothing from the story. Recommend Highly.
May 7, 2014
A 'period piece' story with an inconclusive ending, this book left me less than impressed. The characters are reminiscent of Victorian novels without much intrigue. The story is apparently based on a news story from about 1904. How it is that all these various and sundry personages 'fall in love' in the course of a sea voyage is beyond me. I suppose it could have used some more development but the story has a strange ending that doesn't resolve much, if anything. This book is a translation, apparently, so perhaps that accounts for what felt as though it was missing. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who enjoys solid character development and some amount of resolution in what they read but I suppose it would be an easy 'beach read' if you're not looking for much substance.
July 5, 2018
Not a very good book. It is based on a true story at least the part about a lady in white. The ending felt hurried and the rest of the book just felt obsessive over the lady in white. I saw her omg did you. Where is she now?? Doesn't make for a good read.
October 31, 2013
For those of you who like a mysterious story line and a bit of romance this is a great book. The main character boards a ship as a castaway. The scene is set in the time of Titantic giving you a sense of reliving a trip aboard with a completely different story line. I wonder what other readers think of the conclusion of the book?
September 12, 2014
There wasn't much of a plot. The story takes place on an ocean liner from Antwerp to New York. A woman dressed only in white boarded the ship with no money no ticket and no luggage. She was not taked off the ship but was given first class accomodations. She turned the mens heads. After she gets to NewYork she is sent back to Antwerp.
October 21, 2016
I should have known this book would be bad as it was so cheap. The premise sounded interesting--an elegant woman stowaway. However, the story focused more on Henri who falls in love with every woman he meets. The passengers are a motley crew of unbelievable characters. The writing is choppy and immature. Don't bother!
December 25, 2017
Got 40% through with no discernable plot or engaging theme. Gave up.
April 1, 2018
An interesting idea, the mysterious lady in white and all, but it turned out to be more like an episode of the Love Boat.
June 2, 2020
This book was disappointing to me since the blurb for it had made it seem much more interesting than it turned out to be. The novel starts out with a young woman, Valentine, going on board a ship wearing a white evening gown. It turns out that she is a stowaway. She had run away from her husband and the life she was living. That part of it was interesting. However, the plot went downhill after the interesting beginning. The novel then tells the story of how she and other characters become involved with each other during the yoyage from Antwerp, Belgium and New York City. Valentine's story is only part of the novel.
The plot involved a lot of melodrama which included people falling in love upon sight of each other, a desperate sister attempting suicide when her brother falls in love, a young woman who has been living as a mistress for many years facing a difficult decision, and a man falling in love with someone after he realizes mistakes he has made in is past. I don't think it was a terrible book because I liked the character of Henri and how he changed during the story. The ending was very abrupt as well and definitely left loose ends. I will not be recommending this book.
The plot involved a lot of melodrama which included people falling in love upon sight of each other, a desperate sister attempting suicide when her brother falls in love, a young woman who has been living as a mistress for many years facing a difficult decision, and a man falling in love with someone after he realizes mistakes he has made in is past. I don't think it was a terrible book because I liked the character of Henri and how he changed during the story. The ending was very abrupt as well and definitely left loose ends. I will not be recommending this book.
August 11, 2019
Old Tyme Drama on the High Seas! I liked this because I love the Titanic and family history and the story took place around the same time frame as my great-grandparents were sailing to America. Though we didn't see a lot of the steerage passengers in this story ;) I was entertained by first class ladies being appalled at getting called by their first names! And being asked a personal question... how dare you?! And falling in love at first sight and the gossip being passed around the ship! As a current cruiser I can't imagine developing such relationships over the course of a week or fraternizing with officers on board! But then they didn't have ports of call to visit or live productions to go watch - they only had each other! I liked all the descriptions and I was surprisingly able to keep track of all the characters for the most part.
May 23, 2025
Interesting book, horrible ending. I enjoyed the descriptions of steamship travel at the turn of the century, especially since I had ancestors who came over on the Kroonland in the same decade. The characters’ interactions and backstories were interesting, if overly dramatic at times. There wasn’t much character development, but that’s hardly surprising when the book’s timeline is only a nine day ocean voyage. The ending, however, left much to be desired. I’m not a fan of open-ended conclusions, but I could forgive that if the ending hadn’t been extremely rushed. It felt like the author didn’t know how to end the book, so she just wrote something quick to be done with it.
May 29, 2017
I would prefer a 2.5 rating if possible. The story is based on a true New York Times article printed August 3,1904 about a woman who crossing the ocean in an evening gown on a liner without another dress. It started out very interesting, but I would be hard pressed to tell you what the plot was. Most of the characters were interesting but the love affairs that sprang up seemed implausible. The story was fragmented throughout and the ending seemed incomplete and hurried.
July 1, 2018
I enjoyed the story. I did not love the ending. It is a personal thing. I do not like things to be open ended. I want everything tied up in a pretty bow and felt disappointed that it was not. That being said it does tie up enough that it is not a complete loss. Overall I enjoyed it. I probably will not reread it or recommend it to my friends, but if you enjoy these types of book you will probably enjoy this one as well.
August 12, 2018
I hated this book solely for the ending. It was terrible and left the story hanging in all the wrong places. I understand it is loosely based and I mean loosely based on a real story but the author had a chance to take it somewhere and just didn't. I really enjoyed the characters and their stories although I did not like how tedious and difficult it was to get through each character's story but mostly I am just completely unsatisfied at how truly unfinished this book was. Very disappointed.
February 12, 2025
I was looking for a book on Ellis Island and this came up. However it was not about the island, but a group of folks on a ship heading there. I pushed myself to get through it. In the end, there was not a lot of closure of the numerous characters introduced in the story. It was a bit far fetched how so many of them "fell in love" so quickly and over such a short amount of time.
Overall it was just OK.
Overall it was just OK.
October 16, 2017
The book started slow for me but did eventually get more interesting. It has a good mix of characters but some were not as well developed as I would have liked. The premise for the novel sounds very intriguing; however, I didn't see Valentina as the main character or most interesting one, either. I liked Henri!
April 24, 2018
Very easy to read! Extremely likable
I really liked this book. It kept the reader interested and inspired me to keep going. It was tragic but hopeful; the only complaint I have is Valentina’s odd, underdeveloped relationship with Thomas. But still a very good book and worth the read!
I really liked this book. It kept the reader interested and inspired me to keep going. It was tragic but hopeful; the only complaint I have is Valentina’s odd, underdeveloped relationship with Thomas. But still a very good book and worth the read!
May 3, 2018
This book was a bore. Granted, I listened to the audible version, but I have no idea what the purpose of the story was -- and no the afterword didn't help -- or which character was which. Honestly, not worth the time, and I so rarely can't find any real positive commentary about a book.
October 24, 2018
A mysterious woman in an evening gown
Everyone on the ship speculated. Many passengers battle personal demons as well as sea sickness. Lives cross and records die with significance. This book,although translated, does not seem so
Everyone on the ship speculated. Many passengers battle personal demons as well as sea sickness. Lives cross and records die with significance. This book,although translated, does not seem so
January 1, 2019
A voyage without end
The lives of laser gets on this ship to America become enlivened and entangled by the woman in the white dress. She touches and changes the lives of several passengers and reshaped her own life as well.
The lives of laser gets on this ship to America become enlivened and entangled by the woman in the white dress. She touches and changes the lives of several passengers and reshaped her own life as well.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 229 reviews