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The Dressmaker
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Historical Fiction (2012)Tess, an aspiring seamstress, thinks she’s had an incredibly lucky break when she is hired by famous designer Lady Lucile Duff Gordon to be her personal maid on the Titanic. Once on board, Tess catches the eye of two men—a kind sailor and an enigmatic Chicago businessman—who offer differing views of what lies ahead for her in America. But on the fourth night, disaster strikes, and amidst the chaos, Tess is one of the last people allowed on a lifeboat.
The survivors are rescued and taken to New York, but when rumors begin to circulate about the choices they made, Tess is forced to confront a serious question. Did Lady Duff Gordon save herself at the expense of others? Torn between loyalty to Lucile and her growing suspicion that the media’s charges might be true, Tess must decide whether to stay quiet and keep her fiery mentor’s good will or face what might be true and forever change her future.
The survivors are rescued and taken to New York, but when rumors begin to circulate about the choices they made, Tess is forced to confront a serious question. Did Lady Duff Gordon save herself at the expense of others? Torn between loyalty to Lucile and her growing suspicion that the media’s charges might be true, Tess must decide whether to stay quiet and keep her fiery mentor’s good will or face what might be true and forever change her future.
384 pages, Paperback
First published February 21, 2012
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About the author
Kate Alcott
16 books482 followersKate Alcott is the pseudonym for journalist Patricia O’Brien, who has written several books, both fiction and nonfiction. As Kate Alcott, she is the author of The Dressmaker (a New York Times bestseller), The Daring Ladies of Lowell, and A Touch of Stardust. She lives in Washington, D.C.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,913 reviews
May 26, 2012
I am disappointed in this book. Despite the inherently dramatic and heart-rending disaster at the heart of the story, Alcott created a story lacking in emotion.
Maybe I've been watching too much Downtown Abbey, but Tess didn't ring true at all. This young woman was raised in England and had been in service for at least a year; she should have been well aware of the expected behaviors and privileges associated with the different classes. Alcott could have created a character who was rebelling against the class system, or even trying to change her class. Either attitude would have resonated with modern readers. Instead Tess acts completely oblivious to the divisions. For example,
I didn't like Lucille from the start. Finding one main character unrealistic and unbelievable and the other unlikable made it difficult to immerse myself in the book.
The scene when the Titanic sank was almost boring. Alcott did manage to create a little sorrow in the immediate aftermath, but overall the event that left so many dead seemed almost like an inconvenience for her characters rather than a great tragedy.
Maybe I've been watching too much Downtown Abbey, but Tess didn't ring true at all. This young woman was raised in England and had been in service for at least a year; she should have been well aware of the expected behaviors and privileges associated with the different classes. Alcott could have created a character who was rebelling against the class system, or even trying to change her class. Either attitude would have resonated with modern readers. Instead Tess acts completely oblivious to the divisions. For example,
I didn't like Lucille from the start. Finding one main character unrealistic and unbelievable and the other unlikable made it difficult to immerse myself in the book.
The scene when the Titanic sank was almost boring. Alcott did manage to create a little sorrow in the immediate aftermath, but overall the event that left so many dead seemed almost like an inconvenience for her characters rather than a great tragedy.
January 22, 2019
This book was a different take on the Titanic sinking. Told from the viewpoint of a young woman who wanted desperately to leave England. She was working as a cleaning lady but was very skilled in dressmaking. She arrives at the departure gate just as Lady Duff Gordon, a world renounced dressmaker, just gets the news that her assistant will not be coming with her. After a brief discussion Tess is hired as a maid.
While on board Tess catches the eye of two very different men, a rich handsome self made man and a sailor who is going to America to find a new life. She discovers that all is not as it seems, including the two men, who both survive and the extremely wealthy who belong in the Duff Gordon's circle. After surviving the sinking and arriving in New York there is much controversy about the "millionaire boat" that held only 12 people that refused to come back for more people. There were also many men on board. The reporting of the investigation changes many lives including Tess's (she was on another lifeboat).
This is a story of bravery and the "class system" in which most of the survivors were from the first class section.
The characters are very well drawn, Tess is a young woman looking to make a new life in America, Pinky a voracious reporter but lonely soul, Jim the sailor with great carving skills and many others too numerous to report.
I would recommend this book to lovers of anything Titanic and also historical fiction lovers. The facts are real, the story is fiction.
While on board Tess catches the eye of two very different men, a rich handsome self made man and a sailor who is going to America to find a new life. She discovers that all is not as it seems, including the two men, who both survive and the extremely wealthy who belong in the Duff Gordon's circle. After surviving the sinking and arriving in New York there is much controversy about the "millionaire boat" that held only 12 people that refused to come back for more people. There were also many men on board. The reporting of the investigation changes many lives including Tess's (she was on another lifeboat).
This is a story of bravery and the "class system" in which most of the survivors were from the first class section.
The characters are very well drawn, Tess is a young woman looking to make a new life in America, Pinky a voracious reporter but lonely soul, Jim the sailor with great carving skills and many others too numerous to report.
I would recommend this book to lovers of anything Titanic and also historical fiction lovers. The facts are real, the story is fiction.
August 11, 2014
Set in 1912, The Dressmaker tells the story of Tess Collins, an aspiring dressmaker, who manages to find a job working for the world renowned dress designer Lady Lucile Duff-Gordon as a maid while she and her husband travel to America on board the Titanic. On board the ship, Tess meets two men, one an older but handsome Millionaire and the other an attractive, kind and good-hearted sailor and develops feelings for both of them. This is a tale about the aftermath of the disaster and about Tess, her dreams for her career as a dress designer and finding love.
The Dressmaker is an engrossing, compelling and well-written story of the aftermath of the Titanic's sinking with interesting and well-developed characters. It is a mostly fictional book set around factual events. I really enjoyed this novel. It was very hard to put it down. I loved all the historical details about the Titanic and its survivors. I liked this unique take on the Titanic disaster. Not many books about the Titanic sinking feature the aftermath of it and how survivors try to deal with what happened and move on.
Most of the characters were quite likable and easy to relate to. The character I liked best of all was Pinky Wade. The Duff-Gordon's and Elinor Glyn weren't likable at all. The three of them came off as being cold and manipulating. I had complicated feelings for some of the characters. I really liked the character of Tess but sometimes she annoyed me. Tess was very fickle at times and I got pissed off at her and just wanted her to make up her mind already!
This book was a great attempt of a debut novel and I look forward to reading more from this author!
4 Stars!
The Dressmaker is an engrossing, compelling and well-written story of the aftermath of the Titanic's sinking with interesting and well-developed characters. It is a mostly fictional book set around factual events. I really enjoyed this novel. It was very hard to put it down. I loved all the historical details about the Titanic and its survivors. I liked this unique take on the Titanic disaster. Not many books about the Titanic sinking feature the aftermath of it and how survivors try to deal with what happened and move on.
Most of the characters were quite likable and easy to relate to. The character I liked best of all was Pinky Wade. The Duff-Gordon's and Elinor Glyn weren't likable at all. The three of them came off as being cold and manipulating. I had complicated feelings for some of the characters. I really liked the character of Tess but sometimes she annoyed me. Tess was very fickle at times and I got pissed off at her and just wanted her to make up her mind already!
This book was a great attempt of a debut novel and I look forward to reading more from this author!
4 Stars!
March 27, 2012
This should have been a slam-dunk for me, since I *am* a dressmaker and a hard-core Titanic enthusiast. But no.
Flat, unlikable characters (the more I was obviously supposed to like them, the less I did) and the most boring retelling of an incredible story I've ever read. Couldn't even get through it all; by the middle I was just skimming. This book suffers from the worst sort of historical writing error - that of giving everyone a 'modern' sensibility. Plus, I hated how the author tried to create villains from among the genuine historical people. The sinking of the Titanic was a horrific tragedy, and none of the people involved were villains. The shipbuilders built the most technologically advanced ship of their age, and it was stocked with lifeboats in accordance with the regulations of a ship of its size. The crew did their best, and most of them were genuine heroes. The passengers behaved in an amazingly brave manner for the most part, and the few who didn't? They weren't villains either, they were just frightened, traumatized people. It's easy for an author to look back and point fingers, but that's a foolish thing to do. I will not be reading any more of this author's books.
Flat, unlikable characters (the more I was obviously supposed to like them, the less I did) and the most boring retelling of an incredible story I've ever read. Couldn't even get through it all; by the middle I was just skimming. This book suffers from the worst sort of historical writing error - that of giving everyone a 'modern' sensibility. Plus, I hated how the author tried to create villains from among the genuine historical people. The sinking of the Titanic was a horrific tragedy, and none of the people involved were villains. The shipbuilders built the most technologically advanced ship of their age, and it was stocked with lifeboats in accordance with the regulations of a ship of its size. The crew did their best, and most of them were genuine heroes. The passengers behaved in an amazingly brave manner for the most part, and the few who didn't? They weren't villains either, they were just frightened, traumatized people. It's easy for an author to look back and point fingers, but that's a foolish thing to do. I will not be reading any more of this author's books.
September 8, 2016
Look at this cover!!!! It's gorgeous right?
I was really expecting a romantic, titanic tale with some rich designer or something. This was pretty good, but it wasn't that....
In a nutshell this is a fictional story trying to answer why did only one life-boat go back to rescue overboard passengers from the titanic. Alcott really focuses in on one boat in particular- Lifeboat #1, the Duff-Gordon's boat.
I am warning you I think I am about to go on a "Kristy Ramble".
This book was very informative, like spitting out facts (even if they were fictional). I later found out Alcott was a former journalist and she definitely wrote this book like a journalist... I hope that makes sense.
Also, this thing needed to make up it's mind. Are you a romance book? If so, there needed to be a lot more! If not, there needed to be less.
I needed more emotion! You were on the Titanic for cripes sake! Like I said, everything was just so factual, so robotic. The sinking, the imaginary-read-between-the-lines romance, the court case.
Decent, but I am now on the lookout for a good Titanic story.
3 stars
Peace out lovelies.
This and other reviews (and other fun stuff) over on my blog
Messyhousehappylife
I was really expecting a romantic, titanic tale with some rich designer or something. This was pretty good, but it wasn't that....
In a nutshell this is a fictional story trying to answer why did only one life-boat go back to rescue overboard passengers from the titanic. Alcott really focuses in on one boat in particular- Lifeboat #1, the Duff-Gordon's boat.
I am warning you I think I am about to go on a "Kristy Ramble".
This book was very informative, like spitting out facts (even if they were fictional). I later found out Alcott was a former journalist and she definitely wrote this book like a journalist... I hope that makes sense.
Also, this thing needed to make up it's mind. Are you a romance book? If so, there needed to be a lot more! If not, there needed to be less.
I needed more emotion! You were on the Titanic for cripes sake! Like I said, everything was just so factual, so robotic. The sinking, the imaginary-read-between-the-lines romance, the court case.
Decent, but I am now on the lookout for a good Titanic story.
3 stars
Peace out lovelies.
This and other reviews (and other fun stuff) over on my blog
Messyhousehappylife
July 1, 2022
Absolutely unputdownable!
The book starts as Tess Collins, an aspiring dressmaker, talks her way on to the Titanic as a maid to Lady Lucile Duff Gordon, an internationally famous couture designer. After they both survived the sinking of the Titanic, Tess starts working in the mercurial designer’s shop, while rumors and accusations surround Lady and Sir Duff Gordon as to what actually happened in their lifeboat on that fateful night.
As a U. S. Senate inquiry convenes about the Titanic disaster, a plucky female NY Times reporter, Pinky Wade, befriends Tess while investigating what occurred on the Titanic. Tess and Pinky have to eventually decide what is more important: their careers or their self respect and the truth.
This book is wonderfully written, with well portrayed characters. Some are real, and some are fictional. Much of the testimony in the book is taken directly from the transcripts of the U.S. Senate hearings in the aftermath of the sinking of the Titanic. The fictionalized parts of the book add a lot of atmosphere to the story, as a well written historical fiction should.
This book is a definite recommend.
The book starts as Tess Collins, an aspiring dressmaker, talks her way on to the Titanic as a maid to Lady Lucile Duff Gordon, an internationally famous couture designer. After they both survived the sinking of the Titanic, Tess starts working in the mercurial designer’s shop, while rumors and accusations surround Lady and Sir Duff Gordon as to what actually happened in their lifeboat on that fateful night.
As a U. S. Senate inquiry convenes about the Titanic disaster, a plucky female NY Times reporter, Pinky Wade, befriends Tess while investigating what occurred on the Titanic. Tess and Pinky have to eventually decide what is more important: their careers or their self respect and the truth.
This book is wonderfully written, with well portrayed characters. Some are real, and some are fictional. Much of the testimony in the book is taken directly from the transcripts of the U.S. Senate hearings in the aftermath of the sinking of the Titanic. The fictionalized parts of the book add a lot of atmosphere to the story, as a well written historical fiction should.
This book is a definite recommend.
November 18, 2011
The basic plot outline: Tess Collins chafes at the life as a servant, and wants to realize her true skills as a seamstress, and whilst looking for opportunities at the dock she catches the attention of Lucile Duff Gordon. Lady Lucy is minus a maid at the last minute, Tess gets the gig and before you know it servant Tess is out of steerage and walking the main decks of the Titanic, literally *bumping* into folks left and right (including the very wealthy and still married Jack Bremerton).
I think everyone knows the fate of the Titanic so you know what happens next, just be warned that it happens fairly early on in the book, so if you're expecting the novel to focus on the actual voyage and sinking you might be a bit disappointed. The bulk of the book focuses on what happens to Tess after her arrival in New York, a decision between the two men in her life, as well as the ensuing hearings regarding the catastrophe and ultimate responsibility. Lucile Duff Gordon was a famous couture and her actions during the sinking of the Titanic were...well...a bit scandalous.
That's pretty much it in a nutshell, and I have to say this one didn't exactly bowl me over. I really would have liked to have seen more of life on the ship, and more of the sinking itself. This was more like wham bam thank you ma'am and it was over before the book had barely started and no real emotional impact to me as a reader. Lucile's character was rather shallow, but not in the way that I enjoy watching a self-centered socialite, but that there was nothing there and no real character development. I really had a hard time swallowing the Lucile/Tess relationship - a women of her social standing in that era wouldn't socialize with a servant, let alone them bringing her along to dinner at the Palm Court or for a shopping spree at Macy's, and even discussing business practices! For me it all seemed a rather contrived plot device to get Tess into a dressmaking shop and into the lives of the upper crust.
All in all a rather *meh* book, and very much on the lighter side of historical fiction. I did enjoy learning about Lucile (that was a new one to me), I liked the character of Molly Brown a lot (but Debbie Reynolds did it better, natch), and the hearings were very much the high point for me. I see most other reviewers had much more positive reactions than I did so it's probably just me again. It usually is.
I think everyone knows the fate of the Titanic so you know what happens next, just be warned that it happens fairly early on in the book, so if you're expecting the novel to focus on the actual voyage and sinking you might be a bit disappointed. The bulk of the book focuses on what happens to Tess after her arrival in New York, a decision between the two men in her life, as well as the ensuing hearings regarding the catastrophe and ultimate responsibility. Lucile Duff Gordon was a famous couture and her actions during the sinking of the Titanic were...well...a bit scandalous.
That's pretty much it in a nutshell, and I have to say this one didn't exactly bowl me over. I really would have liked to have seen more of life on the ship, and more of the sinking itself. This was more like wham bam thank you ma'am and it was over before the book had barely started and no real emotional impact to me as a reader. Lucile's character was rather shallow, but not in the way that I enjoy watching a self-centered socialite, but that there was nothing there and no real character development. I really had a hard time swallowing the Lucile/Tess relationship - a women of her social standing in that era wouldn't socialize with a servant, let alone them bringing her along to dinner at the Palm Court or for a shopping spree at Macy's, and even discussing business practices! For me it all seemed a rather contrived plot device to get Tess into a dressmaking shop and into the lives of the upper crust.
All in all a rather *meh* book, and very much on the lighter side of historical fiction. I did enjoy learning about Lucile (that was a new one to me), I liked the character of Molly Brown a lot (but Debbie Reynolds did it better, natch), and the hearings were very much the high point for me. I see most other reviewers had much more positive reactions than I did so it's probably just me again. It usually is.
March 5, 2012
I really liked this book even with the romance storyline; it made me want to do research on what happened after the sinking of the Titanic and to learn more about the survivors, which to me is what makes a good historical fiction book. We all know the story of the sinking of the Titanic but I for one knew almost nothing about the aftermath, the scandal of what happened on the lifeboats, and the senate hearings.
This book is about more than just the aftermath of the Titanic but that is the backdrop that makes it fascinating. A young lady named Tess is an aspiring dressmaker and is hoping to get a job on the Titanic to get passage to America however no jobs are to be found the day of sailing while on the dock wondering what to do but not willing to give up she overhears a conversation, famous designer Lady Duff Gordon’s maid isn’t going to make the trip and Tess jumps at the chance and talks the woman into hiring her. Tess is astounded by the opulence of the ship and is also enamored by Lady Duff Gordon. But as we all know the trip does not go as planned but it is what happens afterwards that makes this story. Tess and the Duff Gordon’s are in separate lifeboats and the rumors about what happened in the Duff Gordon’s boat are shocking and to Tess completely unbelievable, but what really happened, is her new boss what she thought or are the stories true?
There is also a bit of a chaste love triangle involving Tess which didn’t deter me from my enjoyment of this book it actually added nicely to the story and fleshed out the character of Tess. The other characters in this book were all well fleshed out and believable.
I really enjoyed this book and stayed up till 3 am finishing it because I just needed to know what was going to happen with Tess. I would actually love a second book to find out what happens to Tess next and if she ended up fulfilling her American dream.
I highly recommend this well written historical drama.
4 ½ Stars
I received this book from Librarything Early Reviewers Program
This book is about more than just the aftermath of the Titanic but that is the backdrop that makes it fascinating. A young lady named Tess is an aspiring dressmaker and is hoping to get a job on the Titanic to get passage to America however no jobs are to be found the day of sailing while on the dock wondering what to do but not willing to give up she overhears a conversation, famous designer Lady Duff Gordon’s maid isn’t going to make the trip and Tess jumps at the chance and talks the woman into hiring her. Tess is astounded by the opulence of the ship and is also enamored by Lady Duff Gordon. But as we all know the trip does not go as planned but it is what happens afterwards that makes this story. Tess and the Duff Gordon’s are in separate lifeboats and the rumors about what happened in the Duff Gordon’s boat are shocking and to Tess completely unbelievable, but what really happened, is her new boss what she thought or are the stories true?
There is also a bit of a chaste love triangle involving Tess which didn’t deter me from my enjoyment of this book it actually added nicely to the story and fleshed out the character of Tess. The other characters in this book were all well fleshed out and believable.
I really enjoyed this book and stayed up till 3 am finishing it because I just needed to know what was going to happen with Tess. I would actually love a second book to find out what happens to Tess next and if she ended up fulfilling her American dream.
I highly recommend this well written historical drama.
4 ½ Stars
I received this book from Librarything Early Reviewers Program
March 21, 2012
Where I got the book: audiobook from my local library.
I read this book because I got into a discussion with Misfit about the likelihood of heroine Tess having a close relationship with the employer to whom she was supposed to be a maid. And then it's about the Titanic, and we really need more novels about the Titanic. No, seriously, it hasn't been mined out.
So, the plot: Tess is desperate to get away from life as a maid and fulfill her destiny as a seamstress. Fortunately she miraculously bumps into famous designer Lady Duff-Gordon while trying to weasel onto the Titanic as somebody's, anybody's, employee, and Lady D-G offers her a job as her maid after five minutes' acquaintance. She proves a hopeless maid so, instead of firing her, Lady D-G promotes her to secretary and seamstress on the strength of a collar or something.
The Titanic sinks, but not before Tess has attracted the attention of not one but two gorgeous men and generally shown everyone how brilliant she is. Tess, naturally, survives and arrives in New York with the D-Gs to find that they are at the center of a scandal about how their boat had only 12 people in it and didn't go back for more. Tess's brilliance continues to shine and she ends up practically in charge of Lady D-G's business, with the aforesaid two gorgeous men at her feet. At this point everybody starts calling Lady D-G "Lady Duff" and the scandal grows bigger with the suicide of a (fictional?) Cowardly Man of the Titanic. Will Tess desert Lady Duff in her hour of need? Will she choose Rich Jack or Rough Jim? Will her rationalizing of the reason for her final choice ever end? What exactly was the dramatic purpose of journalist Pinky Wade? Oh, the questions.
Now, let's consider the timespan of this book. Two months. Two. Months. That's a short time even for brilliant Tess (who, inexplicably, in the audiobook has a posh accent even though she was a farm girl turned maid) to rise from cleaning toilets to dining with New York's highest society. Of course, this IS America, and they do things differently there. But basically this is pure unadulterated fantasy, which sits a little oddly with the true story, to wit the whole Duff-Gordon "get off my boat" affair. Lady D-G might just possibly have had a soft spot for Tess, and having risen from the ranks herself might have been willing to give the girl a leg-up. But imagine what Tess would have had to have learned: she would have had absolutely no experience of the etiquette, manners, speech and habits of the upper classes. Practically every item of food would have been new to her (she found the stuffed olives attractive? Really? Did she steal them from her former employer?) and the Brits on the ship would have pinned her as an uppity lower-class girl the moment she opened her mouth (we're like that).
I really liked the post-Titanic storyline, and for that reason awarded three stars. Yes, yes, let's talk about the Duff-Gordons and various other rich people who dunked the hoi polloi into the Atlantic because they didn't want riffraff sinking their lifeboats. The Titanic was a perfect, nastily dramatized lesson about what was wrong with the class system of the time. Was Pinky Wade's purpose to drive that point home? Otherwise, I really had no idea what that character was doing in the book (nor why we made a sudden excursion into Votes For Women right at the very end).
And then, there was the head-hopping thing. It's just possibly defensible on the basis that we were looking at the action from the point of view of the Omniscient Narrator so beloved of older novels, but I don't really think so. Much of the time we were firmly inside Tess's head, but at every crisis point we began hopping from one character to another as if Tess had suddenly developed telepathic powers. Let me give a very paraphrased example (to quote it I'd have to find it on the audio CDs, which I listened to in the car). We are in a newsroom, hearing the thoughts of an editor who is talking to Pinky Wade. He notes her reactions, thinks about her, etc. etc. Then Pinky leaves the room (and for a glorious moment the POV floated like a lifebelt on the ocean) and then suddenly we are in HER head, thinking about the editor. Yeeeeeeuuurgh.
Why is this wrong, Jane? You're the one who's always saying writing rules should be broken. And it could have been a lot of fun to deliberately slide the POV around like a traveling camera that follows first one character, then another. But the trouble was, we were so often in Tess's head that I felt she should have been allowed to carry the whole show. Either your heroine's strong enough to hold up the entire novel, or she isn't, and she might have been strong enough given the chance. I'm falling back on the thought that the problem lay with trying to make a true story fit together with a fictional romance (in the old-fashioned sense). James Cameron pulled it off; I don't think Alcott did.
And now to the audiobook. Narrator Susan Duerden delivered her performance in a breathy, well-bred singsong that drove me absolutely nuts, because she put exactly the same inflection on the last syllable of about 90% of her sentences. She was rather good at the Lady D-G and Elinor Glyn voices, but there was that Tess-is-too-posh thing to contend with.
Elinor Glyn, by the way, is rather a fascinating character and I'd like to see more of her, and Lady D-G, and the post-Titanic fallout in the future. The main strength of The Dressmaker lay in its conception of how the events on the Titanic would bleed into the lives of both the survivors and those responsible for determining the truth of that fatal night. I'm just sorry the execution wasn't entirely to my taste.
I read this book because I got into a discussion with Misfit about the likelihood of heroine Tess having a close relationship with the employer to whom she was supposed to be a maid. And then it's about the Titanic, and we really need more novels about the Titanic. No, seriously, it hasn't been mined out.
So, the plot: Tess is desperate to get away from life as a maid and fulfill her destiny as a seamstress. Fortunately she miraculously bumps into famous designer Lady Duff-Gordon while trying to weasel onto the Titanic as somebody's, anybody's, employee, and Lady D-G offers her a job as her maid after five minutes' acquaintance. She proves a hopeless maid so, instead of firing her, Lady D-G promotes her to secretary and seamstress on the strength of a collar or something.
The Titanic sinks, but not before Tess has attracted the attention of not one but two gorgeous men and generally shown everyone how brilliant she is. Tess, naturally, survives and arrives in New York with the D-Gs to find that they are at the center of a scandal about how their boat had only 12 people in it and didn't go back for more. Tess's brilliance continues to shine and she ends up practically in charge of Lady D-G's business, with the aforesaid two gorgeous men at her feet. At this point everybody starts calling Lady D-G "Lady Duff" and the scandal grows bigger with the suicide of a (fictional?) Cowardly Man of the Titanic. Will Tess desert Lady Duff in her hour of need? Will she choose Rich Jack or Rough Jim? Will her rationalizing of the reason for her final choice ever end? What exactly was the dramatic purpose of journalist Pinky Wade? Oh, the questions.
Now, let's consider the timespan of this book. Two months. Two. Months. That's a short time even for brilliant Tess (who, inexplicably, in the audiobook has a posh accent even though she was a farm girl turned maid) to rise from cleaning toilets to dining with New York's highest society. Of course, this IS America, and they do things differently there. But basically this is pure unadulterated fantasy, which sits a little oddly with the true story, to wit the whole Duff-Gordon "get off my boat" affair. Lady D-G might just possibly have had a soft spot for Tess, and having risen from the ranks herself might have been willing to give the girl a leg-up. But imagine what Tess would have had to have learned: she would have had absolutely no experience of the etiquette, manners, speech and habits of the upper classes. Practically every item of food would have been new to her (she found the stuffed olives attractive? Really? Did she steal them from her former employer?) and the Brits on the ship would have pinned her as an uppity lower-class girl the moment she opened her mouth (we're like that).
I really liked the post-Titanic storyline, and for that reason awarded three stars. Yes, yes, let's talk about the Duff-Gordons and various other rich people who dunked the hoi polloi into the Atlantic because they didn't want riffraff sinking their lifeboats. The Titanic was a perfect, nastily dramatized lesson about what was wrong with the class system of the time. Was Pinky Wade's purpose to drive that point home? Otherwise, I really had no idea what that character was doing in the book (nor why we made a sudden excursion into Votes For Women right at the very end).
And then, there was the head-hopping thing. It's just possibly defensible on the basis that we were looking at the action from the point of view of the Omniscient Narrator so beloved of older novels, but I don't really think so. Much of the time we were firmly inside Tess's head, but at every crisis point we began hopping from one character to another as if Tess had suddenly developed telepathic powers. Let me give a very paraphrased example (to quote it I'd have to find it on the audio CDs, which I listened to in the car). We are in a newsroom, hearing the thoughts of an editor who is talking to Pinky Wade. He notes her reactions, thinks about her, etc. etc. Then Pinky leaves the room (and for a glorious moment the POV floated like a lifebelt on the ocean) and then suddenly we are in HER head, thinking about the editor. Yeeeeeeuuurgh.
Why is this wrong, Jane? You're the one who's always saying writing rules should be broken. And it could have been a lot of fun to deliberately slide the POV around like a traveling camera that follows first one character, then another. But the trouble was, we were so often in Tess's head that I felt she should have been allowed to carry the whole show. Either your heroine's strong enough to hold up the entire novel, or she isn't, and she might have been strong enough given the chance. I'm falling back on the thought that the problem lay with trying to make a true story fit together with a fictional romance (in the old-fashioned sense). James Cameron pulled it off; I don't think Alcott did.
And now to the audiobook. Narrator Susan Duerden delivered her performance in a breathy, well-bred singsong that drove me absolutely nuts, because she put exactly the same inflection on the last syllable of about 90% of her sentences. She was rather good at the Lady D-G and Elinor Glyn voices, but there was that Tess-is-too-posh thing to contend with.
Elinor Glyn, by the way, is rather a fascinating character and I'd like to see more of her, and Lady D-G, and the post-Titanic fallout in the future. The main strength of The Dressmaker lay in its conception of how the events on the Titanic would bleed into the lives of both the survivors and those responsible for determining the truth of that fatal night. I'm just sorry the execution wasn't entirely to my taste.
July 10, 2012
Here is a sweet historical romance, and though it is light on realism and tends towards idyllic fiction, several slightly deeper themes make the sweetness more satisfying. It offers a refreshing middle-path between new fiction which leans towards the sadder extremes of human experience and that which artificially sweetens it for pure escapism. In this respect it reminded me of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, though that comparison shouldn't be taken too far.
The plot, which follows an English servant-girl on her voyage on the Titanic and what follows, is not realistic in the sense that so many things work in her favour. . This doesn't prevent it being enjoyable, however.
The writing is not terribly impressive and even feels awkward and repetitive in parts. Some sentences begged to be re-read in the hope of deciphering their meaning or determining who was speaking, and several typos in the text were jarring. Descriptive terms were unimaginative and repetitive, hair was always 'luxuriant', someone was always 'relishing' something, and a sailor described his work as 'healing', which sounded more like 21st century popular psychology than early 20th century sailor-talk.
However, the characters are generally good company. Tess (the servant) is a nice girl, and through her journey she learns much about who she wants to become, the ambitions that drive her and where she may end up, and about the people she meets and which relationships are most worthwhile. Pinky is an entertaining, independent female journalist who occasionally lets her heart get too involved in her story, though always on the right side. Jim isn't given a lot of space, but it's easy to like what we see of the grounded young sailor who isn't afraid to do what's right. Madame Lucy - the fashion designer who employs Tess - is rather erratic, but that makes more sense if you know she was supposed to have been bi-polar.
On to some of the slightly deeper themes. Much of the story involves seeking truth and objectivity about human actions in the face of disaster. People have different responses to extreme situations, some are heroic, others inoffensively selfish, and others are selfish to the point of hurting others. The story acknowledges that not everyone can be expected to be brave under pressure, but it also advocates honesty in facing one's actions and giving bravery due praise and cowardice due repentance.
It raises the question of why so many more of the rich survived the disaster than the poor who were accommodated below, and shows what was done to address this in the hearings and legislation that followed. It acknowledges that good can be done with money, but also that it is not a solution for personal problems and does not necessarily bring happiness.
Feminism makes a brief appearance, and one gets the impression that some feminist claims (like denouncing male chivalry) are not as strongly supported in the story as others (like allowing women to vote). Shorter hem-lines are seen as enabling women to move more easily, and given that before they were covering one's shoes and 'shorter' means showing the ankle or perhaps the knee, I quite agree that it was a good idea.
The romance is sweet, involving two very different suitors. I never much liked Tess' involvement with the twice-married, twice-divorced millionaire, and I think it was only her beauty that attracted him. Things do get warm, particularly when she considers accepting his offer to take her away with him, but thankfully she is not only true to her character and the propriety of her time, but she also learns that the daring 'freedom' offered by her wealthy suitor does not compare with the genuine love and respect offered by the poorer one.
All in all it's an enjoyable read with a dash of substance for females 16+. www.GoodReadingGuide.com
The plot, which follows an English servant-girl on her voyage on the Titanic and what follows, is not realistic in the sense that so many things work in her favour. . This doesn't prevent it being enjoyable, however.
The writing is not terribly impressive and even feels awkward and repetitive in parts. Some sentences begged to be re-read in the hope of deciphering their meaning or determining who was speaking, and several typos in the text were jarring. Descriptive terms were unimaginative and repetitive, hair was always 'luxuriant', someone was always 'relishing' something, and a sailor described his work as 'healing', which sounded more like 21st century popular psychology than early 20th century sailor-talk.
However, the characters are generally good company. Tess (the servant) is a nice girl, and through her journey she learns much about who she wants to become, the ambitions that drive her and where she may end up, and about the people she meets and which relationships are most worthwhile. Pinky is an entertaining, independent female journalist who occasionally lets her heart get too involved in her story, though always on the right side. Jim isn't given a lot of space, but it's easy to like what we see of the grounded young sailor who isn't afraid to do what's right. Madame Lucy - the fashion designer who employs Tess - is rather erratic, but that makes more sense if you know she was supposed to have been bi-polar.
On to some of the slightly deeper themes. Much of the story involves seeking truth and objectivity about human actions in the face of disaster. People have different responses to extreme situations, some are heroic, others inoffensively selfish, and others are selfish to the point of hurting others. The story acknowledges that not everyone can be expected to be brave under pressure, but it also advocates honesty in facing one's actions and giving bravery due praise and cowardice due repentance.
It raises the question of why so many more of the rich survived the disaster than the poor who were accommodated below, and shows what was done to address this in the hearings and legislation that followed. It acknowledges that good can be done with money, but also that it is not a solution for personal problems and does not necessarily bring happiness.
Feminism makes a brief appearance, and one gets the impression that some feminist claims (like denouncing male chivalry) are not as strongly supported in the story as others (like allowing women to vote). Shorter hem-lines are seen as enabling women to move more easily, and given that before they were covering one's shoes and 'shorter' means showing the ankle or perhaps the knee, I quite agree that it was a good idea.
The romance is sweet, involving two very different suitors. I never much liked Tess' involvement with the twice-married, twice-divorced millionaire, and I think it was only her beauty that attracted him. Things do get warm, particularly when she considers accepting his offer to take her away with him, but thankfully she is not only true to her character and the propriety of her time, but she also learns that the daring 'freedom' offered by her wealthy suitor does not compare with the genuine love and respect offered by the poorer one.
All in all it's an enjoyable read with a dash of substance for females 16+. www.GoodReadingGuide.com
February 11, 2019
A dressmaker myself, I was intrigued when I saw this book and bought it without reading any reviews. It starts off like your typical sappy romance novel--plucky, beautiful (of course), lower-class heroine gets implausibly lucky, starts a new life, meets hunky rich (of course) men who instantly adore her, etc--then tries to aim higher, with themes of guilt and responsibility and class conflict. I'll give the author credit for trying, even though the novel is not really successful in exploring these themes, which are mostly presented and repeated, without being resolved. The writing is cliched and repetitive--how many times does something "dance" in this book: eyes dance, beads dance, light dances across the beads, etc. The storyline is predictable and contains numerous anachronisms. I was also startled when I read the author's essay on the main page here where she said she wanted to write a book about Lady Duff Gordon. Really? But this book is titled "The Dressmaker" not "The Bipolar Fashion Designer." Was the whole cardboard Tess character just a device so she could present the Lady DG story?
Another thing that will probably not bother most people, but bothered me a lot, is that in a book titled "The Dressmaker," about a DRESSMAKER who works for a FASHION DESIGNER, the author obviously did not bother to learn even the most basic sewing terminology. You don't "cut a gown" or "pull a seam," and the scene about the bias cut makes no sense. You cannot hand-sew a jacket in just one hour! After all the research the author did about the Titantic, couldn't she have spared a couple of hours on an online sewing forum to ask people who really sew for the right terminology and accurate descriptions? The novel's editor must have been just as ignorant about sewing and just as unwilling to get the sewing-related text properly reviewed.
This was an easy read while I lay in bed with a bad cold, but if you want to read about this milieu in a much better book, read the classic "The House of Mirth" by Edith Wharton.
Another thing that will probably not bother most people, but bothered me a lot, is that in a book titled "The Dressmaker," about a DRESSMAKER who works for a FASHION DESIGNER, the author obviously did not bother to learn even the most basic sewing terminology. You don't "cut a gown" or "pull a seam," and the scene about the bias cut makes no sense. You cannot hand-sew a jacket in just one hour! After all the research the author did about the Titantic, couldn't she have spared a couple of hours on an online sewing forum to ask people who really sew for the right terminology and accurate descriptions? The novel's editor must have been just as ignorant about sewing and just as unwilling to get the sewing-related text properly reviewed.
This was an easy read while I lay in bed with a bad cold, but if you want to read about this milieu in a much better book, read the classic "The House of Mirth" by Edith Wharton.
May 12, 2012
I've been a Titanic nut since I was nine or ten. Initially I just jumped on the James Cameron's Titanic bandwagon, but soon it turned into something more. Sixteen years later, I have a fascination with the catastrophe. So I was very, very excited when I found this on my library's Fortunate Finds shelf circa the 100th anniversary of the sinking.
The novel begins in Cherbourg, when Tess is picked up by Lady Duff Gordon and given passage on the Titanic. Tess is a maid with the ultimate goal of becoming a dressmaker. And who better to help her attain that goal than one of the most eminent designers of the time? But we all know the story of the ship even God Himself couldn't sink. Somehow Tess survives and makes it to New York, where she becomes caught up in the Duff Gordons' world of wealth and deceit during the Senate hearings meant to determine what really happened the night the ship sank.
I put this on my "strong females" shelf mostly because of Pinky, a plucky Times reporter making less than 50 cents an hour trying to be the next Nellie Bly. She's also supporting an ill father most people assume is dead. I wouldn't call Tess weak by any means, though, especially given her determination not to live her life for anyone else.
The sinking is covered quickly, which disappointed me initially, but Alcott makes up for it later with the survivors' testimonies and a few flashbacks. The biggest problem I had with the book was the lack of character development. Though much of the novel is centered around the Senate hearings, Tess and Lady Duff Gordon are supposed to be the Ones to Watch. Yet Alcott doesn't spend much time making them, or the others, people. For example: Why is Lady Duff's relationship with her sister so weird? Why is Pinky so upset over Tess's treatment of Jim? Is it because she likes him? You know, not likes him, but likes him likes him? Or is it just because she believes him to be a genuinely good person? I can theorize and research until the cows come home, but I'd like to be shown some things.
The romance plotline was lackluster. I didn't find Jack worth swooning over and don't think enough was said about Jim. (Additionally, I don't think much of Tess for canoodling with a married man just because he is going to get his divorce finalized "soon." In my experience, a guy who's seeing you at the same time he's with someone else is not much of a catch.) Also, I never can muster any sympathy for a heroine who is overwrought because two guys like her. I wanted to smack her like some fluttery ingénue in an old timey film: "Torn between two lovers, my arse. Snap out of it, Ms. Collins!"
But though I found the character development shoddy and thought there should've been more of Molly Brown and the Countess of Rothes, I applaud Alcott for this: No one is really painted as definitively good or bad. A lesson from history (and something pointed out a few times in The Dressmaker) is that everyone wants clear-cut villains to blame but often there are none. Even the heroes (coughcoughLowe!coughcough) aren't outright heroic.
Overall, I'd give the book three stars*. But the testimonies (from actual transcripts of the hearings), the depictions of how people were affected by the sinking (the cook's wife on the Carpathia gave me goosebumps), and the descriptions of the ship going down made me pretty emotional and I found this book hard to put down at bedtime, so four stars it is!
*White ones, maybe? Heh.
The novel begins in Cherbourg, when Tess is picked up by Lady Duff Gordon and given passage on the Titanic. Tess is a maid with the ultimate goal of becoming a dressmaker. And who better to help her attain that goal than one of the most eminent designers of the time? But we all know the story of the ship even God Himself couldn't sink. Somehow Tess survives and makes it to New York, where she becomes caught up in the Duff Gordons' world of wealth and deceit during the Senate hearings meant to determine what really happened the night the ship sank.
I put this on my "strong females" shelf mostly because of Pinky, a plucky Times reporter making less than 50 cents an hour trying to be the next Nellie Bly. She's also supporting an ill father most people assume is dead. I wouldn't call Tess weak by any means, though, especially given her determination not to live her life for anyone else.
The sinking is covered quickly, which disappointed me initially, but Alcott makes up for it later with the survivors' testimonies and a few flashbacks. The biggest problem I had with the book was the lack of character development. Though much of the novel is centered around the Senate hearings, Tess and Lady Duff Gordon are supposed to be the Ones to Watch. Yet Alcott doesn't spend much time making them, or the others, people. For example: Why is Lady Duff's relationship with her sister so weird? Why is Pinky so upset over Tess's treatment of Jim? Is it because she likes him? You know, not likes him, but likes him likes him? Or is it just because she believes him to be a genuinely good person? I can theorize and research until the cows come home, but I'd like to be shown some things.
The romance plotline was lackluster. I didn't find Jack worth swooning over and don't think enough was said about Jim. (Additionally, I don't think much of Tess for canoodling with a married man just because he is going to get his divorce finalized "soon." In my experience, a guy who's seeing you at the same time he's with someone else is not much of a catch.) Also, I never can muster any sympathy for a heroine who is overwrought because two guys like her. I wanted to smack her like some fluttery ingénue in an old timey film: "Torn between two lovers, my arse. Snap out of it, Ms. Collins!"
But though I found the character development shoddy and thought there should've been more of Molly Brown and the Countess of Rothes, I applaud Alcott for this: No one is really painted as definitively good or bad. A lesson from history (and something pointed out a few times in The Dressmaker) is that everyone wants clear-cut villains to blame but often there are none. Even the heroes (coughcoughLowe!coughcough) aren't outright heroic.
Overall, I'd give the book three stars*. But the testimonies (from actual transcripts of the hearings), the depictions of how people were affected by the sinking (the cook's wife on the Carpathia gave me goosebumps), and the descriptions of the ship going down made me pretty emotional and I found this book hard to put down at bedtime, so four stars it is!
*White ones, maybe? Heh.
October 31, 2019
"This is a story of aftermath of Titanic's tragedy, seen through the eyes of a young girl." I'm confused why the book is titled 'The Dressmaker' since only 1/3 or less of the book pertains to the `dressmaker.' This should have been titled simply 'The Titanic.' The title is very misleading. The main character, `The Dressmaker,' is pushed aside by the Titanic story.
The story pertaining to the young girl, Tess, is the only part of the book I enjoyed. It starts in France, where she is a housemaid of a British lady. It is briefly told that her mother taught her sewing in hopes of her rising above being housemaid and that she was traded into to the housemaid position by her father. I guessed she came to France with her lady. This part is muddy, not well-written.
Tess truly believes that she should be compensated for her sewing skills, which she does with her other house chores. Upon hearing stories of opportunities on the other side of Atlantic Ocean, she leaves France for America. She earns her passage on Titanic as maid to famous designer, who promises her a chance at testing her skills once in America. This part of Tess meeting the famous designer at the dock right before boarding Titanic is not believable.
On Titanic she meets a sailor, who makes an impression on her with his kindness and his skills of woodcarving. He has a small part in this story, but I also enjoyed his character.
Once Titanic hits iceberg, they get on Carpathia, which takes them to NYC harbor. A young ambitious woman reporter sneaks on Carpathia to get her first scoop, but this part is not believable. This reporter later investigates why the Lifeboat One was almost empty, carrying only the famous designer with her husband, another rich couple and a couple of sailors. This is probably 2/3 of the book, which is boring with underdeveloped characters.
In America, Tess works at the famous designer's studio, where she gets a chance to design her first dress and moves to a flat on her own. Her experience is interesting, but short. From the title, I assumed I'd be reading about a young girl rising from the rags to riches, but it is cut short by the story of Titanic.
The sad story of Titanic doesn't evoke any emotions. The writing is very flat. The rest of the characters are not likeable. The author uses word `delicious' one too many times.
There are some historical facts besides Titanic, such as suffragist - women's movement for independence, unions - setting Sunday as day off, Union Square in Manhattan - from where suffragist marched, fastener (zipper) - making its way to the fashion.
Overall, even if you are prepared to read a story about Titanic, I don't think that's a well-written story. I certainly was expecting something else.
The story pertaining to the young girl, Tess, is the only part of the book I enjoyed. It starts in France, where she is a housemaid of a British lady. It is briefly told that her mother taught her sewing in hopes of her rising above being housemaid and that she was traded into to the housemaid position by her father. I guessed she came to France with her lady. This part is muddy, not well-written.
Tess truly believes that she should be compensated for her sewing skills, which she does with her other house chores. Upon hearing stories of opportunities on the other side of Atlantic Ocean, she leaves France for America. She earns her passage on Titanic as maid to famous designer, who promises her a chance at testing her skills once in America. This part of Tess meeting the famous designer at the dock right before boarding Titanic is not believable.
On Titanic she meets a sailor, who makes an impression on her with his kindness and his skills of woodcarving. He has a small part in this story, but I also enjoyed his character.
Once Titanic hits iceberg, they get on Carpathia, which takes them to NYC harbor. A young ambitious woman reporter sneaks on Carpathia to get her first scoop, but this part is not believable. This reporter later investigates why the Lifeboat One was almost empty, carrying only the famous designer with her husband, another rich couple and a couple of sailors. This is probably 2/3 of the book, which is boring with underdeveloped characters.
In America, Tess works at the famous designer's studio, where she gets a chance to design her first dress and moves to a flat on her own. Her experience is interesting, but short. From the title, I assumed I'd be reading about a young girl rising from the rags to riches, but it is cut short by the story of Titanic.
The sad story of Titanic doesn't evoke any emotions. The writing is very flat. The rest of the characters are not likeable. The author uses word `delicious' one too many times.
There are some historical facts besides Titanic, such as suffragist - women's movement for independence, unions - setting Sunday as day off, Union Square in Manhattan - from where suffragist marched, fastener (zipper) - making its way to the fashion.
Overall, even if you are prepared to read a story about Titanic, I don't think that's a well-written story. I certainly was expecting something else.
September 26, 2022
This one is a bit hard to review. To be honest, there is actually a lot wrong with it, but I still enjoyed the telling. The audio was well done and that made this book more enjoyable than it would have been in physical format.
I really liked Tess. And who doesn't love the a tale of the after-effects of the Titanic. To be honest, I actually wanted more to do with the trial and perhaps an epilogue that went through more of a "what happens after this" that would have enhanced this book.
I liked Jack and even Jim, and Pinky was a fun character. Lucile was meant to be the villain, but it wasn't quite enough to fully pull it off since Kate Alcott kept bailing on her character and waffling back and forth. The digs to Coco Chanel were interesting as a reader as they were peppered throughout.
The romance with Jack felt real emotionally, while Jim was always somewhat vague. I wanted more definition of him as a character.
Lucile's romance author sister was really a waste of space subplot and took away time and effort that could have been better spent on making the main plot better.
I LOVE the concept, the delivery wasn't quite there for me. Too many subplots going on that detracted from the main point. But oddly, not an unenjoyable read.
3.5 stars, but rounded up to 4 thanks to narrator Susan Duerden.
I really liked Tess. And who doesn't love the a tale of the after-effects of the Titanic. To be honest, I actually wanted more to do with the trial and perhaps an epilogue that went through more of a "what happens after this" that would have enhanced this book.
I liked Jack and even Jim, and Pinky was a fun character. Lucile was meant to be the villain, but it wasn't quite enough to fully pull it off since Kate Alcott kept bailing on her character and waffling back and forth. The digs to Coco Chanel were interesting as a reader as they were peppered throughout.
The romance with Jack felt real emotionally, while Jim was always somewhat vague. I wanted more definition of him as a character.
Lucile's romance author sister was really a waste of space subplot and took away time and effort that could have been better spent on making the main plot better.
I LOVE the concept, the delivery wasn't quite there for me. Too many subplots going on that detracted from the main point. But oddly, not an unenjoyable read.
3.5 stars, but rounded up to 4 thanks to narrator Susan Duerden.
June 12, 2022
Simple, fast historical fiction read. Enjoyable albeit predictable.
March 3, 2012
We all know of the Titanic, the Unsinkable Ship that struck and iceberg and sank on April 15, 1912. The ship, touted as the greatest ship ever built has had numerous novels written about it - and the eponymous film we've seen so many times made about it. What most of us don't know is what after the sinking of the RMS Titanic. That's where The Dressmaker comes in.
Tess Collins' is looking for a way to escaping working for the family that employs her when she runs to the docks the day the Titanic is disembarking from Cherbourg. She manages to finagle her way into working for the famous Lady Lucile Doff Gordon as a maid - for now. Tess knows how to sew, not be a maid, but will do whatever it takes to start a new life.
The firs part of the book is filled with Tess and Lady Duff Gordon, "Madame's" life onboard the Titanic. Readers are introduced to many of the same characters they may already be familiar with from some other semi-fictional Titanic themed works: Isidor Straus, Margaret Brown, the Astors, and of course, Cosmo Duff Gordon as well as characters unique to The Dressmaker. The first class workings of the ship are also (minimally) introduced.
The sinking of the ship occurs rather quickly. Yet, not at all, without emotion. While there is so much of the novel left that you know that at least some of these main characters are going to survive the sinking, it still puts a hitch in your throat to read.
Where Titanic left viewers with Rose arriving safely in New York, in The Dressmaker that is really just where Tess' journey begins. This novel delves into the hearings that were held, investigating what happened on the Titanic - who, if anyone, was to be held accountable and really shows the different ways different survivors reacted. Both to simply surviving as well as to how and/or why they did survive.
It's is definitely a side of the RMS Titanic tragedy that is rarely examined in fiction and I greatly enjoyed it being a part here. Especially as it ran parallel (yet also a great part of) to Tess attempting to begin that new life she was so bound and determined to start that day on the docks.
What is truly fantastic about The Dressmaker - aside from the fictional aspects that are a part of it - is that very, very few if any of the characters are identifiable as good or bad. The characters are so many shades of gray that it's hard to really decide which to side with. Some of it, sure, is the situation. After such a traumatic event it's hard to dislike even those that appear to have made questionable decisions but it also makes it easier to forgive the seeming 'good' guys who do some odd things or believe in the 'bad' guys who do a good thing.
The characters were incredibly human in that regard. There was no set good guy with a halo over their halo or an identifiable devil (at least not among the main characters). It was nice that the morality and decisions of most of the characters seemed murkier than dishwater most of the time.
Kate Alcott's novel not only gives us a marvelous glimpse into what happened after the Carpathia docked, but also what 1914 New York was like - for women, in fashion, as a city. It's a remarkable novel, that I really enjoyed.
(thank you to the publisher for my arc)
Tess Collins' is looking for a way to escaping working for the family that employs her when she runs to the docks the day the Titanic is disembarking from Cherbourg. She manages to finagle her way into working for the famous Lady Lucile Doff Gordon as a maid - for now. Tess knows how to sew, not be a maid, but will do whatever it takes to start a new life.
The firs part of the book is filled with Tess and Lady Duff Gordon, "Madame's" life onboard the Titanic. Readers are introduced to many of the same characters they may already be familiar with from some other semi-fictional Titanic themed works: Isidor Straus, Margaret Brown, the Astors, and of course, Cosmo Duff Gordon as well as characters unique to The Dressmaker. The first class workings of the ship are also (minimally) introduced.
The sinking of the ship occurs rather quickly. Yet, not at all, without emotion. While there is so much of the novel left that you know that at least some of these main characters are going to survive the sinking, it still puts a hitch in your throat to read.
Where Titanic left viewers with Rose arriving safely in New York, in The Dressmaker that is really just where Tess' journey begins. This novel delves into the hearings that were held, investigating what happened on the Titanic - who, if anyone, was to be held accountable and really shows the different ways different survivors reacted. Both to simply surviving as well as to how and/or why they did survive.
It's is definitely a side of the RMS Titanic tragedy that is rarely examined in fiction and I greatly enjoyed it being a part here. Especially as it ran parallel (yet also a great part of) to Tess attempting to begin that new life she was so bound and determined to start that day on the docks.
What is truly fantastic about The Dressmaker - aside from the fictional aspects that are a part of it - is that very, very few if any of the characters are identifiable as good or bad. The characters are so many shades of gray that it's hard to really decide which to side with. Some of it, sure, is the situation. After such a traumatic event it's hard to dislike even those that appear to have made questionable decisions but it also makes it easier to forgive the seeming 'good' guys who do some odd things or believe in the 'bad' guys who do a good thing.
The characters were incredibly human in that regard. There was no set good guy with a halo over their halo or an identifiable devil (at least not among the main characters). It was nice that the morality and decisions of most of the characters seemed murkier than dishwater most of the time.
Kate Alcott's novel not only gives us a marvelous glimpse into what happened after the Carpathia docked, but also what 1914 New York was like - for women, in fashion, as a city. It's a remarkable novel, that I really enjoyed.
(thank you to the publisher for my arc)
December 25, 2016
This book wasn't anywhere near as good as I had hoped it would be.
I was quite excited to read a story about the Titanic. I have long been fascinated by this part of history and had recently visited a Titanic museum, which awakened my curiosity and made this book seem all the more interesting!
The story started out pretty good, I thought, and I did enjoy it at first (even though parts of it were wholly unbelievable). The sinking of the ship made me cry, even though I didn't think it would because I knew what was coming and had braced myself for it. Then I thought-- Wow, that came up pretty fast! There's still a lot of book left here! And that "lot of book" that was left was not very impressive.
The little bit of connection that I had been able to make with the characters at the beginning quickly disappeared and I was left either outright disliking or simply not caring at all about pretty much every single character in this book. I was annoyed, frustrated, put out, and confused. The loyalty issues made little to no sense, the "difficult" decisions that were made often seemed ridiculous, and the love triangle was simply annoying.
I don't feel that I am personally informed enough to really address the historical accuracy (or lack thereof) in this book, but I did notice some inaccuracies and have seen several inaccuracies mentioned in other reviews and wanted to mention that here as well.
One last thing: I thought this was supposed to be a historical romance? Whatever happened to that? The romance triangle, as I mentioned earlier, annoyed me. It felt forced and fake, and the more I read, the less I really cared how it would turn out.
I'm sorry if I seem harsh. I didn't start out writing this review with the intent to bash this book, but the more I thought about it..? I started out thinking this might be a 4-star book, but I've lowered my rating to 2 stars. I just can't give it more than that. I really am quite disappointed in this book.
Note of Warning: For the readers out there who are looking for a clean read, this is not Christian fiction and there is bad language in this book as well as a couple of pretty mild sexual references.
I was quite excited to read a story about the Titanic. I have long been fascinated by this part of history and had recently visited a Titanic museum, which awakened my curiosity and made this book seem all the more interesting!
The story started out pretty good, I thought, and I did enjoy it at first (even though parts of it were wholly unbelievable). The sinking of the ship made me cry, even though I didn't think it would because I knew what was coming and had braced myself for it. Then I thought-- Wow, that came up pretty fast! There's still a lot of book left here! And that "lot of book" that was left was not very impressive.
The little bit of connection that I had been able to make with the characters at the beginning quickly disappeared and I was left either outright disliking or simply not caring at all about pretty much every single character in this book. I was annoyed, frustrated, put out, and confused. The loyalty issues made little to no sense, the "difficult" decisions that were made often seemed ridiculous, and the love triangle was simply annoying.
I don't feel that I am personally informed enough to really address the historical accuracy (or lack thereof) in this book, but I did notice some inaccuracies and have seen several inaccuracies mentioned in other reviews and wanted to mention that here as well.
One last thing: I thought this was supposed to be a historical romance? Whatever happened to that? The romance triangle, as I mentioned earlier, annoyed me. It felt forced and fake, and the more I read, the less I really cared how it would turn out.
I'm sorry if I seem harsh. I didn't start out writing this review with the intent to bash this book, but the more I thought about it..? I started out thinking this might be a 4-star book, but I've lowered my rating to 2 stars. I just can't give it more than that. I really am quite disappointed in this book.
Note of Warning: For the readers out there who are looking for a clean read, this is not Christian fiction and there is bad language in this book as well as a couple of pretty mild sexual references.
June 15, 2012
Controversial picture of Lord & Lady Duff-Gordon, her secretary, and the other members of Lifeboat 1.
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★★★☆☆ (This is a review of the audiobook.) Sorry, this one was just okay for me. Susan Duerden does a nice job, but not outstanding. Her best sessions were when she was narrating the Titanic aftermath hearing. I didn’t think she did the right accent for Tess, the heroine. I’ve heard her reading before and liked her; nonetheless, this time didn't wow me. Of course, it didn’t help that I wasn’t crazy over the book.
I was really looking forward to this novel, even knowing that there wasn’t much time spent on the Titanic. Nevertheless, I was too frustrated in wanting to know what actually happened a hundred years ago this Spring. It made me want to get a hold of the courtroom transcripts myself. But, oh, wait! Lady Duff-Gordon never testified at the American investigative hearings; she only did so in England. See, things like that got to me.
What happens when you have as your main character a make-believe-maid/want-to-be-seamstress who wasn’t in the “money” lifeboat instead of the actual secretary who was; add a spunky female reporter who may or may not be her friend; throw in a love-triangle that doesn’t end the way I wanted (though, I’d lost interest in the romance long before the Big Reveal)...and what do you have? **shrugs** An average book? However, I had fun sifting fact from fiction looking things up on the Internet.
*I'd like to thank Laura, one of my “co-buddy readers,” for posting the infamous “Money Boat” picture above.
"Leaving the sinking liner," by Charles Dixon for the The Graphic on 27 April 1912. (Now public domain.)
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★★★☆☆ (This is a review of the audiobook.) Sorry, this one was just okay for me. Susan Duerden does a nice job, but not outstanding. Her best sessions were when she was narrating the Titanic aftermath hearing. I didn’t think she did the right accent for Tess, the heroine. I’ve heard her reading before and liked her; nonetheless, this time didn't wow me. Of course, it didn’t help that I wasn’t crazy over the book.
I was really looking forward to this novel, even knowing that there wasn’t much time spent on the Titanic. Nevertheless, I was too frustrated in wanting to know what actually happened a hundred years ago this Spring. It made me want to get a hold of the courtroom transcripts myself. But, oh, wait! Lady Duff-Gordon never testified at the American investigative hearings; she only did so in England. See, things like that got to me.
What happens when you have as your main character a make-believe-maid/want-to-be-seamstress who wasn’t in the “money” lifeboat instead of the actual secretary who was; add a spunky female reporter who may or may not be her friend; throw in a love-triangle that doesn’t end the way I wanted (though, I’d lost interest in the romance long before the Big Reveal)...and what do you have? **shrugs** An average book? However, I had fun sifting fact from fiction looking things up on the Internet.
*I'd like to thank Laura, one of my “co-buddy readers,” for posting the infamous “Money Boat” picture above.
"Leaving the sinking liner," by Charles Dixon for the The Graphic on 27 April 1912. (Now public domain.)
February 21, 2012
It's now almost 100 years since the Unsinkable Titanic sunk. This book is based on some true rather sad facts of what happened on this doomed cruise.
The story opens with Tess Collins escaping her job, supposed to be a seamstress, but is a more of a general maid. She knows a ship is sailing and hopes to secure any kind of a position to get on and get away from England. There her fateful adventure is about to begin. It's an eye opening world for her as she goes about in First Class on the ship, she meets Jack Bremerton, and he captivates her.
We go through the hitting of the iceberg, and then the realization that the ship is going to sink, and the lacking of life boats. We meet some real people like Molly Brown. I'm sure some of what happens and is reported in the book really did happen.
On the Carpanthia, the Rescue Ship, Tess meets Jim Bonney, a Sailor. They strike up a friendship, that later causes Tess to question her friendships.
We also meet Pinky Wade, a Reporter for the Times, and a strong female character. There are also Tess's employer's, who indeed are real people, Lord and Lady Duff Gordon. There is an investigation into the sinking, lack of binoculars, life boats, why only one of the lifeboats made any attempt to save those dying in the water. Also why one life boat built to hold 60 to 70 people held only 12?
This book is a real page turner, and a look at what happened on the Cruise of the Titanic!
I received this book from the Publisher Knopf Doubleday, and was not required to give a positive review.
The story opens with Tess Collins escaping her job, supposed to be a seamstress, but is a more of a general maid. She knows a ship is sailing and hopes to secure any kind of a position to get on and get away from England. There her fateful adventure is about to begin. It's an eye opening world for her as she goes about in First Class on the ship, she meets Jack Bremerton, and he captivates her.
We go through the hitting of the iceberg, and then the realization that the ship is going to sink, and the lacking of life boats. We meet some real people like Molly Brown. I'm sure some of what happens and is reported in the book really did happen.
On the Carpanthia, the Rescue Ship, Tess meets Jim Bonney, a Sailor. They strike up a friendship, that later causes Tess to question her friendships.
We also meet Pinky Wade, a Reporter for the Times, and a strong female character. There are also Tess's employer's, who indeed are real people, Lord and Lady Duff Gordon. There is an investigation into the sinking, lack of binoculars, life boats, why only one of the lifeboats made any attempt to save those dying in the water. Also why one life boat built to hold 60 to 70 people held only 12?
This book is a real page turner, and a look at what happened on the Cruise of the Titanic!
I received this book from the Publisher Knopf Doubleday, and was not required to give a positive review.
January 6, 2013
I really wanted more from this book than I got.
The Dressmaker is set around the sinking of the Titanic. The characters are based on actual people that were involved and rode on the destined ship. I am always eager to read novels set in this time period and also including details from this tragic incident. The premise for this book follows Tess, who gets onboard the Titanic after getting a job offer as a maid for Lady Duff Gordon, a famous dressmaker.
Most of the book follows the aftermath of the sinking and how different people reacted to the survivors and the media's portrayal of these events. For me, this book felt shallow and didn't go far enough in any of the storylines to really tie me in at all.
The Dressmaker is set around the sinking of the Titanic. The characters are based on actual people that were involved and rode on the destined ship. I am always eager to read novels set in this time period and also including details from this tragic incident. The premise for this book follows Tess, who gets onboard the Titanic after getting a job offer as a maid for Lady Duff Gordon, a famous dressmaker.
Most of the book follows the aftermath of the sinking and how different people reacted to the survivors and the media's portrayal of these events. For me, this book felt shallow and didn't go far enough in any of the storylines to really tie me in at all.
November 26, 2017
Харесва ми стила на авторката.Ще продължа да чета нейни книги,ако ги издават тук.Пише много приятно. И двете книги , които прочетох разказват за едни от най-известните истории , но от различни гледни точки. В тях се преплитат истина и измислица. В крайна сметка е получен добър резултат.
December 16, 2011
When Tess Collins walked away from a thankless housemaid job in Cherbourg...in 1912....and simultaneously found employment as a maid on the soon-to-be sailing Titanic ocean liner...little did she know that History would become a major part of her life
Given that the hearings, post "sinking", are a major part of this story, the actual trials are secondary to the social aspects....even the newly minted Suffragette Movement is given a back seat to the development of Tess' story, and character (such as it is)
Torn between two "lovers", neither of whose characters are particularly memorable...apprenticed to the wealthy, capricious and egocentric Lady Duff Gordon...couturiere to other wealthy people.....befriended by the sprited journalist, Pinky.....our Tess is on the way to becoming an American Girl...full of hopes, dreams, and ambition, never allowing opportunism to become a "fault"
Of all the characters in the book (and there are many..some who actually existed, like the Unsinkable Molly Brown ....entrepreneur extraordinaire) Pinky rang truest for me...because she had definite goals and aspirations..and opinions to which she gave some thought
Most of the story is window dressing for Tess, the budding Designer, the Dressmaker of the title...and her journey in the New World. I thought it was a pleasant read..the Romance angle was not overwrought, but neither was it all that romantic...the political aspects were toned down to "entertainment" scale...and Tess' relationship to Lady Duff Gordon reminded me of a recent novel/movie along the same lines. Sad to say I have read/seen neither..This is, after all, a "woman's book"....by it's nature it can't afford to be too "deep"
Which is not to say I didn't enjoy the story. I just wish it had had more meat on its bones and less description of the trappings of wealth and luxury, which in the end meant very little as the Titanic slowly sank into those ice cold waters
3 stars
Given that the hearings, post "sinking", are a major part of this story, the actual trials are secondary to the social aspects....even the newly minted Suffragette Movement is given a back seat to the development of Tess' story, and character (such as it is)
Torn between two "lovers", neither of whose characters are particularly memorable...apprenticed to the wealthy, capricious and egocentric Lady Duff Gordon...couturiere to other wealthy people.....befriended by the sprited journalist, Pinky.....our Tess is on the way to becoming an American Girl...full of hopes, dreams, and ambition, never allowing opportunism to become a "fault"
Of all the characters in the book (and there are many..some who actually existed, like the Unsinkable Molly Brown ....entrepreneur extraordinaire) Pinky rang truest for me...because she had definite goals and aspirations..and opinions to which she gave some thought
Most of the story is window dressing for Tess, the budding Designer, the Dressmaker of the title...and her journey in the New World. I thought it was a pleasant read..the Romance angle was not overwrought, but neither was it all that romantic...the political aspects were toned down to "entertainment" scale...and Tess' relationship to Lady Duff Gordon reminded me of a recent novel/movie along the same lines. Sad to say I have read/seen neither..This is, after all, a "woman's book"....by it's nature it can't afford to be too "deep"
Which is not to say I didn't enjoy the story. I just wish it had had more meat on its bones and less description of the trappings of wealth and luxury, which in the end meant very little as the Titanic slowly sank into those ice cold waters
3 stars
June 11, 2013
I can't help it. I just keep thinking "Where are Jack & Rose?" Tess ends up in Molly Brown's lifeboat...of course. Am I the only one that feels like her lifeboat should be voted "most referenced Titanic lifeboat" in historical Titanic fiction? Tess even pulls 2 lifeless bodies from the sea into the infamous "never full" lifeboat. I have a feeling I would be enjoying this story a lot more if she had managed to rescue Jack & Rose from the frigid cold sea in Molly Brown's lifeboat. I would finally get my happy Titanic ending. I'm just not really enjoying this one. It's a selection for one of my book clubs, so I'll probably give it another 50 pages or so before I give up on it. Maybe I loved the movie "Titanic" so much that I'm doomed to never really enjoy another Titanic based story. Eh, my heart will go on. ;)
Read
January 24, 2016I eagerly anticipated the release of this book and was excited to find it offered on the Vine. I love the cover art and the graphic heading at the beginning of each chapter adds a nice touch to the aesthetic appeal of the book. The basis of the story is compelling and historically accurate, which gives it further interest.
Tess Collins, an aspiring seamstress, has landed a job working for the world renown designer Lucille Duff Gordon, just as Lady Gordon is boarding the Titanic. Once on board Tess meets two men, one a millionaire from Chicago who seems to take an interest in her and the other a sailor who is kind to her and offers some assistance when Tess feels vulnerable.
Tess and Lady Gordon survive the sinking of the ship but immediately after their rescue rumors begin to circulate that Lucille refused to allow other survivors into her life boat which contained just twelve people, yet could have held between forty and fifty.
I was anticipating a well written and compelling story and unfortunately didn't find this to be either. The relationships between the characters progress much more rapidly than they would in reality, which I didn't care for. The dialogue was not well written or realistic and gave the novel a very sophomoric feel. The relationships between the characters were also inconsistent and violated social customs which made the story seem inauthentic.
Overall this novel lacked the quality of writing that I enjoy and felt more like a romance novel, which I didn't care for. I'm sure many readers who enjoy romance novels will like this, unfortunately, I was looking for something more realistic.
Tess Collins, an aspiring seamstress, has landed a job working for the world renown designer Lucille Duff Gordon, just as Lady Gordon is boarding the Titanic. Once on board Tess meets two men, one a millionaire from Chicago who seems to take an interest in her and the other a sailor who is kind to her and offers some assistance when Tess feels vulnerable.
Tess and Lady Gordon survive the sinking of the ship but immediately after their rescue rumors begin to circulate that Lucille refused to allow other survivors into her life boat which contained just twelve people, yet could have held between forty and fifty.
I was anticipating a well written and compelling story and unfortunately didn't find this to be either. The relationships between the characters progress much more rapidly than they would in reality, which I didn't care for. The dialogue was not well written or realistic and gave the novel a very sophomoric feel. The relationships between the characters were also inconsistent and violated social customs which made the story seem inauthentic.
Overall this novel lacked the quality of writing that I enjoy and felt more like a romance novel, which I didn't care for. I'm sure many readers who enjoy romance novels will like this, unfortunately, I was looking for something more realistic.
January 28, 2022
I had stumbled across this book in a list of “Christian fiction” many years ago. It is NOT a Christian fiction book; it is, instead, general market.
Even setting that fact aside, this book was largely a miss for me. While I enjoyed seeing what might have happened in court after the sinking of the Titanic, because I imagine people would have been searching for someone—anyone—to blame for such a travesty, I felt like the leading lady was unrealistic as a lower-class citizen of the era. She would have known her place and behaved accordingly, but this gal did not. She rebelled against her employer at every turn, which should have gotten her fired sixteen ways—but, of course, did not.
The love triangle felt pointless and unfulfilling.
For this book to be called “The Dressmaker,” I sure thought dressmaking would have taken a huge front-row seat. Unfortunately, that was but a blip on the radar of this book. The leading lady, the supposed dressmaker, only designed a single dress throughout the entire story. Talk about disappointing!
The courtroom scenes were the only ones that felt completely realistic to me. I quite enjoyed them, and they were my favorite portions of this book.
Other than the beautiful cover, of course. That was, after all, what drew my attention to this book in the first place.
Content: expletives, profanity, tobacco, suicide, alcohol, sexual innuendo
Even setting that fact aside, this book was largely a miss for me. While I enjoyed seeing what might have happened in court after the sinking of the Titanic, because I imagine people would have been searching for someone—anyone—to blame for such a travesty, I felt like the leading lady was unrealistic as a lower-class citizen of the era. She would have known her place and behaved accordingly, but this gal did not. She rebelled against her employer at every turn, which should have gotten her fired sixteen ways—but, of course, did not.
The love triangle felt pointless and unfulfilling.
For this book to be called “The Dressmaker,” I sure thought dressmaking would have taken a huge front-row seat. Unfortunately, that was but a blip on the radar of this book. The leading lady, the supposed dressmaker, only designed a single dress throughout the entire story. Talk about disappointing!
The courtroom scenes were the only ones that felt completely realistic to me. I quite enjoyed them, and they were my favorite portions of this book.
Other than the beautiful cover, of course. That was, after all, what drew my attention to this book in the first place.
Content: expletives, profanity, tobacco, suicide, alcohol, sexual innuendo
September 8, 2014
I read this while I was on a cruise--of course, a cruise to the Bahamas looking at warm blue water is quite different than a transatlantic crossing in April. Our balcony overlooked the lifeboats while looked like little submarines, all closed up and snug. Quite a difference from the "collapsible" lifeboats on the Titanic, as well as having enough seats and a mandatory muster drill before the cruise began.
As other readers, I didn't really care about the romantic part or even the characters as much as the historical details of the US investigations. How hard to be a survivor in icy waters, lose everything on the ship, not know the whereabouts of other family members and then be grilled about why they didn't do more. I loved the suffragists' march near the end questioning why children and women were saved first--hey, I'd want some strong men in my boat to row, fire off flares, etc. Of course I realize the reasoning is because all the strong men would get into the lifeboats first and it really would be a melee.
I don't understand the cover. Bows on the butt isn't enough! haha
As other readers, I didn't really care about the romantic part or even the characters as much as the historical details of the US investigations. How hard to be a survivor in icy waters, lose everything on the ship, not know the whereabouts of other family members and then be grilled about why they didn't do more. I loved the suffragists' march near the end questioning why children and women were saved first--hey, I'd want some strong men in my boat to row, fire off flares, etc. Of course I realize the reasoning is because all the strong men would get into the lifeboats first and it really would be a melee.
I don't understand the cover. Bows on the butt isn't enough! haha
March 18, 2013
Kate Alcott has hands down written a very good story.
Having the story surrounded by the beautiful Titanic, and a wonderful mix of characters that were actually apart of history made this read even more of a pleasure. From their first steps onto the ship of dreams to the devastating sinking into the black waters; I could vividly see all perspectives: from a poor maid wanting more in life and a dream in a world of fashion, a gifted wood carver, a famously rude and selfish designer, and two professional Broadway dancers the story breaths life and we are sucked into the early 1900's again. Perhaps a magical time.
What I found most intriguing about this book was the facts told after the sinking of the Titanic. I didn't know a lot about the court sessions that went on involving the famous designer Lady Duff Gordon and her husband, the bribe, and the fact about there being no binoculars on board. The story line involving the two Broadway stars was also very interesting to me and made me question what I would do in that situation.
I very much enjoyed that this book was told through many people, but mainly on a lower class survivor who really was a dreamer. Having said that though, Jim was my absolute favorite character in this book, and I found his talent to be the little spark of magic that touched the story and really illuminated the whole book.
The ending. Well let's just say by the last ten pages I was about to throw the book across the room if she didn't pick the right guy. Luckily, Kate Alcott didn't disappoint and the ending was truly a happily ever after. :)
Having the story surrounded by the beautiful Titanic, and a wonderful mix of characters that were actually apart of history made this read even more of a pleasure. From their first steps onto the ship of dreams to the devastating sinking into the black waters; I could vividly see all perspectives: from a poor maid wanting more in life and a dream in a world of fashion, a gifted wood carver, a famously rude and selfish designer, and two professional Broadway dancers the story breaths life and we are sucked into the early 1900's again. Perhaps a magical time.
What I found most intriguing about this book was the facts told after the sinking of the Titanic. I didn't know a lot about the court sessions that went on involving the famous designer Lady Duff Gordon and her husband, the bribe, and the fact about there being no binoculars on board. The story line involving the two Broadway stars was also very interesting to me and made me question what I would do in that situation.
I very much enjoyed that this book was told through many people, but mainly on a lower class survivor who really was a dreamer. Having said that though, Jim was my absolute favorite character in this book, and I found his talent to be the little spark of magic that touched the story and really illuminated the whole book.
The ending. Well let's just say by the last ten pages I was about to throw the book across the room if she didn't pick the right guy. Luckily, Kate Alcott didn't disappoint and the ending was truly a happily ever after. :)
May 14, 2012
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I had assumed it was a book about a dressmaker travelling on the Titanic. While that was true it was not the complete focus of this book.Tess Collins, an aspiring fashion designer, finds herself unexpectedly travelling on the Titanic as a maid to Lady Lucile Duff Gordon. While able to enjoy the perks of first class Tess meets 2 gentlemen who will play a major part in her life, both on and off the ship.
Much of the book is written after the sinking and the events that surrounded just exactly what happened on Lifeboat number one. While Tess was not on that lifeboat her employer was and it becomes apparent during the book that Tess is getting caught in the middle of something she had no knowledge of. Or did she?
The struggle and quest for the truth of just exactly what happened make this a compelling page turner. I found myself rooting for Tess the whole way and hoping someone would knock Lady Lucile off her high horse. Can money buy your way out of everything? It is well worth reading this book to find out. You will not be disappointed.
Much of the book is written after the sinking and the events that surrounded just exactly what happened on Lifeboat number one. While Tess was not on that lifeboat her employer was and it becomes apparent during the book that Tess is getting caught in the middle of something she had no knowledge of. Or did she?
The struggle and quest for the truth of just exactly what happened make this a compelling page turner. I found myself rooting for Tess the whole way and hoping someone would knock Lady Lucile off her high horse. Can money buy your way out of everything? It is well worth reading this book to find out. You will not be disappointed.
November 24, 2022
I loved this book about the Titanic so much I fudged I read another of her books and didn't. Ever steal Library books in your pants bc no one would offer to take them back or give you some money to do something else....... I thought naught. Have a good day Goodreads. Watch the glitches please, they can be super annoying staff.
March 13, 2018
https://devouringbooks2017.wordpress....
The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott shines a whole new lighkt on the sinking of the Titanic. Kate Alcott writes about some of the real people who were aboard the Titanic, bringing together fact and fiction.
This is another book that I picked up after visiting the Titanic museum in Pidgeon Forge. My mom and I read this book at the same time and she actually finished it first, which is really saying something for me. This book went slow for me, I didn't feel compelled to devour it.
One thing that kind of shocked me is that the Titanic sinks relatively early in this novel. The majority of the story is about after the sinking. It's quite different than most stories about the Titanic. I found reading about the trials that happened afterwards to be incredibly interesting.
The book really makes you think about how people act during a crisis. Some of the actions of people can be incredibly brave, yet others acted selfishly and quite despicably. It is really interesting to think on as this novel is based on true events and people. Fear really brings out the absolute best and also the absolute worst in people.
Just because I didn't read The Dressmaker quickly doesn't mean that it wasn't good. Quite the opposite in fact. It was truly a thought provoking novel. I found myself wondering if I would be brave in this type of scenario. I'd like to think that I would be a hero, but you can never know how you would really act until placed in a scenario like that. I couldn't stop thinking of the way the passengers on Lifeboat 1 acted. The characters were so well developed that by the end of the novel I could actually understand how they could act so horribly because I could see it from their perspective.
Kate Alcott is a fantastic author. This was a well researched, developed and written piece of work. It is filled with characters that you root for and ones that you despise. But above all else, it is a novel that is filled with hope.
The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott shines a whole new lighkt on the sinking of the Titanic. Kate Alcott writes about some of the real people who were aboard the Titanic, bringing together fact and fiction.
This is another book that I picked up after visiting the Titanic museum in Pidgeon Forge. My mom and I read this book at the same time and she actually finished it first, which is really saying something for me. This book went slow for me, I didn't feel compelled to devour it.
One thing that kind of shocked me is that the Titanic sinks relatively early in this novel. The majority of the story is about after the sinking. It's quite different than most stories about the Titanic. I found reading about the trials that happened afterwards to be incredibly interesting.
The book really makes you think about how people act during a crisis. Some of the actions of people can be incredibly brave, yet others acted selfishly and quite despicably. It is really interesting to think on as this novel is based on true events and people. Fear really brings out the absolute best and also the absolute worst in people.
Just because I didn't read The Dressmaker quickly doesn't mean that it wasn't good. Quite the opposite in fact. It was truly a thought provoking novel. I found myself wondering if I would be brave in this type of scenario. I'd like to think that I would be a hero, but you can never know how you would really act until placed in a scenario like that. I couldn't stop thinking of the way the passengers on Lifeboat 1 acted. The characters were so well developed that by the end of the novel I could actually understand how they could act so horribly because I could see it from their perspective.
Kate Alcott is a fantastic author. This was a well researched, developed and written piece of work. It is filled with characters that you root for and ones that you despise. But above all else, it is a novel that is filled with hope.
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