The Lacemaker

by Janine Montupet

English, French (translation)

Genres: Historical Fiction, France

467 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

Janine Montupet a quitté l'Algérie à l'age de quinze ans, pays ou sa famille y était depuis 3 générations. C'est sa mère, professeur de littérature qui lui donne la passion de l'écriture.

Elle a vécut 10 ans près d’Alencon, où elle a écrit « La dentellière d'Alençon" , qui a touché plus d'un million de lecteurs en France et conquis un public international», « Dans un grand vent de fleurs"» qui a inspiré à France 2 une grande série télévisée, « Un gout de bonheur et de miel sauvage».

La famille s'installe à Paris. Plus tard en 1981, elle quitte Paris pour rejoindre sa fille aux États-Unis à Phoenix, Arizona.
mais vient périodiquement en France pour ses recherches historiques et repart, chargée de dizaines de kilos de documents, écrire ses romans dans la chaleur familiale... et la canicule arizonienne. Dans le cas de La Dentellière d'Alençon, elle avait, avant de se fixer en Amérique, vécu dix ans en Normandie et exploré pendant trois années entières les bibliothèques et archives alençonnaises.
Janine Montupet a publié plusieurs romans.

Reviews

[Judy Brunner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The historical detail was the most fascinating thing about the book, and made me want to check out lacemaking on the internet. The romance in the book was a bit 'weedy' if we still use that word nowadays, and some of the translation wasn't very good, I think I should have read it in French to appreciate it even more.
Worth reading if you're interested in everyday life kind of history.

[Ariadne Penalva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. The story follows the life of Gilonne, a lacemaker in 1600s France. From her rough childhood to her life as an adult, Gilonne - and by proxy the reader - learns not only about the beautiful and hard world of lacemaking, but also about how the complex religious and political framework of the times influenced life in that industry.

In addition, the novel is filled with a cast of very fun and interesting characters at every turn of Gilonne’s life, each of which she gets to touch in one way or the other with her optimistic and very peculiar way of seeing life.

One of the best historical fiction novels I have read, expertly mixing just the right amount of historical background with a fictional and entertaining story. It is a shame this book isn’t more popular than it is.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Great writing and I learned so much about the history of lacemaking in France. I thought it was a good translation.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novel. Learned history of lacemaking and by default lots of history of that period.

[Marcia]

Set in 17th century Alençon, a charming historical novel with three underlying themes: artistry and personal growth; religious persecution; and, the politics of lacemaking

Louis-Guillaume de Ferrières de Pervenchères, nobleman by name if not by nature, spends time at the Moor's Inn in Alençon, indulging his love of music with the spinet he found there. He also indulges his carnal pleasures

Julie Perdriel, a lacemaker. One of many young women who fall under the thrall of the attractive Louis-Guillaume de Ferrières de Pervenchères. She falls pregnant, has her child, and dies soon after.

Gilonne Perdriel is the daughter of Julie, who is effectively orphaned as an infant when Julie dies.
In her first 14 years
- At a day old she is hidden in the poorhouse. Her grandmother Thomine, who wore out her sight with lacemaking, lives there in one of the 'best beds' in the old women's room
- a short while later she is left on a farm with Mistress Bordier, who raises turkeys and sometimes takes in babies to nurse
- at age 5 she is taken on as an apprentice lacemaker by Mistress Lescure
- after her apprenticeship contract is over, she joins the Royal Manufactory, the only authorised lacemakers as per an edict regulating its production
- ultimately freed from apprenticeships, Gilonne and her friend Michanteau end up (coincidentally) at the impoverished estate of her unknown father. While her newly found paternal grandmother embraces her, she is never acknowledged by her father, Louis-Guillaume de Ferrières de Pervenchères

Life goes on, loves are found and lost, businesses flourish and fail, but lacemaking is a constant

[Léa B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Une heureuse surprise ! Trouvé dans une boîte à livres aux alentours d’Alençon, j’ai décidé de lire ce livre pour me plonger un peu dans l’univers de la région, étant là-bas en vacances. J’ai beaucoup aimé les péripéties du personnage principal, ses amis plein de vie et l’histoire de ce point de France si particulier que j’ai pu découvrir au musée de la Dentelle. Un roman historique fort étonnant mais très réussi !

[Béatrice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Une vraie histoire, très bien racontée et très bien documentée (la dentelle dans tous ses états), qui évoque aussi douloureusement l'ostracisme dont les protestants ont longtemps souffert chez nous, en France !

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is historical fiction book about a lace maker in France. It was very successful in France when it was published and then later translated to English. For those who enjoy immersing themselves in period literature this is one that that I would definitely recommend.

[R. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, I learned something about lacemaking. This is more a seventeenth-century romance and a bit long, at that. I started it, I finished it, but I can't say that I would recommend it. You can't always rely on the cover blurbs.

[Yvonne Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story of Gelonme in 1600's in France as she becomes a lacemaker. Sees struggles of Catholics and Protestants, religion and customs.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

My family comes from France and some of my relatives were lacemakers, so I liked being able to step back in time to see what their lives might have been like.