The Draper's Daughter

Die Händlerstochter

by Ellin Carsta, John Brownjohn (Translator)

A thrilling historical novel by the author of The Secret Healer.

Cologne, 1351: Elisabeth and Stephen Hardenstein are twins, but they could not be more different. While Elisabeth is inspired by the family business, absorbing everything her father shows her about the cloth trade, Stephen enjoys a leisurely life and pays little attention to their father’s teachings. Elisabeth recognizes her true vocation as a tradeswoman, and though the odds are stacked against her, she pursues her passion.

When the twins’ father suffers a tragic stroke, the tables turn. Suddenly Stephen is interested in running the draper’s shop his father left behind, and he takes the lead in managing the family business. But Elisabeth can’t sit idly by and watch as he makes bad decisions and accumulates debts. Stephen pushes her to marry as soon as possible, even proposing a suitor, but Elisabeth has her own ideas about matters of the heart. Are her talents in the art of negotiation enough to win her both the job of her dreams and the man she truly loves?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Germany, Audiobook, 14th Century, Historical, German Literature

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 23, 2016

Reviews

[Sonja Rosa Lisa ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Köln im 14. Jahrhundert. Elisabeth und Stephen sind Zwillinge, die jedoch kaum unterschiedlicher sein könnten. Während Elisabeth sich sehr für den Handel ihres Vaters interessiert, sieht Stephen alles recht locker und zeigt wenig Ehrgeiz, in die Fußstapfen seines Vaters zu treten. Als der Vater einen Schlaganfall erleidet, ändert sich alles...
💙 Ein schöner historischer Roman. Einfach geschrieben, so dass man die Geschichte flott weglesen kann.
Ein Buch über eine junge Frau, die ihrer Zeit voraus ist und sich nicht benachteiligen lassen möchte, nur weil sie eine Frau ist.
Ich mag die Geschichten von Ellin Carsta; auch dieser erste Band einer (für mich) neuen Reihe macht da keine Ausnahme.💙

[Annette · Rating 3 out of 5]

The introduction of this book sounded so interesting: Cologne 1351, daughter’s absorption and love for the cloth trade, her eagerness to make a mark in this trade… I so wanted to immerse myself in this story of what sounded as a story of a remarkable woman, but there was nothing engrossing about this shallow story written in a juvenile language.

@FB: Best Historical Fiction

[Malinski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ein wirklich toller und unterhaltsamer historischer Roman mit einer liebens- und bewundernswerten Hauptfigur!

[Monica Hills · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick read on a strong woman in the Middle Ages. Elisabeth has her handsful trying to keep her family's business afloat. She has a useless brother and a mother suffering from depression. Her father has also recently suffered from a stroke. What follows is a story about one girl's determination to get it all.

[OjoAusana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty interesting book, I work for my dad too so I really liked the daughter-father relationship in this book, anot nd I really liked the growth the characters have in this book! not thrilling in the way I thought but in its own way it was certainly a page turner with a great story and characters. *only thing is knew what they needed to do the whole book so good thing *that* wasn't THE problem of the book lmao

[Melisende · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me, the tale started slowly, and at one stage I did consider leaving it there but I persevered. The story, set in Cologne 1351, is of a remarkable young woman, who defies the conventions of the times by wanting to continue in her father's trade. Family set backs, and a truly odious brother, ensure that the reader is constantly on the side of the underdog - in this case, our heroine Elizabeth.

What is remarkable was Elizabeth's determination to overcome convention and stride out on her own - and author Ellin Carsta conveys this struggle well. However, being not over familiar with 14th Century Germany, and especially the pogroms against the Jews, a little (not a lot) more background would have assisted.

The language is simple and not overly complex, and the author makes no attempt write in any Germanic dialect accent, or use words a reader may not fully grasp (as other writers do and which comes off sounding phoney) - so the narrative flowed smoothly.

Overall, despite a slow start and thoughts to the contary, I could not set the book aside until I reached its conclusion.

[Annie M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as part of a First Reads Giveaway.

I didn't expect to read The Draper's Daughter in one sitting, but Elisabeth's journey captivated me from the very beginning. Ellin Carsta successfully depicts medieval Germany without inundating the reader with minutiae, but still establishing context for Elisabeth's story. Feel good, girl power historical fiction.

[Sarah♡books · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 🌟


🔸Historical novel
🔸Germany 1351
🔸situation of the Jews in society
🔸 Independent/ virgin heroine

This heroine was such a strong character 🙌🤍
She really showed society how to be a successful woman in this century 😍

We loovveee strong & independent woman 🤍

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

How about a little Girl Power in 1300’s Germany? How about a lot? The Draper’s Daughter has plenty to spare. It is full of strong women characters, not only working with the men around them, but at times surpassing them. I became so caught up in the story that I finished this eBook in one sitting. I so wanted Elisabeth to succeed no matter how many roadblocks were thrown up in her way. I will admit to a little author hate when things continued to go wrong, but I think in the end it made for a better story and a stronger cast. I would definitely read another book by this author/translator team. Translating from German to English can be difficult and some of the language was a little stilted but it quickly picked up.
For a Historical Fiction piece, I would have enjoyed a bit more history and a little less fiction. I would simply classify this as fiction, since you need more than a past date and a real town to make it historical fiction. The dynamic between women was also intriguing. While most were willing to help, it wasn’t a strictly men vs women book which can be a common trope.I was concerned as the story went on that we would end up with nothing but villains and cowed men, but once again the author surprised me. This is definitely a good example of getting your cake and eating it too.
*This eBook was provided by NetGalley and AmazonCrossing in exchange for honest feedback*

[Hannelore Cheney · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet book, but a little sparse. I would have liked more in depth information about Germany in the 1300's. The story centers on Elisabeth, who is qualified and more than eager to take over her father's business, but has to fight bitterly against the prejudice against women, as well as her brother's incompetence and misjudged certainty he is the right and only heir to the family business. It's a pleasant enough read, but not meaty enough to totally satisfy me.
Thank you Netgalley, Amazon Crossing and Ellin Carsta for the ARC.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

#ReadAroundTheWorld #Germany

This is a feminist historical fiction set in Cologne in 1351, not long after the pogroms against the Jews, and is translated from German.

Elisabeth and her twin brother Stephen grow up in a family heavily involved in the cloth trade, but evolve in very different directions. Elisabeth loves her father’s world of fabric and business and is determined to learn as much as she can. Stephen is far more interested in pursuing pleasure than work but feels hard done by when he does not win the respect and trust of his family.

Their mother is suffering a chronic, incapacitating depression and when their father has a stroke, Elisabeth must do what she can to save the family from decline and hardship. Will Stephen repay her trust and work together with Elisabeth to change the family fortune or will she be disappointed once again?

I enjoyed the setting and the insights into medieval Germany and also the world of cloth merchants. I did, however, find the writing very simplistic and rather juvenile at times. Elisabeth was a strong and independent woman, fighting against the ingrained misogyny around her, although sometimes it seemed to me that her new strength bordered on bullying others, such as her depressed mother. Although I was pleased to see her mother take interest in life again, it seemed to me that having someone basically force you to “snap out of it” and that this was magically successful, was a very simplistic understanding of mental illness. I also found Elisabeth’s wastrel brother a rather exaggerated, one-dimensional character. The romantic element of the story was also fairly saccharine, sweet and somewhat limp. What I did also enjoy was Elisabeth’s foray into the world of fabrics and dress-making, her growing business acumen and independence despite the heavily male-dominated nature of the world of merchants and trade.

[Robbi Leah Freeman · Rating 3 out of 5]

"the “Judenschlacht” or pogrom of August 24, 1349. The surviving Jews left Cologne and returned only by degrees, which had a major effect on commerce in the city. "--Note from Author
This book is actually set after the Judenschlacht. Elizabeth is a draper's daughter, who has a mother with depression and a a brother who seems to be nothing but trouble. Her brother is sent to work as an apprentice, in order, to be able to run the family business. Elizabeth in the meantime is an apprentice to her father and taking care of her mom and other duties. Then the brother moves home after being thrown out of his apprentice job and sent home. Can Elizabeth keep her life going and not be married off? Is it fair for a woman to only be able to work under a man's name? Can Cologne be forgiven and the Jewish people come back to trade and the insistent rain stop so business can come back to Cologne? Finally, will Elizabeth succeed at living a life on her terms and maybe even find a husband who would support how she wants to live life.
Overall, an interesting read and you can learn some historical knowledge from it but more fiction. I would recommend more to women for a pick me up in believing you can succeed. The writing was a little dry but could be because of the translation from German. Author has another book I really enjoyed, The Secret Healer.

[Margaret Lockhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful story of hope, tenacity, tragedy, disappointment success

In the 1300's in Cologne Germany, women weren't considered capable of doing anything more than having children and taking care of a house. Most women weren't even allowed to learn to read or be educated in any way. Then along came Elizabeth: strong headed, determined, and at turned out, very talented when it came to business. She was the Draper's daughter. Normally her twin brother, Stephen, would have been the natural choice to work with his father in the business but he was in another part of Germany apprenticing to a family. That made it possible for a Elizabeth to learn the family business. And learn she did and she loved it! But all was not going to be easy for Elizabeth. And soon she faced her conniving dishonest twin brother who was sent home from his apprenticeship in shame, her father suffered a severe stroke, and then her conniving brother tried to throw her out the business and take over everything. And that's just the beginning of this incredible story. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good story especially people who believe women are just as and sometimes more capable and men. On top of it all it's a great love story with many a twist and turn along on the way. You'll be well rewarded for taking the time to read this delightful piece of literature.

[LanaBanana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dieser historische Roman hat mich mit seiner einfachen Schreibweise und der spannenden Handlung von Anfang bis Ende gefesselt. Obwohl der Roman nur wenige historische Hintergründe außerhalb der Handlung liefert, war es dennoch eine mitreißende Lektüre.

Besonders begeistert hat mich die sympathische Protagonistin des Buches. Trotz der Zeit, in der die Geschichte spielt, ist sie eine starke und smarte Frauenfigur. Es war inspirierend, mitzuerleben, wie sie sich den Herausforderungen und Schwierigkeiten ihrer Zeit stellt und diese mit Intelligenz und Geschick meistert. Die Figur wurde so gut entwickelt, dass ich als Leserin regelrecht mitfiebern konnte und gespannt war, wie sie die scheinbar unüberwindbaren Situationen bewältigen würde.

Obwohl das Buch weniger historische Hintergründe außerhalb der Handlung liefert, hat es mich dennoch in die Zeit und Umgebung des Romans eintauchen lassen. Die Autorin hat es geschafft, die Atmosphäre der Epoche lebendig werden zu lassen und mich in die Welt der Protagonistin einzuführen. Es war faszinierend, die gesellschaftlichen Normen und Hindernisse zu erleben, mit denen die starke Frauenfigur konfrontiert war und wie sie diese trotzdem überwinden konnte.

Insgesamt kann ich dieses Buch jedem empfehlen, der nach einem einfach geschriebenen, aber dennoch spannenden historischen Roman sucht. Die mitreißende Handlung, die sympathische Protagonistin und die faszinierende Darstellung einer starken Frauenfigur machen dieses Buch zu einer lesenswerten Geschichte, die einen in den Bann zieht.

[Beks · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can see my full review here at : http://talesfromabookaddict.blogspot....


I just finished this amazing novel and am on a total girl power high! This isn't the first German novel translated into English I have read, and each time I do it makes me want to learn to at least read the language even more. I love German novels and story telling.

Carsta does a great job of pulling me into 1300's Germany - the details of the terrible pogroms, the plague that still goes around, the medieval views of depression and women's place - they all combine to set the tone for Carsta's story in Cologne. Elizabeth is amazing. She is strong, she is kind, she tries over and over and keeps getting set back. (I feel sorry for my coworkers as they watch me read. They could tell there were times when I just wanted to yell at Elizabeth "Don't do the thing, that is a bad thing, don't do the thing!" But they are great sports and only teased me about it a little bit.) She deals with misogyny, with slut-shaming, with actual physical assault to her person, but she comes through. She comes through wiser for it. I want to be Elizabeth when I grow up.

Read the more at my blog. Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest reveiwl

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

"We've come a long way . . . " but there's a long way to go before gender equality is a reality. Women earned the right to vote in the United States a hundred years ago but men are still in the majority in the halls of Congress, statehouses across the country and in local communities. Equal pay for equal work is a foreign idea to many. Women are denied an education, property rights, and access to credit and capital around the world. Until recently women were not allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia and they still need a male relatives permission to travel.

In recent weeks I have read 3 novels about women in different times and places who strived to succeed in male-dominated society: Sofia, a talented artist in 15th century Tuscany; Clare, an Episcopal priest in modern-day New York;, and Elisabeth, cloth merchant and businesswoman in 14th century Cologne. Each often encountered resistance, obstacles, painful setbacks, and personal loss but through hard work, persistence and a bit of luck they were successful.

No graphic sex or violence

[Kendra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good solid 3 stars. Its been a very long time since I've read a book in one day! Maybe that says more about my life in the last few years...but it also says a lot about this book. Its an easy read and engaging. Its also predictable and, at times, so cheesy I literally scoffed out loud and laugh (when it wasn't meant to be funny). The characters are almost too perfectly flawed or so full of prophetic wisdom that it comes off WAY cheesy. BUT, I enjoyed it and I purchased another of Ellin Carsta's books before logging off my Kindle. One note...I didn't realize this book was translated until I was reading the "about the author" section in the end...maybe the translation has something to do with the voice of the characters and the cheesiness??

[Melissa Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an interesting story. Empowering by its strength in the characters, this story could've been any young woman trying to protect the family she loves. The character faces challenges during a time in which women were little more than chattel. The story takes us through the difficult times that force Elizabeth to take charge of both her own future and that of the family business. Through all of the challenges of family illnesses, societal pressures, and the brother's nasty behavior in undermining her hard work, Elizabeth rises up to become a successful businesswoman in a "man's world." Well worth the read or listen.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Draper’s Daughter is a novel by Ellin Carsta which was translated by John Brownjohn. The book is set in the 1300’s in Cologne. It is centered around a merchant family, the Hardensteins, who were floundering a bit in business and then the Father had a stroke and was bedridden. The business was then to be taken over by his son, Stephen, or his sister, Elizabeth. Which one was it to be?
The novel is very well-written and grabs your attention from the start. The characters are well described and seem to walk off the pages and perform in front of you. You get very well acquainted with Elizabeth and Stephen as you watch them grapple over their situation.

[Marie Mastrianni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but flat

To quote a cliche, "lost in translation". I have read numerous stories that were translated and enjoyed them . This book was not one of them. What could have been a moving depiction of a young woman in the 1300's in Cologne, saving her family's reputation and business, as well as paving the way for a woman's independence was translated without emotion. It was tedious reading but I did endure and read it to the end . Synopsis: " and they lived happily ever after".

[Lyn Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book had a very slow beginning. It took me a while to get into it. The storyline depicted a strong woman fighting against all odds to succeed in a man’s world. I was very disappointed with Elisabeth marrying her first love at the end. It didnt ring true of Elisabeth’s character. I would have thought that she wouldnt have put up with marrying a weak man who would pamper to his mother’s whims. Really dont know why I gave it four stars on reflection. Would I read this again? No. Will I remember it as a memorable read? No. Will I forget I ever read it? Yes!

[Joyce T. Enderle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical Fiction

This story is my favorite kind. I've spent great deal of holidays in Germany. We were in Him the night the WALL came down in Berlin. Recently we spent 21 days in Berlin. It's my favorite large City in Europe. Second place is Baden-Baden. We had an apartment there for a month. Never missed the daily concerts at 4pm. We stayed in Leverkusen a month and went to Cologne often. My husband 's Father was German. We also have been to Munich October Festival several times. Always rode train to Barvaria. The German Alps are indeed beautiful.

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although i felt this was at times a little slow, it was quite an enjoyable and easy read. There isn't much that i can add to this review that others haven't already said. It is the first time that i have read any novels by this author and i would like to try more.

I received this e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Marg · Rating 2 out of 5]

It didn't live up to its interesting-sounding blurb. Read more like a poor teenage offering than a serious attempt at taking us to the Cologne of the 1300s. Some good detail but lost in too much nonsense! Brother Stephen is a pain and why oh why dream up the story about Raphael's brother near the end! Waste of a good opportunity.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

While this is my 3rd book by this author, I have to says this one was somewhat disappointing. Perhaps it lost something in translation. On many occasions I found myself forgetting it was set in the 14th century. The language was not appropriate for the time period as the first 2 books were.

[Justin Neville · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Maybe it lacks a little in complexity/subtlety of plot or characterisation, but it's simply a very good read and doesn't have grandeurs of delivering more.

There appears to be a thriving genre of historical novels by German writers, and so little of it appears in English translation, which is a shame.

I shall check out any others available by this author.

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this compulsive and read it in one sitting - finishing at 3.30am! It's unusual but very pleasant to find an easy to read, historical novel.
I'm hooked now and have just downloaded The Secret Healer, from the same author, as a free Amazon Prime read.

[Maggie Shackett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful book for Ellin Carsta

I believe that this is the third of her books I've enjoyed. I have also read books one and two of her Secret Healer series and am hoping for a book three.I highly recommend The Draper's Daughter.

[Kawther · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is all about making it too obvious that Elizabeth always gets whatever she wants, which is very annoying. I felt as if I’m reading a dumb Disney fairytale than a fiction novel handling big social issues.

[Lester · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ich habe das Buch gelesen weil ich sonst nichts zu tun hatte auf eine Bahnreise. Und ich könnte es nicht fallen lasse - das Buch ist richtig gut. Toll geschrieben, interessante historische Kulisse, und der Leser wird durch eine Emotions-Rollercoaster genommen.