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The Emerald Dress
PRESENT DAY DUBLIN
Lucy Young travels to Dublin to search for her ancestor Hugh Gavin who emigrated from Dublin to Boston in 1720. She brings with her a 300- year-old diary written by the Duchess of Alden of Boden Castle, Dublin. When Lucy contacts Professor Patrick Ralley of Trinity College Dublin to donate the Alden diary to the university, she asks for his help to research Hugh Gavin s life and her family s possible connection to the castle. In their search they will uncover a secret that has lain hidden for three hundred years.
DUBLIN, 1719
Abigail Harton s father is a medical doctor who has used the last of his family s savings to fund a charitable hospital in the city. He has saved the lives of the wife and son of the Duke of Alden in childbirth and hopes that the Duke will provide an annuity to support his work.
Meanwhile Abigail and her mother must use their considerable talent at embroidery to provide for the household, and Abigail designs an emerald-silk damask cloth for weaver Hugh Gavin. She also accepts work from Hugh s sister Mary to embroider a dress made from the cloth, which has been commissioned by Miss Elizabeth Goulding to be worn at the upcoming Duke of Alden s Ball at Boden Castle.
But an event occurs at Boden Castle the night of the ball that will lie secret for the next three hundred years, until Lucy and the Professor uncover the secret of the emerald dress.
Lucy Young travels to Dublin to search for her ancestor Hugh Gavin who emigrated from Dublin to Boston in 1720. She brings with her a 300- year-old diary written by the Duchess of Alden of Boden Castle, Dublin. When Lucy contacts Professor Patrick Ralley of Trinity College Dublin to donate the Alden diary to the university, she asks for his help to research Hugh Gavin s life and her family s possible connection to the castle. In their search they will uncover a secret that has lain hidden for three hundred years.
DUBLIN, 1719
Abigail Harton s father is a medical doctor who has used the last of his family s savings to fund a charitable hospital in the city. He has saved the lives of the wife and son of the Duke of Alden in childbirth and hopes that the Duke will provide an annuity to support his work.
Meanwhile Abigail and her mother must use their considerable talent at embroidery to provide for the household, and Abigail designs an emerald-silk damask cloth for weaver Hugh Gavin. She also accepts work from Hugh s sister Mary to embroider a dress made from the cloth, which has been commissioned by Miss Elizabeth Goulding to be worn at the upcoming Duke of Alden s Ball at Boden Castle.
But an event occurs at Boden Castle the night of the ball that will lie secret for the next three hundred years, until Lucy and the Professor uncover the secret of the emerald dress.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2019
28 people are currently reading
518 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
November 6, 2019
The majority of the book is written in the early 1700's in Dublin, Ireland. Lucy, a present day American, is researching her ancestry for her aunt. I will add here that Lucy doesn't even come into the story until chapter 13. Personally, Lucy's few appearances in the book really could've been left out and the reader would be none the wiser.
The title of the book has very little to do with the actual book in my opinion. Yes, the main characters helped make the dress, but that's where it ends. The dress was weaved by Hugh Gavin, embroidered by Abigail Harton and put together by Mary Gavin and her assistant Grace. The dress was made for an Elizabeth Goulding for a ball at Boden Castle.
Abigail was the daughter of a doctor in Dublin and she and her mother were forced to do some embroidery work because Dr. Harton was working for free at the local hospital for the poor but yet the family still needed to pay the bills, keep a roof over their head and food on the table. When Abigail took in her sample for the embroidery for the Emerald dress she was hired by Mary Gavin to complete it before the ball.
Working was an embarassment for Abigail and she didn't want to be seen with either of the Gavin's. However, while she was working there she eventually felt comfortable in their company. She still dreamed of landing a secure marriage and thought she would have one with Dr. William Monroe, whom had come to work at her father's hospital. Little did she know Dr. Monroe was not whom he appeared to be.
This book had an excellent premise, but I struggled through it. The author did a great job of researching for the book if the listing at the end is any indication, but the book fell flat for me. Another thing I will note, the book jumped from one characters perspective to another constantly, this was frustrating to me.
I liken it to a train wreck, you know the end result is a disaster but still you continue to watch. That's what I felt while reading this book. I had this morbid curiosity to see what happened in the end. That being said, I do hope this book does appeal to others.
I received an advanced review copy for free through BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The title of the book has very little to do with the actual book in my opinion. Yes, the main characters helped make the dress, but that's where it ends. The dress was weaved by Hugh Gavin, embroidered by Abigail Harton and put together by Mary Gavin and her assistant Grace. The dress was made for an Elizabeth Goulding for a ball at Boden Castle.
Abigail was the daughter of a doctor in Dublin and she and her mother were forced to do some embroidery work because Dr. Harton was working for free at the local hospital for the poor but yet the family still needed to pay the bills, keep a roof over their head and food on the table. When Abigail took in her sample for the embroidery for the Emerald dress she was hired by Mary Gavin to complete it before the ball.
Working was an embarassment for Abigail and she didn't want to be seen with either of the Gavin's. However, while she was working there she eventually felt comfortable in their company. She still dreamed of landing a secure marriage and thought she would have one with Dr. William Monroe, whom had come to work at her father's hospital. Little did she know Dr. Monroe was not whom he appeared to be.
This book had an excellent premise, but I struggled through it. The author did a great job of researching for the book if the listing at the end is any indication, but the book fell flat for me. Another thing I will note, the book jumped from one characters perspective to another constantly, this was frustrating to me.
I liken it to a train wreck, you know the end result is a disaster but still you continue to watch. That's what I felt while reading this book. I had this morbid curiosity to see what happened in the end. That being said, I do hope this book does appeal to others.
I received an advanced review copy for free through BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 21, 2019
Where do I start? Firstly, the title. It doesn’t really work. The emerald dress is not really what the story is about. Honestly, it barely feels like a factor. And the book description feels incredibly misleading as well. Yes, Lucy Young travels to Ireland, but we don’t even hear from her (in an odd, stilted first person) until the 13th chapter! I completely forgot about the modern day aspect, as it took so long to be introduced. Following that, you get a few chapters from her here and there, and that’s it. It’s really quite odd for a dual timeline novel. Another odd thing is that the Professor she meets is named one time, and then thereafter is always referred to as the “Professor”. Not Professor Ralley, just Professor. It’s weird. And it’s weird that the book description starts with Lucy and “Present Day Dublin” when it factors so little into the book.
About 87% of the story revolves around the Harton family, and mainly Abigail. I enjoyed this part of the story, and it was easy to get lost in their lives and their struggles. I don’t feel as though the characters were shown to have a lot of depth though. There’s also a lot of unnecessary tangents, where the author randomly writes about the apothecary’s wife, or a maid’s desire to become an actress. Totally irrelevant to the story, and gives it an amateur feel, as though an editor hasn’t properly trimmed the unneeded passages.
As Abigail’s story progresses, you find yourself worried about her plight, but not overly much. It doesn’t have the immediacy it should, or feel as threatening as it ought. It was clear everything would be resolved, especially as Dr. Monroe wasn’t particularly bright and lacked willpower. And honestly, the way things ended with him really soured me to the rest of the story. Very unsatisfying.
The big 300 year old “mystery” that is alluded to? Not really a mystery, more of a side note. And a sad one at that. It felt oddly harsh, and again, soured me to the rest of the book. This is a 2 1/2 star book for me, but I rounded to three. Some parts were interesting, but overall, it needed some work.
I received an ARC courtesy of Book Sirens in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
About 87% of the story revolves around the Harton family, and mainly Abigail. I enjoyed this part of the story, and it was easy to get lost in their lives and their struggles. I don’t feel as though the characters were shown to have a lot of depth though. There’s also a lot of unnecessary tangents, where the author randomly writes about the apothecary’s wife, or a maid’s desire to become an actress. Totally irrelevant to the story, and gives it an amateur feel, as though an editor hasn’t properly trimmed the unneeded passages.
As Abigail’s story progresses, you find yourself worried about her plight, but not overly much. It doesn’t have the immediacy it should, or feel as threatening as it ought. It was clear everything would be resolved, especially as Dr. Monroe wasn’t particularly bright and lacked willpower. And honestly, the way things ended with him really soured me to the rest of the story. Very unsatisfying.
The big 300 year old “mystery” that is alluded to? Not really a mystery, more of a side note. And a sad one at that. It felt oddly harsh, and again, soured me to the rest of the book. This is a 2 1/2 star book for me, but I rounded to three. Some parts were interesting, but overall, it needed some work.
I received an ARC courtesy of Book Sirens in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
December 31, 2019
This book was interesting and kept my attention from the beginning. The characters were well written and i felt like i was there. The downfall was at the middle it slowed down in the action. Would read more from this author.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 4, 2021
The Emerald Dress to begin with is exactly my type of book - historical fiction with a dual past-present timeline, vivid period detail, drama, romance, mystery. I would recommend it to anyone who likes the same. I loved reading this novel and can see myself re-reading it in the future.
Past:
This was my favourite section of The Emerald Dress. 1719 Dublin is described in immersive detail. I had little previous knowledge of this time period but I am interested in learning more after this book. The setting was so interesting - particularly the exploration of dressmakers and weavers of the time.
The plot was exciting, peopled with characters that bounced off the page, and I kept turning faster and faster. Dr Monroe was a brilliant villain - he was 100% evil lacking any empathy, remorse or redeemable qualities, motivated entirely by status and power. Characters like this can bother me in some books - but I suppose people do exist, especially in the class defined 1700s, who are as entitled, power hungry and despicable as Monroe. I enjoyed his scenes and getting his perspective. It was clear he viewed Abigail as nothing more than a door into society - who was conveniently attractive and pleasant. He thought to himself about his affection for her... as he plotted to kill her father. At one point I was wondering had he somehow killed off Benjamin to ensure there was no male competition left for the property.
I liked and cared about Abigail. She was smart, kind and loyal. I was happy that she married and left for a new life in the US with Hugh. I did think their relationship could have been more developed (perhaps time that was given to the present day storyline could have been used to flesh that out?).
The supporting characters were equally fascinating and the cast felt colourful and memorable. I have never read a book before with as much head hopping - jumping from perspective to perspective in one scene. I honestly liked it. Info about the Apothecary Smyth's wife, Brigid's potential love interest and Nancy's acting dreams didn't add to the plot but I love the sense that there is a wider world surrounding the main characters and countless other stories between each line.
The character of Elizabeth Goulding was fascinating to me. I used to be annoyed by unlikable characters and Elizabeth did annoy me - she was spoilt, selfish, naive, entitled - but it makes the story so much more realistic. She was an innocent, dreamy sixteen year old girl that Monroe should have kept well away from if he was not the absolute worst. Her ending was so sad. I certainly didn't expect her to be the ghost. I had almost forgotten about that aspect by the time she was locked in the tower.
Present:
The present chapters were fine and I liked reading them but I didn't find there was anything special or new added to the story. They occupied only a small percentage of the book overall but had no real impact on the story other than revealing a tidge about Abigail and Hugh's descendants. I feel like that extra space could have been used to develop Abigail and Hugh's relationship, develop Abigail and Monroe's courtship, develop Monroe's backstory, reveal what happened to Monroe after he did a runner, tie Catherine Summer into the story moreso, etc.
Lucy Young was a nice character and I was glad she got a happy ending. But her relationship with the "Professor" felt too rushed for me to get invested in like I was in that of Abigail and Hugh. And the whole thing about their ex fiancees seemed tossed in there to give them a story arc, no matter how small or undeveloped.
Also too much time was taken up with the Professor and Lucy searching for info the reader already knew from the past section, eg. that Abigail and Hugh were married. The present bits were short and spaced out but I found myself waiting for them to be over so I could get back to 1719.
Overall though, The Emerald Dress was brilliant. I cared about and was engaged with the plot and characters, I learned, I got a colourful story world bursting with fascinating people and I enjoyed Vivienne Kearns's descriptive style. I will be looking out for other books by this author certainly.
Past:
This was my favourite section of The Emerald Dress. 1719 Dublin is described in immersive detail. I had little previous knowledge of this time period but I am interested in learning more after this book. The setting was so interesting - particularly the exploration of dressmakers and weavers of the time.
The plot was exciting, peopled with characters that bounced off the page, and I kept turning faster and faster. Dr Monroe was a brilliant villain - he was 100% evil lacking any empathy, remorse or redeemable qualities, motivated entirely by status and power. Characters like this can bother me in some books - but I suppose people do exist, especially in the class defined 1700s, who are as entitled, power hungry and despicable as Monroe. I enjoyed his scenes and getting his perspective. It was clear he viewed Abigail as nothing more than a door into society - who was conveniently attractive and pleasant. He thought to himself about his affection for her... as he plotted to kill her father. At one point I was wondering had he somehow killed off Benjamin to ensure there was no male competition left for the property.
I liked and cared about Abigail. She was smart, kind and loyal. I was happy that she married and left for a new life in the US with Hugh. I did think their relationship could have been more developed (perhaps time that was given to the present day storyline could have been used to flesh that out?).
The supporting characters were equally fascinating and the cast felt colourful and memorable. I have never read a book before with as much head hopping - jumping from perspective to perspective in one scene. I honestly liked it. Info about the Apothecary Smyth's wife, Brigid's potential love interest and Nancy's acting dreams didn't add to the plot but I love the sense that there is a wider world surrounding the main characters and countless other stories between each line.
The character of Elizabeth Goulding was fascinating to me. I used to be annoyed by unlikable characters and Elizabeth did annoy me - she was spoilt, selfish, naive, entitled - but it makes the story so much more realistic. She was an innocent, dreamy sixteen year old girl that Monroe should have kept well away from if he was not the absolute worst. Her ending was so sad. I certainly didn't expect her to be the ghost. I had almost forgotten about that aspect by the time she was locked in the tower.
Present:
The present chapters were fine and I liked reading them but I didn't find there was anything special or new added to the story. They occupied only a small percentage of the book overall but had no real impact on the story other than revealing a tidge about Abigail and Hugh's descendants. I feel like that extra space could have been used to develop Abigail and Hugh's relationship, develop Abigail and Monroe's courtship, develop Monroe's backstory, reveal what happened to Monroe after he did a runner, tie Catherine Summer into the story moreso, etc.
Lucy Young was a nice character and I was glad she got a happy ending. But her relationship with the "Professor" felt too rushed for me to get invested in like I was in that of Abigail and Hugh. And the whole thing about their ex fiancees seemed tossed in there to give them a story arc, no matter how small or undeveloped.
Also too much time was taken up with the Professor and Lucy searching for info the reader already knew from the past section, eg. that Abigail and Hugh were married. The present bits were short and spaced out but I found myself waiting for them to be over so I could get back to 1719.
Overall though, The Emerald Dress was brilliant. I cared about and was engaged with the plot and characters, I learned, I got a colourful story world bursting with fascinating people and I enjoyed Vivienne Kearns's descriptive style. I will be looking out for other books by this author certainly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2021
I couldn't decided whether to give The Emerald Dress three or four stars, since I did want to keep turning the page. In itself that is a good thing.
It was obvious the author had done a great amount of research and I did feel I was in early eighteenth century Dublin with all its poverty and dirt. The descriptions of the food were very good and brought an authenticity to the story, as did the descriptions of the clothes and the wide dresses that often didn't fit through doorways.
However, I settled on three stars as the writing was rather jerky with stilted sentences. The author also had the habit of referencing names in dialogue. Even between two people, each would mention the other's name when speaking.
The story in itself was good. I did wonder why there was no mention of sedan chairs, since I would have thought them prolific in those times. Also I can't imagine a duke visiting a solicitor's office. I would have thought a solicitor would be at the beck and call of the duke and be summoned to the castle whenever it was needed.
I thought there were characters who had such a small part they could have been removed and modern day Lucy only appears very late on and then disappears for quite a number of chapters. I wondered if the author intended to write a sequel and that was why Lucy's part was minor.
The main characters were good, although I despaired at the female protagonist, Abigail. Sometimes she seemed insipid and compassionate in equal measure. But I know that women in her time had very little choices in their lives and were identified by the kind of men they married.
There were some comical passages when the author highlighted the lack of cleanliness in the early Georgian times e.g. when Elizabeth told her mother she had washed the day before. I believe these were the parts I enjoyed the most in The Emerald Dress.
It was obvious the author had done a great amount of research and I did feel I was in early eighteenth century Dublin with all its poverty and dirt. The descriptions of the food were very good and brought an authenticity to the story, as did the descriptions of the clothes and the wide dresses that often didn't fit through doorways.
However, I settled on three stars as the writing was rather jerky with stilted sentences. The author also had the habit of referencing names in dialogue. Even between two people, each would mention the other's name when speaking.
The story in itself was good. I did wonder why there was no mention of sedan chairs, since I would have thought them prolific in those times. Also I can't imagine a duke visiting a solicitor's office. I would have thought a solicitor would be at the beck and call of the duke and be summoned to the castle whenever it was needed.
I thought there were characters who had such a small part they could have been removed and modern day Lucy only appears very late on and then disappears for quite a number of chapters. I wondered if the author intended to write a sequel and that was why Lucy's part was minor.
The main characters were good, although I despaired at the female protagonist, Abigail. Sometimes she seemed insipid and compassionate in equal measure. But I know that women in her time had very little choices in their lives and were identified by the kind of men they married.
There were some comical passages when the author highlighted the lack of cleanliness in the early Georgian times e.g. when Elizabeth told her mother she had washed the day before. I believe these were the parts I enjoyed the most in The Emerald Dress.
December 21, 2020
What pains other readers in this book is regretfully agreed by humble me.
I top it with the main concept: how could the family not vet the groom-to-be? This is something I just couldn't believe VK, sorry. (I had problems believing that a marriage was denied and that it was doable.) And it made the whole conflict forced, whereas not sufficient time (text amount) was allocated to the development of love interest - both between Abigail and Monroe and Abigail and Gavin.
I also was sorry to see the amateurish info dumping - why did VK foretell all the interesting stuff? Why did we have to know that Monroe is a villain? It made the story so flat.
As for the bad idea of inserting the first person present day line - it was rushed so much I felt at a running competition, and I found the whole line completely unnecessary. When I got there in reading, I simply marked the page and leafed on, and when I finished the book I went back to read these chapters in one chunk. It didn't have any extra information :( It should have been weaved into the past line, unearthing facts we didn't see there.
The last Radburn chapter was even more unnecessary, why couldn't we left found out that the girl was left there? it was completely clear from the previous descriptions.
-
That said, the topic itself was very interesting and I did my best not to focus on the annoyance with the technicalities and imagine the world instead. I think maybe the title "Bluebirds' would have fitted the book nicely - connecting the ideas of Abigail's pattern, the storybook and later her wedding etc.
I top it with the main concept: how could the family not vet the groom-to-be? This is something I just couldn't believe VK, sorry. (I had problems believing that a marriage was denied and that it was doable.) And it made the whole conflict forced, whereas not sufficient time (text amount) was allocated to the development of love interest - both between Abigail and Monroe and Abigail and Gavin.
I also was sorry to see the amateurish info dumping - why did VK foretell all the interesting stuff? Why did we have to know that Monroe is a villain? It made the story so flat.
As for the bad idea of inserting the first person present day line - it was rushed so much I felt at a running competition, and I found the whole line completely unnecessary. When I got there in reading, I simply marked the page and leafed on, and when I finished the book I went back to read these chapters in one chunk. It didn't have any extra information :( It should have been weaved into the past line, unearthing facts we didn't see there.
The last Radburn chapter was even more unnecessary, why couldn't we left found out that the girl was left there? it was completely clear from the previous descriptions.
-
That said, the topic itself was very interesting and I did my best not to focus on the annoyance with the technicalities and imagine the world instead. I think maybe the title "Bluebirds' would have fitted the book nicely - connecting the ideas of Abigail's pattern, the storybook and later her wedding etc.
March 4, 2020
The Emerald Dress novel caught my attention due to the name and the setting - set in 1700s Dublin I was intrigued at the concept. As a fan of Tracey Chevalier and her historical fiction, I felt this could fall within the same remit.
Alternating between modern day Lucy who is trying to track down her ancestors and our protagonist Abigail in Jonathan Swift era Dublin, it weaves (pun intended) a tale of love and betrayal set around a weaver/embroiderers and the titular emerald dress being made for the illustrious Boden Ball.
I did really enjoy how the different strands of the story slowly came together but felt the modern day sections were very short and I didn't especially feel for our modern characters as we didn't really get to know them. I was rooting for Abigail however and felt we got good insight into her as a character and I did really want to see how her story ended up.
A gentle read, worth it for the hark back to historical Dublin.
I received this as an advance copy from the publishers and Book Sirens.
Alternating between modern day Lucy who is trying to track down her ancestors and our protagonist Abigail in Jonathan Swift era Dublin, it weaves (pun intended) a tale of love and betrayal set around a weaver/embroiderers and the titular emerald dress being made for the illustrious Boden Ball.
I did really enjoy how the different strands of the story slowly came together but felt the modern day sections were very short and I didn't especially feel for our modern characters as we didn't really get to know them. I was rooting for Abigail however and felt we got good insight into her as a character and I did really want to see how her story ended up.
A gentle read, worth it for the hark back to historical Dublin.
I received this as an advance copy from the publishers and Book Sirens.
January 4, 2022
Grand story but not brilliantly written and I hated the modern bit of the story it was entirely unnecessary.
I liked reading about dublin in the 1700s. I love a bit of historical fiction, especially when there’s romance involved. But there were spelling mistakes in this book. Unforgivable. How many people had to read countless drafts of this and it still managed to find its way into my hands with spelling mistakes. The modern bits were so boring I just skimmed them. You knew from the start exactly what was going to happen but when it did happen it didn’t even really make sense?? Maybe it was because I skimmed them but there was no relationship build up whatsoever with the professor before she decided to bring him back home with her. It was fine. It was a fine book. It was okay. It was honestly a little boring and sappy and embarrassing but it was fine. If I picked it up in a hotel lobby to read on the plane home I’d be satisfied but I wouldn’t be delighted. I’ll probably just forget about it within the month.
I liked reading about dublin in the 1700s. I love a bit of historical fiction, especially when there’s romance involved. But there were spelling mistakes in this book. Unforgivable. How many people had to read countless drafts of this and it still managed to find its way into my hands with spelling mistakes. The modern bits were so boring I just skimmed them. You knew from the start exactly what was going to happen but when it did happen it didn’t even really make sense?? Maybe it was because I skimmed them but there was no relationship build up whatsoever with the professor before she decided to bring him back home with her. It was fine. It was a fine book. It was okay. It was honestly a little boring and sappy and embarrassing but it was fine. If I picked it up in a hotel lobby to read on the plane home I’d be satisfied but I wouldn’t be delighted. I’ll probably just forget about it within the month.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2020
This novel takes place in early 18th century. It is about Abigail who must work outside the family home due to her family’s misfortune. Her father, a respected doctor has opened a hospital for the indigent and uses his family’s savings to sponsor the hospital. When Abby must work outside the home she meets Mr Gavin. Meanwhile Abby is engaged to Dr Monroe who turns out to be a scoundrel. Mr Gavin finds out his true character and tries to tell Abby. The novel is narrated by a young women who is researching her family ancestry. The novel is a good historical romance which is not my genre but would be well received by fans of that genre. The description of women during this time is very interesting. I received this ARC through BookSiren for my honest review.
October 23, 2019
1700s Dublin and present day Dublin are linked in this dual narrative hist fic thanks to the titular dress, a small key, and an American woman tracing her family line after fleeing her wedding to a cheating fiancé.
Unfortunately the American doesn't turn up until chapter eight, her love interest isn't fleshed out enough to make us care about their budding romance, and overall the modern story is so small as to constitute a framing device rather than a dual narrative. Personally I think that was a missed opportunity but it may suit others who prefer their hist fic to be entirely in the past.
The characters in the past are much stronger (although as other reviewers have mentioned some very very minor characters get internal thoughts and dreams which don't advance the overall story and should have been cut) and the author does a good job of evoking the city at that time period (as a Dublin native and history geek I appreciated the effort she put in there). Abigail Harton's father is so busy establishing a hospital for the poor that he has financially ruined his family so she takes on embroidery work on the emerald dress and meets Hugh, a weaver who longs to try his luck in the New World. Throw in family grief and a feckless surgeon Dr Monroe who sees Abigail as his ticket to society but is really more interested in gambling and you've got yourself a story.
So plot, setting, and characters are solid in this debut novel so why only three stars?
Sadly it falls down somewhat in execution. From the very first chapter, right through to the end, the author head hops and tells when she could have more effectively shown instead. It's the difference between - Jim was angry and Jim crushed the receipt in his fist. Which is more vivid?
The head hopping drove me nuts. There may be those who love every character in a scene having their own perspective so the reader is a god/goddess who sees into the hearts of all, at the same time, but I'm not one of them. It's confusing and honestly I think it's lazy writing/weak editing. You never know whose viewpoint you're in. I've never read a published book before where it happened so much (although it's a common error with novice writers). Generally authors pick one viewpoint per scene and stick to that e.g. The heroine in a scene can't know what her hero is thinking (unless he tells her) - this is like real life. The viewpoint can change in next scene or chapter, but not in the very next sentence as it does here.
I think the author has real potential and I love hist fic set in Ireland so I hope she fixes this in her next book because it will raise her game considerably.
Overall a reasonable read but avoid if you hate head hopping.
Unfortunately the American doesn't turn up until chapter eight, her love interest isn't fleshed out enough to make us care about their budding romance, and overall the modern story is so small as to constitute a framing device rather than a dual narrative. Personally I think that was a missed opportunity but it may suit others who prefer their hist fic to be entirely in the past.
The characters in the past are much stronger (although as other reviewers have mentioned some very very minor characters get internal thoughts and dreams which don't advance the overall story and should have been cut) and the author does a good job of evoking the city at that time period (as a Dublin native and history geek I appreciated the effort she put in there). Abigail Harton's father is so busy establishing a hospital for the poor that he has financially ruined his family so she takes on embroidery work on the emerald dress and meets Hugh, a weaver who longs to try his luck in the New World. Throw in family grief and a feckless surgeon Dr Monroe who sees Abigail as his ticket to society but is really more interested in gambling and you've got yourself a story.
So plot, setting, and characters are solid in this debut novel so why only three stars?
Sadly it falls down somewhat in execution. From the very first chapter, right through to the end, the author head hops and tells when she could have more effectively shown instead. It's the difference between - Jim was angry and Jim crushed the receipt in his fist. Which is more vivid?
The head hopping drove me nuts. There may be those who love every character in a scene having their own perspective so the reader is a god/goddess who sees into the hearts of all, at the same time, but I'm not one of them. It's confusing and honestly I think it's lazy writing/weak editing. You never know whose viewpoint you're in. I've never read a published book before where it happened so much (although it's a common error with novice writers). Generally authors pick one viewpoint per scene and stick to that e.g. The heroine in a scene can't know what her hero is thinking (unless he tells her) - this is like real life. The viewpoint can change in next scene or chapter, but not in the very next sentence as it does here.
I think the author has real potential and I love hist fic set in Ireland so I hope she fixes this in her next book because it will raise her game considerably.
Overall a reasonable read but avoid if you hate head hopping.
September 22, 2019
Present Day
Lucy Young travels to Dublin to research her Irish ancestor, Hugh Gavin. She brings with her a 300-year-old diary, written by the Duchess of Alden who, Boden Castle, Dublin. Lucy contacts Professor Patrick Ralley of Trinity College Dublin to donate the diary to the university and ask his help to research Hugh Gavin s life and her family's possible connection to the castle. In their search, they will uncover a secret that has lain hidden for three hundred years.
Dublin, 1719
Abigail Harton is a troubled young lady. Along with helping to care for her poorly younger brother, Benjamin, she is deeply concerned about her family's finances. Her father is a medical doctor who has poured his savings into a charitable hospital in Dublin. Dr Harton hopes that the Duke of Alden will provide him with an annuity to support his work, as he saved the lives of his wife and child.
Meanwhile, Abigail and her mother take on embroidery work to add to keep the household going. Taking inspiration from a fairytale book she reads to Benjamin, Abigail designs an emerald silk cloth for the weaver, Hugh Gavin. This, in turn, leads to her accepting work from Hugh's sister Mary, working on a dress made from the cloth for a young girl, Elizabeth Goulding to wear to the Ball at Boden Castle.
Meanwhile, Abigail's mother is keen to see Abigail married to a good man, who can keep her safe and look after her financially. She sets her sights on Dr William Monroe. Abigail likes the doctor and he is certainly keen on her. It is apparent that her instinct isn't fully invested in the match and with good reason.
I thoroughly enjoyed the historical side of this book. The period seems to have been well researched and the authors' knowledge of the Gavins' work was outstanding.
Being totally honest, the present-day parts of the story didn't do anything for me. From the start, I was so caught up in the events of 1719, by the time a Present Day chapter came around again, I had forgotten about that part. The book, in my opinion, was strong enough to hold its own in the 1700s.
In saying that, I would like to read more historical fiction from Vivienne Kearns, her knowledge, descriptions and use of language from that time period were remarkable. I cared for Abigail, worried for and felt for her when she needed it.
Lucy Young travels to Dublin to research her Irish ancestor, Hugh Gavin. She brings with her a 300-year-old diary, written by the Duchess of Alden who, Boden Castle, Dublin. Lucy contacts Professor Patrick Ralley of Trinity College Dublin to donate the diary to the university and ask his help to research Hugh Gavin s life and her family's possible connection to the castle. In their search, they will uncover a secret that has lain hidden for three hundred years.
Dublin, 1719
Abigail Harton is a troubled young lady. Along with helping to care for her poorly younger brother, Benjamin, she is deeply concerned about her family's finances. Her father is a medical doctor who has poured his savings into a charitable hospital in Dublin. Dr Harton hopes that the Duke of Alden will provide him with an annuity to support his work, as he saved the lives of his wife and child.
Meanwhile, Abigail and her mother take on embroidery work to add to keep the household going. Taking inspiration from a fairytale book she reads to Benjamin, Abigail designs an emerald silk cloth for the weaver, Hugh Gavin. This, in turn, leads to her accepting work from Hugh's sister Mary, working on a dress made from the cloth for a young girl, Elizabeth Goulding to wear to the Ball at Boden Castle.
Meanwhile, Abigail's mother is keen to see Abigail married to a good man, who can keep her safe and look after her financially. She sets her sights on Dr William Monroe. Abigail likes the doctor and he is certainly keen on her. It is apparent that her instinct isn't fully invested in the match and with good reason.
I thoroughly enjoyed the historical side of this book. The period seems to have been well researched and the authors' knowledge of the Gavins' work was outstanding.
Being totally honest, the present-day parts of the story didn't do anything for me. From the start, I was so caught up in the events of 1719, by the time a Present Day chapter came around again, I had forgotten about that part. The book, in my opinion, was strong enough to hold its own in the 1700s.
In saying that, I would like to read more historical fiction from Vivienne Kearns, her knowledge, descriptions and use of language from that time period were remarkable. I cared for Abigail, worried for and felt for her when she needed it.
September 3, 2019
Much is tied to the emerald dress, even the ending.
Miss Abigail Harton is the daughter of a respected doctor. As such, she should not be secretly working as an embroiderer for a well known Dublin dressmaker. However, the bills must be paid, and her mother understands their need. Just as long as her father never knows, all will be well.
The Emerald Dress by Vivienne Kearns is a fascinating peek into 18th century Dublin town life. As the author states, Abigail's story is loosely based on a real woman of that time period. As I devoured this engrossing read, I could see just how much thought and research Ms. Kearns put into her historical descriptions and period lifestyles.
The plot of this well written stand-alone novel is tightly woven with vivid characters and a number of twists and turns. I really admired Abigail's strength, given her period limitations. Even the supporting characters were well developed and held their own within the story. Usually a book leans heavily towards either characters or plot. This one was strong in both areas. There is a romance for Abigail, but it too has a surprise in store for the reader.
A fun added element to this historical piece of fiction, is the modern day fictitious ancestor, Lucy, who is searching currently searching for clues in Dublin three hundred years later. This facet is carefully marked with the chapter change, but it truly works well in discovering just how Abigail's life played out so long ago.
All in all this is a book well worth recommending. I could not put it down until I finished it, which was in the wee hours.
Content alert: There is some mild swearing (secular and religious), but this book is a sex-free novel.
Disclosure: I received this book for free from BookSirens. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.
Miss Abigail Harton is the daughter of a respected doctor. As such, she should not be secretly working as an embroiderer for a well known Dublin dressmaker. However, the bills must be paid, and her mother understands their need. Just as long as her father never knows, all will be well.
The Emerald Dress by Vivienne Kearns is a fascinating peek into 18th century Dublin town life. As the author states, Abigail's story is loosely based on a real woman of that time period. As I devoured this engrossing read, I could see just how much thought and research Ms. Kearns put into her historical descriptions and period lifestyles.
The plot of this well written stand-alone novel is tightly woven with vivid characters and a number of twists and turns. I really admired Abigail's strength, given her period limitations. Even the supporting characters were well developed and held their own within the story. Usually a book leans heavily towards either characters or plot. This one was strong in both areas. There is a romance for Abigail, but it too has a surprise in store for the reader.
A fun added element to this historical piece of fiction, is the modern day fictitious ancestor, Lucy, who is searching currently searching for clues in Dublin three hundred years later. This facet is carefully marked with the chapter change, but it truly works well in discovering just how Abigail's life played out so long ago.
All in all this is a book well worth recommending. I could not put it down until I finished it, which was in the wee hours.
Content alert: There is some mild swearing (secular and religious), but this book is a sex-free novel.
Disclosure: I received this book for free from BookSirens. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.
September 2, 2019
It is 1700's Ireland, and Abigail's family fortunes are in dire straits, and she helps her family by embroidering a stunning Emerald green dress for a fancy society ball, that she will never attend.
Or will she?
Will her fortunes turn?
Will her family triumph?
Will she ever overcome the bonds and constrictions of 1700 Ireland society's mores?
This was an engaging story that was obviously very well researched.
Many of the characters were very interesting, and the interaction and relationships between them was interesting as well. I was really rooting for the main characters.
The book was a fast read for me and kept me interested.
However, I had a couple of distractions. The narration voice kept changing, and was sort of omniscient, knowing what everyone's feelings were, when it seemed to me that it didn't make sense. I found myself asking, "How do they know that's how that person feels?" I also felt like I could see the eventual outcome and resolutions a long way off, and I felt like there wasn't enough of a dramatic pay-off on the dress itself.
In the modern-day part of the story it felt a bit like a throw-away, occupying maybe 20% of the text/story, to me it seemed like it should be beefier if it was going to be there, and I found the ending to be kind of abrupt, like in the old-time movies, where they suddenly would just roll a frame that says "The End".
Thank you to Booksirens, I received an ARC of this book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All my opinions are 100% my own.
Or will she?
Will her fortunes turn?
Will her family triumph?
Will she ever overcome the bonds and constrictions of 1700 Ireland society's mores?
This was an engaging story that was obviously very well researched.
Many of the characters were very interesting, and the interaction and relationships between them was interesting as well. I was really rooting for the main characters.
The book was a fast read for me and kept me interested.
However, I had a couple of distractions. The narration voice kept changing, and was sort of omniscient, knowing what everyone's feelings were, when it seemed to me that it didn't make sense. I found myself asking, "How do they know that's how that person feels?" I also felt like I could see the eventual outcome and resolutions a long way off, and I felt like there wasn't enough of a dramatic pay-off on the dress itself.
In the modern-day part of the story it felt a bit like a throw-away, occupying maybe 20% of the text/story, to me it seemed like it should be beefier if it was going to be there, and I found the ending to be kind of abrupt, like in the old-time movies, where they suddenly would just roll a frame that says "The End".
Thank you to Booksirens, I received an ARC of this book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All my opinions are 100% my own.
September 22, 2019
Historical fiction
I liked this story and it drew me in but I had a few frustrations:
The story is from many different perspectives, but sometimes the perspective shifts for just a paragraph or two ( "head-hopping") which can make it hard to track who is thinking what.
Much of the plot is driven by malevolent actors (people being evil just because) and it really stressed me out. And despite the presence of a love story this is definitely historical fiction, containing dramatic and tragic events. I understand that this is not going to be an issue for many readers of historical fiction, I just prefer a more optimistic tone in my reads.
I loved the descriptions of embroidering and weaving and adored the sumptuous cover. (However, the resolution to the dress plot seems more like a side note, and was incredibly sad.) I also enjoyed the bits of flash forward to present day, though there was much less of the present day than I'd expected from the cover copy.
Overall this was an interesting concept and I enjoyed the historical details, but some of the writing choices (frequent perspective shifts, and short shrift to the present day) and the sadness and frustrations of the plot meant this book didn't fully work for me.
I received a copy in a Goodreads giveaway and it has not affected my review.
I liked this story and it drew me in but I had a few frustrations:
The story is from many different perspectives, but sometimes the perspective shifts for just a paragraph or two ( "head-hopping") which can make it hard to track who is thinking what.
Much of the plot is driven by malevolent actors (people being evil just because) and it really stressed me out. And despite the presence of a love story this is definitely historical fiction, containing dramatic and tragic events. I understand that this is not going to be an issue for many readers of historical fiction, I just prefer a more optimistic tone in my reads.
I loved the descriptions of embroidering and weaving and adored the sumptuous cover. (However, the resolution to the dress plot seems more like a side note, and was incredibly sad.) I also enjoyed the bits of flash forward to present day, though there was much less of the present day than I'd expected from the cover copy.
Overall this was an interesting concept and I enjoyed the historical details, but some of the writing choices (frequent perspective shifts, and short shrift to the present day) and the sadness and frustrations of the plot meant this book didn't fully work for me.
I received a copy in a Goodreads giveaway and it has not affected my review.
September 30, 2019
I really enjoyed this story. It was a great mix of family drama, suspense, and romance. All told in a dual timeline format which was well done. This was a book I was anxious to finish while not wanting it to end.
I liked the main character of this book, Abigail Harton. She is written in a way that made her realistic and easy to relate to. Hugh Gavin was another character that I really liked. He was the perfect male character and I enjoyed seeing his relationship with Abigail form. As well as the likable characters were written so were the less savory ones. Dr. Monroe was a character I found myself disliking from the very beginning. The author does a great job of making readers like/dislike characters.
I enjoyed the author's writing style. It was hard for me to believe that this was a debut novel. The book is well written and the pace, while a bit slow, fits the time period of the story. Through her descriptions, I felt like I was a part of the story and was able to envision things right along with the characters.
I highly recommend this book to fans of historical fiction. It's a great story that is easy to read and will leave you wanting more.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from BookSirens and was not required to write a review. All opinions are mine.
I liked the main character of this book, Abigail Harton. She is written in a way that made her realistic and easy to relate to. Hugh Gavin was another character that I really liked. He was the perfect male character and I enjoyed seeing his relationship with Abigail form. As well as the likable characters were written so were the less savory ones. Dr. Monroe was a character I found myself disliking from the very beginning. The author does a great job of making readers like/dislike characters.
I enjoyed the author's writing style. It was hard for me to believe that this was a debut novel. The book is well written and the pace, while a bit slow, fits the time period of the story. Through her descriptions, I felt like I was a part of the story and was able to envision things right along with the characters.
I highly recommend this book to fans of historical fiction. It's a great story that is easy to read and will leave you wanting more.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from BookSirens and was not required to write a review. All opinions are mine.
November 4, 2019
I enjoyed the premise of this story, two separate timelines of Abigail and her ancestor Lucy, woven together through time, and really looked forward to delving into The Emerald Dress-but ultimately the story fell flat for me.
Lucy and her story may as well not have been included for all it added to the overall tale, as she takes up only a small percentage of the book, and to me it feels like her character and all the others in her timeline were added at a later stage to fill a lack that was found.
Abigail, who is the main character is much easier to immerse oneself in,she is well rounded and likable, as are most of her timelines compatriots. The author has obviously spent a great deal of time researching the time period, dress, social norms and general cityscape, but all of these do not end in rounding out the story itself. It results in a a rushed, and disjointed read, and one I struggled to get through. The gown of the title is barely mentioned at all and adds nothing of any great substance to the whole.
I'm afraid, if asked, I would not recommend The Emerald Dress to any who asks, although I applaud the authors attention to historical fact, it was not an enjoyable read for me.
I received an advanced review copy for free through Booksirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily, all comments are my own.
Lucy and her story may as well not have been included for all it added to the overall tale, as she takes up only a small percentage of the book, and to me it feels like her character and all the others in her timeline were added at a later stage to fill a lack that was found.
Abigail, who is the main character is much easier to immerse oneself in,she is well rounded and likable, as are most of her timelines compatriots. The author has obviously spent a great deal of time researching the time period, dress, social norms and general cityscape, but all of these do not end in rounding out the story itself. It results in a a rushed, and disjointed read, and one I struggled to get through. The gown of the title is barely mentioned at all and adds nothing of any great substance to the whole.
I'm afraid, if asked, I would not recommend The Emerald Dress to any who asks, although I applaud the authors attention to historical fact, it was not an enjoyable read for me.
I received an advanced review copy for free through Booksirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily, all comments are my own.
September 2, 2019
Abigail Harton, the daughter of a doctor, is at her wit's end. Her father has put all of his money into a hospital, leaving her and her mother to manage the best they can. They embroider for a dressmaker, and Abigail sells a design for an emerald-silk damask cloth. Will the arrival of another doctor be the savior they need?
I'll start off by saying the modern-day parts had no connection to the rest of the book. It wasn't fleshed out well enough to be interesting, and I found it really annoying.
I also didn't much care for the narrative style of the novel. At times, the characters knew what the other characters were feeling, only for me to realize that the narrative had changed to a different person. It was confusing and irritating.
Abigail could have been an interesting character, but I could see the plot outcome very early and became frustrated with her. The rest of the cast was not very interesting.
Overall, I feel like this book could have used a lot more time before publishing. I received a free copy on LibraryThing and all opinions expressed are my own.
I'll start off by saying the modern-day parts had no connection to the rest of the book. It wasn't fleshed out well enough to be interesting, and I found it really annoying.
I also didn't much care for the narrative style of the novel. At times, the characters knew what the other characters were feeling, only for me to realize that the narrative had changed to a different person. It was confusing and irritating.
Abigail could have been an interesting character, but I could see the plot outcome very early and became frustrated with her. The rest of the cast was not very interesting.
Overall, I feel like this book could have used a lot more time before publishing. I received a free copy on LibraryThing and all opinions expressed are my own.
September 8, 2019
Lucy is trying to track down her family history and with the help of Professor, she has been able to find more about her ancestors. But the story isn't all happy times. Abigail knows that she will need to find a way to help her family as her father hasn't been paying the bills as he spends all his time at the hospital. Her mother is pushing for her to get married but she isn't ready yet and when she meets a young doctor William Monroe she decides that he would be a good husband but she doesn't realise why he is interested until it is too late. But she knows that she has to keep her dressmaking a secret as it will be frowned upon, she is enjoying her time working for Mary and spending time with her brother Hugh but she knows that once she is finished the dress that her time will be over with them. She thinks that everything will work out for the best but she has believed too many lies and they will cost her the happiness that she has been seeking. Will High be able to save the woman that he loves from an unhappy marriage or will he be too late? A good read.
December 19, 2020
Abigail does not know what to do. While she can support her fathers desire to work with the poor, he is bringing no money into the house and their family is near starvation. Abigail decides to take work secretly embroidering gowns for the wealthy. This will not only put food on the table but it may help her brother who has been very ill. Abigail does not mind the work, however she does not want it to be common knowledge as she is sure that her prospects of finding a husband will be diminished if anyone found out. Her prospects appear to change for the better when one of her fathers position partners takes an interest in her and her family. However, Abigail cannot decide if she is relieved at his attentions for the sake of her family or if she truly loves him. This was a great book and also had a contemporary story line running along with the historical period. Thank you Library thing and early review for the copy of this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it
August 28, 2019
I received this book in exchange for an honest review. I did enjoy this book on the whole. The historical setting was well researched and the characters seemed true to the time. I liked the relationships between the various characters as well. However, I thought that the part set in contemporary time was a distraction. I felt that it either should have been left out entirely or fleshed out much more. I fund the contemporary characters to be interesting, but not e ugh time was devoted to them to develop them well. I think the book would be much better if the contemporary portion was expanded or left out entirely. The book was good, and I liked it, it was just the switching times that needs work.
October 22, 2019
The historical component of book was interesting but besides that the book lacked intrigue and was dull especially when the author wrote about the present to connect with the past. Who calls someone you have several dinner as well as lunch dates with Professor. Doctor Monroe was a sinister character and without his antics the book would have been a did not finish for me. I wanted to see what happened to him. The solving of the mystery component involving Elizabeth Goulding was far fetched and ridiculous . This book just lacked any substance besides informing the reader about early dress making and apothecary.
November 27, 2019
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. I loved this book. It was very invested in the characters. The switching between past and present made me want to know what happened in the past story even more. I thought the characters were well fleshed out and there was not too much detail that the story gets lost. I wouldn't say it was a book I couldn't put down. But, it was a book I continued to pick up over and over. I was always interested in the story and there was not a point that it was boring. I would highly recommend it!!!!
October 2, 2019
Mainly historical parts, with the modern day characters only focused on doing the research. It’s a great description on where and how to get information.
The main story is in 1719. Love story, family obligations, the differences in status, details about certain occupations of the time are all important puzzle pieces for the book.
It felt a bit too long at certain parts, but all in all a very enjoyable read. Quite a bit of research went into book and it definitely shows and makes the book realistic.
I got the book from a Goodreads giveaway, thank you.
The main story is in 1719. Love story, family obligations, the differences in status, details about certain occupations of the time are all important puzzle pieces for the book.
It felt a bit too long at certain parts, but all in all a very enjoyable read. Quite a bit of research went into book and it definitely shows and makes the book realistic.
I got the book from a Goodreads giveaway, thank you.
September 15, 2019
An interesting story that will kept reading until the end...
Wonderful characters... deep... funny...
Lucy Young is searching the past of her family with the help of prof. Patrick Ralley... moments in modern time and a story in three century early...
Which is the secret of the family?
A story for all...
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Wonderful characters... deep... funny...
Lucy Young is searching the past of her family with the help of prof. Patrick Ralley... moments in modern time and a story in three century early...
Which is the secret of the family?
A story for all...
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 1, 2019
I really loved this book. Historical fiction is my favorite genre and I visited Ireland this summer, so reading about Dublin and Belfast was right up my alley. I couldn't wait to read to see what happened to Abigail and her family. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 9, 2019
It was a interesting book. Dr Monroe was a villain. Poor Elizabeth Goulding it was good they finally discovered her body.I liked Abigail Harton and Hugh Gavin. It was a good book. If you like history you would like the book.
September 15, 2019
A wonderful read.
**GoodReads Winner**
**GoodReads Winner**
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