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The Seamstress of New Orleans
Set against the backdrop of the first all-female Mardi Gras krewe at the turn-of-the-century, the acclaimed author's mesmerizing historical novel tells of two strangers separated by background but bound by an unexpected secret--and of the strength and courage women draw from and inspire in each other.
"An undercurrent of New Orleans's dark side propels the story, heightening the tension and supplying McPhail with a wealth of evocative details." - Publishers Weekly
The year 1900 ushers in a new century and the promise of social change, and women rise together toward equality. Yet rules and restrictions remain, especially for women like Alice Butterworth, whose husband has abruptly disappeared. Desperate to make a living for herself and the child she carries, Alice leaves the bitter cold of Chicago far behind, offering sewing lessons at a New Orleans orphanage.
Constance Halstead, a young widow reeling with shock under the threat of her late husband's gambling debts, has thrown herself into charitable work. Meeting Alice at the orphanage, she offers lodging in exchange for Alice's help creating a gown for the Leap Year ball of Les Mysterieuses, the first all-female krewe of Mardi Gras. During Leap Years, women have the rare opportunity to take control in their interactions with men, and upend social convention. Piece by piece, the breathtaking gown takes shape, becoming a symbol of strength for both women, reflecting their progress toward greater independence.
But Constance carries a burden that makes it impossible to feel truly free. Her husband, Benton, whose death remains a dangerous mystery, was deep in debt to the Black Hand, the vicious gangsters who controled New Orleans' notorious Storyville district. Benton's death has not satisfied them. And as the Mardi Gras festivities reach their fruition, a secret emerges that will cement the bond between Alice and Constance even as it threatens the lives they're building . . .
"An undercurrent of New Orleans's dark side propels the story, heightening the tension and supplying McPhail with a wealth of evocative details." - Publishers Weekly
The year 1900 ushers in a new century and the promise of social change, and women rise together toward equality. Yet rules and restrictions remain, especially for women like Alice Butterworth, whose husband has abruptly disappeared. Desperate to make a living for herself and the child she carries, Alice leaves the bitter cold of Chicago far behind, offering sewing lessons at a New Orleans orphanage.
Constance Halstead, a young widow reeling with shock under the threat of her late husband's gambling debts, has thrown herself into charitable work. Meeting Alice at the orphanage, she offers lodging in exchange for Alice's help creating a gown for the Leap Year ball of Les Mysterieuses, the first all-female krewe of Mardi Gras. During Leap Years, women have the rare opportunity to take control in their interactions with men, and upend social convention. Piece by piece, the breathtaking gown takes shape, becoming a symbol of strength for both women, reflecting their progress toward greater independence.
But Constance carries a burden that makes it impossible to feel truly free. Her husband, Benton, whose death remains a dangerous mystery, was deep in debt to the Black Hand, the vicious gangsters who controled New Orleans' notorious Storyville district. Benton's death has not satisfied them. And as the Mardi Gras festivities reach their fruition, a secret emerges that will cement the bond between Alice and Constance even as it threatens the lives they're building . . .
354 pages, Paperback
First published May 31, 2022
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About the author
Diane C. McPhail
6 books425 followersDiane C. McPhail is an artist, writer, and minister. In addition to holding an M.F.A., an M.A., and D.Min., she has studied at the University of Iowa distance learning and the Yale Writers’ Workshop, among others. Diane is a member of North Carolina Writers' Network and the Historical Novel Society. She lives in Highlands, North Carolina, with her husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 910 reviews
June 15, 2022
EXCERPT: 'Howard Butterworth? I'm sorry, miss. We have no one by that name in this office. Could someone else be of assistance to you?'
'You have no one by that name. Are you certain? Look again, please. He works between here and the Memphis office. I'm sure he must be here.'
'No, miss.' The starched young woman ran her finger down a catalogued list of names. 'There is no Howard Butterworth in our records. I am personally acquainted with all of the gentlemen in this exchange, and I assure you, we have no one of that name in our employ.'
'I know he is here,' Alice insisted. 'He is my husband.'
'He may well be your husband, ma'am. But he is affiliated neither with the cotton exchange nor with this office in any capacity. Would you care to examine the list yourself? Or may I help you with anything else before you leave?'
Alice stared at the woman's unrelenting face. After a month reality entered her body, and shock numbed her. There would be no verification here. No more than with the police. The Howard Butterworth she knew as her husband did not exist.
ABOUT 'THE SEAMSTRESS OF NEW ORLEANS': The year 1900 ushers in a new century and the promise of social change, and women rise together toward equality. Yet rules and restrictions remain, especially for women like Alice Butterworth, whose husband has abruptly disappeared. Desperate to make a living for herself and the child she carries, Alice leaves the bitter cold of Chicago far behind, offering sewing lessons at a New Orleans orphanage.
Constance Halstead, a young widow reeling with shock under the threat of her late husband’s gambling debts, has thrown herself into charitable work. Meeting Alice at the orphanage, she offers lodging in exchange for Alice’s help creating a gown for the Leap Year ball of Les Mysterieuses, the first all female krewe of Mardi Gras. During Leap Years, women have the rare opportunity to take control in their interactions with men, and upend social convention. Piece by piece, the breathtaking gown takes shape, becoming a symbol of strength for both women, reflecting their progress toward greater independence.
But Constance carries a burden that makes it impossible to feel truly free. Her husband, Benton, whose death remains a dangerous mystery, was deep in debt to the Black Hand, the vicious gangsters who controlled New Orleans’ notorious Storyville district. Benton’s death has not satisfied them. And as the Mardi Gras festivities reach their fruition, a secret emerges that will cement the bond between Alice and Constance even as it threatens the lives they’re building . . .
MY THOUGHTS: I was greatly disappointed with The Seamstress of New Orleans. There's not a great sense of place. I believe a lot more could have been made of the setting of this book. The storyline was very uninspiring and after about quarter of the way through the book, I found myself skimming large tracts until something caught my interest.
The big secret that cements the bond between Alice and Constance is glaringly obvious very early on in the book, which only increased my disappointment.
It was the chance to learn some of the history of the famous New Orleans Mardi Gras that first attracted me to this book, but again I was disappointed. Pickings in this area are very slim.
The only character I really enjoyed was Dorothea. She is a woman who knows her own mind and has the strength of character to stand up for herself. She is also incredibly kind.
I found Alice and particularly Constance to be quite wishy-washy characters. While I admired Constance's spunk in disguising herself and following her husband, her efforts to behave 'normally' afterwards were quite pathetic.
I don't know if the author was trying to encompass too much with this book, building in a romance, a mystery, deception and the criminal underworld, but it didn't really work for me and I was seriously tempted to abandon this read more than once.
I adore the cover.
⭐⭐.3
#TheSeamstressofNewOrleans #NetGalley
I: @dianemcphail123 @kensingtonbooks
T: @McPhailDiane @KensingtonBooks
#domesticdrama #historicalfiction #mystery
THE AUTHOR: Diane C. McPhail is an artist, writer, and minister. In addition to holding an M.F.A., an M.A., and D.Min., she has studied at the University of Iowa distance learning and the Yale Writers’ Workshop, among others. Diane is a member of North Carolina Writers' Network and the Historical Novel Society. She lives in Highlands, North Carolina, with her husband.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Kensington Books via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Seamstress of New Orleans for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
'You have no one by that name. Are you certain? Look again, please. He works between here and the Memphis office. I'm sure he must be here.'
'No, miss.' The starched young woman ran her finger down a catalogued list of names. 'There is no Howard Butterworth in our records. I am personally acquainted with all of the gentlemen in this exchange, and I assure you, we have no one of that name in our employ.'
'I know he is here,' Alice insisted. 'He is my husband.'
'He may well be your husband, ma'am. But he is affiliated neither with the cotton exchange nor with this office in any capacity. Would you care to examine the list yourself? Or may I help you with anything else before you leave?'
Alice stared at the woman's unrelenting face. After a month reality entered her body, and shock numbed her. There would be no verification here. No more than with the police. The Howard Butterworth she knew as her husband did not exist.
ABOUT 'THE SEAMSTRESS OF NEW ORLEANS': The year 1900 ushers in a new century and the promise of social change, and women rise together toward equality. Yet rules and restrictions remain, especially for women like Alice Butterworth, whose husband has abruptly disappeared. Desperate to make a living for herself and the child she carries, Alice leaves the bitter cold of Chicago far behind, offering sewing lessons at a New Orleans orphanage.
Constance Halstead, a young widow reeling with shock under the threat of her late husband’s gambling debts, has thrown herself into charitable work. Meeting Alice at the orphanage, she offers lodging in exchange for Alice’s help creating a gown for the Leap Year ball of Les Mysterieuses, the first all female krewe of Mardi Gras. During Leap Years, women have the rare opportunity to take control in their interactions with men, and upend social convention. Piece by piece, the breathtaking gown takes shape, becoming a symbol of strength for both women, reflecting their progress toward greater independence.
But Constance carries a burden that makes it impossible to feel truly free. Her husband, Benton, whose death remains a dangerous mystery, was deep in debt to the Black Hand, the vicious gangsters who controlled New Orleans’ notorious Storyville district. Benton’s death has not satisfied them. And as the Mardi Gras festivities reach their fruition, a secret emerges that will cement the bond between Alice and Constance even as it threatens the lives they’re building . . .
MY THOUGHTS: I was greatly disappointed with The Seamstress of New Orleans. There's not a great sense of place. I believe a lot more could have been made of the setting of this book. The storyline was very uninspiring and after about quarter of the way through the book, I found myself skimming large tracts until something caught my interest.
The big secret that cements the bond between Alice and Constance is glaringly obvious very early on in the book, which only increased my disappointment.
It was the chance to learn some of the history of the famous New Orleans Mardi Gras that first attracted me to this book, but again I was disappointed. Pickings in this area are very slim.
The only character I really enjoyed was Dorothea. She is a woman who knows her own mind and has the strength of character to stand up for herself. She is also incredibly kind.
I found Alice and particularly Constance to be quite wishy-washy characters. While I admired Constance's spunk in disguising herself and following her husband, her efforts to behave 'normally' afterwards were quite pathetic.
I don't know if the author was trying to encompass too much with this book, building in a romance, a mystery, deception and the criminal underworld, but it didn't really work for me and I was seriously tempted to abandon this read more than once.
I adore the cover.
⭐⭐.3
#TheSeamstressofNewOrleans #NetGalley
I: @dianemcphail123 @kensingtonbooks
T: @McPhailDiane @KensingtonBooks
#domesticdrama #historicalfiction #mystery
THE AUTHOR: Diane C. McPhail is an artist, writer, and minister. In addition to holding an M.F.A., an M.A., and D.Min., she has studied at the University of Iowa distance learning and the Yale Writers’ Workshop, among others. Diane is a member of North Carolina Writers' Network and the Historical Novel Society. She lives in Highlands, North Carolina, with her husband.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Kensington Books via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Seamstress of New Orleans for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
March 25, 2023
This is a Historical Fiction Mystery. I normally do not read historical fiction books that take place in the 1800's/early 1900's, so this book is not the normal historical fiction book that I go for. I put off reading this book for awhile because it scared me, but the storyline had me wanting to read it. I am so glad I picked this book up because I loved it so much. This book was so well written, and it took me on a great ride full of intrigue. I love the secrets that are slowly revealed throughout this book. I loved all the characters, and the two main characters are strong women that learn they really do not need a man. The cover of this book is so gorgeous and fits the storyline so well. I loved everything about this book. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Kensington Publishing Corp. A John Scognamiglio Book) or author (Diane C. McPhail) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.
February 7, 2022
In 1900, after Alice’s husband goes missing, she makes a decision to move to New Orleans, where she takes a position as a seamstress at an orphanage. She gets introduced to Constance who is in need of a ball gown for the upcoming Mardi Grass ball. She also just lost her husband. In her case, the question is was her husband murdered or committed a suicide as he was in debt because of his gambling.
I was expecting this story to be alive not only with preparing gowns for Mardi Grass, but with all preparations leading to create such magnificent event. Instead, it is more focused on the mystery of disappearance of both men. The story gives us good backgrounds of both characters, but at the same time I did not feel a strong connection.
What I loved about this story and wanted more of was the time period. It was interesting to learn about the leap year tradition of Mardi Grass becoming all-female krewe. In 1896, the women made history with that and four years later in 1900 they try to repeat the history. The story weaves other interesting facts pertaining to time and place. With time, when men were still considered supporters of women, thus when something happened to a man, it left them in very challenging position. With place of New Orleans, orphanages had a lot of half-orphaned children due to the yellow fever and cholera frequently leaving children with only one parent, who was often unable to care for them and also work.
Despite the slow progression of the story, I believe that this is more for those who like plot-driven stories with some mystery.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was expecting this story to be alive not only with preparing gowns for Mardi Grass, but with all preparations leading to create such magnificent event. Instead, it is more focused on the mystery of disappearance of both men. The story gives us good backgrounds of both characters, but at the same time I did not feel a strong connection.
What I loved about this story and wanted more of was the time period. It was interesting to learn about the leap year tradition of Mardi Grass becoming all-female krewe. In 1896, the women made history with that and four years later in 1900 they try to repeat the history. The story weaves other interesting facts pertaining to time and place. With time, when men were still considered supporters of women, thus when something happened to a man, it left them in very challenging position. With place of New Orleans, orphanages had a lot of half-orphaned children due to the yellow fever and cholera frequently leaving children with only one parent, who was often unable to care for them and also work.
Despite the slow progression of the story, I believe that this is more for those who like plot-driven stories with some mystery.
Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 20, 2022
The Seamstress of New Orleans by Diane C McPhail is a lovely story about two women, different backgrounds and 1 man which produces 3 living children. But gambling debts equals a death. Desperation becomes a close friendship. Some secrets come to surface others lie in wait for a better time.
This was a well written book with strong characters in an era before “catfish” was a thing. Lots of loose ends. Perhaps a 2nd book in the works?
I found this treasure for free on Hoopla
This was a well written book with strong characters in an era before “catfish” was a thing. Lots of loose ends. Perhaps a 2nd book in the works?
I found this treasure for free on Hoopla
February 8, 2022
I really wanted to love this one, as it has all the elements I adore in a historical fiction read - a great cover, a setting in one of my favorite places, and strong women protagonists - but unfortunately, it barely broke the "meh" barrier for me.
Two women, Constance in New Orleans and Alice in Chicago, both suffer the mysterious loss of a spouse, and through several twists of fate, come together and help each other begin to heal. Each one though is harboring a secret that they can’t bear to share with the other and that is slowly tearing them apart inside. Despite the secrets, they feel an instant connection and soon form a little family of their own; but when their secrets come out, it shakes both of them to their core and threatens to crumble their fragile family foundation.
While I loved the premise of the preparation of Mardis Gras, and women coming together to make their very own krewe known as "Les Mysterieuses," that was where my love of the book ended. The biggest issue that I had is that you know from the first few chapters exactly what is going on with each woman - the secrets aren't really secrets - absolutely nothing that was revealed shocked me in the least. The mystery aspect just fell flat. Not to mention, there is also a lot of repetition when it comes to the past of each woman. And while I liked both of the women and their stories kept me interested, I didn't connect with either of them the way I expected to. It may have been because it took soooo long for their "secrets" to come out - I kept thinking to myself, "just get to it already!" My final gripe was that I was anticipating it being more about Mardi Gras, the dresses and preparations, and the all-female krewe; but that ended up playing a pretty minor role in the overall plot, as the focus was mainly on the angst of the two women over their missing husbands. For a book that expounds the fight for women's rights and feminism, it leans way too heavily on the missing deadbeat men.
You can tell that McPhail did her research, as the details are exquisite and thorough, and the theme of female friendship and empowerment is inspirational. I just wish it had checked a few more of my boxes. Overall it was a good, but not great, read for me. 3 stars.
Two women, Constance in New Orleans and Alice in Chicago, both suffer the mysterious loss of a spouse, and through several twists of fate, come together and help each other begin to heal. Each one though is harboring a secret that they can’t bear to share with the other and that is slowly tearing them apart inside. Despite the secrets, they feel an instant connection and soon form a little family of their own; but when their secrets come out, it shakes both of them to their core and threatens to crumble their fragile family foundation.
While I loved the premise of the preparation of Mardis Gras, and women coming together to make their very own krewe known as "Les Mysterieuses," that was where my love of the book ended. The biggest issue that I had is that you know from the first few chapters exactly what is going on with each woman - the secrets aren't really secrets - absolutely nothing that was revealed shocked me in the least. The mystery aspect just fell flat. Not to mention, there is also a lot of repetition when it comes to the past of each woman. And while I liked both of the women and their stories kept me interested, I didn't connect with either of them the way I expected to. It may have been because it took soooo long for their "secrets" to come out - I kept thinking to myself, "just get to it already!" My final gripe was that I was anticipating it being more about Mardi Gras, the dresses and preparations, and the all-female krewe; but that ended up playing a pretty minor role in the overall plot, as the focus was mainly on the angst of the two women over their missing husbands. For a book that expounds the fight for women's rights and feminism, it leans way too heavily on the missing deadbeat men.
You can tell that McPhail did her research, as the details are exquisite and thorough, and the theme of female friendship and empowerment is inspirational. I just wish it had checked a few more of my boxes. Overall it was a good, but not great, read for me. 3 stars.
May 24, 2022
The cover and the promised mystery tipped the scales in tempting me to read this new title from Diane C. McPhail. There was the promise of elaborate dresses with intricate details; the opportunity to follow the clues and try to beat the author to the solution. How did this book measure up? The dresses end of the equation was delightful. Two widows create a sumptuous ball gown together by recycling dresses a high society friend donated to their project. Our two lead characters, Constance and Alice, also are dedicated to helping orphan girls learn the trade of sewing. Their vision was my favorite piece of the narrative. The mystery, not so much. McPhail did her homework and the book includes her notes, an interview, and some really great book group questions for discussion.
Thank you to John Scognamiglio Books and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to John Scognamiglio Books and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
April 17, 2022
The beginning of new century is an exciting time, with the hope of social reform and women finally being treated as equals. But, for two women, Alice Butterworth and Constance Halstead they still mourn the loss of their babies, both have demanding husbands and will life change for them?
Constance has two young daughters, she helps at the Poydras Asylum for orphan girls in New Orleans and this keeps her busy while her husband’s away for work. Benton Halstead dies in a tragic accident, he likes to gamble and he owes money to the wrong people!
Alice leaves Chicago, her husband Howard has disappeared and she believes he has work ties in the South? Alice is earning her keep by teaching sewing at the orphanage, here she meets Constance and she offers her a place to stay.
Despite being in mourning, Constance’s friend Dorothea Richard’s wants her to be one of the attendants at the ball of Les Mysterious and the first ever all female krewe of the Mardi gras. Alice is very talented seamstress, she making Constance’s gown and she worries about her and her unborn baby’s future when the dress is finished? Constance is concerned about her family’s safety, Benton is in debt to the Black Hand a sinister gang linked to organized crime and a nasty man with a mustache has been loitering around the house.
Both women have secrets, despite the friendship and bond growing between them and could this end if the truth is revealed?
I received a copy of The Seamstress of New Orleans from Edelweiss and Kensington Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. It’s a story about a new century and inventions, women taking on leadership roles and using the skills they have to support themselves and help others. A cleverly crafted narrative by Diane C. McPhail, using national landmarks in the design of the gown Alice makes, it's a symbol of strength and unity between the two women and four and a half stars from me.
https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/KarrenReadsH...
Constance has two young daughters, she helps at the Poydras Asylum for orphan girls in New Orleans and this keeps her busy while her husband’s away for work. Benton Halstead dies in a tragic accident, he likes to gamble and he owes money to the wrong people!
Alice leaves Chicago, her husband Howard has disappeared and she believes he has work ties in the South? Alice is earning her keep by teaching sewing at the orphanage, here she meets Constance and she offers her a place to stay.
Despite being in mourning, Constance’s friend Dorothea Richard’s wants her to be one of the attendants at the ball of Les Mysterious and the first ever all female krewe of the Mardi gras. Alice is very talented seamstress, she making Constance’s gown and she worries about her and her unborn baby’s future when the dress is finished? Constance is concerned about her family’s safety, Benton is in debt to the Black Hand a sinister gang linked to organized crime and a nasty man with a mustache has been loitering around the house.
Both women have secrets, despite the friendship and bond growing between them and could this end if the truth is revealed?
I received a copy of The Seamstress of New Orleans from Edelweiss and Kensington Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. It’s a story about a new century and inventions, women taking on leadership roles and using the skills they have to support themselves and help others. A cleverly crafted narrative by Diane C. McPhail, using national landmarks in the design of the gown Alice makes, it's a symbol of strength and unity between the two women and four and a half stars from me.
https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/KarrenReadsH...
May 26, 2022
In 1900 New Orleans, two women from very different backgrounds find common ground to rebuild the lives they both desperately want.
Alice Butterworth finds herself stranded in Chicago after her husband Howard disappears while on a business trip. With no means of support, and finding herself pregnant, she sets out to search for him and finds herself alone in New Orleans. She discoveries a haven in one of New Orleans’ many orphanages providing sewing lesson in exchange for room and board.
Constance Halstead’s husband Benton is also missing, but she at least knows what happened to him. Desperately trying to keep the secret of how her husband died, she is soon hounded by the Black Hand who are intent on collecting Benton’s substantial gambling debts.
Constance’s charitable work at the orphanages throw these two women together with the goal of creating a costume for the upcoming Mardi Gras all-female krewe. They soon form a bond forged on their shared problems and tragedies.
What the author gives us about turn-of-the-century New Orleans is intriguing, I wish that she had focused more on these details. I longed for more description of this 2nd leap-year Mardi Gras event. Prior to the first female krewe in 1896 women had participate, only allowed to work behind the scenes supporting the men. She also touches briefly on the orphanages in New Orleans, and the half-orphans that made up a great deal of their population. I can imagine a historical fiction novel focused entirely on either of these two subjects, as I am sure the subjects contain stories just waiting to be flushed out. The novel seems to rely heavily on the secrets that two women struggle with, and for many readers the plot surprises are probably apparent early on in the story.
I did enjoy the portrayal of the strong female protagonists and the depiction of the struggles of women during the time period. The descriptions of some of the architecture of both Chicago and New Orleans was also appreciated.
I still would recommend this book for those who enjoy books about female friendships and prefer a lighter approach to history. The author was able to paint a picture of the time period and place, allowing us to put a toe in the water and inspire some further reading.
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the e-ARC
Alice Butterworth finds herself stranded in Chicago after her husband Howard disappears while on a business trip. With no means of support, and finding herself pregnant, she sets out to search for him and finds herself alone in New Orleans. She discoveries a haven in one of New Orleans’ many orphanages providing sewing lesson in exchange for room and board.
Constance Halstead’s husband Benton is also missing, but she at least knows what happened to him. Desperately trying to keep the secret of how her husband died, she is soon hounded by the Black Hand who are intent on collecting Benton’s substantial gambling debts.
Constance’s charitable work at the orphanages throw these two women together with the goal of creating a costume for the upcoming Mardi Gras all-female krewe. They soon form a bond forged on their shared problems and tragedies.
What the author gives us about turn-of-the-century New Orleans is intriguing, I wish that she had focused more on these details. I longed for more description of this 2nd leap-year Mardi Gras event. Prior to the first female krewe in 1896 women had participate, only allowed to work behind the scenes supporting the men. She also touches briefly on the orphanages in New Orleans, and the half-orphans that made up a great deal of their population. I can imagine a historical fiction novel focused entirely on either of these two subjects, as I am sure the subjects contain stories just waiting to be flushed out. The novel seems to rely heavily on the secrets that two women struggle with, and for many readers the plot surprises are probably apparent early on in the story.
I did enjoy the portrayal of the strong female protagonists and the depiction of the struggles of women during the time period. The descriptions of some of the architecture of both Chicago and New Orleans was also appreciated.
I still would recommend this book for those who enjoy books about female friendships and prefer a lighter approach to history. The author was able to paint a picture of the time period and place, allowing us to put a toe in the water and inspire some further reading.
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the e-ARC
May 28, 2022
Frustrating, beautiful, repetitious -these are the thoughts that come to me when I try to think of how to describe this book.
Ms. McPhail is a lovely wordsmith but lacks a little something in the 'knowing when enough is enough' department. Repetition, or 'the beating of a dead horse/horses,' becomes somewhat tedious after about the first third of the book.
The authors' descriptions of the making of the gown are exquisite, but the mystery/s are quickly figured out in the first quarter of this book. I kept reading, though, at times, I wanted to DNF. I needed to see how everything was resolved, which says something about this novel. I was a little disappointed with the ending; there was one huge secret that never came out. I would have loved to see how this secret could have come to light and what changes it might have on everyone's relationships.
For me, this was a good read that had me doing a lot of skimming---but I think most people will love this book for many different reasons. I learned a lot about the era and what women were doing to change them. Of course, these were wealthy women, and the ways they tried to change things seemed a bit frivolous to me. A Mardi Gras Ball? However, what the women were doing for the orphans and half orphaned girls was an exceptional storyline.
*ARC supplied by the publisher #Kensington Publishing Corp, the author. and #NetGalley.
Ms. McPhail is a lovely wordsmith but lacks a little something in the 'knowing when enough is enough' department. Repetition, or 'the beating of a dead horse/horses,' becomes somewhat tedious after about the first third of the book.
The authors' descriptions of the making of the gown are exquisite, but the mystery/s are quickly figured out in the first quarter of this book. I kept reading, though, at times, I wanted to DNF. I needed to see how everything was resolved, which says something about this novel. I was a little disappointed with the ending; there was one huge secret that never came out. I would have loved to see how this secret could have come to light and what changes it might have on everyone's relationships.
For me, this was a good read that had me doing a lot of skimming---but I think most people will love this book for many different reasons. I learned a lot about the era and what women were doing to change them. Of course, these were wealthy women, and the ways they tried to change things seemed a bit frivolous to me. A Mardi Gras Ball? However, what the women were doing for the orphans and half orphaned girls was an exceptional storyline.
*ARC supplied by the publisher #Kensington Publishing Corp, the author. and #NetGalley.
March 31, 2022
THE SEAMSTRESS OF NEW ORLEANS
by Diane C. McPhail
Kensington Books
Pub Date: May 31
In New Orleans in 1900, two women with tragic losses come together to support each other through a difficult time.
Constance Halstead is a widow whose husband had tremendous gambling debts. She needs a new gown for the first all-woman Mardi Gras krewe but can't afford one.
She volunteers at an orphanage, where she meets seamstress Alice Butterworth, whose husband abandoned her when she was pregnant. When Constance learns how talented Alice is, she offers her a place to live in exchange for sewing a gown.
This fine historical novel boasts atmosphere galore, mysteries and secrets, growing feminism emerging from societal changes, threats from Black Hand gangsters, and one gorgeous gown that gives both women hope.
Highly recommended!
Thanks to the author, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.
#TheSeamstressOfNewOrleans #DianeCMcPhail #KensingtonBooks #NetGalley #1900NewOrleansfiction #femalefriendships #emergingfeminism #firstallfemalemardigraskrewe #historicalfiction #womensfiction #bookstagramcommunity
by Diane C. McPhail
Kensington Books
Pub Date: May 31
In New Orleans in 1900, two women with tragic losses come together to support each other through a difficult time.
Constance Halstead is a widow whose husband had tremendous gambling debts. She needs a new gown for the first all-woman Mardi Gras krewe but can't afford one.
She volunteers at an orphanage, where she meets seamstress Alice Butterworth, whose husband abandoned her when she was pregnant. When Constance learns how talented Alice is, she offers her a place to live in exchange for sewing a gown.
This fine historical novel boasts atmosphere galore, mysteries and secrets, growing feminism emerging from societal changes, threats from Black Hand gangsters, and one gorgeous gown that gives both women hope.
Highly recommended!
Thanks to the author, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.
#TheSeamstressOfNewOrleans #DianeCMcPhail #KensingtonBooks #NetGalley #1900NewOrleansfiction #femalefriendships #emergingfeminism #firstallfemalemardigraskrewe #historicalfiction #womensfiction #bookstagramcommunity
June 20, 2022
Two young widows, terribly wronged by their deceitful husbands are serendipitously brought together in their time of need.
Constance’s husband has met with an ‘accident’ while Alice’s husband has left for his travelling job never to be seen or heard from again.
There are some very interesting historical facts to do with a leap year tradition of New Orleans Mardi Gras when women decided to put on an all-female krewe.
If I had stopped reading before the middle of the book I would have given 3 or 4 stars but the book got bogged down from the middle on with what I would consider ‘filler’ not germane to the story and I got bored.
The reveal at the end was sudden and not at all unexpected since I had suspected it from very early on. So much more could have been made of this which would have made the plot more interesting.
Constance’s husband has met with an ‘accident’ while Alice’s husband has left for his travelling job never to be seen or heard from again.
There are some very interesting historical facts to do with a leap year tradition of New Orleans Mardi Gras when women decided to put on an all-female krewe.
If I had stopped reading before the middle of the book I would have given 3 or 4 stars but the book got bogged down from the middle on with what I would consider ‘filler’ not germane to the story and I got bored.
The reveal at the end was sudden and not at all unexpected since I had suspected it from very early on. So much more could have been made of this which would have made the plot more interesting.
May 11, 2022
In the early 1900's two Widows are drawn together in New Orleans for the sake of a ballgown for Constance Halstead's first female Mardi Gras Krewe.
Alice Butterworth recently arrived from Chicago to seek work as a seamstress in a warmer climate. Alice was pregnant at the time.
As work on the ballgown progressed Constance and Alice forged a real friendship. Some secrets were revealed, others not.
Alice is like an Aunt to Constance's' two daughters. When Alice's Baby Boy (Samuel) is born there is a resemblance to Constance's daughters.
Excellent read as I was drawn into Alice's and Constance's lives.
I want to thank Kensington Books for sending me the ARC of this book.
.
Alice Butterworth recently arrived from Chicago to seek work as a seamstress in a warmer climate. Alice was pregnant at the time.
As work on the ballgown progressed Constance and Alice forged a real friendship. Some secrets were revealed, others not.
Alice is like an Aunt to Constance's' two daughters. When Alice's Baby Boy (Samuel) is born there is a resemblance to Constance's daughters.
Excellent read as I was drawn into Alice's and Constance's lives.
I want to thank Kensington Books for sending me the ARC of this book.
.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2022
Historical fiction brings you The Seamstress of New Orleans played off in the 1900. Constance is having trouble with gang members for gambling debt her late husband had accumulated. This story follows her trying to put her life back toghter and creating a safe environment for her children.
I have a fondness for historical fiction and went in with high hopes. This book did not give me the satisfaction I would normally get from this genre. The storyline was a bit flat with no remarkable drama. I did like the characters and the dressmaking bits. I felt that this could have had a stronger storyline.
The narration was steady and good.
Thank you Netgalley and RB Media for this ARC.
I have a fondness for historical fiction and went in with high hopes. This book did not give me the satisfaction I would normally get from this genre. The storyline was a bit flat with no remarkable drama. I did like the characters and the dressmaking bits. I felt that this could have had a stronger storyline.
The narration was steady and good.
Thank you Netgalley and RB Media for this ARC.
May 1, 2022
Diane C. McPhail's historical fiction The Seamstress of New Orleans occurs in New Orleans in 1900 during the "first all-female Mardi Gras krewe." McPhail captures the essence and symbolism of this momentous occasion in the emergence of women's rights in her robust characterization of this critical period.
Synopsis:
After her husband's abrupt disappearance, Alice Butterworth is desperate to provide for herself and her unborn child. As Alice searches for her missing spouse, she ends up in New Orleans, where she meets Constance Halstead, also recently widowed. As a result of Constance's admiration of Alice's sewing skills, Constance offers Alice a place to live in exchange for creating a dress for the leap year celebration, Les Mysterieuses Ball. As Alice and Constance become allies, they discover a secret that will forever bond their friendship.
Readers receive a fascinating look at the history of New Orleans and delightful characters that they wish they could meet in The Seamstress of New Orleans. Throughout her descriptive writing, Diane C. McPhail effectively ferries readers into the setting. I recommend this outstanding book to those interested in historical fiction. It is available on May 31st. (4.5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐)
Thank you, NetGalley and Kensington Books, A John Scogmaniglio Book, for allowing me to review this novel. Your kindness is appreciated.
Synopsis:
After her husband's abrupt disappearance, Alice Butterworth is desperate to provide for herself and her unborn child. As Alice searches for her missing spouse, she ends up in New Orleans, where she meets Constance Halstead, also recently widowed. As a result of Constance's admiration of Alice's sewing skills, Constance offers Alice a place to live in exchange for creating a dress for the leap year celebration, Les Mysterieuses Ball. As Alice and Constance become allies, they discover a secret that will forever bond their friendship.
Readers receive a fascinating look at the history of New Orleans and delightful characters that they wish they could meet in The Seamstress of New Orleans. Throughout her descriptive writing, Diane C. McPhail effectively ferries readers into the setting. I recommend this outstanding book to those interested in historical fiction. It is available on May 31st. (4.5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐)
Thank you, NetGalley and Kensington Books, A John Scogmaniglio Book, for allowing me to review this novel. Your kindness is appreciated.
June 10, 2022
I liked listening to the audiobook. As a narrator, I thought Jessica Marchbank's voice was clear and soothing but there was not much voice variation in terms of portraying the different characters. I liked both the female protagonists Alice Butterworth and Constance Halstead whose paths are brought together at the turn of the new century, in 1900, when both become involved in the orphanage in New Orleans and Alice is asked to create a gown for Constance for the Leap Year Ball of Les Mysterieuses, the all female krewe of Mardi Gras. Constance is newly widowed and busies herself in the orphanage work while Alice travels to New Orleans from Chicago after being abandoned by her husband. Although, belonging to different social and economic class of society both Constance and Alice seem to have endured similar experiences while growing up in typical patriarchal households. The mystery of Constance's dead husband and Alice's missing one makes up most of the plot but anyone paying attention will probably figure it out way earlier in the book.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Highbridge Audio and the author Diane C. McPhail for the audio Arc of the book.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✨💫
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Highbridge Audio and the author Diane C. McPhail for the audio Arc of the book.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✨💫
June 27, 2022
I won a copy of this book from Goodreads (thank you, Goodreads!), and based on the premise of the first all female krewe in New Orleans, focusing on a member of the krewe and the seamstress making her costume for Mardi Gras, I had such high hopes. Alas, it did not live up to my expectations. Both of the main characters come across as rather wishy washy and the "mystery" was only a mystery to them, as readers can figure out pretty quickly what has happened. The female krewe, which I was most interested in, is given very little time in the story and seemed to just be an excuse to have the two main characters meet, and that feels like a waste of a good idea. Much of the writing focuses on what the two women are thinking, and it gets very repetitive. I found myself bored and no longer caring what happened before I made it halfway through. I finished the book out of stubborness.
May 22, 2022
Bonding over sewing with some serious hidden secrets!
I really liked the bond that developed between Alice and Constance. Both recently widowed and had gone through similar tragic circumstances. The designing and sewing a ball gown together added some lightness to all of the darker elements.
What I didn't like was the fact that I had figured out the big secret early on and it seemed like it took forever for the characters to get there too. The eerieness of the Black Hand added some suspense, but not enough to keep anyone from figuring out the secrets.
As a mystery, this book didn't have enough suspense, but as Historical fiction, it was definitely enjoyable.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy of this ARC for my honest review.
I really liked the bond that developed between Alice and Constance. Both recently widowed and had gone through similar tragic circumstances. The designing and sewing a ball gown together added some lightness to all of the darker elements.
What I didn't like was the fact that I had figured out the big secret early on and it seemed like it took forever for the characters to get there too. The eerieness of the Black Hand added some suspense, but not enough to keep anyone from figuring out the secrets.
As a mystery, this book didn't have enough suspense, but as Historical fiction, it was definitely enjoyable.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy of this ARC for my honest review.
September 2, 2022
Overwrought, overdone, I’m glad it’s over.
November 28, 2022
An interesting story of two women, both abandoned (in different ways) by their husbands, who find each other, build a friendship, and create their own sort of family. Constance is a modestly wealthy woman in New Orleans, grieving after her husband's murder. Alice is left nearly destitute in Chicago after her husband disappears without a trace. Alice travels toward New Orleans, seeking news of her husband and work for herself. Her path crosses with Constance's and the two women form a friendship as Alice creates a magnificent grown for Constance to wear to an upcoming New Orleans ball. A decent read overall, but the final twist was very predictable (at least for me).
January 31, 2022
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I sincerely loved the main plot and characters of this novel but not the way they were executed. At any given point in the story there were multiple events coinciding and thus it made each one feel less significant. Additionally there was added conflict where none was needed, and far too much re-hashing of past events. The plot twist at the end was unfortunately given away in the first chapter and a secret discovered by one character should not have been reasoned out so easily.
I loved the setting and truly felt that this book could have been more of a success with a focus on the two lead characters and their growth together instead of having them constantly putting out multiple "fires" as it were (and almost always on edge of fainting).
I sincerely loved the main plot and characters of this novel but not the way they were executed. At any given point in the story there were multiple events coinciding and thus it made each one feel less significant. Additionally there was added conflict where none was needed, and far too much re-hashing of past events. The plot twist at the end was unfortunately given away in the first chapter and a secret discovered by one character should not have been reasoned out so easily.
I loved the setting and truly felt that this book could have been more of a success with a focus on the two lead characters and their growth together instead of having them constantly putting out multiple "fires" as it were (and almost always on edge of fainting).
June 12, 2022
This book is set in 1900 New Orleans and focuses on two women. Constance a lady with a trust her husband can’t touch and seems desperate to and Alice a woman whose husband disappears on her. Constance is determined to find out what her husband is up to and finds out more than she bargained for. Alice is desperate to figure out how to provide for herself and her unborn child. They find each other and develop quite a friendship. I really liked this story, I thought it took a little bit to get into which was surprising because the beginning was full of lots of action. Once the characters started to develop the story became difficult to put down.
April 30, 2022
Thanks again NetGalle for letting me read an ARC of this book.
This book follows two women. One, Constance, a mother of two little girls part of the New Orleans society. And the other, Alice a seamstress who lives in Chicago. The story begins with Constance following his husband in disguise into a train, where a series of events ends up with him falling from a moving car. Which makes her an anxious widow hopping for the police to find out a truth that will not involve her. Meanwhile Alice, whose husband seem to have disappeared decides to move from Chicago to New Orleans while she hopes to find a way to survive on her own. An orphanage and good friend makes this two woman find each other and come into a mutual agreement that end up in a unique friendship.
The characterization present is incredible and makes you instantly fall for both main characters and their stories. The plot moves along the charters whose lives are now upside down and in need of putting together. A book where defiantly the real protagonist is the sorority and companionship of two women in desperate need for a true trustworthy friend. The historical setting is also something to highlight, the carefulness in which is written makes it clear that the author followed a careful investigation beforehand. A book I could easily recommend to anyone who likes an historical novel with strong female leads.
This book follows two women. One, Constance, a mother of two little girls part of the New Orleans society. And the other, Alice a seamstress who lives in Chicago. The story begins with Constance following his husband in disguise into a train, where a series of events ends up with him falling from a moving car. Which makes her an anxious widow hopping for the police to find out a truth that will not involve her. Meanwhile Alice, whose husband seem to have disappeared decides to move from Chicago to New Orleans while she hopes to find a way to survive on her own. An orphanage and good friend makes this two woman find each other and come into a mutual agreement that end up in a unique friendship.
The characterization present is incredible and makes you instantly fall for both main characters and their stories. The plot moves along the charters whose lives are now upside down and in need of putting together. A book where defiantly the real protagonist is the sorority and companionship of two women in desperate need for a true trustworthy friend. The historical setting is also something to highlight, the carefulness in which is written makes it clear that the author followed a careful investigation beforehand. A book I could easily recommend to anyone who likes an historical novel with strong female leads.
December 2, 2021
The Seamstress of New Orleans by Diane C. McPhail is a great historical fiction novel set at the turn of the 20th century and takes us into the heart and culture of New Orleans.
I really enjoyed this book. It is so unique in that not only did the author focus on the rich, beautiful, and intricate culture and heritage of New Orleans, but she also included Mardi Gras. This is a time, place, and history that, I feel, is beyond fabulous and completely under appreciated and discussed. The extensive research into all aspects of this novel is evident, as is the author’s passion. It radiates luminosity from each page.
What makes this book even better is the additional aspects of women’s rights, women’s positions and limitations that were established and also being created at the turn of the 20th century in the southern US, but also the relationships present between women themselves. How women were treated not only by society, but by men and fellow women were also fundamental and explored. Family, friendships, heartache, deception, love, loss, hopes, fears…all are present here.
This was not an easy time for a lot of women, especially women who have experienced such hardships and obstacles such as our main characters: Alice and Constance. Despite their differences in how they ended up in this place and time, finding strength within themselves and one another, they are able to overcome so much.
I also enjoyed the entire cast of characters created. I liked Dorothea and Martin as well. Mystery, suspense, and a wonderful narrative pull all of this together as well.
Learning more about the creation of the first all-female Mardi Gras krewe was fascinating. I knew nothing about this subject at all and I am researching more about this rich history as we speak. The author’s note adds a bit of historical context to the novel.
I really liked this book, the extra history that I learned in the process, and I definitely recommend this novel.
4/5 stars
Thank you NG and Kensington for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 5/31/22.
I really enjoyed this book. It is so unique in that not only did the author focus on the rich, beautiful, and intricate culture and heritage of New Orleans, but she also included Mardi Gras. This is a time, place, and history that, I feel, is beyond fabulous and completely under appreciated and discussed. The extensive research into all aspects of this novel is evident, as is the author’s passion. It radiates luminosity from each page.
What makes this book even better is the additional aspects of women’s rights, women’s positions and limitations that were established and also being created at the turn of the 20th century in the southern US, but also the relationships present between women themselves. How women were treated not only by society, but by men and fellow women were also fundamental and explored. Family, friendships, heartache, deception, love, loss, hopes, fears…all are present here.
This was not an easy time for a lot of women, especially women who have experienced such hardships and obstacles such as our main characters: Alice and Constance. Despite their differences in how they ended up in this place and time, finding strength within themselves and one another, they are able to overcome so much.
I also enjoyed the entire cast of characters created. I liked Dorothea and Martin as well. Mystery, suspense, and a wonderful narrative pull all of this together as well.
Learning more about the creation of the first all-female Mardi Gras krewe was fascinating. I knew nothing about this subject at all and I am researching more about this rich history as we speak. The author’s note adds a bit of historical context to the novel.
I really liked this book, the extra history that I learned in the process, and I definitely recommend this novel.
4/5 stars
Thank you NG and Kensington for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 5/31/22.
September 8, 2022
Writing style stilted and awkward.
Forced-in diversity with a gay male scene right at the outset on Page 5.
Moving on. 🪂
Forced-in diversity with a gay male scene right at the outset on Page 5.
Moving on. 🪂
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2022
The Missing Husband
A story of two women surviving in 1900 by sewing gowns and teaching orphans to sew. Both women have missing husbands. Constance knows her husband is dead. Alice is searching for hers. They are alone with children and must survive. It is not easy in the year 1900 for women to start a business, but the need for Mardi Gras Gowns in New Orleans helps them in their endeavor.
Constance is constantly frightened of the Black Hand to whom her deceased husband owed debts. This gangster comes after Constance for payment .
Together the two women and their friend a lady with contacts and one concerned police officer stop the Black Hand from frightening Constance and her children.
When the mystery of Constance's husband's death is finally solved another mystery comes to light which could damage their happy relationship.
It is a good story of strong women fighting for independence in a society that thinks women should be home cooking, cleaning and caring for the children.
I enjoyed this story of these two independent women and I know you will too. I listened to the audio book and I loved the narrator such a pleasant voice to listen to . I would recommend this book.
Thanks to Diane C. McPhail for writing a great story, to Jessica Marchbank for the excellent narration, to HighBridge Audio for publishing it and to NetGalley for allowing me to listen to the audio book and review it.
A story of two women surviving in 1900 by sewing gowns and teaching orphans to sew. Both women have missing husbands. Constance knows her husband is dead. Alice is searching for hers. They are alone with children and must survive. It is not easy in the year 1900 for women to start a business, but the need for Mardi Gras Gowns in New Orleans helps them in their endeavor.
Constance is constantly frightened of the Black Hand to whom her deceased husband owed debts. This gangster comes after Constance for payment .
Together the two women and their friend a lady with contacts and one concerned police officer stop the Black Hand from frightening Constance and her children.
When the mystery of Constance's husband's death is finally solved another mystery comes to light which could damage their happy relationship.
It is a good story of strong women fighting for independence in a society that thinks women should be home cooking, cleaning and caring for the children.
I enjoyed this story of these two independent women and I know you will too. I listened to the audio book and I loved the narrator such a pleasant voice to listen to . I would recommend this book.
Thanks to Diane C. McPhail for writing a great story, to Jessica Marchbank for the excellent narration, to HighBridge Audio for publishing it and to NetGalley for allowing me to listen to the audio book and review it.
didn-t-finish
July 1, 2024DNF. I just could not get into this book. I didn’t like either of the main characters. I figured out the “mystery” pretty early on and it was no big surprise.
On to the next one.
On to the next one.
April 29, 2022
I received an advance copy for review from between the chapters for an honest review. Historical Fiction is my favorite genre and 1900 New Orleans is such an interesting place and time.
The story of 2 women of differing classes, both of whom have lost babies and husband's and the friendship that ensues enhances the plot. Secrets abound and as we wade through them, life during Mardi Gras is brought to life.
Constance, who watches her husband possibly fall to his death while still mourning her baby must learn to live with her grief. Alice, who has also watched her baby die, comes looking for her husband who has disappeared.
A socialite in charge of the first women's Krewe, brings them together as Alice, the titular seamstress, sews a dress for Constance to wear for a float.
There is much history to learn, woman's suffrage, typhoid, yellow fever and the many orphanages in New Orleans and the women who helped educate these children to prepare them for life.
The most interesting facts for me was that the first women's Krewe was in 1896, a leap year. 4 years later, 1900, the Krew participated again even though it wasn't a leap year, as only years that can be divided by 400 can be a leap year.
If you like historical fiction you will enjoy this book.
The story of 2 women of differing classes, both of whom have lost babies and husband's and the friendship that ensues enhances the plot. Secrets abound and as we wade through them, life during Mardi Gras is brought to life.
Constance, who watches her husband possibly fall to his death while still mourning her baby must learn to live with her grief. Alice, who has also watched her baby die, comes looking for her husband who has disappeared.
A socialite in charge of the first women's Krewe, brings them together as Alice, the titular seamstress, sews a dress for Constance to wear for a float.
There is much history to learn, woman's suffrage, typhoid, yellow fever and the many orphanages in New Orleans and the women who helped educate these children to prepare them for life.
The most interesting facts for me was that the first women's Krewe was in 1896, a leap year. 4 years later, 1900, the Krew participated again even though it wasn't a leap year, as only years that can be divided by 400 can be a leap year.
If you like historical fiction you will enjoy this book.
February 28, 2025
i picked this up on a whim from a thrift store and i'm so so glad i did.
i think there's a lot that could be cut out, BUT the overall plot was worth it
the twist and secrets weren't hard to spot, but were good none the less
i love the overall theme of women sticking together especially during that historic period
i think there's a lot that could be cut out, BUT the overall plot was worth it
the twist and secrets weren't hard to spot, but were good none the less
i love the overall theme of women sticking together especially during that historic period
November 20, 2025
I am not hiding this review because of spoilers everyone should know how bad this book is.
I love New Orleans - I lived in Louisiana when I was younger and visited as often as I could, and now that I’m older and can actually enjoy all that New Orleans has to offer, I love it even more. That’s why I was so excited to read this book - set in New Orleans in 1900 about the first all-female crew AND it’s about sewing????? Sign me up.
BUT ACTUALLY DON’T BECAUSE THIS BOOK WAS TRASH.
Diane C. McPhail I am so sorry girl but the Yale Writers’ Guild lied to you this was 300 pages of just absolute nonsense.
Terrible writing, characterization, plotting, dialogue, just…everything was bad. The concept was the most interesting part of the book but was somehow not a strong enough concept to be the actual focus of the book apparently. The seamstress of New Orleans is not Constance, despite Constance being the main character for the majority of the book?? Why wasn’t this book focused entirely on Alice, the ACTUAL seamstress? Also, Constance, girl, your husband killed your son, I think you can get over any trepidations you have about maybe killing him via train.
Firstly, the writing is so bad. It’s incredibly stilted and clunky, there’s no flow at all and the organization of events makes no sense. The plot will simply stop and characters will spend multiple pages just thinking about various events from their past, but these flashbacks have no influence on the events happening in the scene at all. Constance spends multiple paragraphs telling the audience (there’s very little showing in this book - the book just tells you things and thinks that’s storytelling) about how her family treated her terribly and her dad was a jerk and also Benton was a jerk (we get it hun, the sex was bad and weird, you don’t have to remind us every. single. time.) and this somehow???? relates to her memory of seeing a picture of the Brooklyn Bridge for the first time and her father giving her these newspaper pages???
The book ruminates so badly - characters will spend hundreds of pages obsessing over the same thing and constantly bring it up, but there’s never any closure or movement past those ruminations. Constance still, after 250 pages, STILL obsesses over whether or not she was the one who caused Benton to fall from the train. But the book never has her actually sit with herself and ask herself how she’ll deal with it if she did. The book doesn’t take any time to have her actually grapple with the idea that she was the one who killed him, the book will just tell you that she feels guilty over maybe possibly being the one who might have killed him.
Also!!!! This book outright contradicts itself - when the perspective switches back to Alice in chapter 30-something, she reveals that she’s pregnant (or “with child” which they repeated 8,000 times) and Constance acts like this is the first time she’s learned this information. Which is incorrect. Because Dorothea tells Constance that Alice is pregnant before Constance even meets her (page 117 - I CHECKED). So why is Constance surprised when Alice tells her about the pregnancy? Diane you wrote the book, if you wanted that to be some kind of reveal, why did you have Dorothea tell Constance? Things just HAPPEN in this book, and we’re just TOLD things out of nowhere that have never been established up until that point. The amount of times I wrote “when was this set up?” in my book - what do you mean Analee knows how to sew beading now? What do you mean Constance called her mother Maman when, the first time she talks about her, this is never mentioned? What do you mean that Alice likes to read and we’re just finding this out 200-something pages into the book?
What do you mean the book never describes what these two women actually look like? What do you mean Analee is never given a physical description? What do you mean Martin Birdsong is Constance’s dearest friend (more than her women friends, which is insane to me) and we never learn anything about their relationship outside of what we’re told?
The story is also really bad at providing background or exposition - any information given to the characters is either incredibly convenient, or information that they should already know, or both. Why is there a character explaining to Constance, who lives in New Orleans, what Mardi Gras is? It makes sense to have this character explain the Leap Year ball conventions (though it’s done really badly and awkwardly - very much “this information is clearly meant for the audience who might not know this information so we’re making sure you know this is meant for you”), but Constance should know what Mardi Gras is…so why is it being explained to her? It makes sense for Alice to have Mardi Gras explained to her, it’s 1900 and Alice lives in Chicago she’s not going to know what Mardi Gras is, but why is Constance having it explained to her? Why is the priest explaining to Constance that they intern bodies aboveground in New Orleans (“because of the high water table” who talks like that?) and then says “But you already know this.” WHY ARE YOU EXPLAINING IT TO HER THEN???? It’s also incredibly convenient that Alice happened to sit behind those two ladies in the train station talking about Mardi Gras and just happened to run into the train conductor who mentioned that he thought she was going to New Orleans. Stuff sure does love to just conveniently happen to these two women. Good thing Dorothea is just there whenever she needs to be so she can convince Constance to go to the ball, and can introduce Constance to Alice, and suggest that Alice can help Constance make the ball gown (the whole reasoning behind this, that Constance was worried about money, is just dropped into the middle of the chapter with absolutely nothing preceding it to give the audience even the faintest inkling that this was something she was worried about - truly, the Krewe and Mardi Gras elements of this book are almost nonexistent it’s crazy). Deus ex Dorothea is truly the only character who accomplishes anything, and most of it is off-page. How are you going to have the Black Hand be the main focus for a third of the book (why does the mustache man not have a name?), and then just have Dorothea fix everything off-page? What was the point of having Constance do anything if she and Alice aren’t going to have anything to do with solving the problem? This happens AGAIN at the end of the book, the police catch the guy after they find out that he killed Benton, not Constance (so glad we worried about that for 300 pages only for the two main characters to do nothing).
The “mystery” is also not a mystery at all because you figure out that Howard and Benton are the same person by like chapter 2, like girl when you smash cut to Alice wondering where her husband is after the chapter where Benton falls off the train, you’re not being subtle.
Secondly, the characters are just boring and uninteresting. Much like the story’s concept, there are inklings that under a better writer, these characters could be really compelling and interesting, but the characterization present is very one note and both women are severely underdeveloped. Alice’s story is, obviously, the more interesting story and it’s kind of insane to me that she’s not the main focus of the novel. Here’s a woman who left the plains (which one, we don’t know it’s never specified) to move to Chicago by herself, who married a man, lost her son, and then realized everything she knew about her husband was a lie. Who left Chicago and made her own way to New Orleans where she gets a job helping a rich lady sew a dress for an all-female Krewe. THAT’S SO INTERESTING (the actual execution is poorly done) BUT THE PREMISE IS SO GOOD! SO WHY IS CONSTANCE OUR MAIN POV CHARACTER??????? Like it’s crazy how, when the focus is back on Alice, the book becomes a lot more interesting and dynamic. Constance, whose only characteristics seems to be “likes to read” and “wrings her hands a lot” and “is mad about social conventions.” This doesn’t mean that Alice’s character is actually interesting in the novel - in the first part of the book she’s fine, clearly going through it, but once we stop getting her point of view, she essentially becomes an entirely different character. She’s just…There. There to say vaguely poignant things about being a Woman in a Man’s World and her mother and sewing and make really clunky metaphors about sewing and to prop up Constance. She’s supposed to be pregnant and there’s almost no mention of her pregnancy once she moves into Constance’s house it’s WEIRD. When the book switches back to her perspective, her personality is back, and it’s jarring to suddenly have her acting like the character we met at the beginning. The plot starts moving again, but she has the same personality as before, despite us just interacting with a different character. We get almost no character development from either of them. They say that they feel differently or believe differently, but they’re almost the exact same characters from page 1 to page 300. And like Constance, Alice ruminates and repeats the same things over and over and over again. Yes girl we get that your mom was important to you, not every thought you have has to be about her and your relationship and about how you made quilts WE GET IT.
The opening scene, where Constance dresses as a man to spy on her husband, seems to set her up as being a very forthright character, but the book almost immediately reverses that by having her spend way too long worrying about what really happened on the train (it’s very clear what happened on the train, we read the scene and the book over-analyzes that scene so often that there’s no ambiguity to what happened), and feeling conflicted about how her husband treated/felt about her (GIRL HE MURDERED YOUR SON). Even her inclusion in the Krewe isn’t treated as an interesting character trait - she spends almost no time with anyone in the Krewe, and because the audience doesn’t learn anything about the Krewe or why she cares or how she ended up there, the scenes where she’s discussing and designing the dress with Alice carry almost no weight. The book gives some very weak and vague explanations that because of the krewe "bucking convention,” she is interested, but again, because we don’t see any relationship between her and the Krewe, that justification falls so incredibly flat. The stuff with her and the Black Hand is also incredibly boring (DIANE HOW DO YOU MAKE THE MOB BORING???) We’re told they’ve done all of this terrible stuff, but we never actually see them doing all of these terrible things - they just show up, grab her kids’ arms and then leave. Also, girl we knew they were the bad guys you did not have to have them dropping racial slurs to let us know that WE GOT IT.
I must also point out that the only non-white character in this book…set in NEW ORLEANS LOUISIANA…is Analee, Constance’s housekeeper/servant who is the only character who has dialect writing. (and is also not a fully formed character and is just there so she can take the kids (who I also hate and were annoying as hell) out of the room and Diane doesn’t have to figure out what to do with them). Diane, what did you mean by this?
Thirdly, I refuse to believe that the author did half of the research she claims she did in the Author’s Note because this was the worst representation of New Orleans I have ever read in my life. The only time you would know this book was set in the city is when the author just name drops specific streets and areas - there’s no exploration of the city or the culture or the people. There’s no Cajun or Creole used anywhere, none of the characters give any kind of indication that they are in the South, there’s no reference to the food or anything outside of various occasional mentions of Mardi Gras, Poydras, that time Constance talks to a Catholic priest. I don’t even know if Constance is originally from New Orleans or she’s a recent transplant, I know nothing of New Orleans high society, which is weird considering that’s Constance’s social status and she makes frequent references to Benton wanting to be accepted into New Orleans high society. This is, again, something that could have been remedied if Alice was the primary main character, instead of basically what amounts to set dressing in the second half of the novel. Alice would have been a good audience surrogate and allowed McPhail to explore elements of New Orleans that would be new to an outsider, which would allow for more integrated exposition while Alice was trying to find her way. There’s so many ways that the city could have been better integrated or described in the book and it’s just not so like, what’s the point of it being set in New Orleans??? The actual ball, you know, the whole thing that this book was meant to be leading up to, was a whopping two chapters wherein Constance goes to the ball, observes the costumes, dances for like two seconds with Martin, and then leaves. And don’t give me the whole “well, she needed to leave because of the Blank Hand,” her ass was on its way out of the door BEFORE she got stopped by him. It’s just frustrating that something that should have been a HUGE part of the book was done in about 5 pages (these chapters are so short it’s crazy that anything happens in this book - how is it 300+ pages?).
The book’s themes are also incredibly simple and not developed or explored outside of surface level feminist statements about how hard it is to be a woman and how important it is that women stick together and how great it is to go against social mores and buck tradition. Very much like how the book stares you in the face to make sure you 100% understand what Mardi Gras is, the book stares you in the face multiple times to make sure you super duper 100% understand what McPhail is saying about womanhood. This is also made clear with how badly characterized all of the men in the book are: Benton murders both of his (male) children and is also allegedly gay and therefore evil (fun fact: the only queer-coded character in the entire book), the policemen are all dismissive and rude to both women for 0 reason, Constance’s father is emotionally abusive, and Alice’s brothers are implied to be physically abusive (also, Alice’s brothers send her a letter telling her that her father died and her mother is probably already dead by the time she gets the letter, and that’s the last we ever hear about these characters ever so like…what was the reason??). Martin is kind of ok, but his entire personality seems to just be “nice man,” but he has almost no bearing on the plot and doesn’t contribute meaningfully to anything so I really fail to see why I’m meant to like him or care about his character. I find it interesting how almost all of the male characters are either evil (Benton, the only Evil Gay in New Orleans), transparently and cartoonishly misogynistic (Constance’s father and Alice’s father and brothers), or just ineffectual (the police) but both Alice and Constance both lost boy children and those male children are the ones they seem to spend the most time caring about (Constance’s daughters are there as a way to, again, be the subject of her vague thoughts about Womanhood, but don’t really contribute to the plot). And while this 100% can be attributed to the fact that both of these children died in very violent ways (which is also interesting) and both women loved their children, I just think it’s something to think about when you look at all of the other male characters in the novel. This book is really puritanical and patriarchal for a story that’s meant to be about finding your true self and being a self-assured woman and bucking convention. Why are y’all so mean to the Storyville prostitutes? What did they do to you?
This is a book written for your mom or your grandmother’s book club who have never been to New Orleans. I am so freaking for real. Big church book club energy.
If you’ve made it here and are wondering why I kept reading a book that I clearly disliked, you must understand that once my brain decides to focus on something, especially a book, it is very hard for me to focus on anything else and therefore I HAVE. TO FINISH. THE STORY.
But it doesn’t mean that I have to like it.
Don’t read this book. Read Pelican Girls by Julia Malye or Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward instead.
I love New Orleans - I lived in Louisiana when I was younger and visited as often as I could, and now that I’m older and can actually enjoy all that New Orleans has to offer, I love it even more. That’s why I was so excited to read this book - set in New Orleans in 1900 about the first all-female crew AND it’s about sewing????? Sign me up.
BUT ACTUALLY DON’T BECAUSE THIS BOOK WAS TRASH.
Diane C. McPhail I am so sorry girl but the Yale Writers’ Guild lied to you this was 300 pages of just absolute nonsense.
Terrible writing, characterization, plotting, dialogue, just…everything was bad. The concept was the most interesting part of the book but was somehow not a strong enough concept to be the actual focus of the book apparently. The seamstress of New Orleans is not Constance, despite Constance being the main character for the majority of the book?? Why wasn’t this book focused entirely on Alice, the ACTUAL seamstress? Also, Constance, girl, your husband killed your son, I think you can get over any trepidations you have about maybe killing him via train.
Firstly, the writing is so bad. It’s incredibly stilted and clunky, there’s no flow at all and the organization of events makes no sense. The plot will simply stop and characters will spend multiple pages just thinking about various events from their past, but these flashbacks have no influence on the events happening in the scene at all. Constance spends multiple paragraphs telling the audience (there’s very little showing in this book - the book just tells you things and thinks that’s storytelling) about how her family treated her terribly and her dad was a jerk and also Benton was a jerk (we get it hun, the sex was bad and weird, you don’t have to remind us every. single. time.) and this somehow???? relates to her memory of seeing a picture of the Brooklyn Bridge for the first time and her father giving her these newspaper pages???
The book ruminates so badly - characters will spend hundreds of pages obsessing over the same thing and constantly bring it up, but there’s never any closure or movement past those ruminations. Constance still, after 250 pages, STILL obsesses over whether or not she was the one who caused Benton to fall from the train. But the book never has her actually sit with herself and ask herself how she’ll deal with it if she did. The book doesn’t take any time to have her actually grapple with the idea that she was the one who killed him, the book will just tell you that she feels guilty over maybe possibly being the one who might have killed him.
Also!!!! This book outright contradicts itself - when the perspective switches back to Alice in chapter 30-something, she reveals that she’s pregnant (or “with child” which they repeated 8,000 times) and Constance acts like this is the first time she’s learned this information. Which is incorrect. Because Dorothea tells Constance that Alice is pregnant before Constance even meets her (page 117 - I CHECKED). So why is Constance surprised when Alice tells her about the pregnancy? Diane you wrote the book, if you wanted that to be some kind of reveal, why did you have Dorothea tell Constance? Things just HAPPEN in this book, and we’re just TOLD things out of nowhere that have never been established up until that point. The amount of times I wrote “when was this set up?” in my book - what do you mean Analee knows how to sew beading now? What do you mean Constance called her mother Maman when, the first time she talks about her, this is never mentioned? What do you mean that Alice likes to read and we’re just finding this out 200-something pages into the book?
What do you mean the book never describes what these two women actually look like? What do you mean Analee is never given a physical description? What do you mean Martin Birdsong is Constance’s dearest friend (more than her women friends, which is insane to me) and we never learn anything about their relationship outside of what we’re told?
The story is also really bad at providing background or exposition - any information given to the characters is either incredibly convenient, or information that they should already know, or both. Why is there a character explaining to Constance, who lives in New Orleans, what Mardi Gras is? It makes sense to have this character explain the Leap Year ball conventions (though it’s done really badly and awkwardly - very much “this information is clearly meant for the audience who might not know this information so we’re making sure you know this is meant for you”), but Constance should know what Mardi Gras is…so why is it being explained to her? It makes sense for Alice to have Mardi Gras explained to her, it’s 1900 and Alice lives in Chicago she’s not going to know what Mardi Gras is, but why is Constance having it explained to her? Why is the priest explaining to Constance that they intern bodies aboveground in New Orleans (“because of the high water table” who talks like that?) and then says “But you already know this.” WHY ARE YOU EXPLAINING IT TO HER THEN???? It’s also incredibly convenient that Alice happened to sit behind those two ladies in the train station talking about Mardi Gras and just happened to run into the train conductor who mentioned that he thought she was going to New Orleans. Stuff sure does love to just conveniently happen to these two women. Good thing Dorothea is just there whenever she needs to be so she can convince Constance to go to the ball, and can introduce Constance to Alice, and suggest that Alice can help Constance make the ball gown (the whole reasoning behind this, that Constance was worried about money, is just dropped into the middle of the chapter with absolutely nothing preceding it to give the audience even the faintest inkling that this was something she was worried about - truly, the Krewe and Mardi Gras elements of this book are almost nonexistent it’s crazy). Deus ex Dorothea is truly the only character who accomplishes anything, and most of it is off-page. How are you going to have the Black Hand be the main focus for a third of the book (why does the mustache man not have a name?), and then just have Dorothea fix everything off-page? What was the point of having Constance do anything if she and Alice aren’t going to have anything to do with solving the problem? This happens AGAIN at the end of the book, the police catch the guy after they find out that he killed Benton, not Constance (so glad we worried about that for 300 pages only for the two main characters to do nothing).
The “mystery” is also not a mystery at all because you figure out that Howard and Benton are the same person by like chapter 2, like girl when you smash cut to Alice wondering where her husband is after the chapter where Benton falls off the train, you’re not being subtle.
Secondly, the characters are just boring and uninteresting. Much like the story’s concept, there are inklings that under a better writer, these characters could be really compelling and interesting, but the characterization present is very one note and both women are severely underdeveloped. Alice’s story is, obviously, the more interesting story and it’s kind of insane to me that she’s not the main focus of the novel. Here’s a woman who left the plains (which one, we don’t know it’s never specified) to move to Chicago by herself, who married a man, lost her son, and then realized everything she knew about her husband was a lie. Who left Chicago and made her own way to New Orleans where she gets a job helping a rich lady sew a dress for an all-female Krewe. THAT’S SO INTERESTING (the actual execution is poorly done) BUT THE PREMISE IS SO GOOD! SO WHY IS CONSTANCE OUR MAIN POV CHARACTER??????? Like it’s crazy how, when the focus is back on Alice, the book becomes a lot more interesting and dynamic. Constance, whose only characteristics seems to be “likes to read” and “wrings her hands a lot” and “is mad about social conventions.” This doesn’t mean that Alice’s character is actually interesting in the novel - in the first part of the book she’s fine, clearly going through it, but once we stop getting her point of view, she essentially becomes an entirely different character. She’s just…There. There to say vaguely poignant things about being a Woman in a Man’s World and her mother and sewing and make really clunky metaphors about sewing and to prop up Constance. She’s supposed to be pregnant and there’s almost no mention of her pregnancy once she moves into Constance’s house it’s WEIRD. When the book switches back to her perspective, her personality is back, and it’s jarring to suddenly have her acting like the character we met at the beginning. The plot starts moving again, but she has the same personality as before, despite us just interacting with a different character. We get almost no character development from either of them. They say that they feel differently or believe differently, but they’re almost the exact same characters from page 1 to page 300. And like Constance, Alice ruminates and repeats the same things over and over and over again. Yes girl we get that your mom was important to you, not every thought you have has to be about her and your relationship and about how you made quilts WE GET IT.
The opening scene, where Constance dresses as a man to spy on her husband, seems to set her up as being a very forthright character, but the book almost immediately reverses that by having her spend way too long worrying about what really happened on the train (it’s very clear what happened on the train, we read the scene and the book over-analyzes that scene so often that there’s no ambiguity to what happened), and feeling conflicted about how her husband treated/felt about her (GIRL HE MURDERED YOUR SON). Even her inclusion in the Krewe isn’t treated as an interesting character trait - she spends almost no time with anyone in the Krewe, and because the audience doesn’t learn anything about the Krewe or why she cares or how she ended up there, the scenes where she’s discussing and designing the dress with Alice carry almost no weight. The book gives some very weak and vague explanations that because of the krewe "bucking convention,” she is interested, but again, because we don’t see any relationship between her and the Krewe, that justification falls so incredibly flat. The stuff with her and the Black Hand is also incredibly boring (DIANE HOW DO YOU MAKE THE MOB BORING???) We’re told they’ve done all of this terrible stuff, but we never actually see them doing all of these terrible things - they just show up, grab her kids’ arms and then leave. Also, girl we knew they were the bad guys you did not have to have them dropping racial slurs to let us know that WE GOT IT.
I must also point out that the only non-white character in this book…set in NEW ORLEANS LOUISIANA…is Analee, Constance’s housekeeper/servant who is the only character who has dialect writing. (and is also not a fully formed character and is just there so she can take the kids (who I also hate and were annoying as hell) out of the room and Diane doesn’t have to figure out what to do with them). Diane, what did you mean by this?
Thirdly, I refuse to believe that the author did half of the research she claims she did in the Author’s Note because this was the worst representation of New Orleans I have ever read in my life. The only time you would know this book was set in the city is when the author just name drops specific streets and areas - there’s no exploration of the city or the culture or the people. There’s no Cajun or Creole used anywhere, none of the characters give any kind of indication that they are in the South, there’s no reference to the food or anything outside of various occasional mentions of Mardi Gras, Poydras, that time Constance talks to a Catholic priest. I don’t even know if Constance is originally from New Orleans or she’s a recent transplant, I know nothing of New Orleans high society, which is weird considering that’s Constance’s social status and she makes frequent references to Benton wanting to be accepted into New Orleans high society. This is, again, something that could have been remedied if Alice was the primary main character, instead of basically what amounts to set dressing in the second half of the novel. Alice would have been a good audience surrogate and allowed McPhail to explore elements of New Orleans that would be new to an outsider, which would allow for more integrated exposition while Alice was trying to find her way. There’s so many ways that the city could have been better integrated or described in the book and it’s just not so like, what’s the point of it being set in New Orleans??? The actual ball, you know, the whole thing that this book was meant to be leading up to, was a whopping two chapters wherein Constance goes to the ball, observes the costumes, dances for like two seconds with Martin, and then leaves. And don’t give me the whole “well, she needed to leave because of the Blank Hand,” her ass was on its way out of the door BEFORE she got stopped by him. It’s just frustrating that something that should have been a HUGE part of the book was done in about 5 pages (these chapters are so short it’s crazy that anything happens in this book - how is it 300+ pages?).
The book’s themes are also incredibly simple and not developed or explored outside of surface level feminist statements about how hard it is to be a woman and how important it is that women stick together and how great it is to go against social mores and buck tradition. Very much like how the book stares you in the face to make sure you 100% understand what Mardi Gras is, the book stares you in the face multiple times to make sure you super duper 100% understand what McPhail is saying about womanhood. This is also made clear with how badly characterized all of the men in the book are: Benton murders both of his (male) children and is also allegedly gay and therefore evil (fun fact: the only queer-coded character in the entire book), the policemen are all dismissive and rude to both women for 0 reason, Constance’s father is emotionally abusive, and Alice’s brothers are implied to be physically abusive (also, Alice’s brothers send her a letter telling her that her father died and her mother is probably already dead by the time she gets the letter, and that’s the last we ever hear about these characters ever so like…what was the reason??). Martin is kind of ok, but his entire personality seems to just be “nice man,” but he has almost no bearing on the plot and doesn’t contribute meaningfully to anything so I really fail to see why I’m meant to like him or care about his character. I find it interesting how almost all of the male characters are either evil (Benton, the only Evil Gay in New Orleans), transparently and cartoonishly misogynistic (Constance’s father and Alice’s father and brothers), or just ineffectual (the police) but both Alice and Constance both lost boy children and those male children are the ones they seem to spend the most time caring about (Constance’s daughters are there as a way to, again, be the subject of her vague thoughts about Womanhood, but don’t really contribute to the plot). And while this 100% can be attributed to the fact that both of these children died in very violent ways (which is also interesting) and both women loved their children, I just think it’s something to think about when you look at all of the other male characters in the novel. This book is really puritanical and patriarchal for a story that’s meant to be about finding your true self and being a self-assured woman and bucking convention. Why are y’all so mean to the Storyville prostitutes? What did they do to you?
This is a book written for your mom or your grandmother’s book club who have never been to New Orleans. I am so freaking for real. Big church book club energy.
If you’ve made it here and are wondering why I kept reading a book that I clearly disliked, you must understand that once my brain decides to focus on something, especially a book, it is very hard for me to focus on anything else and therefore I HAVE. TO FINISH. THE STORY.
But it doesn’t mean that I have to like it.
Don’t read this book. Read Pelican Girls by Julia Malye or Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward instead.
May 12, 2022
I'm actually reading the paperback version, an ARC copy that I won. Thank you, Kensington Books, for the giveaway and the author for an Awesome read. You can read the blurb to see what it's about, I rarely retype that in a review. Two female lead characters, but there are three strong females that make this a story to read with a little bit of New Orleans flair and history.
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