The Lace Dowry

by Andrea Cheng

Dowry. The word sounds like something from the Middle Ages. "Mama, I don't need a dowry," I say quickly. "Nobody in Budapest has a dowry anymore." -From the book Twelve-year-old Juli wants neither a dowry nor the dancing lessons that her mother has long planned for her. Studious and smart, Juli dreams of a career, not of marriage. But her mother insists, and together they make regular trips to the countryside to check on the progress of the large lace tablecloth commissioned for her dowry. Soon Julie makes friends with the lace maker's daughter, Roza, an unschooled girl her own age who is already saddled with adult responsibilities. When progression the tablecloth slows because of unexpected difficulties in Roza's family, Juli finds herself defying her mother in order to help her new friend. Through this painful episode, Juli and her mother grow to better understand themselves, each other, and how the past has shaped them.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Childrens

115 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2005

About the author

Andrea Cheng is a Hungarian-American children's author and illustrator. The child of Hungarian immigrants, she was raised in Cincinnati, Ohio in an extended family with three generations under one roof. Her family spoke Hungarian and English at home. After graduating with a BA in English from Cornell University, she went to Switzerland, where she apprenticed to a bookbinder, attended a school of bookbinding called The Centro del Bel Libro, and learned French. Upon her return, she returned to Cornell to study Chinese and earned an MS in linguistics. Now she teaches English as a Second Language at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College. Her children’s books include Grandfather Counts, Marika, The Key Collection, Honeysuckle House, Where the Steps Were, The Bear Makers, and Brushing Mom’s Hair. With her husband, Jim Cheng, she has three children: Nicholas, Jane, and Ann.

Reviews

[Phoebe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Juli is rather horrified when her mother informs her that they will be taking the train to Halas, or Kiskunhalas, a small Hungarian village famous for its lace, to order a large tablecloth for Juli's dowry. It's 1933 and none of Juli's classmates have dowries anymore--it's old fashioned and "country" to those more modern city dwellers in Budapest. But Juli's eyes are opened to a completely different world as she and her mother meet Roza and her mother, who is one of the best lacemakers in Hungary. This unusual and brief story holds a lot of appeal and its afterword fills readers in on the backstory--the author's grandmother commissioned a lace tablecloth for her daughter's dowry, and today, it's considered one of the best and largest examples of Halas lace in the world. 5th-6th grade.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

This time last year I picked up this book to use for our feburary mother-daughter book group but got halfway and decided that I didn't enjoy it so I put it aside.

A year later and I managed to finish the book and I must say that I was very very wrong.

This little book has its faults but it is a sensitive and gentle story that is really very good for mothers and daughters to read together as it covers the dynamics of a rocky mother-daughter relationship.

I hope the girls in the group enjoy this book and maybe it will help them to see their mother in a different light.

[Megan Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting book--not necessarily for the story (although, it is kind of cute), but for the historical aspects. It takes place in Budapest in 1933 and 1934, when the protagonist is a young girl. Knowing my history as I do, I wonder what happened to the family during WWII and the aftermath of communism. What happens to the lace? Does she actually end up getting married? What comes next for the lace-makers of Halas?

[Mr. Steve · Rating 2 out of 5]

In 1933 Hungary, a 12-year-old girl from Budapest befriends the villae family of lacemakers hired to stitch her dowry. While the book is well-written and short, it is uneventful and likely has a small appeal. It is interesting to me that the word "dowry" is never explained and I doubt most 12-year-olds know what a dowry is. At least we know it's made out of lace!!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Middle grade novel. Set in 1936, Budapest. Juli and her mother travel to Budapest to create a dowry for her. Juli is resistant to this idea; as she has ideas of her own! This historical novel is a coming of age story about friendship, family, and self discovery. Beautifully written and loosely based off a story in the author's life.

[Lacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very short read, but a good one. Many lessons are taught in this book about a relationship between a mother and daughter. it is partly based on real life which I liked. A book about growing and loving. A book for every mom and every daughter. Very good book!

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This took me about an hour and a half last night to read and it really was a sweet book about a young girl figuring out life!

[Tara A · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have loved this book even more if I'd read it as a teenager. Fascinating look at a smart, spunky girl's life in Budapest in 1933.