Scan barcode
A review by isabelle_grey97
The Dressmaker's Gift by Fiona Valpy
3.0
After browsing Kindle Unlimited, I found a number of titles I was interested in reading (as well as ones other members of my family would like.) And so, I decided to reactive my membership. Upon doing so, this was the first book I dug into.
Though fantasy is my first love, I also adore historical fiction. The 1940s era has a special place in my heart. The events of that time still majorly shape the world as I know it today; I even know people who served in the war! They're up there in years now of course, but still, the impact of World War Two cannot be denied. And as a result, I've read up on so a lot of history from that time.
In each of my studies, independent and otherwise, one group got overlooked a lot; the women. The women who fought the battles no one saw. The women who hid Jewish children and pretended they were their own. The women who resisted Nazi rule in any way they could as they smuggled messages to military resistance in France and those who even helped fallen airmen escape Nazi-occupied territory. They were so brave-brave as the soldiers on the front lines and their stories deserve to be heard. That's why I picked up The Dressmaker's Gift, as it follows three women in Nazi-occupied Paris and they struggle to survive and resist Nazi rule.
I greatly enjoyed the intertwining stories of Mirellie, Vivienne and Claire. They were brave women, each who came to the fight at different times but all for the same reason and each displaying courage, resilience and sisterhood as they survived the trying times. They weren't real women but they certainly honored the unsung heroes who did all that and more during the era. And I also really enjoyed the fashion history thrown into the book as well; the craftmanship that goes into sewing is something I greatly admire.
Truly, if the novel had just focused on those three women, I'd have given it a full four stars. However, it doesn't It flip-flops between the trio in 1940 and Claire's granddaughter, Harriet in 2017. Harriet was far less interesting than her grandma and her friends and her story even less compelling. I do think that was hugely in part to how Harriet's parts were more about reacting and reflecting on her grandma's story rather than her own independent one. Her struggles were addressed, but not built on long enough for me to really connect with them. Either way, I found it really dragged down the sorry and towards the end, I started skimming her chapters rather than reading them fully. Though I admit, I loved the ending that she featured in.
Though fantasy is my first love, I also adore historical fiction. The 1940s era has a special place in my heart. The events of that time still majorly shape the world as I know it today; I even know people who served in the war! They're up there in years now of course, but still, the impact of World War Two cannot be denied. And as a result, I've read up on so a lot of history from that time.
In each of my studies, independent and otherwise, one group got overlooked a lot; the women. The women who fought the battles no one saw. The women who hid Jewish children and pretended they were their own. The women who resisted Nazi rule in any way they could as they smuggled messages to military resistance in France and those who even helped fallen airmen escape Nazi-occupied territory. They were so brave-brave as the soldiers on the front lines and their stories deserve to be heard. That's why I picked up The Dressmaker's Gift, as it follows three women in Nazi-occupied Paris and they struggle to survive and resist Nazi rule.
I greatly enjoyed the intertwining stories of Mirellie, Vivienne and Claire. They were brave women, each who came to the fight at different times but all for the same reason and each displaying courage, resilience and sisterhood as they survived the trying times. They weren't real women but they certainly honored the unsung heroes who did all that and more during the era. And I also really enjoyed the fashion history thrown into the book as well; the craftmanship that goes into sewing is something I greatly admire.
Truly, if the novel had just focused on those three women, I'd have given it a full four stars. However, it doesn't It flip-flops between the trio in 1940 and Claire's granddaughter, Harriet in 2017. Harriet was far less interesting than her grandma and her friends and her story even less compelling. I do think that was hugely in part to how Harriet's parts were more about reacting and reflecting on her grandma's story rather than her own independent one. Her struggles were addressed, but not built on long enough for me to really connect with them. Either way, I found it really dragged down the sorry and towards the end, I started skimming her chapters rather than reading them fully. Though I admit, I loved the ending that she featured in.