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The Dollmaker's Daughters

4.26 of 5 stars 4.26 · rating details · 50 ratings · 5 reviews

Two sisters, tragically divided by love, jealousy and ambition ...

For Ruby and Rosetta Capretti life in the slums of the East End holds little promise. Although very similar in looks they dream of very different futures. Coquettish, flamboyant Rosetta is desperate to leave the claustrophobic confines of the sewing sweatshop to follow in her wayward aunt's footsteps and wor...more

Paperback, 528 pages

Published September 21st 2006 by Arrow

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Apr 16, 2009 Toni rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

Lovely story set in early 1900 London of 2 sisters Ruby and Rosetta. Their hardships when their father the dollmaker died. At their fathers funeral they met the rich handsome Jonas Crowe who ran an illegal gaming house. Rosetta fell in love with him secretly, or more so his wealth. Rosetta the headstrong of the 2 sisters began working in the theatre and her advancement was rapid as her stage act and singing went higher up the bill. This however was due to her sleeping with the theatre boss. She...more Lovely story set in early 1900 London of 2 sisters Ruby and Rosetta. Their hardships when their father the dollmaker died. At their fathers funeral they met the rich handsome Jonas Crowe who ran an illegal gaming house. Rosetta fell in love with him secretly, or more so his wealth. Rosetta the headstrong of the 2 sisters began working in the theatre and her advancement was rapid as her stage act and singing went higher up the bill. This however was due to her sleeping with the theatre boss. She found herself pregnant and out of a ob and returning home much to her mothers shock. And quick marrying a young rag and bone man Billy. But Rosetta was unhappy and after the babys birth she left her husband and began working at Jonas Crowes Club entertaining the punters.
Meanwhile Ruby was coerced into working for Jonas Crowe to look after his ailing lady Lilly who was terminally ill.
Jonas first took Ruby shopping to buy her some fine ladys clothing and set her up with room and lodging in his posh home.
Lilly became very ill and was sent to convaless and Ruby stayed on at the house. It was later that Jonas asked her to dress for dinner and Ruby once a little tiddly was seduced by Jonas. She didnt like him or what he stood for but as soon as he touched her her body reponded to his magic. She was to dream of this moment over and over again and wonder why when she loathed him.
With Lilly away Ruby approached the London Hospital to begin her dream of being a nurse. Unknown to her her tuition paid for by Jonas Crowe.
She met and became great friends with Dr Adam and Nurse Pamela at the hospital, and then later when war broke out in Africa the 3 went on a ship to help with the war effort.
Pamela eventually caught typhiod and died, and when Ruby also started to show the early symptoms of typhoid was sent home on the ship back to England leaving Adam there in Africa.
On her return Jonas and Rosetta collected her from the ship and insisted she have the best of care in his home.
When she was slightly better Jonas declared his love for Ruby which she was not ready for and in panic ran out on him home to her mothers home.
Jonas begins to turn his illegal activities around and start opperating a legal gaming house and clean entertainment bill all for the sake of gaining Rubys love. He also does all he can to help her family sister Rosetta when she returns home to her husband and to her mother when she becomes ill.
With all this kindness Ruby sees a new side of Jonas's personality and to cut a long story short she admits she loves him and they get married.

There was a little more to it all but it was a lovely story set amongst the worst poverty and had a lovely happy ending(less)

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Mar 24, 2011 Molly Guy rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book so much and would gladly read it again, I love Dilly because no matter what her books always have an amazingly happy ending.

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Dec 10, 2012 Rebecca Wheeldon rated it 5 of 5 stars

A brilliantly written book that keeps you guessing right until the very end.

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Feb 09, 2013 Chris rated it 4 of 5 stars

Really good book, easy to read and enjoy.

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Mar 07, 2013 Christine rated it 3 of 5 stars

this was about 2 friends both born on the same day delivered by a gypsy woman on a cold dark night on a grassy mound one born to rich parents the other both parents dead and given to a poor farmer whose wifes babies kept dying at birth

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May 08, 2013 Sam Gregory rated it 4 of 5 stars

Apr 19, 2013 Stephanie marked it as to-read

Shelves: wish-to-buy

Mar 31, 2013 Gill added it

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Mar 23, 2013 Nicky Mottram rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-lit

Mar 22, 2013 Asma rated it 5 of 5 stars

Mar 17, 2013 Daisy Trow rated it 5 of 5 stars

Mar 10, 2013 Anna marked it as to-read

Mar 06, 2013 Kathryn Harvey rated it 4 of 5 stars

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Feb 08, 2013 Yvonne rated it 5 of 5 stars

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Jan 31, 2013 Robyn Harding rated it 4 of 5 stars

Jan 27, 2013 Maryanne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

Jan 22, 2013 Stacey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Jan 13, 2013 Gloria Cresswell marked it as to-read

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Jan 12, 2013 Nicesquid rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ww2

Dec 28, 2012 Sparkles11 rated it 5 of 5 stars

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Nov 26, 2012 Hanna rated it 4 of 5 stars

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