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Jul 16, 2008

Christa rated it:

I found this book to be both captivating and poignant. It is the story of Veda Grenfell, daughter of a London tailor. Veda has been brought up with excellent manners and given a fine education, which sets her apart from her peers in the merchant class. Veda suffers several tragedies as a teenager, one of which is the loss of her hearing. This further cuts Veda off from the world in which she lives. Her passion is that of the business of a tailor, and she persuades her father to let her be hi More...

0 comments like (7 people liked it)

Nov 06, 2011

Leanne rated it:

If you had to make the descision on wheather you would rather be deaf or blind, which would you pick? Most likely, you would pick deaf, as most people would, because your vision is so vital and important for your independence, your education, career, and social life.

"The tailor's daughter" tells the harrowing, inspiring story of Veda Grenfell, an exceptionally talented seamstress living in the Victorian time period. Veda expects what all middle-class woman of her More...

0 comments like (4 people liked it)

Sep 15, 2008

Maren rated it:

I can't stand these historical romances!! Just when I thought I had found one I liked, it went and threw me. The problem with trying to write with one eye in the past and one in the present is the two eyes have a tendency to cross. I would have been happy if the book had concluded in the same way most Victorian novels did: either tragic or happy-ending Disney-style. This one could never decide which it would be: happy ending or tragedy. And for all the loose ends?? Pure frustration!! I al More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Mar 30, 2008

Amber rated it:

This was one of my bookclub choices that I think was rejected mostly because Firebird was not our favorite books. After the first chapter, I was completely hooked. The story of a girl who is deaf in a Victorian England, struggling to be her fathers only heir. It's a great story with a great love story weaved in but I can say it's definitely not a romance novel. I read in the reviews that it's a retelling of Pride and Prejudice but I'd disagree and say that in comparison it's more like Jane E More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Mar 25, 2009

Meagan rated it:

Nothing overly spectacular about this book but I really enjoyed it. Takes place in England during mid-late 1800's. Three main elements to the story are:

1. Loss of hearing for the main character at the age of sixteen. Finding her place in a society not comfortable with her situation.
2. Her love of tailoring and the social issues of women and work which accompany the time period.
3. Her love life.

This was a nice love story with a little bit of drama, especiall More...

1 comment like (2 people liked it)

Sep 25, 2009

Annmarie marked it as to-read

My friend, Maria wrote me this in response to my comment of her review: "the book has hardly, if any swear words in it. That will turn me off a story in a heartbeat! I think there is one mild sex scene but it's not very explicit & it's after the couple is married. Very proper ettiquette in this book, which would have driven me crazy back then, but I'm sure if it's all you're used to, you deal with it. The girl in the story is just so strong & so determined. I really enjoyed it. I would More...

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Feb 02, 2012

Robyn rated it:

I really got into this story as I admired the heroine,Veda Grenfell very much. She was a woman who was strong & independent in spite of her hearing loss due to an illness. I felt also that this book accurately depicted what it's like to be deaf & made me more aware of what my mom(who is hard-of-hearing) goes through on a daily basis. The one thing about the book that bothered me a bit though was that Veda describes getting back her hearing certain sounds or voices,then it was never mentioned aga More...

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Aug 14, 2010

Emily rated it:

I found this story to be entirely too schizophrenic to enjoy completely. Although it's not formatted this way, I felt like there were three different plots, with fairly significant lulls in between that made it difficult to continue reading. The author couldn't seem to decide if she wanted this to be a coming-of-age story, historical fiction or a mystery. So, she did none of these facets well.

If I were editing this book, I would have reformatted it so that the last 75 pages were the More...

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Nov 13, 2011

Katie rated it:

An enjoyable read. I love a good story that's not ruined with 'mature' content, particularly historical fiction. I did find that the author reused or reworked similar phrases throughout the story, and I did find that tedious. I'm sure they used many words to describe zeal and fervor in the 19th century that were not solely relating to the church or missionaries. I know all too well the excitement of a new convert and the inextinguishable spirit of one who has devoted themselves to the Lord, but More...

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Aug 27, 2009

Tara rated it:

Terrific!! This book is very elegant and very realistic. It really tells the life of deaf woman and the troubles she faces from other people's ridicules, being excluded from conversations, the tiring practice of lip reading, and the feelings of hopelessness that accompany the affliction. I am a hearing impaired woman myself and I was shocked that someone out there understands. The heroine is a terrific woman that overcomes everything life throws at her, and life throws A LOT her way. The first q More...

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Oct 11, 2008

Barb rated it:

I really enjoyed Janice Graham's story about the life of Veda Grenfell, a bright and headstrong young woman making her way in a man's world.

Veda lives with her mother, her father and her brother Reggie in Victorian London. Her father is a tailor and Veda too loves making beautiful clothing for people.

Veda suffers many loses in her youth including the loss of her hearing at the age of sixteen. Veda gives up any hope of living a typical life in London's society. And inste More...

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Dec 24, 2009

Stephanie rated it:

This novel took me FOREVER to read, and I often didn't look forward to picking it up; however, when I had large chunks of time to read I found myself really enjoying the story. This is not a book for reading when you have ten minutes to spare. The author's style reminds me of Jane Austen, and you need time to absorb the beauty of her words.

This novel has everything: love, death, deception, etc. The protagonist, Veda, must overcome all obstacles while dealing with becoming deaf in he More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Nov 05, 2011

Trissa rated it:

I think the writing deserves 4 or even 5 stars but my personal enjoyment of the story led it to only 3. I started this book several times but kept nodding off. Finally I made it to the point where I was up until 2 in the morning because I had to know what happened. Parts of the story were deeply moving and extremely sad. In the end I suppose I could say I was happy; however I prefer my endings to hold less reality and more bliss. I found this book to be in many ways like Jane Eyre.

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Jun 26, 2009

Sharla rated it:

I really liked this book. It seems with a lot of books you are led up to important events for so long they become predictable. This author would surprise me by having a very significant thing happen within a few sentences and then the details would follow. I actually liked all of the "tailoring" talk even though some was a bit foreign. I also really enjoyed the perspective of someone who became deaf who once knew hearing. Full of tragedy and love. Good read!

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May 18, 2009

Marty rated it:

The Tailor's Daughter is an historical novel set in Victorian England. The writing is very reminiscent of Jane Austen; however, the similarity does not extend to content. While I enjoyed the writing and the early part of the story about a young woman who is a daughter of a tradesman and therefore, lower down on the social scale, the story slowly disintegrated into an implausible ending. At that point, however, I was hooked and had to see how the story ended!

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Mar 30, 2009

Rita rated it:

Enjoyable historical romance set in Victorian-era London. Independent-thinking heroine challenges all kinds of conventions about proper behavior for "ladies" but at the end when she is happily married the author says she doesn't mind in the least having given up her career as tailor [that she had been so proud of and fought so hard for earlier:]...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Nov 01, 2009

Janet rated it:

This is a very good book. I have to say if you have ever had a family member who is hearing impaired this book will help you to understand what they go through. I only wish I had read this book twenty five years a go. I truly see my own daughters determination in this story and her never give up spirit and her take no crap attitude. The story is so real that you feel all the pain and emotions the character feels. The author did a wonderful job in making you see what the fashions wer More...

2 comments like (1 person liked it)

Nov 01, 2009

Mary rated it:

Set in Victorian England, Vevy, a deaf young woman, seeks to pursue her passion of tailoring in a society that frowns upon not only people in trade but those with any physical disabilities as well. She falls in love with an Earl and they try to find love while not losing who they are and what they want out of life.

It was engaging at first, but at the end it just ran out of steam for me. The author seemed to be throwing endings upon endings just to have the book finished.

More...

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Jul 21, 2010

Andrea rated it:

Borrowed from Mary, a good old fashioned story. No real twists or turns... the kind of book you read in h.school english. I liked the story, which seemed epic in its telling. But a bit predictable and hard to get sucked into.

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Mar 15, 2009

Melissa rated it:

I would probably give this one 3 and 1/2 stars rather than 4. It is well written but on the flip side could just as easily be a trashy Danielle Steele novel. That said, I enjoyed the book.

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Jul 01, 2011

Robin rated it:

I listened to this book and it was a nice little love story from the 1800's. I was able to vacuum, run the blender and disposal, and lose concentration and still follow the story.

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Jun 21, 2011

Rebecca rated it:

I listened to this as an audio book...not recommended for children, though. :) I loved the first 2/3, but thought the ending was a little hard to believe. LOVED the main character.

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Feb 06, 2010

Amanda rated it:

I would have given 4 and a half stars if possible...the only thing I didn't like was the end - it all tied up too quickly and too perfectly.

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Feb 12, 2010

Lynn rated it:

Loved this book but wasn't crazy about the ending.

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Feb 04, 2012

Leona rated it:

very well done, very well written.

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Dec 19, 2009

Donna Jo rated it:

1860s/70s Veda Grenfell is the daughter of a tailor who, at age 16, becomes deaf. The only surviving child, she begins working in her father's business, wearing--gasp--men's clothing. She eventually marries Harry, Lord Ormelie, but they are cruelly torn apart by his father. This started out as an interesting historical novel, but turned into a "had-I-but known",
Task 25.4

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Jul 23, 2008

Tawnya rated it:

It's on my shelf, and it looks read, but I honestly can't recall what it's about! If you read it let me know!!

7/08: OK I read it finally. It is pretty good, although the ending is rather rushed, I felt, like the author got tired of writing and just wanted to finish. But the story is interesting, but not compelling all of the time. You can definitely put it down.

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Oct 21, 2009

April rated it:

This is the first book in a long line of books that has drawn me in to the character's mind, body and soul so completely. The author brings to life the struggles of a young girl forced to adapt to tragedy and the complexities of a disability. There is mystery, heartache, love and redemotion all neatly summed in a too short 400 pages. I highly recommend this book!

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Sep 16, 2008

Rochelle rated it:

I am a Janice Graham fan. Positively loved Firebird and Sarah's Window. This book was good but did not have the same emotional intensity as the others. Dont get me wrong, it was emotional but just not true Janice form. Veda was a great character, not your pity her type. Good read if you never read any books from Janice.

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Jan 15, 2012

Melissa rated it:

Enjoyed the book. A refreshing take on the typical "young woman coming of age in a struggling family that falls for a man above her class" routine. My only complaint is that the development of the romantic figure seemed a bit shallow to me, and so I found myself questioning his motivations throughout the story.

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