From the Bookshelf of Nothing But Reading Challenges…

The Dressmaker

Kate Alcott

Start date: June 12, 2012

Finish date: June 30, 2012

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Nov 16, 2020 Lindsay rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: 2stars, historical-fiction, ibooks, read-in-2020

1.5 stars

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Sep 29, 2013 Kate rated it liked it

2.5 stars. Failed to grip. I've listened to the audiobook and part of my dislike is the reader. Nearly every sentence that's not dialogue ends with a strange kind of up-lilt that drove me batty. She's fantastic with the accents and dialogue though.

So, okay, mixed bag all around.

Basic reason I didn't give a higher score: the characters and the world don't feel real to me. I keep trying to figure out why that is. I think it's partly related to inconsistency? A person's goal is mentioned and then ...more

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Jan 30, 2012 Bonnie rated it it was ok

Shelves: historical-fiction, 2012-books

Lamecakes.

The part on the Titanic was super short and despite there being inherent drama in one of the most famous tragedies where thousands died, there was no drama, no tension, nothing.

The characters were flat as flat and the heroine (Tess Collins) didn’t know her station! Seriously, Alcott, you seem to have done your research, so why make such an a-historical heroine? No one as uppity as Tess would survive. I mean, seriously, she lucks out by getting a last-minute job with a famous dress de Lamecakes.

The part on the Titanic was super short and despite there being inherent drama in one of the most famous tragedies where thousands died, there was no drama, no tension, nothing.

The characters were flat as flat and the heroine (Tess Collins) didn’t know her station! Seriously, Alcott, you seem to have done your research, so why make such an a-historical heroine? No one as uppity as Tess would survive. I mean, seriously, she lucks out by getting a last-minute job with a famous dress designer and she is not the least bit deferential. It’s not even being spirited – it’s being stupid. Maids are a dime a dozen and bad, insolent maids are even more common.

And WTF is up with Tess taking over Lady Duff-Gordon’s design studio and all the worker’s totally supporting her? I’ve seen Ugly Betty. I know how the fashion world works. Bitches be crazy, and no way in hell would all the people who put their blood, sweat and tears into that place for years and never moved up be all Munchkins-Cheering-Dorothy supportive of this maid right-of-the-boat being suddenly set above them. They would be sabotaging her dress and undermining her like nobody’s business. But then again, Tess is basically a Mary Sue. Everything comes too easily for her. Everything. Like the Millionaire and the Sailor both falling head over heels in love with her upon meeting her for about 30 seconds. She must be the prettiest thing on deck.

The love triangle was so amazingly tepid I don’t even know if I could consider it a love triangle. Neither guy was particularly interesting or dashing. Plus, the millionaire had the added disadvantage of being out of his mind for wanting to marry a maid. Does Alcott seriously believe that 1912 New York had no class divisions? Because, yeah, it did. And it would be a scandal for a wealthy millionaire to take up with a maid (I mean, beyond her being his piece of fluff). And Tess would have to put up with years of snubbing and cold hostility – something she doesn’t even think about, because in this alterna-New York there is no class division. Hell, Tess gets away with being snotty to her employer and has a millionaire proposing marriage on like their third meeting and everybody being supportive of both, so it’s not surprising she never considers the consequences. For her there aren’t any. She gets everything handed to her while she stands around wringing her hands and feeling sorry for herself. ...more

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