The Gown by Jennifer Robson– Audio
Book Blurb:
London, 1947: Besieged by the harshest winter in living memory, burdened by onerous shortages and rationing, the people of postwar Britain are enduring lives of quiet desperation despite their nation’s recent victory. Among them are Ann Hughes and Miriam Dassin, embroiderers at the famed Mayfair fashion house of Norman Hartnell. Together they forge an unlikely friendship, but their nascent hopes for a brighter future are tested when they are chosen for a once-in-a-lifetime honor: taking part in the creation of Princess Elizabeth’s wedding gown.
Toronto, 2016: More than half a century later, Heather Mackenzie seeks to unravel the mystery of a set of embroidered flowers, a legacy from her late grandmother. How did her beloved Nan, a woman who never spoke of her old life in Britain, come to possess the priceless embroideries that so closely resemble the motifs on the stunning gown worn by Queen Elizabeth II at her wedding almost seventy years before? And what was her Nan’s connection to the celebrated textile artist and holocaust survivor Miriam Dassin?
My Review: 3.5 stars
The Gown was a solid listen and kept me engaged from start to finish. Sometimes audio books with more than one POV can get confusing, but this one managed to avoid that trap. When this book came out, there was lots of hype and although I wanted to read it, it just never found its way to me. When I saw the audio available at the library, I snatched it up; better late than never.
At the beginning of the book, I was less concerned with Heather’s current day story and more interested in the story that took place in 1947. I loved learning about the embroidery, the secret keeping about Princess’s Elizabeth’s gown, the burgeoning romances, and of course, to find out more about Miriam’s back story in the Holocaust. By the end of the book, Heather’s story mattered more, and the mystery of her grandmother was well understood.
I have enjoyed Robson’s other books and this one was no exception.
Quotes I liked:
Worrying about what would become of her work once it was finished was a waste of time, she told herself. The act of creation was what mattered.”
“Just keep your chin up, Ann, and you can face anything,” Mum had said. “And don’t look back, no matter what you do.” Her mum had never been one for hugs or soft words, but she had been honest, and most of the time she’d been right, too. So chin up it was, and no looking back.”
“And tomorrow would be better than today.”
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