The Dressmaker’s Gift by Fiona Valpy grabbed my interest right from the start. It takes place between different generations; the first being in Paris, 1940, during World War II, and in 2017, modern day Paris. Even though the story goes back and forth between the generations, the story focuses mainly on the early war years. The author does keep you engaged in both eras, though.
Three young seamstresses working for a Paris fashion couture during the war share their everyday lives with each other while sewing beautiful dresses for the elite and others. Mireille has past scars that has her secretly fighting with the French Resistance; Claire becomes involved with a German officer that leads to concerns with her family; and Vivienne is involved with something even more secretive, which causes her to hold back from revealing too much to her roommates. With the German forces making their presence known more and more every day, the girls are faced with making impossible decisions that put lives in danger.
Two generations later, Claire’s English granddaughter, Harriett, arrives in Paris to work at the same fashion couture business in the same building on Rue Cardinale, as her grandmother did many years before. Desperate to find a connection with her grandmother’s past, Harriett searches and slowly unravels a dark and painful family history. Will she truly understand the truths about her grandmother’s life during the war that will be revealed; and, more importantly, how will she react to the truths she reveals about herself?
The author has created believable characters who are brought together out of loyalty and devotion to their families and their country. It is a moving story which will keep you entertained throughout. Enjoy Reading!
