The Dressmaker Reviews
"While the fictionalizing of real characters, notably Lucy, doesn't wholly convince, there's an appealing, soulful freshness to this shrewdly commercial offering." - Kirkus Reviews
"Taking the tale of the Titanic out of the frigid sea and docking it in the courtroom and early 20th-century New York gives the familiar story a fresh feel." - Library Journal
"Pinky and a handful of other side characters beleaguer rather than benefit the novel, although Alcott redeems her story with Tess, managing a sweetness that stops short of cloying in her heroine's ever-positive perseverance." - Publishers Weekly
"We all know how the Titanic went down, we all saw the movie. But what happened after? This brilliant book shows the aftermath of the tragedy, seen through the eyes of a brave, young girl who was on board, on her way to America, to start a new life as a dressmaker. From the minute Tess sets foot on the doomed ship, this is the kind of novel you simply cannot put down and cannot forget." - Tatiana de Rosnay, author of Sarah's Key and A Secret Kept
"This is a fascinating premise for a novel as well as a powerful, page-turning read. It's also a very valuable contribution to our understanding of the events surrounding the sinking of The Titanic, and its aftermath." - Isabel Wolff, author of A Vintage Affair
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The Dressmaker Reader Reviews
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Rated 
of 5
by
Becky H
Aftermath of a disaster
The Dressmaker follows the life of Lady Duff-Gordon (real person) and her "maid/dressmaker" Tess Collins (based on a real person) after the sinking of the Titanic. I found the parts relating to the hearings and the dressmaking/couture business most informative and interesting. The love story was just okay. Anyone interested in the Titanic will like this book that mixes real people and fictional ones to bring the aftermath of the disaster to life. The bit about the emerging social changes relating to women's position and workplace culture will be fodder for book group discussions as well.
Rated of 5
by
Louise J
Nice Historical Fiction
A lot of the testimony in this story was taken directly from the transcripts of the U.S. senate hearings. According to the author, the “basic bones of the story are true: Lady Duff Gordon, a world-famous designer, escaped with her husband and secretary in a lifeboat that, according to various reports, could have held between forty and fifty people instead of only twelve.”
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel of part fiction and part fact and would highly recommend it to my friends. Kate Alcott has managed to write beautifully about a sad and tragic event in history. Well done!
Rated of 5
by
Kendra R. (New Orleans, LA)
Great historical fiction, unnecessary love interest
What happens after the Titanic's passengers disembark was a new and very engaging story for me. I enjoyed the characters and the history and appreciated the author's note on fact vs fiction. The second romantic interest was unnecessary, and had me wondering what the book's overall tenor was going to be...but in the end, it was all about the Dressmaker and was enjoyable. It would certainly please multiple people - history, romance, women's issues - and make a good book club read, but maybe it was trying to hard to please too many people.
Rated of 5
by
Diane H. (San Diego, CA)
Fresh View of an Old Story
Kate Alcott's The Dressmaker takes readers beyond the stories we all know about the sinking of the Titanic to the everyday lives of the survivors after the tragedy. Although it's difficult to judge characters in historical fiction by today's standards, I think the author did a good job of showing Tess on the edge of the 19th century women's movement as well as breaking through the structures of European class distinctions in a new America. Lots of strong female characters but it was difficult to be stuck with old-fashioned male/female relationships. Book clubs will enjoy lively discussions after reading this one.
Rated of 5
by
Barbara W. (Watertown, NY)
Good, Fast Read. Great Historical Perspective.
A side of the Titanic tragedy that you often do not read about – the aftermath of survivor's lives, including the U.S. Senate hearings. The story follows real-life and fictional characters, illuminating the changing attitudes of society and the workplace. The themes of character and the consequences of our choices are strong throughout the novel.
Rated 
of 5
by
Elizabeth L. (Salem, Oregon)
Disaster of a Book
This book was disappointing. First and foremost, the writing itself was poor. Secondly, the characters acted oddly and while their motivations were eventually explained (clumsily), it was definitely too little, too late. And sadly the plot relied on instant relationships of the main character - a maid - with the rich and famous (like Molly Brown) rather than developing a rich below deck story.
...23 more reader reviews
