The Dressmaker: A Novel

Liked the story but did get confused with the characters. Finish is abrupt and didn't realise I had finished. Once I got I to it did enjoy Tillys journey and liked they got what they deserved. Would like to know what happened to Tilley afterward

I love clothes but with the descriptions of each and every dress it startled to read like a Nancy Drew novel, The Hidden Staircase.

Spoiler Alert.
I like the unabashed, unapologetic revenge served hot. So I gave it three stars.

However, I found the ending wanting. She hurt people, the Sergeant and Irma, who actually helped her mum. In the movie those two were out of harms way when she destroyed everything.
At least the animals were safe.

Found the storyline to be too disconnected between events. Author builds up to a pivotal moment with an unexpected twist. However the storyline from there on out feels like a forced collection of other tales. Perhaps the authors goal was for you to begin to fade away from the main character as the towns people mistake her motives for revenge.

A story about a strange mix of very odd characters, some of them quite mean spirited.. some downtrodden or weak. I didn't really think many of them were good natured or kind. I felt strongly for the central character who is despised by all the locals who blame her for a childhood incident and crime for which she was not guilty. She had come from the wrong side of the tracks and the other children especially boys had bullied her mercilessly and the Townspeople blamed her for the death of one of boys. She had been sent away and during the following years had matured into a highly successful designer and Dressmaker in Paris. Myrtle, or Tilly as she is known, has come home to a country Town in rural Australia to care for her Mother Molly who is quite demented for most of the time and makes it very difficult for her only daughter. Her main ally is the local Police Sergeant who has a penchant for Cross dressing . He has a befriended Tilly who is very understanding and helpful with his love of Women's Clothing and designing his clothing. Tilly also falls in love with a young local man who loves her in return. The local women soon become aware of the beautifully dressed Tilly and she starts up a thriving business. Everything does not run smoothly for the rest of the Book but I will not give any more of the storyline away. It is well worth reading and I am now looking forward to seeing the Movie based on this book.

I found the language very basic with stereotyped characters. It was interesting to read about the dresses made and the designs, as I can sew, but otherwise it would not hold my attention. Nearly didn't bother finishing it. the movie was probably a better option, so the beautiful frocks could be seen.

I was really looking forward to reading this as I had read her previous book "Summer at Mt Hope" and was really please that one had been made into a movie. Unfortunately although I did enjoy the read it also reminded me of all the things that had annoyed me in the previous book. There are some amazing characters but I don't think they get treated with with enough depth, the plot has some amazing twists but the never really get developed, and the fragments we learn about Tilly's past, which underpin the entire story, are only ever treated superficially. I would have liked to see a much better developed story and a better paced ending - I feel it was resolved far too quickly and simplistically - my main criticism of "Summer at Mt Hope" - it feels like there's a word limit that can't be exceeded and the story has taken up too words so the ending must be crammed into the small number of words left. It left me unsatisfied. Am now going to see the movie and hoping that perhaps some of these issues are resolved in the script.

I liked this book. It is whimsical and funny yet has sad and troubled events. If you have lived in a small country town, you have probably met these characters. This is the classic revenge story that we all wish we had been given the chance to employ on the mean, spiteful and small minded people who make life a misery for those around them.
Myrtle, was a victim from her school days. She was an illegitimate child of a woman who bore the stigma of being an unmarried mother. As the story unfolds, it reveals the involvement of the rest of the town. It is a story of surprises and twists but is utterly satisfying.

I was very disappointed with this book. In fact it was so boring that I had to stop at about 23% of the book as I was reading it on Kindle. I almost never read a book in then stop, but I thought to myself, there are so many more books worth reading and worth my time.

Characters are so interesting and somewhat bizarre. Small town intrigues and interrelationships. The town is full of people with various personality "problems" and histories. You don't have to be Australian to get this, but there could be some confusing things. I loved it, and read it very quickly - was sorry that it ended, and such an ending! A great read.