The Dressmaker's War: A Novel

Young and foolish the protagonist wishes for a larger than life success. When she is swept off her feet by a suave foreigner she begins to unravel her life and dreams. Once the nightmare begins it acquires a life of its own. Most of the characters are very flawed which made for an interesting story. I w

Ava, a young dressmaker from London, gets caught up in Belgium during the beginning of World War II and ends up caught by the Nazi's. There is so much to the story which I don't want to give away. I found it to be a page turner--- just couldn't put it down. Loved it!!!

Fascinating plot structure. Story is cleanly woven bringing innocence of pre-war 1930s working class who is pulled into an array of personal war horrors and a craft all but dead today depicted with care . Great read!

While I realize books dealing with the war are not joyful and can not be, books that offer man no hope and are this depressing and dark, show that man has no compassion and only illustrates man's inhumanity to man. I prefer to think otherwise. I prefer to think there is hope. I prefer to think man is basically good.

I received an ARC of this book through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. The copy of my book was titled “The Dressmakers War”.
I had not been requesting any books revolving around WWII since there has been a plethora of books written from almost every angle. This book however promised a new perspective.

Ada Vaughn is a 19 y/o young woman recently moved to London from a small town with the hopes of becoming a dressmaker, perhaps having a shop of her own. She starts work as a modiste for a well known and highly regarded dressmaker and begins to model her own designs. She longs for the life of the women who purchase her clothes. Just as she is becoming known for her designs she is swept off of her feet by a foreigner who promises her the life she desires in Paris. She goes with him to Paris but when war breaks out he leaves her and escapes on his own. After being sheltered by nuns in a convent for some time, the nuns are forced to work in a hospital for Hitler’s German soldiers and the infirm. From there she is forced to sew and design for a commandant’s wife and her friends in a bare room with barely enough food to keep from starving and just enough blankets and fabric to keep her from freezing. She sews to save her life and she really knows nothing of what is really going on in Dachau. When Dachau is finally liberated she lands back in London only to find it completely changed by the bombings and even more poor than before the war. She once again falls prey to a man who promises to make her life better and she continues to dream of a dressmaking shop.

Ada makes so many mistakes in judgement that I felt as though I wanted to warn her again and again not to trust the promises of men. It is a bit hard not to judge her decisions but the world was a very different place for a woman back then and she was very young when she was meant to endure almost inconceivable cruelty, tragedy and heartbreak. The author is a professor of history and the details of the war in both London and what is happening in Dachau are well described and gripping. The story moves at a quick pace and I found myself finishing it in just a few sittings. This is definitely a different view of the war, describing another kind of imprisonment by Hitler’s army, one perhaps just as devastating.
I would recommend this book to lovers of historical fiction, it is well written, tense, and enlightening.

From the very beginning this main character made one stupid, decision after another. I got to the point where I thought, You deserve all the bad things that can happen to you. She was always ridiculously believing in this sketchy boyfriend who treated her awfully,was moody, and abusive to her. I just kept thinking, well this is what happens to women who don't listen to the common sense niggling at her over and over again. Who wants to root for a dummy. I like strong women characters, who get into jams, but learn from their mistakes and make changes that better their lives. Otherwise it is just depressing to watch things go from bad to worse all because of the choices she makes.

I never shy from tragic or depressing reads, so please don't misinterpret my scathing review as a general aversion to unhappy topics. I am not often hateful toward another person's hard work, but this was most angering waste of time I can remember experiencing. The major flaw in this story is the main character herself. She's not merely "flawed," as to which other reviewers refer affectionately; she's downright repulsive. Her every thought and ambition betrays vulgarity without the redemption of humor. Even during the most unspeakably inhumane treatments she experiences, I could not dredge up any sympathy for her. At every turn she displays the most unbelievably ridiculous gullibility, and I mean in a literally unbelievable sense- no one could be that idiotic. Even in situations when she has the opportunity to display some rare good quality, she never fails to reveal her ugly traits. The whole plot was predictable, I was surprised by nothing except the lows to which the main character stooped. I actually stopped reading a few pages before the end because I simply couldn't stand to think about this horrid person another minute. The only moments I enjoyed throughout the entire reading were the descriptions of garment construction because I enjoy sewing. Don't be taken in by promises of a classic tale of a woman fighting for survival through all impossibilities to make her dreams come true. She certainly fights for survival, in the most coarse and low ways conceivable, and her selfish dreams aren't worth seeing fulfilled.

The characters in this book were so one dimensional it drove me crazy. Each character had a purpose, so each character fulfilled his or her purpose, and then moved on. Ada and her cad boyfriend both refused to their pasts, didn't discuss the possibility of war- what did they talk about when they were together? I can't figure it out. Her parents had no personalities, her boss was stereotypical, Ada had no friends, and once she and this cad boyfriend got to Paris, she made every possible error in judgement until there were no more to make. The only time she came to life is when she was sewing. I understand naivety, but most young women learn from their mistakes. This author chose to keep Ada clueless time and time again to keep the plot moving.
This was a dramatic ending in search of characters and credible plot.

If you enjoy reading something stupid and discouraging then this is the book for you. The main character through her prideful and self-absorbed character made very bad decisions. The only good thing about this book is that it shows what these types of decisions eventually lead to. She ultimately caused her own downfall. I'm so thankful I did not waste $$ on this book--it was loaned to me. This is the first book I have read by this author and it will certainly be the last! I should have spent my time reading something more worthwhile.

Audio--- 9 discs read by Susan Dreuden
Excellent narration and character portrayal

Also released as The Dressmaker of Dachau

atelier
a workshop or studio, especially of an artist, artisan, or designer.
----------------------------
modiste
ladies' tailor
-------------------------------
The following quotations are taken from the publisher's description.

"1939. Eighteen-year-old Ada Vaughan, a beautiful and ambitious seamstress, has just started work for a modiste in Dover Street. A career in couture is hers for the taking – she has the skill and the drive – if only she can break free from the dreariness of family life in Lambeth."
Stanislaus, an Austrian aristocrat, sweeps Ada off her feet and brings her to Paris. When war breaks out, Stanislaus vanishes, and Ada is taken prisoner by the Germans."
"a story of heartbreak, survival and ambition, of the nature of truth, and the untold story of what happens to women during war."

This is a vivid description of"a brilliant English seamstress taken prisoner in Germany during World War II. "

I found this novel captivating, in the sense that I was compelled to read on.
All aspects of Ada personhood were challenged and damaged
by the war, except her extraordinary ability as a modiste.
The aftermath of the war presented a new set of confrontations
and continued with nostalgic hauntings mingled with her new
undertakings.

This book was an excellent, insightful read, albeit it painful and disturbing.

4.5 ★

I thought the premise as interesting but the execution lacked a bit.

First I felt that the main character is always a bit too hapless. And bit too victimized. Until she isn't. I think the book would have been better served if there had been a bit more nuance to the man who leads her astray to what ends up even worse fates falling under Nazi power.

Second, it never quite brought all the various themes as alive as they should have in my opinion. I never felt that the author really conveyed the giddy sudden falling in love to such a senseless degree. In other words, the author lets the feeling of doom seep through and yet doesn't bring the sense of complete infatuation alive enough to counter this. It just doesn't ring true that she is that blithely head over heels. Instead we are told it. Which robs the following disappearance of much of its drama and interest.

And it almost seems a bit too melodramatic. Bad boyfriend turns worst ever when he abandons her to the Nazis. It almost felt like instead of plot points they were dramatic short cuts to convey the horror of her situation. Coupled with the constant victimization, it just felt too heavy handed and never developed the right amount of character exposition to counter that.

Ada Vaughan is eighteen years old and lives in London. She is an extremely talented seamstress and designer who hopes to open her own fashion house someday. She was hired to be a mannequin in an upscale fashion house working for Mrs. B. One night as she stepped out into the rain, a handsome gentleman appeared with an umbrella. He offered to accompany her home, but as she was embarrassed for him to see where she lived, she declined. He offered to take her to Tea at the Ritz. That was the beginning of their relationship.

His name was Stanislaus von Lieben. He was from Hungary and he told her he was a Count. He swept her off her feet, taking her to nice restaurants and nightclubs. She sewed her own dresses and appeared very glamorous. This was all very new to naive Ada. He promised her a trip to Paris and to help support her in having her own fashion house. As the war was about to break out, he asked her to go to Paris. Although everyone warned her that the war was coming, she ignored them and went to Paris with Stanislaus. He did not have his passport on him. She was his means to get into the other country.

Upon arrival in France, the war broke out. Ada was trapped there totally dependent on Stanislaus. She soon found out he wasn't who he said he was.
They needed to escape France and headed to Belgium. Once there, there was a turn of events which left Ada alone and broke. She found herself at a convent which soon was occupied by the Nazi's. She was now a prisoner of war. Because of her ability to sew, she was transferred to Berlin where she was held prisoner for seven years.

After the end of the war, she is able to return to London. She tries to get back on her feet, but her hope to open her own fashion house, the desire to be fashionable and wanted, leads Ada down the same path that she was on when she eighteen.

Some lessons are never learned.

Random House Publishing Group - Random House and Net Galley provided me with an electronic copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

Ada Vaughan has been raised in the family dressmaking business in London and dreams of a future that is better than the present. A chance meeting on the street changes Ada's life, as Stanislaus is everything that she aspires to be. When a quick holiday to Paris coincides with the start of the war and leaves Ada stranded in a foreign country, she is forced to do whatever it takes to survive.

With a strong will and a marketable skill, Ada was able to live despite the horrific conditions. This historical fiction highlights an area of World War II that is not well known. You did not have to be Jewish to be forced into servitude; simply being a woman affords you little rights. Richly imagined with a well developed main character, The Dressmaker's War builds slowly until reaching a surprising conclusion. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy historical fiction, or who would like to know more about life in World War II within the crux of a fictional framework.

Not my favorite. I've read many WWII stories, fiction and non-fiction, and this one was very disappointing. It didn't even start to get interesting til about the 25% point. I had high hopes for the main character working towards her dream, but then she just made one stupid decision after the other! And she paid for them dearly. Even when she was given another chance, she started making even worse decisions. It was hard to believe someone so bright and so talented could be so stupid and throw it all away - for nothing. The more I read, the less I liked her, and the less I cared. There was one twist at the end that surprised me, but that didn't save the story for me. On to better books!

Mary Chamberlain’s The Dressmaker’s War tells the story of a nineteen year old English girl, Ada Vaughn, against the landscape of World War II. Ada, a dressmaker by trade, is a working class girl who desires more in life. On the eve of war, Ada finds herself enamored by the allure of wealth and success when she meets a handsome, mysterious continental who claims to be a count. As Ada follows him to Paris and war breaks out though, her hopes are shattered. Before long, Ada finds herself bound to a life of servitude by Hitler’s regime as she uses her skills as a dressmaker to satisfy the tastes of Germany’s most elite women, include Hitler’s own mistress. When Ada is finally freed from her captivity at the end of the war, she returns to England only to find that the life she once knew no longer exists. Alone and recoiling from the trauma of her imprisonment, Ada struggles to make a life for herself, her determination and aspirations propelling her every step.

Chamberlain tells the story of Ada’s war with the precision and eye toward detail of a true historian, yet she does so in the mesmerizing prose of a true storyteller. Ada is a complex, compelling character whose aspirations are as relatable as her flaws. The Dressmaker’s War is more than a mere narrative about a young girl whose desires lead her into the arms of tragedy. Chamberlain offers readers an eye-opening look at the casualties of circumstance that haunt the footsteps of those constrained by gender and socio-economic status. I highly recommend this book to lovers of historical and women’s fiction alike.

This is the second Chamberlain book I've read and there will be no more. Her initial ideas for her books are interesting but this book (and why was it rereleased under a different title?) is absolutely terrible. I'm not sure how she gets published but there isn't anything in this particular story that makes it worth writing, publishing or reading. Nothing is very interesting and Ada Gordon--the main character--is merely pathetic and gullible and awful. Why she would be the subject of a book is beyond me. None of the characters were believable and what happened to Ada/Ava is beyond belief. Is anyone as stupid as she was? I'm not sure why anyone gave more than one star to this terrible read but Chamberlain should be stopped from publishing.

Ada, a young dressmaker, falls for Stanislaus and travels with him to Paris. When the war breaks out, the two flee, until he abandons her. Ada travels to a convent, where the nuns take her in. However, the Nazi’s capture all of the English nuns and takes them to Germany to work. Ada is taken to a house outside of a concentration camp, where she makes dresses for the Nazi officer’s wives and mistresses. After the war, Ada travels back to London, where her family disowns her for running off with Stanislaus. Ada finds work at a café and picking up men at night.

I’m not sure how I feel about this book. It was very well written. However, I found Ada very hard to like. She just made such poor decisions! I would definitely pick up another book by this author, just not another book about Ada.

Gorgeously written and compulsively readable, THE DRESSMAKER'S WAR introduces us to an unforgettable heroine Ada Vaughan, a woman whose ambition for a better life ultimately comes at a heartbreaking cost. This novel is so very powerful and haunting, so if you want a feel good book just walk away and look elsewhere, for this novel is like a herd of wild horses that gallops toward you and runs you over and over again, right to the very blistering end. A novel you will not soon forget! An ending that had me so frustrated with the injustice of it all I was brought to tears.

The premise of this book sounded interesting - a different perspective of WWII. I found myself so frustrated with Ada, though, that it was hard to take her seriously. She seemed to have no common sense where men were concerned. She went through horrible times and I felt sorry for her - but the characters never seemed totally real to me. I would have had more feeling for the characters and the story if the characters had more depth.

It's obvious the author did a great deal of research and the book is interesting from a historical perspective - just not one that grabs the heart.

Y’all….This. Book. I have so many feelings and thoughts about this book. I could not put it down, and yet it was like watching a monumental train wreck. I could NOT look away.

The book follows Ada Vaughan as she is swept up in the chaos of World War II. Ada grew up as the oldest sibling in a poor Catholic family in London. Determined to rise out of poverty, she worked hard to become a dressmaker and model for a fashionable London designer. She meets the dashing Stanislas von Leiben. He speaks German, but insists he is Hungarian. Ada falls hard and fast for Stanislas. On the eve of the outbreak of war, he persuades Ada to accompany him on a weekend holiday in Paris.

Then the world falls apart and the war begins. Ada and Stanislas cannot get back to London, and soon they flee to Belgium. Once in Belgium, Stanislas disappears leaving Ada all alone as the Germans invade. Ada must use the only tools left to her to survive: her wits and her extraordinary skills as a dressmaker.

The author, Mary Chamberlain, is Emeritus Professor of History at Oxford Brookes University. Some of her other books focus on women’s history. The female experience in World War II is a major theme in this book. Although the focus is on Ada, we also get a look at the experience of other females from both sides of the war. I was struck by how much the women were at the mercy of the men around them, and the almost predatory way the men treated the women. For every step forward Ada was able to accomplish, the war and the system would put up another roadblock.

This is not to say that Ada was a helpless victim. As a very young and naive girl, she made foolish mistakes. I can relate. I made those same mistakes when I was 18 years old. I wanted to find love and acceptance, just like Ada. And also like Ada, I overlooked the flashing red warning signs and forged ahead with a few bad decisions. But unlike Ada, my bad decisions did not land me in enemy territory during World War II. Once the bad decision was made, she tried to make her way back, but as a woman, the deck was stacked against her.

Despite all this, Ada was determined to survive. And I cannot help but wonder if I could survive. Am I a survivor? What would I do? I think about these things a lot. I honestly don’t know what I would have done in that situation, and I don’t know if I could survive, or if would I just give up. And I do not want to be plopped down in the middle of a world war to find out.

I have so many other thoughts and feelings about this book, but I really cannot discuss them here without writing a lot of spoilers. So, I will just highly recommend this book. It is not a feel good book, but it will keep you reading and thinking. These are the best things about books. They make us feel and think. After you read it, reach out to me on Facebook or in the comments and let me know what you think about the rest of it. I would love to discuss it.

I admired Ada's tenacity and will to survive. After she recovered from her first huge subscription, she said she would never let it happen again. However, she did not make good choices and never listened to good advice. I was frustrated with her although it is hard to be judgmental considering the circumstances and her mental frame of mind. My opinion of the book would have been higher with a better ending. This just left me feeling deflated and depressed. Did not sleep well that night and don't like feeling that way after I finish a book.

Good writing style overall. It almost succeeds in making a point that women experienced WWII in ways that were different from men. This could have been an important book but fell short. Ada was depicted inconsistently, in contrast to all of the other characters. Ultimately she was too stupid for me to really like.

This novel grabbed my attention. A riveting story of ambition, betrayal, and always hope. Falling in with bad company in order to survive and attempt to get ahead are mistakes that young people continue to make. Women have come a long way from the days after WWII.

Mary Duerden does a masterful job of reading Mary Chamberlin's superb and complex story of Ava Vaughn. She makes the characters come alive with her many voices and it's hard to stop listening.

Ava, is a naïve and innocent poor girl living in London on the eve of World War II who wants to make a better life for herself. Unfortunately, she lets her ambition get ahead of better judgement when he gets involved with a man that she thinks is a foreign count - all because of a chance meeting. How different her life would have been had she walked away from that man that offered her an umbrella that raining night in pre-war London. How different her life would have been had she followed the advice of her mother and friends. Starved for love, the ever ambitions Ava put her trust in a man that totally took advantage of her - a classic of looking for love in all the wrong places.

Chamberlin weaves a complex tale of how Ada spent the war and in the telling tells the story and the tale of many women who were victimized during and as a result of the war. Ada's story is the story of survival and readers are likely to have shared my identification with the character of Ada - what would I have done. There is a distinct theme of a feminist side of the war.

The book starts out with a foreshadowing of what will become of Ava, but I could hardly have predicted Chamberlin's conclusion. There is a great deal of man's inhumanity to man, grief that turns into hate as the result of the experiences of the war and a lot of people doing what ever they had to do to survive.

In many respects this is a dark novel, of survival, deceit, and war but always with Ava's desire to live and make a better life for herself. Maybe some readers would say that she was just stupid, but that would be to judge a person from another time on contemporary standards.

Only start this book when you have some time, because you'll put aside other task to read or listen. It's one of the better stories of war that I have read in a long time and I could easily see it being made in to a motion picture.

I picked up this CD set and started listening to it in my car on a Friday. I spent every available hour that I had finishing the set. I had to know what happened to Ava.

I listened to this book read while traveling. Sometimes when I reached my destination, I would sit and listen for several minutes.

The detail is marvelous. I particularly liked the descriptions of what Ava endured during WW2, and the dialog during her trial. (May the prosecutor rest in hell!)

While I continued to hope for Ava to turn her life around when she finally returned to London, it seemed inevitable that she would again let herself fall victim to the world dominated by men..

A LONG AND DETAILED ACCOUNTING OF A YOUNG WOMAN'S TWIST AND TURNS AND CONSEQUENCES BASED ON INNOCENT AND NAIVE DECISIONS CAN AFFECT ONES LIFE.

MISOGYNY THROUGHOUT CAUSES HER TO FEEL AND. ACT OUT HER POWERLESSNESS,AS SHE HAS NO PERCEPTION THAT THERE ARE OTHER DECIONS AND CHOICES THAT COULD BE MADE ALONG THE WAY TO CHANGE HER COURSE.

Character development here is outstanding as the reader is drawn into the life choices, the ego, vulnerabilities and sufferings of another voiceless victim of one of the most horrific periods in history. Elegantly written with detail that weaves through the fabric of tragedy .