Harriet takes off from the home in which she doesn’t feel she quite fits to find more of her family history, based solely on a photograph left behind by her mother. The history is that of her grandmother, who lived through WWII in Paris. Will she find what she’s hoping to find, or will she find more about her history and herself than she’s ready for? The Dressmaker’s Gift by Fiona Valpy is the epitome of great research and storytelling that leaves you waiting for more, with surprises around the corner.
My Overall Thoughts on The Dressmaker’s Gift by Fiona Valpy
From the very first chapter, I knew there would be a tie-in somehow, but I couldn’t figure out the end result, which I love. I’m a competitive spirit, even when it comes to reading books. I like to try to figure out how things are going to turn out. When I can’t figure it out, I instantly love the book, because they kept me guessing the entire time, and kept my mind going. Is this character really a spy? Are they say who they say they are? Where does this person come into play? My two favorite genres are historical fiction and thriller/mystery, and in a way The Dressmaker’s Gift by Fiona Valpy satisfied both.
Fiona Valpy does a great job in this story of bringing the two timelines together. Harriet is finding herself while learning about her grandmother’s story, and the way that Fiona Valpy pieced them together amazed me. I’m usually one to get easily confused between timelines. However, this was one I was able to keep track of.
With all of the details provided, you can tell this book was very well-researched and absolutely well-written. The storytelling was phenomenal and I can’t wait to read more of Fiona’s work!
My Favorite Character
While I usually find myself enjoying the protagonist of a story, this one was a bit difficult. I do think Harriet was meant to be the protagonist and her grandmother and friends were meant to get Harriet to where she needed to be. So, maybe in a way, they were the foil characters for The Dressmaker’s Gift by Fiona Valpy.
That being said, my favorite character for this book was Claire, Harriet’s grandmother. In the beginning, she was very relatable to me for being one to just follow along with the rules. She didn’t want to cause much trouble. However, the way her character developed is like a dream version of me. She developed the courage to do what you know is right, consequences be damned. Her character development was one of my favorite parts of the story, thus making her my favorite character.
Would I recommend The Dressmaker’s Gift by Fiona Valpy?
Yes! If you couldn’t tell already from the review above, I would highly recommend The Dressmaker’s Gift. If you enjoy a historical fiction book that gives a little mystery to solve along the way, this is the book for you. As a warning, there is loss of friends and family members, graphic scenes described of life in WWII concentration camps, and violence.
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