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alincbarnes's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
disabledbookdragon's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
lisamck's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
nina_rod's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting read. It was like "Sex in the City," but the city was Vienna in the 1910 and 1920s. Carrie was Susanna who owned a dress shop. Her Samantha was her friend who operated the hat shop down the street. They talked of sex, but no steamy sex scenes here. And they talked about fashion... A lot. But fashion of imperial Austria. It was odd, but so well-written, I kept reading.
cimorene1558's review against another edition
5.0
My favourite adult Eva Ibbotson so far, by a good bit, but they're all lovely.
ipomoea's review against another edition
4.0
First, I have to admit that I was predisposed to like this when Nancy Pearl handed me a copy and told me she thought I'd love it. She was right, of course.
The jacket copy hints that the city is on the eve of WWI, so I was hesitant to start the book-- I wasn't in the headspace to read about war, I wanted a cozy romance. While I can definitely say this was a romance, it wasn't a usual romance, and what I was far more interested in was Susanna herself, not her lover.
If you love sensous descriptions of fashion, read this. Susanna's love of her work is clear, and the way Ibbotson writes about the fabric, the draping, and the outfits all combined to suck me in. While war is coming, it is never overtly mentioned. Instead, the small tragedies and dramas of everyday life in a square in Vienna are what rule Susanna's life, as they would anyone's. I would suggest this to people who like Maeve Binchy for the neighborhood ensemble feel, and to people who were impatient for Eloisa James' next Dressmakers book for the fashion talk.
The jacket copy hints that the city is on the eve of WWI, so I was hesitant to start the book-- I wasn't in the headspace to read about war, I wanted a cozy romance. While I can definitely say this was a romance, it wasn't a usual romance, and what I was far more interested in was Susanna herself, not her lover.
If you love sensous descriptions of fashion, read this. Susanna's love of her work is clear, and the way Ibbotson writes about the fabric, the draping, and the outfits all combined to suck me in. While war is coming, it is never overtly mentioned. Instead, the small tragedies and dramas of everyday life in a square in Vienna are what rule Susanna's life, as they would anyone's. I would suggest this to people who like Maeve Binchy for the neighborhood ensemble feel, and to people who were impatient for Eloisa James' next Dressmakers book for the fashion talk.
l1nds's review against another edition
5.0
This, this is The One. I love Eva Ibbotson with my whole heart, I've yet to read one of her books that wasn't a pure delight, but this one that is sadder and maturer, with the shine worn off a little and it's archly raised eyebrow - this is the one that speaks to me the most. Susanna is what happens when one of the heroines from Ibbotson's romance novels finds out that Happy Ever After doesn't always follow First Love, and as much as I love those shiny happy heroines, Susanna is all the better for it!
I love Susanna, I want to wrap her up and protect her from all future harm. I just wish I didn't know what was in store for Austria in 1914!
I love Susanna, I want to wrap her up and protect her from all future harm. I just wish I didn't know what was in store for Austria in 1914!
msliz's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5