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kavanaughcori's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
blodeuedd's review against another edition
3.0
This book was really sad at times, not the oh no that person died sad, but heartbreaking sad of how Maria was treated. The cruelty of the world made me so angry.
Maria was young, happy, and fell in love with a prince. You know that that will not end well and it does not. The book is told through Maria when she becomes a seamstress, Maria when she is interviewed in the 70s and is believed to be crazy and through Caroline in our time, she finds a quilt and wants to know who made it.
The first story leads Maria to her doom. In the 70s flashbacks we see that she was in a mental asylum, but why? And that was the heartbreaking part. I got so angry there that I stopped for a moment. And the thing is, that I did not know if anything Maria said was true either. That was the intriguing part too, did she tell the truth or was she insane?
So it was a mystery to be solved and the ending was a good one. I enjoyed the book.
Maria was young, happy, and fell in love with a prince. You know that that will not end well and it does not. The book is told through Maria when she becomes a seamstress, Maria when she is interviewed in the 70s and is believed to be crazy and through Caroline in our time, she finds a quilt and wants to know who made it.
The first story leads Maria to her doom. In the 70s flashbacks we see that she was in a mental asylum, but why? And that was the heartbreaking part. I got so angry there that I stopped for a moment. And the thing is, that I did not know if anything Maria said was true either. That was the intriguing part too, did she tell the truth or was she insane?
So it was a mystery to be solved and the ending was a good one. I enjoyed the book.
100pagesaday's review against another edition
5.0
A beautiful and captivating dual-time story that takes you back and forth between 1910 and 2008.
Maria is an orphan in 1910 who, with her tiny hands has become an excellent seamstress. She and her friend Nora are soon whisked away to Buckingham Palace to work as seamstresses. Maria catches the eye of the young Prince of Wales and finds herself in a delicate situation. Not wanting a royal scandal, Maria is taken away to a mental institution. The staff at the mental institution not only take her baby and her sanity, but Maria still has her story that she preserves in a quilt.
In 2008, Caroline has just lost her boyfriend and her job. She is also trying to take care of her mother who has dementia. Caroline is helping her mother clean out her house when she comes across a beautiful and unique quilt. Caroline needs something to fill her time, so she decides to try and figure out the history behind it.
Maria and Caroline's story are both enthralling and tragic. I found the book more and more addicting as their stories begin to intersect and Caroline becomes closer to finding the mystery behind the quilt. Artfully woven, Liz Trenow brings us back and forth between Maria's story and Caroline's. Although we really only get to meet Maria through a series of transcribed cassette tape recordings when she is an older woman, her story is enchanting and I wanted nothing more than the truth to be unraveled.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
kd_737's review against another edition
A quick read. Was predictable at times, but still enjoyable and perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon.
bkschwartz's review against another edition
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
I love reading fiction with a good seamstress, artist, or textile worker, but this was much more relationship drama then precision of a craft. I got bored really quickly with the ticking-clock/wanting children undertone to the ‘present day’ narrative. It was available on audiobook, so I finished it by listening instead of reading. Fine but not what I would call good. Too many lackluster characters.
missamandamae's review against another edition
4.0
Guh. What a lovely, brilliantly sad book. I loved the different story lines from different time periods progressing and then coming together. So delightful. A great family history mystery-type book that I immediately had to message my family history buff aunt about because I know she'll enjoy it. Having read the book and enjoyed the show Call the Midwife, Maria's tales of her life in an institution were particularly poignant, thinking on Jennifer Worth's descriptions of workhouse life. I got very involved with Caroline's life, and was darn-near at the edge of my seat as I got into the home stretch of the book.
Definitely recommended. With shades of life in service, life in an institution, royalty, modern London life, and English village life, along with the McGuffin of a quilt, I think there are a number of appeal factors here!
Definitely recommended. With shades of life in service, life in an institution, royalty, modern London life, and English village life, along with the McGuffin of a quilt, I think there are a number of appeal factors here!
mcparks's review against another edition
2.0
I read this for the Colette book club: I find this kind of review very difficult because I don't think the book was very good, but I somewhat enjoyed reading it. Honestly, I seldom read this kind of book, so I don't think I have much right to be too critical. But there were a number of clichés (miscarriage, misunderstanding with romantic interest, hidden talents), painful writing ( sooo much exposition, the inconsistent vernacular of Maria, incomplete characterization of the male interest), and I honestly didn't think it did a good contextualization of sewing. But, hey, I read it over a weekend and it was a page turner.
marilynmalloy's review against another edition
5.0
What an amazing book. So glad I found this one. As a quilter, it was touching. As a human it was inspiring. A work of fiction, but you still feel for the characters 100%. Yes you could see where it was going, but the journey was incredible and inspiring. Caroline, and Maria, will never be forgotten.
jude_hoo's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book. I could barely put it down and couldn't stop talking about it the entire time.
I'm a sucker for dual narratives and this one gave me everything I want. I also like sewing and it's very unusual for me to read a book where it's a focus for any of the characters, let alone an important part of the novel.
If I had to sum it up quickly, I'd probably describe it as a bit like Downton Abbey or Jane Eyre gone horribly, horribly wrong, mixed with a contemporary rom-com (in a good way) with some mystery and lots of quilting goodness.
I found both plots equally compelling and Trenow is such a good writer. I think I fell more in love with the book as it went along and, although the loose ends were all tied up, I was sad when it ended. I would happily have read more! Really looking forward to reading more by Trenow.
I'm a sucker for dual narratives and this one gave me everything I want. I also like sewing and it's very unusual for me to read a book where it's a focus for any of the characters, let alone an important part of the novel.
If I had to sum it up quickly, I'd probably describe it as a bit like Downton Abbey or Jane Eyre gone horribly, horribly wrong, mixed with a contemporary rom-com (in a good way) with some mystery and lots of quilting goodness.
I found both plots equally compelling and Trenow is such a good writer. I think I fell more in love with the book as it went along and, although the loose ends were all tied up, I was sad when it ended. I would happily have read more! Really looking forward to reading more by Trenow.