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3.48 AVERAGE
3.48 AVERAGE
Sublime. Like Eucalyptus by Murray Bail with the fairytale qualities of Oscar and Lucinda, but even better. Fabulous characters. And it is so cool that Karen Foxlee is a nurse in Gympie. Love love love.
Amazingly beautiful and heartfelt book. The words flowed in a dreamlike manner. This book filled me with anticipation, intrigue, and was thrilling. A beautiful friendship and such a mystery involved made for a wonderful book. However, I just warn the reader, this book broke my heart.
Source: Received an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book was not on my radar until I saw a couple of positive reviews from bloggers I adore (see below). Then I was desperate for a copy and am pleased to share my thoughts with you today though the book was not as strong for me as it was for those reviewers.
I think my big difficulty was the writing style. It is very literary with many evocative passages bringing to life all the life in this Australian town, human, animal, and plants alike. And I could not get into it. I am a reader who tends to prefer a more commercial straightforward style but can appreciate more elevated writing on occasion; this was not one of those occasions. Additionally the first part of each chapter is in italics to indicate that it takes place in the present while the longer non-italicized part is sort of a flashback leading up to the events in italics. I had so much trouble with this formatting. It made perfect sense but it was hard to read.
There are actually kind of three stories: the italicized part featuring cops looking for a missing/dead girl, the bulk of the book following the ups and downs of a friendship between Rose and Pearl as the former makes the titular dress for the annual Harvest Festival, and the life story of Edie Baker, the seamstress teaching Rose how to sew and create. By far my favorite parts were the flashbacks and insights into Edie's life though I still can't quite see the point. Sure I found it interesting but juxtaposing it against the lives of Rose and Pearl really didn't add much clarity for me.
Something I found surprising, though it shouldn't have been as I had read other reviews mentioning this, is that this story is set in 1986. It didn't feel like it was set today being that there were no mentions of cell phones or computers but other than a reference to a worldwide event in 1986 and brief mentions of Edie's family's history, the book doesn't seem very set in a particular time. The setting though is quite distinct as mentioned above especially describing the lush natural world around them, not that I was much interested.
Something I didn't find surprising was the ultimate resolution. I figured out pretty quickly what would be revealed about that girl and I didn't want my suspicions confirmed. I also found the very end frustrating and heartbreaking-all one character wants is X to happen but for reasons, it never will.
Overall: Alas this book and I just did not click as the writing style did not fit my mood. I also think I might have been better off reading a happier tale at this point but what can you do?
This book was not on my radar until I saw a couple of positive reviews from bloggers I adore (see below). Then I was desperate for a copy and am pleased to share my thoughts with you today though the book was not as strong for me as it was for those reviewers.
I think my big difficulty was the writing style. It is very literary with many evocative passages bringing to life all the life in this Australian town, human, animal, and plants alike. And I could not get into it. I am a reader who tends to prefer a more commercial straightforward style but can appreciate more elevated writing on occasion; this was not one of those occasions. Additionally the first part of each chapter is in italics to indicate that it takes place in the present while the longer non-italicized part is sort of a flashback leading up to the events in italics. I had so much trouble with this formatting. It made perfect sense but it was hard to read.
There are actually kind of three stories: the italicized part featuring cops looking for a missing/dead girl, the bulk of the book following the ups and downs of a friendship between Rose and Pearl as the former makes the titular dress for the annual Harvest Festival, and the life story of Edie Baker, the seamstress teaching Rose how to sew and create. By far my favorite parts were the flashbacks and insights into Edie's life though I still can't quite see the point. Sure I found it interesting but juxtaposing it against the lives of Rose and Pearl really didn't add much clarity for me.
Something I found surprising, though it shouldn't have been as I had read other reviews mentioning this, is that this story is set in 1986. It didn't feel like it was set today being that there were no mentions of cell phones or computers but other than a reference to a worldwide event in 1986 and brief mentions of Edie's family's history, the book doesn't seem very set in a particular time. The setting though is quite distinct as mentioned above especially describing the lush natural world around them, not that I was much interested.
Something I didn't find surprising was the ultimate resolution. I figured out pretty quickly what would be revealed about that girl and I didn't want my suspicions confirmed. I also found the very end frustrating and heartbreaking-all one character wants is X to happen but for reasons, it never will.
Overall: Alas this book and I just did not click as the writing style did not fit my mood. I also think I might have been better off reading a happier tale at this point but what can you do?
Quiet misfit Rose doesn't expect to fall in love with the sleepy beach town of Leonora. Nor does she expect to become fast friends with beautiful, vivacious Pearl Kelly, organizer of the high school float at the annual Harvest Festival parade. It's better not to get too attached when Rose and her father live on the road, driving their caravan from one place to the next whenever her dad gets itchy feet. But Rose can't resist the mysterious charms of the town or the popular girl, try as she might.
Pearl convinces Rose to visit Edie Baker, once a renowned dressmaker, now a rumored witch. Together Rose and Edie hand-stitch an unforgettable dress of midnight blue for Rose to wear at the Harvest Festival—a dress that will have long-lasting consequences on life in Leonora, a dress that will seal the fate of one of the girls. Karen Foxlee's breathtaking novel weaves friendship, magic, and a murder mystery into something moving, real, and distinctly original.
A lovely, thoughtful, mysterious book. The murder was almost irrelevant as the story just drifted along. Everything is so beautifully described you can feel the heat, the humidity, the fabric of the dress. I loved Edie's stories and the way Rose's hair is a metaphor for the unloosening of her anxieties. Wonderful!
Pearl convinces Rose to visit Edie Baker, once a renowned dressmaker, now a rumored witch. Together Rose and Edie hand-stitch an unforgettable dress of midnight blue for Rose to wear at the Harvest Festival—a dress that will have long-lasting consequences on life in Leonora, a dress that will seal the fate of one of the girls. Karen Foxlee's breathtaking novel weaves friendship, magic, and a murder mystery into something moving, real, and distinctly original.
A lovely, thoughtful, mysterious book. The murder was almost irrelevant as the story just drifted along. Everything is so beautifully described you can feel the heat, the humidity, the fabric of the dress. I loved Edie's stories and the way Rose's hair is a metaphor for the unloosening of her anxieties. Wonderful!
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Loveable characters:
No
I went through a whole range of emotions reading this book. I was intrigued, saddened and captivated. The book is equal parts lovely and sad. I enjoyed the characters, and the end of the book was great. I highly recommend this to fans of Alice Hoffman.
Ich bin jetzt etwa bei der Hälfte und die Geschichte interessiert mich noch immer nicht. Ich habe keine Lust mehr darauf.
I loved the descriptions of the wet tropics, the old house, caravan park and rainforest. The characters were interesting, but I guessed the end before it unfolded which felt like a bit of a let down