The Dressmaker

A Novel

By: Kate Alcott

Narrated by: Susan Duerden

Length: 11 hrs

Publisher's summary

Just in time for the centennial anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic comes a vivid, romantic, and relentlessly compelling historical novel about a spirited young woman who survives the disaster only to find herself embroiled in the media frenzy left in the wake of the tragedy.

Tess, an aspiring seamstress, thinks she's had an incredibly lucky break when she is hired by famous designer Lady Lucile Duff Gordon to be a personal maid on the Titanic's doomed voyage. Once on board, Tess catches the eye of two men, one a roughly-hewn but kind sailor and the other an enigmatic Chicago millionaire. But on the fourth night, disaster strikes.

Amidst the chaos and desperate urging of two very different suitors, Tess is one of the last people allowed on a lifeboat. Tess’s sailor also manages to survive unharmed, witness to Lady Duff Gordon’s questionable actions during the tragedy. Others - including the gallant Midwestern tycoon - are not so lucky.

On dry land, rumors about the survivors begin to circulate, and Lady Duff Gordon quickly becomes the subject of media scorn and later, the hearings on the Titanic. Set against a historical tragedy but told from a completely fresh angle, The Dressmaker is an atmospheric delight filled with all the period's glitz and glamour, all the raw feelings of a national tragedy and all the contradictory emotions of young love.

From the Hardcover edition

©2012 Kate Alcott (P)2012 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“We all know how the Titanic went down, we all saw the movie. But what happened after? This brilliant book shows the aftermath of the tragedy, seen through the eyes of a brave, young girl who was on board, on her way to America, to start a new life as a dressmaker. From the minute Tess sets foot on the doomed ship, this is the kind of novel you simply cannot put down and cannot forget.” (Tatiana de Rosnay, author of Sarah's Key and A Secret Kept)

"This is a fascinating premise for a novel as well as a powerful, page-turning read. It's also a very valuable contribution to our understanding of the events surrounding the sinking of The Titanic, and its aftermath." (Isabel Wolff, author of A Vintage Affair)

"It's Titanic revisited, in a romance focused on the survivors and the scandal, seen from the perspective of an aspiring seamstress whose fortunes intertwine with real characters from the epic tragedy....interesting historical facts...an appealing, soulful freshness to this shrewdly commercial offering" ( Kirkus)

Stretches credulity, but a quick paced story

Fast moving story about the weeks following the sinking of the Titanic, through Senate hearings, yellow journalism, class warfare, all told through the eyes of a servant who finds wonder in the New World. Worh the credit.

I highly recommend this book!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Wow, great story! One of my favorite books I've read in a long time.

Surviving the Titanic is just the beginning.

Tess is a lucky girl. She gets a place on the Titanic at the last minute as a maid. Tess can sew and her new employer is a fashion designer. Of course the Titanic sinks, but Tess survives, but that is just the start of the story. Loyality and love and friendship are all tested. Tess is a lucky girl. Her dreams seem to have come true, but which dreams does she want to follow and how does she avoid the nightmares. This is a book about a girl becoming a woman and how she finds her inner strength to do what is right. The book doen't judge, it lets you do that after telling you all the facts. There are no good or bad, just people with a person's weakness and strength. The history is great and the author lets you into the world at the time before WW1. The narration is perfect with just the right voice and attitude for each character. I loved this book and will listen to it again in a few months to catch up on what I missed the first time.

Great

Great Story, easy read, hooks you quickly! Really liked this book. I listened to it twice!

Predictable

Read it for my book club...it was ok. A very light read and much too mushy for my taste.

Weak narrator...Story is good

Would you consider the audio edition of The Dressmaker to be better than the print version?

No. I assume the printed version was better as the narrator was distracting

Who was your favorite character and why?

Tess was my favorite character.

What aspect of Susan Duerden’s performance would you have changed?

Her reading style was irritating and distracting to a well written book

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No

Any additional comments?

No

Good story, awful narrator

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The narrator's intonation and way of reading is very distracting. I could not get past the first 15 minutes. I tried, I wanted to get immersed into the story, which is very good, but found Duerden's delivery frustrating.

Would you be willing to try another one of Susan Duerden’s performances?

Absolutely not. I will avoid wasting a credit on a book read by her.

Factual events woven into a good story

I've always been fascinated by the story of the Titanic and in this year of the 100th anniversary of the disaster, I've listened to three books in a row on the subject. The story of Tess, the fictional young seamstress, whose life became entwined with the infamous Duff-Gordons brings the trauma of the aftrermath vividly to life. I'd recommend this book to all who have an interest in this subject ..... or those who just like a good "read".

Titanic

Would you listen to The Dressmaker again? Why?

Yes. Many historical notes, and I found it soothing.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Dressmaker?

During the Senate hearings, Tess was marvelously firm in her values!

Which character – as performed by Susan Duerden – was your favorite?

N/A

If you could take any character from The Dressmaker out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Eleanor - her sense of loyalty and caring would provide a depth in conversation.

Any additional comments?

A marvelous storyin all aspects!

Great story, narration isn't good.

What made the experience of listening to The Dressmaker the most enjoyable?

The triumph of a desire women's independance made for great story that I could relate to.

Would you recommend The Dressmaker to your friends? Why or why not?

Maybe, there are some slow parts that one must have to hang in there for to get to better ones. The author tried to paint a picture of the trials post the titanic's sinking. It doesn't mesh well with the main character's plight.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Yes in pace but ick on the voices it was strange at times and made me cringe.

If you could take any character from The Dressmaker out to dinner, who would it be and why?

None