The Gown

The Gown written by, Jennifer Nobson is a book you will not want to put down until you have reached the end.  If you are a fan of The Royals and historical fiction you will be enthralled.  If you are like me and also love Holocaust, World War II fiction, you will be thrilled ; a book with everything even a little romance thrown in for good measure.

This is the story of the unsung women who sew and embroider the gowns that the upper classes and royal women wear for wonderful extravagant evenings out.  These women who have been apprenticed out at a young age to learn the art of embroidery. Then they work for the best couture houses in Europe designing and embellishing dresses.

The setting is London in 1947.  The war has ended and the world is trying to get back on its feet.  Princess Elizabeth has announced her marriage to Lieutenant Phillip Mountbatten.  It is guaranteed to bring some joy and excitement to the people of England during this dark time.  Ann Hughes is the head embroider at the famous fashion house of Norman Hartwell that has been commissioned to create the wedding gown for Her Majesty and the wedding party.  It is quite the honor.  Miriam Dassin has recently joined the Hartwell fashion house after coming to England to recover from her horrific experiences during the Holocaust in France.  She becomes the other embroider on the wedding gown working with Anne and they also become friends sharing a small pension house.

Anne and Miriam become friends and share secrets as they are stitching the beautiful dresses.  We learn about the time period and the anticipation leading up to the royal wedding.  Each of the girls meets a man who will be a possible romance.  They will struggle with wondering if the men like them for themselves or are they possibly trying to get information about the tightly held secret of what the wedding gown will look like before the big day.

Heather Mackensie lives in Toronto Canada and has just lost her job, as a journalist, with a local magazine, when they have to cut back on the expenses.  Her grandmother has recently died and she wonders about the beautiful embroidered flowers she finds in a box from her grandmother addressed to her.  As she goes on a journey to find out more about her grandmother's past we learn the rest of the story of what happened to Ann Hughes after the royal wedding.  Closing the gaps between
generations we are brought up to present day.

You are there in the small rental house with Ann and Miriam.  Touring the streets of London and in the Hartwell fashion house as the dresses are being sewn.  You are at the royal wedding as Elizabeth and Phillip say their vows.  Then you are again in London with Heather as she searches for answers to the questions her grandmother would never answer.  Beautifully written.