The Dressmaker

By: Kate Alcott

Narrated by: Susan Duerden

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.

Very Interesting and Very Long

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

I keep wondering about Tess, she is outspoken one minute and very timid the next, not speaking up when she should, and speaking up when she should have kept her mouth shut. It is a good story, just a bit slow at times and at other times, I carry my iPad around the house with me so I don't have to stop the story. Overall, I liked it and would recommend it to anyone taking a road trip. The characters are well developed.

Titanic again!

Pretty boring, especially since I'd already seen Titanic the movie. It's like hearing your friends wife retell a story your friend has told you several times already.

Kept Me Going

Every day is a new beginning What will happen today? Choices to be made can change your life and history's documentation forever. A young lady changes the meaning of her life with courage of the unknown.
This book is also filled with a true story of the last few hours of the Titantic and thousands of lives. Suspense is focused on our main characters.
Each chapter makes you hungry for each word. Enjoy the life, death, boy meets girl story in The Dressmaker.

Ok story with annoying narration

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

I will never try another book where Susan Duerden is narrating, it was so awful at times I had to fast forward or turn it off all together because I couldn't take it anymore. Voice for the main character drove me crazy with her sounding breathless for simple statemenets - ridiculous!!

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Predictable

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Susan Duerden?

Anyone

Loved it! A new view of the historic tale.

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

What a great way to look at a story we have all heard so much about over the years. I loved this book and found the characters to be very engaging.