Review: The Forgotten Seamstress by Liz Trenow

The Forgotten Seamstress
written by Liz Trenow
published by Avon (an imprint of Harper Collins)

release date: May 2014

find it here: (affiliate links) Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Book Depository, Goodreads

Why did I pick this book: I was asked by a publicist on behalf of the publisher to review this book. (I received a copy of this book for review purposes.)

Did I enjoy this book: I did enjoy this book. The first half was a bit slow and confusing. By the time I hit the halfway point, I was hooked and I didn’t want to stop reading this book.

As I said, the first half of The Forgotten Seamstress was a bit slow. I thought it would take a long time to get through this book. I guess I really just didn’t get what was going on. We are introduced to a character who is being interviewed by another character. We were reading a transcript of the cassette tape of the interview that occurred in 1970. Then, we are introduced to another character in the present-ish day who seemingly doesn’t have anything to do with the previous person. I was rather confused through this part. It was interesting but confusing.

However, by the halfway point, it all clicked. Did I see where the story was going? Yes. Did I guess the end? Yes, I did (but I’ve always been fairly good at that). It still made me happy. It still made me want to keep reading. I couldn’t put this book down during the last half. Once I got where it was going, I really started to enjoy the read. It was intriguing and had me wondering the whole time. Who was telling the truth? Could the truth really be what it was? Was the crazy lady sane? What was the story behind the quilt? I wanted to know what the truth was.

This was a good, surprising read.

Would I recommend it: I would recommend this book.

Will I read it again: I may.

About the book – from Goodreads: It is 1910 and Maria, a talented young girl from the East end of London, is employed to work as a seamstress for the royal family. As an attractive girl, she soon catches the eye of the Prince of Wales and she in turn is captivated by his glamour and intensity.

But careless talk causes trouble and soon Maria’s life takes a far darker turn. Disbelieved and dismissed she is thrown into a mental asylum, shut away from the real world with only her needlework for company.

Can a beautiful quilt, discovered many years later, reveal the truth behind what happened to Maria?