Duchess Sarah Ferguson
The Paris Dressmaker is a compelling story exploring the courageous actions of Parisienne women during the German occupation of the city in World War 2. While a fictionalised account, the story is inspired by actual events and features a couple of supporting characters who existed in the real world. Lila de Laurent is the eponymous dressmaker, employed by the house of Chanel prior to the war, but she and her friend Amelié lose their jobs when their boss, Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel elects to close down the business for the duration of the war. The two women must find a way to survive the years ahead, and choose very different ways of doing so. Meanwhile, art historian Sandrine Paquet must farewell her beloved husband, Christian, as he heads off to the front. She remains in Paris with their young son and her parents-in-law, and is employed by the Nazi overlords to help sort and catalogue stolen artworks before they're shipped to Germany for the Fuhrer's collection. Unfortunately, she's caught the attention of her Nazi supervisor, Captain Von Hiller, and struggles to avoid his unwanted advances without placing herself and her family in even greater danger. Over the course of the story, both women become involved in La Résistance, the famed underground network of French patriots who work to undermine and, ultimately, overthrow the German oppressors. A stunning haute couture Chanel gown from 1938 links their two stories. The setting, during the Nazi occupation of Paris, certainly provides a high-tension backdrop, in which "ordinary" people endured incredible hardship and were called upon to carry out extraordinary actions of courage and patriotism. I found both Lila and Sandrine's stories compelling and, on occasion, nerve-wracking. It's evident that Kristy Cambron has based her narrative on a great deal of historical research. However, I felt that the book was over-long at 400 pages, and that the two separate character storylines, with back-and-forth timeframes in both made this an unnecessarily complicated reading experience. Either story would, in my opinion, have alone provided sufficient material and interest upon which to base a novel, and I wonder whether The Paris Dressmaker might have been more successful as a pair of interrelated titles. The links between the two stories are sufficiently minor that the narrative arc wouldn't suffer unduly. My other concern relates to the cover design, which I note several reviewers have commented initially attracted them to the book. It is an attractive design, and the dress is undeniably beautiful, but to me seems anachronistic, more consistent with 1950s Chanel designs than those of 1938. I found The Paris Dressmaker to be an intriguing read, and would recommend it to those who enjoy fact-based historical fiction and strong female protagonists. My thanks to the author, Kristy Cambron, publisher Thomas Nelson, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.
Kristina Barnes
The Paris Dressmaker by Kristy Cambron is a historical, dual-time novel set in Paris in World War II. It follows two women as they struggle to find a way to live within the confines of German-occupied Paris and still maintain their morals and duty to their country. This is the first novel I’d read from Kristy Cambron, although I’ve heard nothing but wonderful things about her writing. And after reading The Paris Dressmaker, I am hooked! This story combined a dramatic historical backdrop with the struggles of everyday life for people who had to live through a horrific time. The acute details of the occupation of Paris and its effect on the people, especially the women, left behind to endure the German’s reign were both fascinating and terrifying. The author does an amazing job of using the dual timelines to create suspense and an overall sense of urgency and danger. It was difficult to talk myself out of the ‘one more chapter’ for this story. I needed to know what happened next to the characters! And the characters in this story are all so vibrant, deep, and genuine--whether part of the Resistance or Axis Alliance. I felt the chill of having an SS officer look over your shoulder or the heart-pounding danger of walking through Paris after curfew. You will become completely immersed in this story, and you won’t want it to end. My only complaint is it took me a few chapters to settle into the multiple timelines. This was mainly because I listened to the majority of this book, and it was difficult for me to understand where each scene was starting because it was in French. But once I was familiar with the characters and the timelines, this was no longer a problem. And I found I enjoyed listening to the amazingly beautiful voice of the narrator and her addicting accent. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed The Paris Dressmaker and will be adding Kristy Cambron to my list of must-read authors. Fans of Christian historical fiction will enjoy this story. Even if you aren’t a fan of dual-time stories, I believe the incredible historical detail and unforgettable characters make this book worth reading. I was given a copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations of a positive review. All opinions are my own.
Maureen Timerman
Another great read by Kristy Cambron and she sure didn't disappoint. This quickly became a riveting read, and once you start you won't want to put it down. We all know the story here, the lawless acts perpetrated on these people and an entire race or religion. So much hate, but we are with those who actually led a double life and worked with the Resistance, and risking all they had including their lives. We walk in the shoes of those who work to counter the acts of those who are committing these horrendous acts on the people of Europe. We put faces on these people, and one is the title of this book, what a talented woman, but a woman who cares deeply and uses her talents for the good of mankind. Can you even imagine doing what these people did, pretending you agreed with these terrorists, and using all of your gifts to subterfuge them! This book is a great reminder that we need to never forget, and never repeat! I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Thomas Nelson, and was not required to give a positive review.
