Book Review: The Forgotten Seamstress by Liz Trenow

By Tara. *book received via Netgalley, no financial reimbursement*

This is a time-slip novel, going back and forth between a modern-day heroine in 2008 and the years from 1910 through the Great War and beyond. First, I'd like to say, the back and forth was seamless, well done, and non-jarring.


The modern-day heroine is dealing with so many things. She is easy to relate to as she faces problems we all face every day. She's overwhelmed and finds solace in a quilt left to her by her granny. She's facing job loss, a mother with Alzheimer's--really appreciated this story line as she battles guilt and confusion over whether to take care of her herself...but can she?-- the end of a relationship, the start of a new one, a business venture..etc.

Through an interview, we learn about Maria, the woman who made the quilt, and the story behind each one of the panels...how she came by that material, what the stitches say. It's very fascinating and makes a great story, though I confess I was put off by the interview narrative at first. It took me a while to get into this one.

But once I adjusted, I was hooked. I could not wait to find out what happened to both heroines, though the telling of the modern-day one was more interesting. I think Maria's story could have been better had a different narrative been chosen.

And--oh, how very it was to discredit a woman in them days, to throw her away in order to hide the truth. It truly is a heart-breaking tale and in the end I came to admire Maria for going strong after all she'd been through. A lesser woman would have broken long before.

I can't say this is a novel you read for any type of historical perspective. There is some time spent in the palace and all that and the Great War comes and goes, but this is mostly about entertainment, about getting lost in someone else's story and problems, one in which hopefully good triumphs evil in the end.

The beginning was very slow and the ending far too predictable, but I still think this is a another great read from Liz Trenow.

I received this from Netgalley.