Customer Reviews

The Dressmaker. Elizabeth Birkelund Oberbeck

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Living in a small town 30 miles outside of Paris, 46 year old Claude Reynaud lives an uncomplicated placid life with his parrot Pedant. For the most part townspeople know him as the devoted uncle of his sister Juliette's four sons, the tailor who mends their clothes, sews buttons, and adjusts hemlines. More than that, he is a hidden jewel that `in the know' Parisian society ladies had been keeping under wraps for his exquisite one-of-a-kind designer gowns. So it was that one day, a young woman was sent to Monsieur Reynaud to have a special gown designed and Claude's heart stood still. For Claude it was love at first sight for the glamorous captivating Valentine de Verlay, but with complications. The gown to be designed was her wedding gown, and Claude was still married, albeit he hadn't seen his wife for the last eight years.

Valentine was his ideal, his muse, and though she regarded Claude as the most lovely of men whom she developed a deep connection with, events and life intruded on the relationship including her fiancé Victor Couturier and Claude's wife, the petulant Rose Marie. Knowing that he'd never before experienced love before he met Valentine Claude threw caution to the wind. Subjecting himself to the back-biting world of haute couture, Claude would sign on with a Paris designer label which had always seemed an anathema to him; anything to stay within Valentine's orbit. Chasing his muse he'd leave behind the safety and security of family for the love of his life.

*** I found myself fascinated by this read - amused in some instances, and totally captivated by the deep character studies of Claude, a lovely man, and his muse, the very honorable Valentine. References to the fashion industry, descriptions of the fashions, the quaintness of the little town of Senlis, and the grandeur of Paris and the fashion shows were vividly pictured in my mind by the lyrical and lovely prose this debut author portrayed. While the main thrust of the romance and love Claude felt for Valentine was lovely indeed, the added bonus of seeing an uncle's devotion, love and tutelage for his nephews cannot be overlooked as this for me was even more of a testament of this beautiful man's character. The author wrote this with immense sensitivity and understanding bringing this reviewer to tears at the love and devotion of Claude for those he cared for. Claude wasn't the buff guy with the to die for abs, or the spy who snatches you from danger in the nick of time hero; he's the loving honorable man who will quietly steal into your heart when you're not looking and remain there long after the final page is turned! This debut should not be missed and definitely put on your summer reading list!

Marilyn Rondeau, RIO - Reviewers International Organization

The Dressmaker is a quick and beautifully written novel that makes me long for Paris and a wonderful wardrobe! The author creates characters that are sympathetic and believable, while weaving a story that does not turn out the way you would expect. I was surprised by the bittersweet ending and relieved that it was not a simple formula. It would make a lovely movie and is the perfect escape for a rainy day.

This debut novel by Elizabeth Oberbeck is wonderful! Elizabeth Oberbeck's lyrical and descriptive writing takes you to France and the world of haute couture, while also enchanting you with the chemistry between the dressmaker and his muse. This beautiful book is a must read for Summer 2006.

In Senlis, France old school middle-aged tailor Claude Reynaud lives a double life. For his Paris clients he fashions fancy gowns while for his hometown clients he mends tears, sews buttons, and adjusts hemlines of mundane off the shelf items. Captivating Parisian Valentine de Verlay hires Claude to make her a wedding dress, but to his shock for the first time in his life the tailor falls in love.

Claude realizes that he never truly loved his wife, who abandoned him eight years ago though they remain married. Meanwhile Valentine holds her dressmaker in high regard too as she falls in love with Claude. However, she refuses to break off her engagement to Victor Couturier though he pales next to kindhearted Claude. To remain near his beloved, Claude throws away his essence symbolized by his shop in the suburbs to join a major Paris designer label though he has no idea how survive in this attention shark infested world let alone get his beloved Valentine.

This is an interesting character study starring an artisan who throws away his values for love that though shared emotionally with his soulmate, a relationship seems impossible. The lead duet is a fine pairing as the audience can feel for Claude who is willing do almost anything for his beloved and for Valentine feeling she must do the honorable thing by her fiancé. Though Victor is a caricature abusive brute, which takes way from the possibilities of this triangle, fans will enjoy Elizabeth Birkelund Overbeck's fine relationship drama.

Harriet Klausner

Reading the Dressmaker is like eating nothing but cookies for dinner and following it with orange soda: too sweet and no substance. I find myself laughing almost every chapter at Oberbeck's overly effusive style. Recognizably a first attempt at writing novels. However, I will probably finish the book! It's a decent book for a light, fluffy summer afternoon. If you can handle novels like the Notebook, you might like this.

While I did enjoy the book, I didn't give it a higher rating because I found Claude, the main character, too whimpish. He seemed to allow himself to be pushed around by everyone. It's like he had no backbone. I did like, however, the love he had for his nephews; very endearing. I enjoyed the book, but wasn't completely wowed. I found the continuous description of every outfit Claude saw a little too tiring. Otherwise, it wasn't a bad read.

The passion of the dressmaker for his craft and materials and the descriptions of daily French life gave this book its joy de vivre. But I was never convinced that Valentine would have fallen for Claude. And some of the characters, such as Claude's wife, seemed stereotypical so for me this book missed some stitches.

A breath of fresh air with uncomplicated writing about a complicated love. So perfectly realistic, so enchantingly delightful, so pleasantly perfect that you want to be in the middle of this book watching the story unfold. The only disappointment is how one wants it to end compared to how it should and does realistically end.

My hope for a good read quickly disappeared in the first chapter of this book. The Dressmaker follows a 'country' tailor's rise to couture fame while he finds and stalks his muse. The author provides very vivid and enjoyable descriptions of the fashion world, including the inner workings of a famous designer house in France. The rest of the story introduces characters in a rapid fire way, with seldom any character development, aside from the tailor Claude and his Muse, Valentine. The story jumps around from the small French village outside of Paris, to Paris itself and New York. Family, friends and Claude's 'forgotten' wife come in and out of the story line, only providing irrelevant detail and minimal character development to the main story.

I love anything and everything dealing with France and fashion. This book is the exception. I found it to be laborious reading with an ending that was as just as disappointing as the first chapter.

In a small, quiet village outside Paris, Claude follows his trade, as had his father and grandfather before him, that of dressmaking...high fashion for a few discerning Paris clients and general mending and alterations for the locals. A beautiful Parisienne, Valentine de Verlay comes to him for her wedding dress, giving him full rein to design something just for her. Already middle aged and separated from his shrewish wife, Claude falls instantly and deeply in love with the beautiful Valentine who returns his feelings and a brief romance follows, despite her insistence that the wedding will go ahead. The only other people for whom Claude has great affection are his sister and her sons, his beloved nephews. I loved the descriptions of the instant fashions which Claude designs for various clients and the intimate knowledge that the author has for the fashion industry. It's a basically simple story of unfulfilled love and the longings of a loner among men and his dreams of capturing the heart of a beautiful young woman.