The Gown: A Novel of the Royal Wedding

This is a dual time novel. In 2016, Heather learns that her grandmother has passed away. She leaves her a box that contains some intricately created embroidered flowers. Her mom asks her to research them to see what she can find out, and Heather is stunned to find that the flowers are nearly identical to those found on Princess Elizabeth’s wedding gown from 1947. Her Nan has never mentioned anything about this, so Heather begins a deeper search. Back in 1947, Ann is living with her sister-in-law; her brother was killed in the war. She works at Norman Hartnell as an embroiderer, a job that she got out of school. When her sister-in-law decides to move to Canada, Ann knows she needs to find a housemate in order to pay the bills. Miriam is a refugee and Holocaust survivor from France and although she worked for Christian Dior and is very skilled, she has a hard time finding a position. Hartnell is her last hope and she makes a bold move to get an interview. She is placed to work with Ann and the two become friends and housemates. The studio does many clothes for the royal family and they are honored to work on Princess Elizabeth’s wedding gown. Despite the tight timeline, the women work hard to make the design a reality, keeping it a secret from the outside world. In the current time, Heather finds the connection between her Nan (Ann) and Miriam, now a famed textile artist. As she works to find the truth of her Nan’s past, the story unravels the past in flashbacks. The book has a brief history of the gown and how the author came to write the story at the back of the book.

Although I read the synopsis, I thought the story would include more about the royal wedding. There wasn't a lot of that, which was fine with me because I did so enjoy that the majority of the story focused on the lives of the women involved in creating the Princess's gown. I'm just a little confused why the cover of the book says it's a story of the royal wedding - a tad misleading. If you are hoping the book spends a lot of time covering the royal wedding itself, you may be disappointed.I found all the main characters delightful - Miriam, Ann, Heather, Walter, Miss Duley, and so many of the minor characters as well. They were people I would like to know personally. The story flowed smoothly throughout. I was hooked from page 1 and that lasted right through the last page, when I was sorry to bid them all adieu (for Miriam).What started out a book I thought I would like - turned into a book I loved. I'm sorry we never got to learn what happened to Milly - not sure why that information was omitted. If you blinked, you'd almost have missed that she was there at all.Thank you, Miss Robson, for such a spectacular story. To say the story was satisfying is a complete understatement. I thoroughly enjoyed it and was sorry to see it end. It was the kind of book I especially love - where, when I close the book on the last page, I just hold it in my hands and sigh.

Great book! Good story and well written

Although I enjoyed this book immensely, and couldn't put it down, I think 4 stars is a more realistic rating. For me, a needleworker, a historian, and devotee of the Royal Family, the book was a solid 5 stars. But I'm not sure it would appeal all that much to someone whose fields of interest lay outside those boundaries. That said, if you are at all interested in any one of these fields, I'm certain you will find this novel as enthralling as I did.

In The Gown we are treated to a unique perspective of post-World War II (1947) England through the eyes of two young women. Ann Hughes is the chief embroiderer in the fashion house of Hartnell, a designer most often called upon to furnish gowns and dresses for Britain’s Royal Family. When news reaches the workroom of Princess Elizabeth’s engagement, everyone on staff is in a state of high anticipation as they wait to see if Mr. Hartnell’s design will be the one chosen for the royal wedding gown. In fact, it was Ann who was called upon to create samples for the Queen Mum and the young princess.Working alongside Ann is Miriam Dassin, a refugee from France. Miriam has experienced first hand the atrocities of war: losing her family, working in the Resistance, and ultimately being confined to a death camp before Liberation. She has gathered her meager belongings and set her sights on London as the place to make a fresh start. Miriam has experience as an embroiderer in the Maison Bebe and a handful of important references. Norman Hartnell hires her on the spot.As they work together Ann and Miriam become friends and when Ann’s sister-in-law moves to Canada, Ann invites Miriam to move into her house and share expenses. Over the course of a year, their friendship grows. Fast forward to 2016 and Heather McKenzie is in Toronto mourning the death of her grandmother, Ann Hughes, and is delighted to receive a box marked For Heather that was left to her. Inside she finds samples of intricate embroidery that lead her on a journey of discovery – back to London.Seems that Heather’s grandmother never spoke a word of her past before moving to Toronto. What she uncovers both amazes and thrills her even as it opens up a new path for her life.Post war Britain suffered greatly; food and petrol shortages being among the worst as Britain went about the task of rebuilding not only her physical structures but the structures of people’s lives. With the entire country under an austerity program, the nuptials of Princess Elizabeth became a beacon of hope for the war-weary Brits. But with an austerity program in place, how could the cost of a royal wedding gown be condoned? Resourceful Brits didn’t mind in the least.But this story is about so much more than the Royal Wedding. It is a story of grit and determination of the young women who were left without family or spouses after the war. It is the story of hard work and self-reliant women who found a way to move forward. It’s also the story of unscrupulous people who would do anything to earn a few extra dollars.I thoroughly enjoyed The Gown for several reasons, not the least being my fondness for anything that centers around the British Royal Family. We are accustomed to seeing what the media shows us and it is normally from only one point of view. But getting a glimpse of the Royals from the vantage point of an embroiderer is totally unique. The setting of post-war Britain is one of my favorite time periods and it shows the resilience of her people. The characters of Ann and Miriam are strong women who have their moments of self-doubt and that makes them wonderfully human. The granddaughter too is quite likable and it’s easy to see that she has inherited some of her grandmother’s traits.Fans of the Royal Family and of historical fiction/romance are sure to enjoy this one as will those who enjoy family sagas.

Even though I don't usually like books that jump ahead and back, this one was well done. Those who read The Gown are in for a treat.

A beautiful view into the hope that grew in postwar England and the positive effects of having one good friend.

Wonderful story. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. In fact I have to several friends.

Read as a member of a book group

Good story very entertaining

A light, narrowly focused novel which was quite well paced and enjoyable. Plus, it’s partially set in toronto - props for that. The novel is focused on two women and their lives during a short year. The wedding gown is a conceit more than plot point which ground this book in a particular time after WWII but really doesn't play much of a role.Because the focus of the novel was on a short time frame in the two women’s lives you don't get to know them very well.The entire tone is actually quite British were one walks away thinking problems can be solved with a good hot cup of tea. There is something charming about it and the fact that it doesn’t indulge in melodrama or detailed introspective. There is a reserve in it which is period and location appropriate - stiff upper lip and all. Of the main leads, Mariam as a surviving French Jew was the more interesting character with some flashes of real poginancy.In some respects I liked the small focus of the novel - it was like embroidery with tiny stitches and subtle threadwork. I think it was trying to be more subtle than it actually achieved with its talk about women's work and focus but it was still a solid read.In the end I give it four stars as I thought it was overall successful in its intent. It was meant to be a slice of life as London emerged from the wars. It was about surviving and making a new life but from a completely female centric perspective. Recommended overall as it avoided the histrionic and focusing on details which get short shrift like the comfort of your own home and family dinners.Recommended for people looking for a quick novel which focuses on something different but at the same time want to avoid high drama.

The story is a dual-timeline format, set in 1947 and present day.In 1947 London we meet Ann Hughes and Miriam Dassin, embroiderers working for the famous fashion designer/couturier Norman Hartnell. Their expertise leads to them working on the wedding dress for Princess Elizabeth.In the present day Canada, we meet Heather Mackenzie who has been left some exquisite embroidered flowers by her grandmother who recently died. There is nothing to indicate what the embroidery is, but the fact that her beloved Nan left them to her in a box marked “for Heather” leads journalist Heather to try to find out more about her Nan’s childhood/youth in London. When Heather reaches London, she begins to unravel the story of Ann and Miriam and discovers that the embroidered flowers match the designs on Princess Elizabeth wedding dress.This book is ultimately about friendship, loyalty and the hope that the war-torn country was feeling at the forthcoming marriage of their future queen. There are brief mentions of the Holocaust & rape but these are part of the storyline & appropriately done.There is strong evidence of detailed historical research which always gives a fiction-based-on-fact book more credibility. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it for any lovers of historical fiction, royal stories or stories about ordinary women and their daily life.