The Dressmaker

By: Rosalie Ham

Narrated by: Rachel Griffiths

After 20 years spent mastering the art of dressmaking at couture houses in Paris, Tilly Dunnage returns to the small Australian town she was banished from as a child. She plans only to check on her ailing mother and leave.

But Tilly decides to stay, and though she is still an outcast, her lush, exquisite dresses prove irresistible to the prim women of Dungatar.

Through her fashion business, her friendship with Sergeant Farrat - the town’s only policeman, who harbours an unusual passion for fabrics - and a budding romance with Teddy, the local football star whose family is almost as reviled as hers, she finds a measure of grudging acceptance.

But as her dresses begin to arouse competition and envy in town, causing old resentments to surface, it becomes clear that Tilly’s mind is set on a darker design: exacting revenge on those who wronged her, in the most spectacular fashion.

©2000 Rosalie Ham (P)2015 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

Shame about the pronunciation....

The book is well-written, but I had trouble figuring out precisely when it was set. The entire story takes place over perhaps a year. The main character receives the new LP of South Pacific, putting it around 1949-1950. They sing God Save the King, which puts it prior to 1953 (When Queen Elizabeth II came to the throne). But then another character requests clothing styled after Marilyn Monroe in Bus Stop (1956)....

I'm sure not all listeners are as picky as me, but this kind of thing became a distraction.

Rachel Griffiths does a good job capturing the essence of this story, with its Dickensian names and often hilarious incidents.
Unfortunately, given that the story is about a dressmaker, it would have been good to have a narrator who knew how to pronounce Schiaparelli, Vionnet, and (worst of all) "couture".

Dark and funny

Small country towns have secrets - some everybody knows (but don't talk about) and some only known to a few.

sad story

I loved this story but dislike Rachel Griffiths as the narrator . her reading is stilted and pauses in the wrong places. still. I persevered and I I'm glad I did. great book

Not a happy read

Would you try another book from Rosalie Ham and/or Rachel Griffiths?

Maybe not

What was most disappointing about Rosalie Ham’s story?

It was grim. Not inspiring. No idea why they made this into a movie, I'm guessing they changed the story for the movie.

Which scene was your favorite?

Nothing really

Was The Dressmaker worth the listening time?

Nope