Review: The Seamstress
Emilia and Luzia are two young sisters being raised by their Aunt Sofia, in the backcountry of Brazil, since both of their parents have passed away. Their aunt has taught them to sew and they both sew beautifully.
Emilia is the older sister and she has romantic longings. She dreams of falling in love and enjoying society in the big city with her husband.
The younger sister, Luzia, dreams of escape too. As a young girl, Luzia falls from a mango tree and when her arm doesn’t heal right, she is dubbed “Victrola” by everyone in town, even the priest. She longs to get away from the constant teasing.
Their lives change forever when bandits invade their town and take Luzia with them upon their escape. Aunt Sofia dies shortly thereafter and Emilia submits to a loveless marriage since it wouldn’t look right for her to live on her own.
The sisters live very different lives – one as a bandit and one as a member of a wealthy, well-respected family in the city – yet their lives and their love for each other remain forever entwined.
The Seamstress by Frances de Pontes Peebles started a little slow for me, but I think that was more a reflection of some things that were going on in my life, rather than of the book itself, because once I got into the book, I didn’t want to put it down. The story is told from the point of view of Luzia and Emilia in alternating chapters, and the author did a wonderful job of showing how the same event affected each sister. The sisters are very different and yet so similar and I could relate to them both. The character development and storyline in this book are fantastic! This book is set in the late 1920’s to mid 1930’s and it is historical fiction at its best! It is obviously very well researched and I found the historical details to be fascinating. The Seamstress is the author’s first novel and I sincerely hope she is busy working on another one. You can hear an interview of Frances de Pontes Peebles on Blog Talk Radio.
Review copy provided by Book Club Girl.
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Great review! I think we felt exactly the same about this book. It was actually one of my favorites so far this year!
I’ll have to get this one – sounds great. Love the cover too.
I just finished a book myself that started slow and I was so glad I kept going. This sounds great! Thanks for such an intriguing review!
Wonderful review, I would love to read “The Seamstress.”
This looks great! (and reminds that I really want to learn how to sew…) I also would like to read about Brazil, so off I go to add this to the tbr! Thank you.
This sounds like a good book. I like when an author alternates the chapters with different characters taking the lead. I think it would be interesting to read each of their take on the same event.
I will be adding this to the TBR. Thanks Kathy!
I really enjoyed this one, too! Thanks for the lead on the interview. I’m going to listen to that after work.
I like it when authors tell us the story from two different perspectives. This one sounds very good. I’m off to listen to the interview.
This is one of the best books I have read in the last year. I loved it! I certainly hope Ms. de Pontes Peebles is hard at work on another saga like this one.
I just love books with alternating POV chapters. I think I’ll have to check this one out.
I’d like to read this book one of these days plus I love the cover. Hope you’re doing ok Kathy-I’ve noticed you mention that stuff is going on in a few posts, hope it’s nothing serious.
This sounds like one that I would definitely enjoy Kathy…thanks for the review!
p.s. I also wanted to let you know that another definition of sultana is a concubine of a sultan! lol
I have this book. I wanted to read it this summer but that’s not going to happen! Great review, Kathy!
This book is on my wishlist as I love historical fiction and reading books based in the early 1900’s. I am glad that you found it a fantastic story.
It sounds really good. I hesitate to add big books to my wishlist, but I might have to make an exception. 🙂
A good review. I read this book back in January after Kaye from Pudgy Penguins recommended it to me, and I loved it.
sounds awesome. i so want to read this! 🙂
This sounds like a good one.
I think I’d enjoy this one a lot! Great review!
I have this book Kathy. I want to read it, but I’ve been put off by its many many pages LOL
Great review.
I have this – now I just need to read it! It sounds fabulous.
Great review! I’m glad you enjoyed this one, you made me want to read it!
This one just sounds terrific.
I just adore the book cover. Thanks for the review.
Oooh, that sounds marvelous. Great review! Must find a copy.
Wow, so much high praise. I didn’t even have this book on my radar. Looks like that was a mistake. It fits into my favorite reading genre, I guess I just went brain numb. Thanks for rectifying my error in judgment 😀
I definitely want to read this one! Great review.
I could never guess what the book is about from the cover. I have 2 sisters so anything about sisters interests me. Thanks for the review.
“This book is set in the late 1920’s to mid 1930’s and it is historical fiction at its best!”
Yay! I like the sound of that! I can’t wait to read it.
Sounds like a good one. Two such different lives. I’m interested in how they still stay entwined. Thanks for the review.
I really like the sound of this and the cover feels very homey.
I loved this too, great review! I think you’re right that the beginning is at least slower than the rest.
I keep forgetting this one is set in Brazil…and since I’m a sucker for foreign settings I’m sure I’ll end up reading this one.
This one sounds really good, and I just love the cover!
This one sounds good.
Wow! You’ve really made me want to read this one.
I started reading this one, but had to take it back to the library before I could finish – I really want to get it back!
Great review.
I plan on reading this one.
Good review! Sounds like a great read, in a country you don’t read too muich about.
I had forgotten all about this book! I remember seeing it somewhere a few months ago, and thought it looked interesting, but I put it out of my mind and went on with other things. After reading your review I think I would really like this book, and will be looking to grab a copy when I can. Thanks for reminding me of this one.