About the Book

Title: The Seamstress

Author: Allison Pittman

Genre: Historical Fiction

Release date: February 5, 2019

Publisher: Tyndale

A beautifully crafted story breathes life into the cameo character from the classic novel A Tale of Two Cities.

France, 1788
It is the best of times . . .

On a tranquil farm nestled in the French countryside, two orphaned cousins—Renée and Laurette—have been raised under the caring guardianship of young Émile Gagnon, the last of a once-prosperous family. No longer starving girls, Laurette and Renée now spend days tending Gagnon’s sheep, and nights in their cozy loft, whispering secrets and dreams in this time of waning innocence and peace.

It is the worst of times . . .

Paris groans with a restlessness that can no longer be contained within its city streets. Hunger and hatred fuel her people. Violence seeps into the ornate halls of Versailles. Even Gagnon’s table in the quiet village of Mouton Blanc bears witness to the rumbles of rebellion, where Marcel Moreau embodies its voice and heart.

It is the story that has never been told.

In one night, the best and worst of fate collide. A chance encounter with a fashionable woman will bring Renée’s sewing skills to light and secure a place in the court of Queen Marie Antoinette. An act of reckless passion will throw Laurette into the arms of the increasingly militant Marcel. And Gagnon, steadfast in his faith in God and country, can only watch as those he loves march straight into the heart of the revolution.

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My Review

I love this story. And I despise this story. How can it be that I am filled with both of these emotions as I come to the end of Allison Pittman’s The Seamstress? I was touched by the beauty of the writing and the emotions evoked while falling in love with the main characters. But when so strongly drawn to characters, I find that I despise the last two words—The End.

The story takes place before and during the French Revolution from the perspective of two orphans, Renée and her cousin, Laurette. Left alone in the world, they are adopted into the family of Emilé Gagnon, a sad man of strong faith and convictions, who is left alone after the death of his beloved wife and newborn babe. 

Renée is a young girl and gifted seamstress who has no desire in the world other than to live by faith. When a member of the queen’s court lands on her doorstep, Renée is offered a prized position as Marie Antoinette’s Couturiére. For a destitute girl, starving in the wake of decisions made by the monarchy, this is a chance of a lifetime.

Laurette, Renée’s older cousin, has only one gift of which she is aware—her looks. She trades on them in an effort to find the sense of belongingness that has always eluded her. She doesn’t put stock in faith, and thereby finds that a life served for self is not often blessed by God.

The story starts out a little slow—but I promise you, if you push through the first few chapters, you will not be disappointed. Allison Pittman’s writing is so powerful, and I found myself so steeply drawn into the story—into the characters—I was actually praying for them. I had to remind myself that this is only a story, and no amount of praying would change the outcome, as it was already written.

It is rare that I cry at the end of a book—a movie, yes, but a book, no. However, as I finished up the last few pages, tears burned my eyes and a definite lump filled my throat. This is a phenomenal story and so well written, you will understand more about the French Revolution than you ever did in your high school history class.

This is a definite five out of five stars. I look forward to reading more from this author, as she is now one of my favorites.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of this review, however, the opinions are my own.

About the Author

Allison Pittman is the author of more than a dozen critically acclaimed novels and a three-time Christy finalist—twice for her Sister Wife series and once for All for a Story from her take on the Roaring Twenties. She lives in San Antonio, Texas, blissfully sharing an empty nest with her husband, Mike. Connect with her on Facebook (Allison Pittman Author), Twitter (@allisonkpittman) or her website, allisonkpittman.com.

 

Guest Post from Allison

My dream of being an author began by “finishing” other author’s works, fleshing out the stories of neglected characters. When I read the final books in the Little House series, I was far more interested in Cap Garland than I was in Almonzo Wilder, and I imagined all kinds of stories in which he was the hero.

This, The Seamstress, is one of those stories that came to me in a single burst of thought. I was teaching my sophomore English class, discussing through the final scenes in A Tale of Two Cities, when the little seamstress in those final pages reached out to me. She is a nameless character, seemingly more symbolic than anything. Dickens, however, gives her an entire backstory in a single phrase: I have a cousin who lives in the country. How will she ever know what became of me? I remember pausing right then and there in front of my students and saying, “Now, there’s the story I want to write.”

Now, years later, I have.

While every word of every Charles Dickens novel is a master class in writing, what he gave to me for The Seamstress is the kind of stuff that brings life and breath to fiction. I have to convey the fact that any character on my pages—no matter how much story space he or she is allotted—has a life between them. Every man was once a child; every woman a vulnerable young girl.

So, Dickens gave me the bones of the story. A seamstress. A cousin in the country. A country ripped apart; family torn from family. I did my very best to put flesh on those bones, but no writer can ever bring the life and breath. Only a reader can do that.

Blog Stops

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Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Allison is giving away a grand prize of a $25 Amazon gift card, a hardcover copy of The Seamstress, and this copy of A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/db0e/the-seamstress-celebration-tour-giveaway