This is one of those books which have a lovely concept at the core. So if you associate with that core concept, you know you will definitely enjoy the book. In this case, a story about the making of Queen Elizabeth’s wedding gown.
Knowing that I’m someone who enjoys the tiny, detailed descriptions about dresses, architecture or appearance, I knew I will not be disappointed by this novel. However, I was skeptical about how could the dress making process of a single gown be spun into a full-fledged novel?
I’m glad to say, my skepticism was proven wrong.
The title of the book might be ‘The Gown’ but the gown itself isn’t an overpowering presence in the story. Yes, it is very much there, in all its magnificence and minute elements, but it serves more as the binding agent that brings all the events together.
This novel doesn’t just take you behind the scenes of the making of the famous gown like a documentary, putting together interviews and biographies of the embroiderers, seamstresses and designers. This novel blows life into these characters, building a whole fictional tale by patching together the historical and cultural elements that must have prevailed at that time.
I was definitely intrigued by the dress making process itself, attending to all the different methods and techniques mentioned and Googling everything so that I could visualize them better. However, these elements do not take away the emotional connect that I made with the stories of the two women at the center of the narrative.
Overall, a delight for readers who like to imagine and visualize while reading. If you are fascinated by such things as fashion, dressmaking, royal weddings, you should definitely grab this one. But this book gives you a much deeper experience than any picture book about the same gown, it allows you to live the making of Queen Elizabeth’s gown.
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