Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #230816 in Books
• Published on: 2007-09-18
• Released on: 2007-09-18
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 416 pages

From Publishers Weekly
How much can one middle-class Victorian-era woman endure? Plenty, as evidenced by this engrossing second novel from Graham (Firebird). A tailor's daughter living on London's Savile Row, Veda Grenfell expects that one day she will marry up and shed her status as a tradesman's daughter. But as she comes of marrying age, her brother dies in a riding accident, her mother and unborn sibling die during childbirth and a bout of typhoid fever leaves Veda deaf. Realizing her deafness will ward off suitors, Veda goes to work at her father's shop, where she proves herself a talented seamstress, and intrigue and possible romance simmer. Charismatic Lord Ormelie is interested in more than Veda's stitch work; the repellant Balducci, the head cutter at Grenfell's, uses Veda to further his position at Grenfell's; and Mr. Nicholls, a clergyman hired by Veda's father as a tutor, is prone to caustic jealousy of other men who pay attention to Veda. Veda's deafness is smartly played, and Graham's depiction of the tailor shop's inner workings is instructive. Though the litany of setbacks Veda endures makes it seem like the world has it in for her, the redemptive ending will please fans of the genre. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
In this novel, set in England shortly after the death of Prince Albert, Graham, author of Firebird (1998) and Sarah's Window (2002), continues her exploration of the romance genre by adding a Victorian gothic to the mix. The first-person narrative reveals the world of Veda Grenfell, daughter of one of the tailors to England's aristocracy. Her life changes drastically when she loses in one year her mother, her brother, and, as a complication of illness, her hearing. Veda challenges tradition to find an acceptable life that includes love. Seen through Veda's intelligence, most characters are well described and developed; only a few are clearly devices, meant to move the plot forward. Graham's climax will hardly surprise experienced readers (especially those who have read Jane Eyre), and the unrealistically pat resolution will raise eyebrows in anyone conversant with the social mores of Victorian England. Despite these faults, fans of the author's previous books and readers of gothic novels will enjoy Graham's delicious details of high society and star-crossed love. Ellen Loughran
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

Customer Reviews

A cinematic novel of soundless connection
It's one of those common "thinking" questions to be asked if you would rather be blind or deaf. Most people answer Deaf, because seeing is so vital to our independence, our safety, our education, careers and social lives. But there is also an amazing loss if you lose your hearing. "The Tailor's Daughter" is the story of Veda, an extraordinarily talented seamstress who is far too liberated for the tastes of her Victorian parents, who after a terrible illness looses all of her hearing. Yet as the novel shows, being deaf does not mean you loose in fashion the means to connect with those around you. This is a novel about Veda's silent connection.

Its amazing how this affects Veda's place in society. Even though her family, as the owners of a prosperous tailoring shop, are somewhat wealthy and often work with the extremely wealthy, Veda is likely to remain for the rest of her life an unmarried seamstress working for her father, since any husband would have to be far too understanding and accommodating. At the same time Veda's talents can't be put to use in her father's shop actually fitting clients because that would be improper. But as I said, Veda is no ordinary girl, and though her deafness is an obstacle, she learns to lip read, carries a slate and chalk, tailors and captures the romantic attentions of three men, Mr. Nicholls, her brother's old tutor, Mr. Balducci, the head cutter in her father's shop and Lord Harry Ormelie, a viscount who is so far above her in class that the hopes of them ever being together are only a dream. Of course-that's the major drama of the book-until Harry's father, about whom evil whispers abound, becomes involved.

This is a lovely book. I was doubtful at first, because it is written in rather a Victorian style and is in first person, which I tend not to like, but there is something about this book that is just wonderful. Veda is an amazing woman who preservers through everything, never backs down, never gives up, and most of all, knows that she is worth something and deserves a good life, husband, ect. She's no sniveling little girl who goes and hides when someone is mean to her. She know she deserves a good husband, not some scumbag who will marry her just because she's deaf, she knows when she is terribly betrayed that she doesn't just have to mindlessly forgive the person who hurt her beyond anything else. She is a character to be inspired by. The only thing I disliked about Veda is that her husband, in the end, is not really worthy of her immense character and quality. But perhaps she can change him into someone who is.

My description of the book above doesn't really do it justice. There is action, adventure, travel, romance, tragedy, suspense, and a good deal of happiness. Also there's a lot about Victorian clothing, which just sounds amazing and so detailed! And the writing! There are some scenes in this book that are just cinematic-especially that of Harry and Veda's dance at the ball. I never say this, and this is an odd thing to say about a novel set in 1860 about a deaf tailor's daughter who falls in love with a viscount, but I could easily see this novel made into a movie, especially if the movie had no soundtrack and minimal background noise to really show Veda's soundless world.

Five stars. I loved this book; it was truly an unexpected delight. And the last sentence will make you smile.

Top-notch
The author has created a stunning picture of an usual women, with a difficult and little-understood affliction to suffer from in the middle 19th century, and a window into the life of a Victorian tradesman's famly. All this is most unusual fare, and the author does it in beautifully written first person, which I normally do not like in the least. Veda's story is enthralling. I could not put the book down. Have you ever wondered about the lives of the tailors who dressed those exquisite dandies who lived their lives of leisure, playing cards, riding horses, gambling and wenching? Most stories deal with those talented tailors as shadowy figures who were treated unfairly, often pleading to be paid, and as figures of disdain to the upper classes. The author has painted an entirely different type of life for these talented men, who ran their showrooms as businesses and took great pride in dressing their clients well. Veda had to learn how to live a worthwhile life during a time when communication for the deaf through sign language was not widely practiced. Many people she met equated deafness with stupitity and ignorance. Veda manages to carve out a daring life path and the author takes you right along with her. You will always remember the journey and find it very enlightening. This is a really good book.

Great story, uneven finish
I stumbled on the review of this book and I just had to read it. The story was engrossing and very well researched as far as tailoring in the Victorian era. The author writes very well and weaves a great story. I didn't give it 5 stars because the end doesn't make sense given the time period, and wouldn't resolve all the loose ends. I won't say more because I don't want to be a spoiler. The book is definitely worth reading. In fact, I have a copy of Firebird, her first novel, and I intend to read it.