Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: The Dress Lodger by Sheri Holman ISBN: 0-345-43691-1 Publisher: Ballantine Books Pub. Date: 02 January, 2001 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.98 (124 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: A masterful, haunting narrative
Comment: The book has a rare, marvellous, even poetic style. It is extremely well crafted and constructed literature, and I can't wait for her next book.
The author masterfully re-creates England of the early last century, from the extreme poverty to the classist attitudes of the poor--something most period-pieces forget--as well as the rich. We are caught in a world of whores, disease, grave-robbers, and ladies. The author does not judge or euphemize: she simply re-creates and recounts. As a result, every detail of the book takes on a glowing vividness.
By far, the best aspect of the book is its narrative. One aspect that pleased me was the author's way of bringing us close to the characters and events and then distancing us at crucial moments, making the events seem hauntingly real. As such, the book has a sort of tension and a feeling of uneasiness that keept me reading anxiously, even in the happiest moments. It is in the book's masterful control of the plot, characters, and even of the reader--particularly in the second-to-last chapter--that you know that you are in the presence of someone who will become a great writer.
The Lodger is divided into two halves. In the first, we learn essentially not to judge a book by its cover; in the second, we learn that you cannot change what you are. These themes exist programmatically as well - in the first, the plot lures you into false conceptions about itself and in the second, the plot plays with the idea of a "historical novel" by leading you into several possible outcomes. Thankfully, though the author is aware of narratological and generic aspects, she does not use them as cheap gimmics, nor does she give them full keel. The author seems to know as much about controlling the author as about controlling the plot.
The one unpleasant aspect of the book is/are the narrators. Most of the work is written in a simple, third-person narrative, but there are occasional intrusions by first-person-plural narrators. These latter narrators exist in the past as well as in the present and detract from the period-authenticity of the book. These narrators feel free to mix contemporary and modern slang and use British together with American orthography (+neighbour+ and +jail+, respectively). Even when I understood their narratological function, I found they jerked me around too much. Then again, I am an editor and tend to be somewhat anal. There are also a few small things that were left unanswered, for example, did Dr. Clanny recognise Gustine as the body snatcher?
On the whole, the book is excellent.
Rating: 2
Summary: Dark and Dingy
Comment: Sheri Holman has crafted a wonderful poetic book for the truly pessimistic in The Dress Lodger. Gustine the 15 year old heroine of our tale lives in England in the 19th century during a cholera outbreak. She works as a potter's assistant during the day lifting 60 pound slabs of clay, at night she wears an elegant blue dress and sells herself to anyone handy. Always watching her is "The Eye" a ghoulish old woman whose duty is to see that Gustine doesn't make off with her earnings or the dress. Gustine is willing to sacrifice herself for a life for her baby. She hopes that Dr. Henry Chiver, a doctor she met while doing her rounds will be able to save her child.
Ms Holman is skilled with words and in parts of the tale you can feel and see the dreary English tenements. She has Charles Dickens like characters which are varied and interesting. Holman has an annoying (or at least I find it so) tendency for the modern narrator to but in and overtake the telling of the story. It makes it choppy and detracts from the story. It is not a device that is interesting or entertaining.
The story is so overwhelmingly pessimistic, that I forced myself to finish the book. I couldn't quite get past Gustine's age. For readers who want to find something redeeming and positive in a book, avoid it. For those who can withstand such a negative assault in lieu of poetic story-telling and fantastic imagery and characterization I can wholly recommend this book.
Rating: 5
Summary: Book of the Year, absolutely amazing!!
Comment: Another nomination for "book of the year" falls to this indefatigably entertaining historical fictional novel, _The Dress Lodger_. The novel touches on so many fascinating subjects, it is practically stunning in it's content alone.
There are going to be many readers perhaps unfamiliar with what a "dress lodger" is. The concept is based primarily on capitalization of the poor, and in more basic terminology, it occurs when an amoral, despicable landlord (who also rents to borders) negotiates payment for rental fees in the form of prostitution. In the bargain, he invests in an eye-catching, expensive high society gown that beckons richer clients and higher prices, places it on a wisp of a very young child/woman, and revels in the profits. It is best to take advantage of a very young lady, one in the most dire straits, such as our protagonist, Gustine (not Justine). Gustine is forced to accept no other option but to do this pimp's bidding. Not unexpectantly, she becomes pregnant in the normal course of her "job" and gives birth to a beautifully defected child afflicted with ectopia cordis, also known as a heart misplaced to the outside of the thorax, and literally visible to the world. Noticed immediately as a baby destined to die at any moment, the landlord suffers this inconvenience and sticks his 8 year old mentally handicapped kid as it's main caretaker. (You can see the train wreck coming...)
Overseeing all the the chaos is the bizarre old one eye woman that exchanges the favor of board and care for body guarding the prostitute. This is an assignment she takes quite seriously, and never, ever allows this young charge to leave her sights. Everything the young woman does is observed, (yes, everything) and it is all done to protect what is important.......the life of the dress. Once home, the dress is groomed diligently and restored prominently in the front room as a reminder to Gustine that after she is home from her miserable pottery assistant's job, she has one more job to fulfill.
The year is 1831, in England, and historically relevant for the cholera epidemic that struck and arrived in Sunderland, England. Medical Information was primary at best and generally distrusted and ignored by the population. The government correctly instituted quarantines, but these were largely violated and unsupported by most of the neighboring towns, cities,and especially rejected by the buisnesses that met the basic needs of these neighboring areas. When coupled with the need for furthur medical investigation and infection studies it was a most difficult period in human history.
The medical community required studies of the disease processes, and this in layman's terms meant they needed the bodies of dead people suspected of dying from not only cholera but other diseases as well. Because cholera was wiping out entire towns, it was imperative that the focus be on this disease entitiy. There was no other way to determine how the disease was spread, and to differentiate it from other diseases unless the doctors performed anatomical post mortem exams. Unfortunately, the general population, especially the poor, seriously mistrusted all physicians and suspected them of stealing their bodies for their demonic curiosities. This was the gravest of sins (no pun intended). The government was trying to furthur the work of physicians, as it understood the necessity of post mortem study and was short of passing the Anatomy Act, which would allow the doctors to obtain corpses legally. The rumor of this Act alone, generated rage amongst the poor, certain that they would be the bodies targeted and subjected to all sorts of disgusting experiments. Of these social complexites comes Dr. Henry Chiver, a very progressive, dynamic physician with an intense interest in cardiology. He, amongst other physicians became embroiled in a conspiracy to obtain cadavers in the infamous case of anatomist Hare and Burke who were socially indicted for murdur and grave/body snatching. Unfortunately, the conspiracy was involved in a despicable scam to murder poor and underpriviledged people which became exposed and caused the virtual lynching of the doctors involved. Dr. Chivers escaped, but with a load of remorse and internal conflict for which he ultimately paid dearly for. Despite the risk, he continues to need the necessary subjects..he must have bodies to study the human heart and with his desire comes the possible answer to saving the critically ill infant of Gustine. With such a promise, Gustine meets Dr. Chivers, and each use each other to meet their requirements. Gustine invests all her hope, and assists her doctor to obtain his necessary subjects.
And, so, Dr. Chivers and Gustine and becomes complicated by attraction and need. When Dr. Chivers discovers she has a son suffering with ectopia cordis the situation and relationship changes dramatically. The events become climatic as the cholera plague envelopes the city and the poor take to the streets in a rage against medical advancement.
 |
Title: Slammerkin by Emma Donoghue ISBN: 0156007479 Publisher: Harvest Books Pub. Date: 01 May, 2002 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
 |
Title: A Stolen Tongue by Sheri Holman ISBN: 0385491247 Publisher: Anchor Pub. Date: 20 January, 1998 List Price(USD): $13.00 |
 |
Title: The Mammoth Cheese: A Novel by Sheri Holman ISBN: 0871139006 Publisher: Atlantic Monthly Press Pub. Date: July, 2003 List Price(USD): $24.00 |
 |
Title: The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber ISBN: 0156028778 Publisher: Harvest Books Pub. Date: 01 September, 2003 List Price(USD): $15.00 |
 |
Title: Mirabilis by Susann Cokal ISBN: 042518532X Publisher: Berkley Pub Group Pub. Date: May, 2002 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
