I ordered this book after reading Beryl Bainbridge's obituary in the newspaper. Such accolades! I felt like a dolt for never having read any of her work, so I chose "The Dressmaker" to begin.This slim novel is a testament to the power of the mundane. The book, nominated for the Booker prize, focuses on a small family in England during World War II: two old sisters and one brother, and the motherless child of that brother, Rita. The sisters, Auntie Nellie (the dressmaker of title) and Auntie Margot are in a constant sniping battle for control, but just when the reader thinks that Nellie is the cruel one, the tables are turned and Margot becomes the bitch.The lives of all of them are narrow, relatively joyless, proscribed by a provincial, religious upbringing that prevents any of them from "feeling the wind" and living. Sex is something of a joke. Rita, one of the most frustratingly ignorant, repressed, cabbage-brained young women I've ever come across in literature, falls in love with one of the despised "yanks." I use the term "love" loosely, because Rita, 17, has no idea that what she's feeling isn't love, but Bainbridge does, and her brilliant writing reveals the despairing grasping nature of youthful romantic inexperience. It's so hideous.I don't know how the author did it, but although next to nothing happens for the majority of the book, I was gripped by the power of the story. Bainbridge steps back and lets the characters do all the work. One example should do, to give a taste. At one point, Rita's "yank," Ira, who obviously cares nothing for Rita, makes a surprise appearance at her house during the afternoon. Auntie Marge, a woman in her fifties who likes the "lime-light" answers the door:"I rang Rita at work," he told her. "She said you were sick.""I'm not. I've got a--" She stopped because she didn't want to admit anything. He was looking at her opening the packet of cigarettes."Just a chill," she told him. "I'm off out now to me work. Did you want to see Rita?"She knew he didn't. He knew damn well Rita was at work. She was scandalised, and yet there was a little bubble of excitement in her, getting bigger and bigger at the thought. The ending blew my mind. And because I do not want to give away some of the more shocking aspects, all occurring within the last 15 pages, I can't say more. The pay off is huge.
As per a large number of her novels “The Dressmaker” is set in a working class family, this time in Liverpool during the Second World War. The main thread of the story follows the 17 year old Rita, naive and in love with an American who is a mechanic nearby. Rita was raised by her two aunts, Marge, who was once married to a soldier and is wise to the ways of the world, and Nellie, a dressmaker who covets their mother’s furniture in the hope of nothing changing.For my full review go to http://messybooker.blogspot.com
Do You like book The Dressmaker (2005)?
I was getting really fed up reading dubious choices from the bookgroups so I promised that I'd treat myself to a personal choice(from my ever growing list) and this did not disappoint. Set during the war, Rita a 17 year old who lives with her two aunts - one maiden Nellie - the dressmaker in question and one a widow Margo/Madge - Her father, Uncle Jack, left her with them when her mother died. Unfortunatley for her, Nellie is boss and has Edwardian ideas and values about how to bring children up so the repreession, the puts downs to Marge, the search for respectibility. Anyway she starts to date a Yank, Ira, the father's description of his prejudice is so real it lives on the pate. - She dates him in secret but it is obvious her love is unrequited - eventually he comes home for tea and the aunts immediatly recognise that. It was fantastic the way if was described - how they knew by his demenour - and how he didnt try (too casual) that they knew he wasnt serious about Rita - It brought me straight back to bringing Walter Scott back to Peter and Sues wedding and how all my family must have known and watched my infatuation turn into the misery of rejection. There's a very surprising ending and poor Ira gets it ... in the neck.
—Paula Maguire
Beryl Bainbridge is a genius, I really loved this short book set in wartime Liverpool.The story involves Rita a naive young girl living with her too aunts Margo and Nellie, when Rita meets Ira, a GI how will these repressed aunts take to him.Bainbridge not only creates realistic, unpleasant characters, but the cold, depressing atmosphere of their house is so vivid.I always imagined wartime Liverpool would be an exciting place of music and entertainment, not for the main characters in this book its not.
—minnie
