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The Winter Dress

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( 1,055 ratings, 148 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
In The Winter Dress by Lauren Chater, the narrative unfolds around an art historian who discovers a stunning 17th-century dress preserved in a shipwreck. The story intricately weaves the modern-day mystery of the dress's origins with the life of the woman who once wore it, capturing themes of love, loss, and history's enduring influence. Set against the evocative backdrop of the Dutch Golden Age, the tale offers a rich tapestry of personal and historical intrigue.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

If you're fascinated by historical mysteries and enjoy stories that weave together the past and the present, this novel might captivate you. It intricately combines art, fashion, and history, offering a rich narrative that explores the discovery of a mysterious dress deeply embedded in history. Fans of detailed character development and evocative descriptions might find this historical fiction particularly intriguing.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Longlisted for the 2022 ARA Historical Novel Prize.

‘From a few shimmering strands of truth, Lauren Chater has spun an intriguing story of love, loss and fulfilment.’ Pip Williams, bestselling author of The Dictionary of Lost Words

Two women separated by centuries but connected by one beautiful silk dress. A captivating novel based on a real-life shipwreck discovered off Texel Island by the bestselling author of Gulliver's Wife, Lauren Chater.

The brightness of silk in that dull room was like the heavens parting after a storm ... She saw herself remade, no longer a poor laundress but a woman with means.

Jo Baaker, a textiles historian and Dutch expat, is drawn back to the island where she was born to investigate the provenance of a 17th-century silk dress. Retrieved by local divers from a sunken shipwreck, the dress offers tantalising clues about the way people lived and died during Holland's famous Golden Age.

Jo's research leads her to Anna Tesseltje, a poor Amsterdam laundress turned ladies’ companion who served the enigmatic artist Catharina van Shurman. The two women were said to share a powerful bond, so why did Anna abandon Catharina at the height of her misfortune?

Jo is convinced the truth lies hidden between the folds of this extraordinary dress. But as she delves deeper into Anna’s history, troubling details about her own past begin to emerge.

On the small Dutch island of Texel where fortunes are lost and secrets lie buried for centuries, Jo will finally discover the truth about herself and the woman who wore the Winter Dress.

Praise for The Winter Dress

'Chater has delivered a beautifully told story that takes an intriguing historical mystery and weaves it into a richly imagined tale that is every bit as breathtaking and beguiling as the remarkable dress it is based on.' Better Reading

‘Vivid, expansive and richly imagined, The Winter Dress weaves together a fascinating historical mystery and an uncompromising portrait of the possibility and price of female autonomy with remarkable and deeply affecting results.’ James Bradley, author of Wrack

'Wrap yourself in Chater's prose. The Winter Dress is a captivating tale of discovery and obsession by one of Australia's very best historical fiction authors. Absolutely essential reading.' Melissa Ashley, author of The Birdman’s Wife

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Winter Dress by Lauren Chater is praised for its intricate blend of historical mystery and the exploration of female autonomy. The book is described as richly imagined and captivating, offering a deeply affecting narrative. Reviewers highlight its engaging prose and laud it as essential reading for fans of historical fiction.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781761420719

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Australia

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 17 May 2023

Country: Australia

Imprint: Simon & Schuster Australia

DIMENSIONS

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 368

About the Author

Lauren Chater is the author of the historical novels The Lace Weaver, Gulliver's Wife, The Winter Dress and The Beauties. In 2018 she was awarded a grant by the Neilma Sidney Literary Fund, and The Winter Dress was longlisted for the 2022 ARA Historical Novel Prize. IG: @lauren_chater_author and visit laurenchater.com.

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