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The Paris Seamstress Natasha Lester Books

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The Paris Seamstress Natasha Lester Books

The Paris Seamstress was my first of Lester's books, and I was looking forward to the read after finding glowing reviews here and on Goodreads.

Lester's a talented writer, and I have no quarrel with her skill. My problem is with the storyline and characters, whom I struggled to like or relate to.

The young Estelle is selfish, (sometimes) clueless, and unappealingly self-absorbed. I pushed through her shallowness in the beginning of the book because I wanted to see what the hype was about. Thankfully, she improves a little in old age. Her granddaughter, Fabienne, is too unrealistic in her attitude toward her work. (I realize that this is fiction, but who's going to be able to just jet off right after starting her "dream job?") Sam's repression of his love for Estelle is pathetic; the man would declare himself earlier, especailly if he's man enough for Estelle at the end. The male romantic leads are too perfect: handsome, manly, romantic.

The story seems formulaic, and the author glosses overmost of the horrors of the war. (It's not a documentary, but Lester's depiction of Occupied Paris is too sanitized.) And I'm tired of books that bounce between generations. Been there, done that. It's as if authors can't find enough to build a story in one generation, and think, "Hey! Let's add an ancestor's story to flesh things out!"

All in all, the book disappointed me. I won't be reading another of Lester's works.


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The Paris Seamstress Natasha Lester Books Reviews

A well-researched story that needs to be read slowly, in order to absorb the rich details of characters and narrative. Bravo!
This book is absolutely beautiful. It tells the story of a young Estelle Bissette who escapes France weeks before the Germans arrive and lands in New York penniless but determined to break into the fashion industry. One is completely absorbed in her joie de vivre as she perseveres in this brutal business. The story is complex and rich in characters and laced with a great love. Her grand daughter Fabienne's continuation of her grandmother's legacy takes one into 2015. Ms. Lester takes you through the alleys of The Marais at a frightening pace and then through the steam and bustle of Seventh Avenue in the Garment District in New York. Her descriptions of couture and emotionally heartbreaking love deserve my rating of 5 stars. A wonderful read. Thank you Natasha Lester for sharing your gift.
The Paris Seamstress is by Natasha Lester. It is a story of sacrifice, second chances, bravery, and courage. It is also the story of love between Mother and Child.
Estella was the head of Stella Designs out of New York. She had come to the United States from Paris. At that time, all she knew was that her Father was an American. She had no idea who he was but it gave her a way to get into the United States at this time. She had jeopardized her place in Paris when she delivered a package to a spy when a friend asked her to. In order to save her life, her Mother sent her to the US with only a suitcase and her sewing machine. Through her perseverance, her love of designing, help from others, and lots of luck, she managed to create her own designs and make a name for herself in the United States. When she died, her estate went to her granddaughter, Fabiene who when she found her Father’s birth certificate realized he was not Estella’s child except by adoption. Her search to find out the truth about her ancestry takes her from New York City back to Paris during World War II. This is the story of her quest to find out who Estella really was.
The book is easy to read and takes you back to World War II and its aftermath. It is well-written and is very interesting.
The characters are engaging or interesting, as is the time setting, which gives a clear picture of the era in small portraits. There were two things that really detracted from my being fully staged in it. The first and most egregious was the way shift to conclusions some of the characters jumped to conclusions based on unverified beliefs. Really, it was aggravating and seemed inconsistent with the seemingly bright characters so it felt contrived for plot purposes.

The second aggravation was the skipping around in time. it did not work to enhance the story the way it should was done
I originally downloaded a free preview of this novel issued by Hatchette from Netgalley. After enjoying the four chapter taster, I bought and read The Paris Seamstress in full.

Told from a duel point of view, the narrative switches between the two female protagonists; Estella Bissette's life as a seamstress, living in nineteen-forty Paris before she is forced to flee to America to begin a new life. Fabienne Bissette, Estella's granddaughter brings the story to the present time as she delves into her family's past after her father, Xander died.

Filled with heartbreaking intrigue, the shocking discoveries made by Fabienne certainly add darkness to the riveting narrative. Fear not, there are plenty of high points too. With equally fascinating characters who pull everything together in this well-researched page-turner.

'That a piece of clothing could do so much. That it had power beyond the fabric and the thread and the pattern.'
It's always a delight to learn something new when reading a novel and I particularly enjoyed learning the fascinating details and techniques used by seamstresses working on couture designs. The insightful inclusion by the author is a fascinating embellishment for this curious reader. It's always a treat to finish a book knowing more than I did before I began.

My favourite reads for 2018 have mostly been those with a historical theme and The Paris Seamstress is definitely one which leaves a lasting impression.
This novel was somewhat interesting as I love the time period, but the story was just unbelievable and the characters were very stereotyped. The story line is okay, rather predictable, and this book does not compare with The Nightingale or House on the Rue Amelie.
The Paris Seamstress was my first of Lester's books, and I was looking forward to the read after finding glowing reviews here and on Goodreads.

Lester's a talented writer, and I have no quarrel with her skill. My problem is with the storyline and characters, whom I struggled to like or relate to.

The young Estelle is selfish, (sometimes) clueless, and unappealingly self-absorbed. I pushed through her shallowness in the beginning of the book because I wanted to see what the hype was about. Thankfully, she improves a little in old age. Her granddaughter, Fabienne, is too unrealistic in her attitude toward her work. (I realize that this is fiction, but who's going to be able to just jet off right after starting her "dream job?") Sam's repression of his love for Estelle is pathetic; the man would declare himself earlier, especailly if he's man enough for Estelle at the end. The male romantic leads are too perfect handsome, manly, romantic.

The story seems formulaic, and the author glosses overmost of the horrors of the war. (It's not a documentary, but Lester's depiction of Occupied Paris is too sanitized.) And I'm tired of books that bounce between generations. Been there, done that. It's as if authors can't find enough to build a story in one generation, and think, "Hey! Let's add an ancestor's story to flesh things out!"

All in all, the book disappointed me. I won't be reading another of Lester's works.