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The Midnight Dress
Quiet misfit Rose doesn't expect to fall in love with the sleepy beach town of Leonora. Nor does she expect to become fast friends with beautiful, vivacious Pearl Kelly, organizer of the high school float at the annual Harvest Festival parade. It's better not to get too attached when Rose and her father live on the road, driving their caravan from one place to the next whenever her dad gets itchy feet. But Rose can't resist the mysterious charms of the town or the popular girl, try as she might.
Pearl convinces Rose to visit Edie Baker, once a renowned dressmaker, now a rumored witch. Together Rose and Edie hand-stitch an unforgettable dress of midnight blue for Rose to wear at the Harvest Festival—a dress that will have long-lasting consequences on life in Leonora, a dress that will seal the fate of one of the girls. Karen Foxlee's breathtaking novel weaves friendship, magic, and a murder mystery into something moving, real, and distinctly original.
Pearl convinces Rose to visit Edie Baker, once a renowned dressmaker, now a rumored witch. Together Rose and Edie hand-stitch an unforgettable dress of midnight blue for Rose to wear at the Harvest Festival—a dress that will have long-lasting consequences on life in Leonora, a dress that will seal the fate of one of the girls. Karen Foxlee's breathtaking novel weaves friendship, magic, and a murder mystery into something moving, real, and distinctly original.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2013
About the author
Karen Foxlee
15 books237 followersKaren Foxlee is an Australian author who lives and writes in Queensland. Her young adult novels The Anatomy of Wings (UQP/Knopf/Atlantic) and The Midnight Dress (Knopf/UQP/Hot Key Books) have been published internationally to much acclaim. The Anatomy of Wings won the Commonwealth Writers Prize Best First Book 2008 (South Asia/Pacific), the Dobbie Award 2008, and a Parent’s Choice Gold Award in the U.S. The Midnight Dress was selected as an ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults title in 2014. Foxlee’s first middle grade novel Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy (Knopf / Hot Key Books) was published in January 2014 and to date has received several starred reviews.
Karen Foxlee was born in Mount Isa, Queensland in 1971. She has worked most of her adult life as a registered nurse, has a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a major in creative writing, and lives in Gympie, Australia.
Karen Foxlee was born in Mount Isa, Queensland in 1971. She has worked most of her adult life as a registered nurse, has a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a major in creative writing, and lives in Gympie, Australia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 323 reviews
July 25, 2015
The book opens with a girl wearing a dress the colour of midnight waiting in a park and sets a level of suspense and mystery for the rest of the story. Told in two time frames this is the story of a missing girl and the events that led to her disappearance.
Rose Lovell has arrived in the small town of Leonora in tropical Queensland with her drifter father. They have been on the road with their caravan constantly moving from one town to another since Rose's mother died when she was young. She know she doesn't fit in at the local high school and is amazed when she makes a friend in Pearl, a popular girl who lives with her Mum in a flat over their crystal and new age shop. Pearl and Rose are both at that age where they have just emerged from childhood into that beauty characteristic of very young women and have no idea of the effect they have on men. Pearl is organising the High School float in the annual parade and is adamant that Rose must have a dress made so she can join in. When Rose goes to see an old dressmaker, rumoured to be a witch, living in a decaying cottage at the foot of a mountain she is drawn in to her stories of the mountain and the rainforest.
This is a beautifully written book, very evocative and lyrical with atmospheric descriptions of the rainforest and the hidden bays of tropical Queensland. The cane cutters are waiting for the end of a long wet season and against the tension of everyone waiting for the humid weather to break is the tension that something is going to happen.In fact we know that something as happened as each chapter starts with a detective from Cairns who is investigating the disappearance of a girl. However, the author skillfully doesn't reveal what really did happen until the end of the book so the suspense stays high as we try to work it out. Although written for young adults this is a book that will be enjoyed by all adults.
March 16, 2013
Will you forgive me if I tell you the ending?
The Midnight Dress begins with a girl waiting anxiously in the darkness, the sounds of the town celebrating echoing in the distance, wondering what she will say when he comes for her. This is the girl that will disappear, the girl wearing the midnight dress.
The narrative shifts between the present, as a Detective searches for the missing girl, and the past as present as the midnight dress comes to be. Rose arrives in the small northern Queensland town of Paradise with her alcoholic father, is befriended by Pearl despite her reluctance and with the Harvest Parade celebration imminent agrees to work with the eccentric Edie Baker to create a dress for the occasion. A midnight dress of deep navy blue, mourning lace and glass beads, hand sewn by Rose while she listens to the stories Edie has to share.
I saw The Midnight Dress labeled as 'rural Australian gothic' (I am not really sure where - sorry about that) and thought it the perfect description. It has many of the elements associated with the genre - a wild, isolated landscape, a crumbling house, an illicit love affair, a lurking sense of something 'other'.
The suspense is finely crafted, despite the intertwining narrative that foreshadows the grief and loss. There is a haunted quality that reminds me of The Picnic at Hanging Rock, it has that sense of an inexorable slide towards tragedy, of menace waiting to take advantage of innocence.
The Midnight Dress is beautifully written with a lyrical rhythm and evocative language. I felt as though I could step inside Edie Baker's house, crowded with decaying junk, mildewed fabric and lost dreams. Gaze upon the looming mountain covered with dense forest, a waterfall burbling in the distance as the sweat of tropical humidity trickles uncomfortably down my spine. Spy on Pearl's flirtation with Paul amongst the tiny, musty rooms of the book exchange.
Despite the teenage protagonist I would say this novel exceeds the boundaries of young adult fiction, it is more than a coming of age tale even as it delves into the angst of adolescence. The Midnight Dress is compelling, a story of loss, of yearning and dark enchantment and leaves me eager to read more from Karen Foxlee.
August 24, 2013
It took me a little while to read through this one--but it was a lovely book--it's a mystery, it's got some magical realism in it, very subtle though--and it is a story-within-a-story format, which I LOVE. It's an Aussie setting, and unlike most of the Aussie books I've read, the setting isn't urban but VERY rural: a tiny town in Queensland. It's a tropical setting, there are cane farms and rocky beaches, and loads of jungle (bush). What struck me most was the mention of all the Australian flora and fauna--exotic names and descriptions of plants and trees I've never heard of before-- the landscape and the nature found in it played a HUGE role in this book. I loved that about it.
I guess technically this is a YA book--though it read like an adult book in my opinion, I think there would be wide crossover appeal there.
More soon:)
*Updated Review*
I didn't know, when I read the synopsis of The Midnight Dress, that it was written by an Australian writer and took place in that country. I adore just about very Australian work I have ever read--but something stood out in this synopsis and I was excited to get the opportunity to read it and all that was before I knew it was an Aussie. I think it was the hints at magical realism--missing girls, and outcast girls and beautiful midnight blue dresses sewn by supposed local witches-- that was SO appealing to me. Now throw in the fact that it's written by an Aussie (we all know how incredible they all seem to be) and set in Australia and we have the makings of a fantastic read.
And guess what? It was. But what was even more fantastic were the surprises. Like how literary it reads. Or how it feels like it could be written for both young adults and adults. And, for me, something that really stood out was the fact that it is set, not in the more populous, urban settings of Sydney or Melbourne, but in a rural setting near Cairns, Queensland. Queensland; the northern part of the continent, bordering the ocean and filled with jungles, cane farms and rocky seaside cliffs.
I LOVED this about The Midnight Dress. I loved the steamy, overgrown, wet setting of bush and cane fields. I have read Melina Marchetta and Kirsty Eagar and Cath Crowley with their gritty, raw city settings but in Foxlee's books it was just the opposite. It was small town life, where everyone knows everyone and is all up in their business all the time. And I loved all the incredibly mysterious, exotic, FOREIGN flora and fauna that Foxlee writes about. It played a big role in this book, and really made an impression on me.
I also loved that it's a story within a story--a style that I will probably never tire of in the books that I read. The book jumps back and forth in time. We read about protagonist Rose, the outcast, the drifter teen with the drifter/ alcoholic father, and then we read about the after--the events following a terrible event--the disappearance? the murder? of a yet-to-be-identified girl in the small town of Leonora.
But we also get the story of the local seamstress Edie, the woman Rose commissions to sew a dress for a local formal, and it's Edie's stories that absolutely captivated me. I have a soft spot for books that involve sewing, quilting, weaving-- I think it is because my grandmother was accomplished at crocheting, and it was always an important part of my life growing up with her. Rose and Edie eventually form a bond--magic in it's own right because Rose is as distant as closed off as they come. I loved the interactions between these two characters, as their trust and affection for each other grew. It is definitely my favorite part of this story.
I don't want to talk too much about the ins and outs of the book. It is a suspense and a mystery wrapped up in a coming of age story, and I think it is best to go into it NOT knowing a whole lot beforehand. But the writing drew me in and the story kept me engaged. The Midnight Dress is definitely one of those books that you will think about long after you've finished reading. It is a standalone (so far as I know) and while not all loose ends are tied up--it felt to me like it concluded well. There is a twist at the very, very end that had me smiling and wondering about these characters and their future.
So, in summation: do you love Aussie writers and books? Do you love mystery and suspense? Are you a fan of YA that straddles the line and almost reads like an adult work of fiction? Do you love literary writing, writing that definitely sets a mood and has a distinct tone? Then you should pick this book up and give it a try. I don't think you'll regret it:)
I guess technically this is a YA book--though it read like an adult book in my opinion, I think there would be wide crossover appeal there.
More soon:)
*Updated Review*
I didn't know, when I read the synopsis of The Midnight Dress, that it was written by an Australian writer and took place in that country. I adore just about very Australian work I have ever read--but something stood out in this synopsis and I was excited to get the opportunity to read it and all that was before I knew it was an Aussie. I think it was the hints at magical realism--missing girls, and outcast girls and beautiful midnight blue dresses sewn by supposed local witches-- that was SO appealing to me. Now throw in the fact that it's written by an Aussie (we all know how incredible they all seem to be) and set in Australia and we have the makings of a fantastic read.
And guess what? It was. But what was even more fantastic were the surprises. Like how literary it reads. Or how it feels like it could be written for both young adults and adults. And, for me, something that really stood out was the fact that it is set, not in the more populous, urban settings of Sydney or Melbourne, but in a rural setting near Cairns, Queensland. Queensland; the northern part of the continent, bordering the ocean and filled with jungles, cane farms and rocky seaside cliffs.
I LOVED this about The Midnight Dress. I loved the steamy, overgrown, wet setting of bush and cane fields. I have read Melina Marchetta and Kirsty Eagar and Cath Crowley with their gritty, raw city settings but in Foxlee's books it was just the opposite. It was small town life, where everyone knows everyone and is all up in their business all the time. And I loved all the incredibly mysterious, exotic, FOREIGN flora and fauna that Foxlee writes about. It played a big role in this book, and really made an impression on me.
I also loved that it's a story within a story--a style that I will probably never tire of in the books that I read. The book jumps back and forth in time. We read about protagonist Rose, the outcast, the drifter teen with the drifter/ alcoholic father, and then we read about the after--the events following a terrible event--the disappearance? the murder? of a yet-to-be-identified girl in the small town of Leonora.
But we also get the story of the local seamstress Edie, the woman Rose commissions to sew a dress for a local formal, and it's Edie's stories that absolutely captivated me. I have a soft spot for books that involve sewing, quilting, weaving-- I think it is because my grandmother was accomplished at crocheting, and it was always an important part of my life growing up with her. Rose and Edie eventually form a bond--magic in it's own right because Rose is as distant as closed off as they come. I loved the interactions between these two characters, as their trust and affection for each other grew. It is definitely my favorite part of this story.
I don't want to talk too much about the ins and outs of the book. It is a suspense and a mystery wrapped up in a coming of age story, and I think it is best to go into it NOT knowing a whole lot beforehand. But the writing drew me in and the story kept me engaged. The Midnight Dress is definitely one of those books that you will think about long after you've finished reading. It is a standalone (so far as I know) and while not all loose ends are tied up--it felt to me like it concluded well. There is a twist at the very, very end that had me smiling and wondering about these characters and their future.
So, in summation: do you love Aussie writers and books? Do you love mystery and suspense? Are you a fan of YA that straddles the line and almost reads like an adult work of fiction? Do you love literary writing, writing that definitely sets a mood and has a distinct tone? Then you should pick this book up and give it a try. I don't think you'll regret it:)
May 4, 2020
This was a really, really well written enjoyable book. I am honestly a little surprised it took me so long to get to it.
Set entirely in Far North Queensland, the descriptions of the town, rainforest, sea an region are spot on! I living in FNQ for quite a while and this book skillfully brought the region luminously to life. The deft handling of the small details was utterly charming to anyone who has spent time in our tropics, I hope it would be as charming and as evocative to others as well. I could see the town so clearly through the eyes of the author, I wonder if I can guess which town it was modeled on?
Now, as to the plot, the back cover does not do in justice "A GIRL IS MISSING" it blares at you, making you think it is a mystery. It is a mystery, in a way,but the mystery is subtle a curious,organic blending of past and present, emotions and the inner lives of the characters in the novel.
Fifteen year old Rose Lovell and her father are driffters, traveling around the country towing their caravan, Mr Lovell has a a very clear pattern, get to a new place, love it and stay sober for a few weeks, then get drunk wreck it all and move on. Rose has become miserable and numb over the years since her mother died and tags aimlessly along.
Then, the beginning of the story, they reach the town in Innifail *cough* sorry, Leonora and while Rose did not plan on enrolling in school, the caravan park owner seems all set to ring social services, so she does. This makes a huge difference in her life as she is befriended by the effervescent Pearl Kelly who we suspect becomes Rose's first ever friend. Pearl is beautiful and popular, but she is also quirky, curious and sees the best in everyone. Rose tries to push her away at first but Pearl never even notices and they become friends.
Now we encounter the main theme of the book, Leonora has a harvest festival each year and all the high school girls get fancy dresses, Rose ends up going to an old local woman, Edie who lives alone under the shadow of the past, in a disintegrating old Queenslander house on the edge of the rainforest. She will make Rose a dress for the festival, the midnight, magical dress of the title. But she will only do it if Rose helps her make it. he descriptions of planning and making the dress, and the stories Edie tells of her past while making it are the main narrative of the book.
Now, the narrative has past/present motif, from the start we have the story of Rose, Pearl and the midnight dress that is the backbone of this very, very nicely planned book. We also have the further past of Edie's story's of her life and ancestry, that are relevant to the location. But the part that brings in the tension, the knowledge that a crime of some kind has been committed, that the midnight dress is somehow a catalyst for something very bad....That part is downright masterful!
Throughout we have italicized sections which follow the aftermath of whatever happened, of the Cairns detective summoned to solve a mysterious crime which we never quite hear about, it is hinted at and teases you along through the story. The first sentence in the book is Will you forgive me if I tell you the ending? but it is deceptive, we never know the ending until we have read all the way through.
Great book, I was way more impressed that I expected to be.
Set entirely in Far North Queensland, the descriptions of the town, rainforest, sea an region are spot on! I living in FNQ for quite a while and this book skillfully brought the region luminously to life. The deft handling of the small details was utterly charming to anyone who has spent time in our tropics, I hope it would be as charming and as evocative to others as well. I could see the town so clearly through the eyes of the author, I wonder if I can guess which town it was modeled on?
Now, as to the plot, the back cover does not do in justice "A GIRL IS MISSING" it blares at you, making you think it is a mystery. It is a mystery, in a way,but the mystery is subtle a curious,organic blending of past and present, emotions and the inner lives of the characters in the novel.
Fifteen year old Rose Lovell and her father are driffters, traveling around the country towing their caravan, Mr Lovell has a a very clear pattern, get to a new place, love it and stay sober for a few weeks, then get drunk wreck it all and move on. Rose has become miserable and numb over the years since her mother died and tags aimlessly along.
Then, the beginning of the story, they reach the town in
Now we encounter the main theme of the book, Leonora has a harvest festival each year and all the high school girls get fancy dresses, Rose ends up going to an old local woman, Edie who lives alone under the shadow of the past, in a disintegrating old Queenslander house on the edge of the rainforest. She will make Rose a dress for the festival, the midnight, magical dress of the title. But she will only do it if Rose helps her make it. he descriptions of planning and making the dress, and the stories Edie tells of her past while making it are the main narrative of the book.
Now, the narrative has past/present motif, from the start we have the story of Rose, Pearl and the midnight dress that is the backbone of this very, very nicely planned book. We also have the further past of Edie's story's of her life and ancestry, that are relevant to the location. But the part that brings in the tension, the knowledge that a crime of some kind has been committed, that the midnight dress is somehow a catalyst for something very bad....That part is downright masterful!
Throughout we have italicized sections which follow the aftermath of whatever happened, of the Cairns detective summoned to solve a mysterious crime which we never quite hear about, it is hinted at and teases you along through the story. The first sentence in the book is Will you forgive me if I tell you the ending? but it is deceptive, we never know the ending until we have read all the way through.
Great book, I was way more impressed that I expected to be.
Read
October 8, 2013One of my favorites of 2013!
I went into this book expecting the typical YA paranormal -- new girl in town, big dance coming up at school, prom dress…. yada, yada -- the same story I've read a dozen times over.
What I got instead was a spellbinding story that's one part dark fairy tale, one part coming of age story, one part mystery. Told in beautiful -- yet compellingly readable -- prose, with vivid setting, and an inventive narrative structure, The Midnight Dress had me enthralled from the first sentence.
I loved the way that the book's narrative flashed forward and back, alternating between the investigation of a tragedy on the night of the Harvest Festival to the story of Rose Lovell, who arrives in a sleepy beach town in Queensland, Australia, with her charming, ne'er-do-well father. In the wrong hands, this kind of technique can be confusing, but it worked beautifully here. Each storyline -- the investigation and Rose's integration into town -- moves forward on its own, but each illuminates the other.
The story is set in Queensland, Australia in 1986. (I hadn't even realized that the book was set in the 1980s until one of the characters referred to a major world event.) As in many Australian novels, the setting is a central part of the story. From the violent rainstorms of the "wet"season to the snakes that slither through the sugar cane fields, the book's descriptions convey the simultaneous beauty and menace of nature.
The Midnight Dress is one of those books that feels as if it was casting a magical spell over me as I read. There are the two main story lines, as described above, but then the narrative is also filled with other, smaller stories of love and betrayal and tragedy. Rose's friend Pearl tells Rose about the wildly romantic (and wildly improbable) plots of the romance novels she picks up at the Blue Moon Book Exchange. As Rose and town recluse Edie Baker work to sew Rose's Harvest Festival dress, Edie tells Rose strange and tragic stories about her family. As I read, I could feel the way that all Rose's emotions and all Edie's family history were being sewn right into Rose's dress. By the time the Harvest Festival arrives, I was almost expecting something really dramatic and crazy -- Carrie-prom-style. But, when the tragedy was finally revealed, it was like everything else in this book -- understated and deeply resonant.
I highly recommend this one, especially to fans of dark, lush, atmospheric books like Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke or Chime by Franny Billingsley.
I went into this book expecting the typical YA paranormal -- new girl in town, big dance coming up at school, prom dress…. yada, yada -- the same story I've read a dozen times over.
What I got instead was a spellbinding story that's one part dark fairy tale, one part coming of age story, one part mystery. Told in beautiful -- yet compellingly readable -- prose, with vivid setting, and an inventive narrative structure, The Midnight Dress had me enthralled from the first sentence.
I loved the way that the book's narrative flashed forward and back, alternating between the investigation of a tragedy on the night of the Harvest Festival to the story of Rose Lovell, who arrives in a sleepy beach town in Queensland, Australia, with her charming, ne'er-do-well father. In the wrong hands, this kind of technique can be confusing, but it worked beautifully here. Each storyline -- the investigation and Rose's integration into town -- moves forward on its own, but each illuminates the other.
The story is set in Queensland, Australia in 1986. (I hadn't even realized that the book was set in the 1980s until one of the characters referred to a major world event.) As in many Australian novels, the setting is a central part of the story. From the violent rainstorms of the "wet"season to the snakes that slither through the sugar cane fields, the book's descriptions convey the simultaneous beauty and menace of nature.
The Midnight Dress is one of those books that feels as if it was casting a magical spell over me as I read. There are the two main story lines, as described above, but then the narrative is also filled with other, smaller stories of love and betrayal and tragedy. Rose's friend Pearl tells Rose about the wildly romantic (and wildly improbable) plots of the romance novels she picks up at the Blue Moon Book Exchange. As Rose and town recluse Edie Baker work to sew Rose's Harvest Festival dress, Edie tells Rose strange and tragic stories about her family. As I read, I could feel the way that all Rose's emotions and all Edie's family history were being sewn right into Rose's dress. By the time the Harvest Festival arrives, I was almost expecting something really dramatic and crazy -- Carrie-prom-style. But, when the tragedy was finally revealed, it was like everything else in this book -- understated and deeply resonant.
I highly recommend this one, especially to fans of dark, lush, atmospheric books like Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke or Chime by Franny Billingsley.
February 19, 2019
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When Rosie moves to the small town of Lenora with her alcoholic father, she doesn't expect to stay long. She definitely doesn't think she'll stay long enough to take part in the Harvest Day Parade. Then she meets a girl named Pearl and she convinces her to get her dress from an old lady named Edie Baker, the towns rumored witch. They make a beautiful gown of midnight blue together which ends with one of the girls going missing.
This book was incredibly boring in my opinion. I liked the prologues at the beginning of the chapters but for the most part, the rest of the story didn't catch my attention what so ever. I didn't connect to any of the characters or care about what happened to them. This book has very positive reviews, so maybe I just read it at the wrong time in my life to get the full enjoyment out of the story that so many others seem to have had.
When Rosie moves to the small town of Lenora with her alcoholic father, she doesn't expect to stay long. She definitely doesn't think she'll stay long enough to take part in the Harvest Day Parade. Then she meets a girl named Pearl and she convinces her to get her dress from an old lady named Edie Baker, the towns rumored witch. They make a beautiful gown of midnight blue together which ends with one of the girls going missing.
This book was incredibly boring in my opinion. I liked the prologues at the beginning of the chapters but for the most part, the rest of the story didn't catch my attention what so ever. I didn't connect to any of the characters or care about what happened to them. This book has very positive reviews, so maybe I just read it at the wrong time in my life to get the full enjoyment out of the story that so many others seem to have had.
January 12, 2015
Since the reviews were so good for this book I was excited to read it. However, after the first chapter my enthusiasm waned. I felt that the writing was disjointed, jumping from one storyline or character point of view to the next. As far as the plot goes, I figured out who the missing girl was, what happened to her, and who did it by page 95. But I kept reading to fill in the details.
As far as the characters go, I felt like Rose wasn't developed enough. She would randomly say something but then at times it would never be explained why she said it. Maybe that's just how I read it, but she came across as very apathetic. I did really like Edie's character and felt as though she was really fleshed out through her stories. Pearl was a likable character and seemed very well thought out. All the side characters, even the dad, were forgettable.
Overall, the story was okay, but predictable.
As far as the characters go, I felt like Rose wasn't developed enough. She would randomly say something but then at times it would never be explained why she said it. Maybe that's just how I read it, but she came across as very apathetic. I did really like Edie's character and felt as though she was really fleshed out through her stories. Pearl was a likable character and seemed very well thought out. All the side characters, even the dad, were forgettable.
Overall, the story was okay, but predictable.
November 30, 2014
A gorgeous slip of the book that excels in creating that elusive thing: atmosphere. And despite seemingly displaying its twists and turns for all to see from the very beginning, it manages to surprise, particularly in a stabby-heart kind of way.
Anyone who loved The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender will appreciate this. It has the same tragic family legends, the same magical devotion to a craft (here it is dressmaking instead of baking) and the same hard-earned wisdom about life. The best YA book I've read in ages, probably because the only YA thing about it is the age of its characters.
Anyone who loved The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender will appreciate this. It has the same tragic family legends, the same magical devotion to a craft (here it is dressmaking instead of baking) and the same hard-earned wisdom about life. The best YA book I've read in ages, probably because the only YA thing about it is the age of its characters.
August 17, 2023
Excerpt from my review - originally published at Offbeat YA.
Pros: Atmospheric read, with characters who get under your skin. Evocative writing.
Cons: Quiet (if gloomy) story, where not much happens - at least on the surface.
WARNING! Description of a dead body (not graphic). Suicide by hanging. Alcohol addiction. An inappropriate relationship. The prelude to a would-be sex scene. A couple of male anatomy references.
Will appeal to: Those who can appreciate a subtly woven, darkly magical tale.
This is not only a reread book (which is usually the case when I write a full review), but a re-reread one. And I ended up giving it the full 5-star treatment (I originally rated it 4.5 in my 2018 mini-review), because even if not much happens, the story, the characters and the overall magic never get old for me. Also, just so you get your bearings: the story is set in 1986, in a small Australian beach town.
THE HEART OF THE MATTER
This is one of those quiet books where - despite a murder (and a murder mystery at that) being at its center, and a suicide occurring later in the story - it feels like nothing happens...except there's a lot boiling down the surface. I wouldn't even go as far as to say that it's character-driven, though some of the characters do stand out. The best way I can describe it is, it's magic-driven...and no, I don't mean magical realism. It's just that the atmosphere, the protagonist, the dressmaker's family tale, the (spellbinding) writing, all together create a thing of beauty, sad and melancholic, and yet warm and cozy like an old blanket. The mystery itself isn't hard to figure out, even if until the end there's an ambiguity about the perpetrator...but not about the victim, not anymore - if there ever was, because to me, it was clear early on which of the girls was killed...and then again I don't think that her identity was the point: it was more about how she ended up there. What I mean is, for a murder-mystery-centered book, TMD reads awfully (or, well, beautifully) like a mesmerising story about family and friendship, memories and choices, and about how love won't necessarily save you but can damn you instead. [...]
Whole review here.
Pros: Atmospheric read, with characters who get under your skin. Evocative writing.
Cons: Quiet (if gloomy) story, where not much happens - at least on the surface.
WARNING! Description of a dead body (not graphic). Suicide by hanging. Alcohol addiction. An inappropriate relationship. The prelude to a would-be sex scene. A couple of male anatomy references.
Will appeal to: Those who can appreciate a subtly woven, darkly magical tale.
This is not only a reread book (which is usually the case when I write a full review), but a re-reread one. And I ended up giving it the full 5-star treatment (I originally rated it 4.5 in my 2018 mini-review), because even if not much happens, the story, the characters and the overall magic never get old for me. Also, just so you get your bearings: the story is set in 1986, in a small Australian beach town.
THE HEART OF THE MATTER
This is one of those quiet books where - despite a murder (and a murder mystery at that) being at its center, and a suicide occurring later in the story - it feels like nothing happens...except there's a lot boiling down the surface. I wouldn't even go as far as to say that it's character-driven, though some of the characters do stand out. The best way I can describe it is, it's magic-driven...and no, I don't mean magical realism. It's just that the atmosphere, the protagonist, the dressmaker's family tale, the (spellbinding) writing, all together create a thing of beauty, sad and melancholic, and yet warm and cozy like an old blanket. The mystery itself isn't hard to figure out, even if until the end there's an ambiguity about the perpetrator...but not about the victim, not anymore - if there ever was, because to me, it was clear early on which of the girls was killed...and then again I don't think that her identity was the point: it was more about how she ended up there. What I mean is, for a murder-mystery-centered book, TMD reads awfully (or, well, beautifully) like a mesmerising story about family and friendship, memories and choices, and about how love won't necessarily save you but can damn you instead. [...]
Whole review here.
January 2, 2014
The Midnight Dress is a beautiful, haunting, tragic tale of love and loss and yearning. Told in a series of stories within stories, it circles around the mysterious disappearance of a girl one night in a far north Queensland town. The setting is superbly created, the characters are vivid and achingly alive, and the writing is exquisite. I particularly loved the character of the old seamstress Edie who, by teaching the young, sullen heroine Rose to sew and telling her stories of her own past, teaches Rose how to live. A standout read of the year for me.
October 1, 2015
This is in the same vein as Gone Girl or Girl on a Train; the author appears to be straightforward, but is really misleading the reader. I was not completely misled (figured out both "switcheroos" about half way through), but I did enjoy watching it unfold. Both Rose and Pearl were believable teenagers (although in different ways) and the story was complex enough without relying on convenience or obvious distractions.
I think my only complaint was that there was no real insights or witty commentary. It truly is just a story, but it is a good one.
I think my only complaint was that there was no real insights or witty commentary. It truly is just a story, but it is a good one.
April 9, 2017
I tried to like this book, really. Alas, it was just kind of boring. Most of the characters were boring. Oh well, they can't all be "my favorite book ever"!
December 16, 2013
I got a copy of this book to review through the Amazon Vine program. I thought the premise was fascinating and had heard some great things about this book. It ended up being a very interesting and creepy young adult horror/paranormal read.
This is about a girl named Rose who moves with her nomadic father to the city of Paradise. There she meets a girl named Pearl who convinces Rose to have an old woman named Evie help Rose make a dress for the upcoming Harvest Festival. As things start to unfold, tragedy befalls the town of Paradise...all because of the events surrounding the midnight blue dress that Evie and Rose make.
The book was formatted in a really interesting way. Each chapter starts with an italicized portion that is in current time, then the book goes back to the past and the majority of the chapter is spent in the past figuring out how Evie and Pearl got to where they are in the present.
The writing is beautiful, the pace of the story is deliberate and mysterious. This is basically about an unlikely friendship between two girls who are each suffering through their own problems. It is a creepy story, mainly because of Rose’s unpredictable and sometimes drunken father and because of an older man named Paul that Pearl is infatuated with.
Rose is an interesting character. She moves a lot and has a hard time making friends. Her father is also very poor, so she doesn’t have much in the way of material items. For some reason Pearl takes an interest in Rose and kind of adopts her; Rose is stunned by this but also somewhat grateful to finally have someone in her life that she can share things with.
Pearl is also an interesting character. She is a romantic and constantly dreams of leaving town and exploring the wider world. Pearl thinks everything is beautiful and that it is all a game. She expects the best of everyone, most of the time this brings out the best in everyone but sometimes it leads people to expect things from her they shouldn’t.
There is some magical realism in here, but when I think back to the story everything can pretty much be explained through non-magical means. There are hints that the dress Rose and Evie make is something more and that Evie has roots in witchcraft.
There are some pretty big twists right at the end of the story. You totally think you know what is going on and then bam! the story takes you by surprise. It doesn’t feel contrived or anything, and after you find out what really happened you find yourself thinking back to the story and then going “Huh, yeah, that completely makes sense.”
Overall this was an intriguing book. While not the type of book I would normally read, it was an engaging book that was beautifully written. The story was told in a very creative way and I love how we got glimpses of the present while we were being told the story that led to that present. I would recommend to those who love creepy thriller-like reads with some magical realism in them.
This is about a girl named Rose who moves with her nomadic father to the city of Paradise. There she meets a girl named Pearl who convinces Rose to have an old woman named Evie help Rose make a dress for the upcoming Harvest Festival. As things start to unfold, tragedy befalls the town of Paradise...all because of the events surrounding the midnight blue dress that Evie and Rose make.
The book was formatted in a really interesting way. Each chapter starts with an italicized portion that is in current time, then the book goes back to the past and the majority of the chapter is spent in the past figuring out how Evie and Pearl got to where they are in the present.
The writing is beautiful, the pace of the story is deliberate and mysterious. This is basically about an unlikely friendship between two girls who are each suffering through their own problems. It is a creepy story, mainly because of Rose’s unpredictable and sometimes drunken father and because of an older man named Paul that Pearl is infatuated with.
Rose is an interesting character. She moves a lot and has a hard time making friends. Her father is also very poor, so she doesn’t have much in the way of material items. For some reason Pearl takes an interest in Rose and kind of adopts her; Rose is stunned by this but also somewhat grateful to finally have someone in her life that she can share things with.
Pearl is also an interesting character. She is a romantic and constantly dreams of leaving town and exploring the wider world. Pearl thinks everything is beautiful and that it is all a game. She expects the best of everyone, most of the time this brings out the best in everyone but sometimes it leads people to expect things from her they shouldn’t.
There is some magical realism in here, but when I think back to the story everything can pretty much be explained through non-magical means. There are hints that the dress Rose and Evie make is something more and that Evie has roots in witchcraft.
There are some pretty big twists right at the end of the story. You totally think you know what is going on and then bam! the story takes you by surprise. It doesn’t feel contrived or anything, and after you find out what really happened you find yourself thinking back to the story and then going “Huh, yeah, that completely makes sense.”
Overall this was an intriguing book. While not the type of book I would normally read, it was an engaging book that was beautifully written. The story was told in a very creative way and I love how we got glimpses of the present while we were being told the story that led to that present. I would recommend to those who love creepy thriller-like reads with some magical realism in them.
March 24, 2013
The Midnight Dress is not classified as a YA novel (it's a coming of age tale, really, and many literary fiction titles for a general adult audience focus on this adolescent angst without explicitly being YA), though it features teenaged protagonists. The Midnight Dress is beautifully written, slightly surreal, just exquisite. Though it didn't interest me based on the blurb, once I started reading I was entirely entranced. It's unique and lovely, but also very dark - I recommend it to older teenaged readers looking for a more literary novel as well as adult readers.
I so loved Edie's sad tales of her youth and great love, and Pearl's search for her Russian father. There really is a lot of sadness in this novel, but it's magical, too. While it works extraordinarily on a character level (every character raw and honest and sad), it's also well-constructed plot-wise. The foreshadowing and mystery are nuanced, the two alternating narratives at different points in time slowly converging, making it very difficult to stop reading until one discovers the truth. It's set in Cairns in the 1970s, and there is a lovely timeless quality to it, and the theme of loss of innocence is exaggerated by the fact that it's set in what's considered a more innocent time.
It reminded me of One Long Thread by Belinda Jeffrey, for a few reasons, namely the narrative being focused around the construction of a dress, and the influence of an elderly woman in the making of the dress (In One Long Thread it's Grandma Pearl, in The Midnight Dress it's Edie), and the magic inherent in the process. It's being published in the US this October, I believe, which is wonderful. It's a compelling and heartbreaking novel.
I so loved Edie's sad tales of her youth and great love, and Pearl's search for her Russian father. There really is a lot of sadness in this novel, but it's magical, too. While it works extraordinarily on a character level (every character raw and honest and sad), it's also well-constructed plot-wise. The foreshadowing and mystery are nuanced, the two alternating narratives at different points in time slowly converging, making it very difficult to stop reading until one discovers the truth. It's set in Cairns in the 1970s, and there is a lovely timeless quality to it, and the theme of loss of innocence is exaggerated by the fact that it's set in what's considered a more innocent time.
It reminded me of One Long Thread by Belinda Jeffrey, for a few reasons, namely the narrative being focused around the construction of a dress, and the influence of an elderly woman in the making of the dress (In One Long Thread it's Grandma Pearl, in The Midnight Dress it's Edie), and the magic inherent in the process. It's being published in the US this October, I believe, which is wonderful. It's a compelling and heartbreaking novel.
July 26, 2017
Das war leider so gar nicht mein Fall. Die meiste Zeit dröppelt das Buch einfach nur vor sich hin und es passiert einfach kaum etwas. Auf den letzten 200 Seiten (also eigentlich fast das ganze Buch) habe ich mich richtig gelangweilt. Beim Lesen hatte ich die ganze Zeit einen Verdacht, welches Mädchen nun verschwunden ist, warum und vor allem, wer der Täter ist. Und surprise, es stimmte. Von daher kann ich das Buch leider nicht empfehlen, auch wenn es so vielen vor mir sehr gut gefallen hat.
November 7, 2022
To była tak nietypowa książka. Nie działo się w niej dużo, ale to tylko podkreśliło to, co działo się w zakończeniu. Zostawiła mnie z pustką w głowie, ale burzą uczuć w sercu.
Nie była perfekcyjna. Może mogłaby być lepiej przetłumaczona. Niektórzy polegną, bo uznają, że jest nudna. Kogoś może rozczaruje.
Dla mnie była genialna.
Nie była perfekcyjna. Może mogłaby być lepiej przetłumaczona. Niektórzy polegną, bo uznają, że jest nudna. Kogoś może rozczaruje.
Dla mnie była genialna.
January 17, 2019
One of my favourite reads in a very long time.
September 5, 2020
Just beautiful and heart breaking
December 27, 2013
I was completely captivated by this story. The combination of the exotic (well, exotic to me, at least) setting and the compelling main character made for a page-turning read, that once I finished, I wanted to start all over again. That doesn't usually happen to me in a book, which makes me glad that this is the last book of the year that I finished, letting me end my reading on a high note.
So let's start with the setting. Rose and her father move to a small, rural town in Australia, which is described so well by the author that I could feel the humidity closing in on me at times. Admittedly, I don't like heat and humidity at all, so reading this book sometimes made me want to fan myself (or at least step outside for a moment. I live in the Chicago area, so it's nice and cold right now). The town, itself, isn't described so much as some of the parts that are outside of town, like where Rose and her father live, and where the dressmaker's house is. I've never been to Australia, so I wasn't familiar with some of the plants and animals in the book. However, this just made me want to look them up, and hope they were all real.
And speaking of settings, the house that Edie (the dressmaker) lives in is a character all unto itself. The author creates something that seems to be more than a house, almost, where there might just be small bits of magic happening. It's not the loveliest house; actually, it's far from it. "The house is falling apart. There's a tree growing through the front stairs. Everywhere there's the detritus of the forest. The leaves drying in small piles in the corners of rooms and seedpods jammed in the floorboards. The curtains are dappled with mildew and festooned with spiderwebs." (p. 45-46). But somehow, despite its condition (and apparent smell, I'd imagine, considering the mildew and constant humidity), it's fascinating. It's hard to imagine Edie living in it, but at the same time, it's completely appropriate.
The characters are well-written, and not all of them are likable (which is perfectly fine with me - I don't need to like a character, as long as I find them interesting). Rose is a bit prickly and difficult, and a real opposite to Pearl. Her home situation is also the opposite of Pearl, so I found it interesting that we have two teen characters who are similar and different, and we have the adults that way, as well. I liked that not all of the adults were wonderful, and helpful, and supportive. What I mean is: Rose's father isn't that great of a father, and I liked that he's this way, because it felt more realistic to me.
One of the things that I enjoyed in this book was that there is a story within a story going on here. You get Rose's story, in the present (more or less), as well as the story that is going on right after someone (actually, two people) go missing. You get the perspective from Rose, but you also get the perspective from Detective Glass. I also liked that when Rose meets Edie and gets to know her, that Edie tells her stories of her own life. So, it's stories wrapped in stories (like a wonderful present in a beautiful box filled with layers of colorful tissue paper). I wasn't always sure what was going to happen, either, which made it a great read.
This is one of the most beautiful books that I've read, mostly because it's beautifully written, but also because I felt like it was intelligently written. It made me want to look up things, and places. It made me imagine things, and it made me feel like I wanted to know some of the characters better. It made me wonder about what happened to some of them after the book. It's a talent not all authors have, and one that I really appreciate.
So let's start with the setting. Rose and her father move to a small, rural town in Australia, which is described so well by the author that I could feel the humidity closing in on me at times. Admittedly, I don't like heat and humidity at all, so reading this book sometimes made me want to fan myself (or at least step outside for a moment. I live in the Chicago area, so it's nice and cold right now). The town, itself, isn't described so much as some of the parts that are outside of town, like where Rose and her father live, and where the dressmaker's house is. I've never been to Australia, so I wasn't familiar with some of the plants and animals in the book. However, this just made me want to look them up, and hope they were all real.
And speaking of settings, the house that Edie (the dressmaker) lives in is a character all unto itself. The author creates something that seems to be more than a house, almost, where there might just be small bits of magic happening. It's not the loveliest house; actually, it's far from it. "The house is falling apart. There's a tree growing through the front stairs. Everywhere there's the detritus of the forest. The leaves drying in small piles in the corners of rooms and seedpods jammed in the floorboards. The curtains are dappled with mildew and festooned with spiderwebs." (p. 45-46). But somehow, despite its condition (and apparent smell, I'd imagine, considering the mildew and constant humidity), it's fascinating. It's hard to imagine Edie living in it, but at the same time, it's completely appropriate.
The characters are well-written, and not all of them are likable (which is perfectly fine with me - I don't need to like a character, as long as I find them interesting). Rose is a bit prickly and difficult, and a real opposite to Pearl. Her home situation is also the opposite of Pearl, so I found it interesting that we have two teen characters who are similar and different, and we have the adults that way, as well. I liked that not all of the adults were wonderful, and helpful, and supportive. What I mean is: Rose's father isn't that great of a father, and I liked that he's this way, because it felt more realistic to me.
One of the things that I enjoyed in this book was that there is a story within a story going on here. You get Rose's story, in the present (more or less), as well as the story that is going on right after someone (actually, two people) go missing. You get the perspective from Rose, but you also get the perspective from Detective Glass. I also liked that when Rose meets Edie and gets to know her, that Edie tells her stories of her own life. So, it's stories wrapped in stories (like a wonderful present in a beautiful box filled with layers of colorful tissue paper). I wasn't always sure what was going to happen, either, which made it a great read.
This is one of the most beautiful books that I've read, mostly because it's beautifully written, but also because I felt like it was intelligently written. It made me want to look up things, and places. It made me imagine things, and it made me feel like I wanted to know some of the characters better. It made me wonder about what happened to some of them after the book. It's a talent not all authors have, and one that I really appreciate.
January 30, 2013
This review originally appeared at http://mycupandchaucer.com/the-midnig....
Rose Lovell is used to moving around a lot. Her life with her father has followed a fairly similar pattern over the years: they will arrive and for a while her father will stay off the drink; until one day he won’t, and then they will pack up and move and start the whole process again. Rose has learnt not to become comfortable. She has learnt not to become attached to people or places, so as to avoid constant disappointment. But this time, in a small north Queensland sugarcane town aptly named Paradise, things are different.
Rose’s father isn’t drinking. Working as a banana picker, it seems Mr Lovell has found an admirer in the woman who manages the caravan park the Lovell’s are living in. Rose too is acting differently. Despite her best efforts to be guarded and cold, her classmate Pearl Kelly has worn down Rose’s barriers and the two girls have grown close–and yet Rose always keeps Pearl at a certain distance. Pearl and her friends convince Rose to take part in the town’s annual Harvest Parade– but Rose’s father can not afford the extravagance of her classmates’ dresses, so she forms an unlikely friendship with Edie Baker, a local seamstress. As Edie teaches Rose the fine art of dressmaking, she tells Rose the story of her family and their association with the hidden cabin on the mountain. Though hesitant at first, Rose gets swept up in the magic and the romance of the mountain. But infatuation and obsession can be dangerous–one of the girls will not live to see the sun rise after the Harvest Parade.
The way this book is written makes it virtually impossible to put down. Foxlee uses two alternating narratives and moves between the current investigation into the disappearance of the girl in the midnight dress, and the events that occurred in the lead up to the Harvest Parade. This foreshadowing effect is genius–before the reader meets Rose, Pearl, and the other characters, they are immediately informed that one of the local girls is missing. Foxlee knows just how much to give readers before switching to the past events, and I found myself desperate to keep reading and find out what had happened. But this isn’t your usual mystery/thriller novel. Foxlee’s prose is lyrical and beautiful and her talents as a gifted storyteller are on full display here.
This story is about more than a missing girl in a beautiful dress. It’s about broken people and shattered families. It’s about love and the many different forms it can take. It’s about growing up and dealing with the consequences of your actions. It’s an exquisitely written coming of age story about dealing with the disappointment of reality and finding the courage and strength to keep moving forward. It’s a wonderful tale from a fantastic Australian author and it really should not be missed.
Rose Lovell is used to moving around a lot. Her life with her father has followed a fairly similar pattern over the years: they will arrive and for a while her father will stay off the drink; until one day he won’t, and then they will pack up and move and start the whole process again. Rose has learnt not to become comfortable. She has learnt not to become attached to people or places, so as to avoid constant disappointment. But this time, in a small north Queensland sugarcane town aptly named Paradise, things are different.
Rose’s father isn’t drinking. Working as a banana picker, it seems Mr Lovell has found an admirer in the woman who manages the caravan park the Lovell’s are living in. Rose too is acting differently. Despite her best efforts to be guarded and cold, her classmate Pearl Kelly has worn down Rose’s barriers and the two girls have grown close–and yet Rose always keeps Pearl at a certain distance. Pearl and her friends convince Rose to take part in the town’s annual Harvest Parade– but Rose’s father can not afford the extravagance of her classmates’ dresses, so she forms an unlikely friendship with Edie Baker, a local seamstress. As Edie teaches Rose the fine art of dressmaking, she tells Rose the story of her family and their association with the hidden cabin on the mountain. Though hesitant at first, Rose gets swept up in the magic and the romance of the mountain. But infatuation and obsession can be dangerous–one of the girls will not live to see the sun rise after the Harvest Parade.
The way this book is written makes it virtually impossible to put down. Foxlee uses two alternating narratives and moves between the current investigation into the disappearance of the girl in the midnight dress, and the events that occurred in the lead up to the Harvest Parade. This foreshadowing effect is genius–before the reader meets Rose, Pearl, and the other characters, they are immediately informed that one of the local girls is missing. Foxlee knows just how much to give readers before switching to the past events, and I found myself desperate to keep reading and find out what had happened. But this isn’t your usual mystery/thriller novel. Foxlee’s prose is lyrical and beautiful and her talents as a gifted storyteller are on full display here.
This story is about more than a missing girl in a beautiful dress. It’s about broken people and shattered families. It’s about love and the many different forms it can take. It’s about growing up and dealing with the consequences of your actions. It’s an exquisitely written coming of age story about dealing with the disappointment of reality and finding the courage and strength to keep moving forward. It’s a wonderful tale from a fantastic Australian author and it really should not be missed.
December 23, 2015
I would write an introduction as to what this book is about, but I have no idea. Is it about a midnight dress? Maybe... or a girl who is supposedly goth, living in poverty with an alcoholic father? Is it about a seamstress or a hut in the forest? I missed the conflict, maybe because I was asleep for most of the time I was reading or because something else was missing, though I'm not sure what that was.
Maybe it was authenticity? I had a lot of trouble wrapping my mind around Rose's gothness; for some reason, it just didn't seem to fit the rest of her character for me. Her relationship with Edie, the seamstress, also seemed superficial. All the townspeople had said she was a witch, a detail that did not add much at all to the story, as there is no evidence as to why people should and do think this of her. Though Rose is aware of these opinions, it does not stop her from instantly forming a friendship with her in which dark secrets and life stories are spilled. But what is her visit to Edie in the first place: an act of rebellion or something else? I sure don't know. Also, I found Rose to be rude. The way she presents herself to people she just meets, swearing and etc., is unrealistic and a little jarring.
I felt that other details regarding plot were strung together sort of willy-nilly, and sometimes unnecessary. Some aspects were intriguing, however. The setting and the descriptions of it were my favorite part, though I had no idea that the time period was the 1980s until 200 pages in. The prologues to the chapters were a nice addition, though they, as mentioned on the first page, give away the ending. The only motivation to keep reading were the constant encouragements from my cousin, who said the first 2/3 of the book might be slow but that the ending will leave you thinking it is the best book you've ever read. I'm still looking for that last, amazing third, and am surprised to find how many positive reviews this book has received. I am usually such a big fan of Australian YA, but this books just didn't come together for me.
*I was reminded of On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta while reading this, primarily because of the italicized flashbacks/forwards and the setting, though I much preferred Jellicoe Road to The Midnight Dress.
Maybe it was authenticity? I had a lot of trouble wrapping my mind around Rose's gothness; for some reason, it just didn't seem to fit the rest of her character for me. Her relationship with Edie, the seamstress, also seemed superficial. All the townspeople had said she was a witch, a detail that did not add much at all to the story, as there is no evidence as to why people should and do think this of her. Though Rose is aware of these opinions, it does not stop her from instantly forming a friendship with her in which dark secrets and life stories are spilled. But what is her visit to Edie in the first place: an act of rebellion or something else? I sure don't know. Also, I found Rose to be rude. The way she presents herself to people she just meets, swearing and etc., is unrealistic and a little jarring.
I felt that other details regarding plot were strung together sort of willy-nilly, and sometimes unnecessary. Some aspects were intriguing, however. The setting and the descriptions of it were my favorite part, though I had no idea that the time period was the 1980s until 200 pages in. The prologues to the chapters were a nice addition, though they, as mentioned on the first page, give away the ending. The only motivation to keep reading were the constant encouragements from my cousin, who said the first 2/3 of the book might be slow but that the ending will leave you thinking it is the best book you've ever read. I'm still looking for that last, amazing third, and am surprised to find how many positive reviews this book has received. I am usually such a big fan of Australian YA, but this books just didn't come together for me.
*I was reminded of On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta while reading this, primarily because of the italicized flashbacks/forwards and the setting, though I much preferred Jellicoe Road to The Midnight Dress.
September 5, 2014
3.5/4 stars. It was outstanding but I'm stuck between liking it and loving it. I have so many mixed feelings. It wasn't what I was expecting, but the language was so gorgeous even though the story was rather confusing, and it was hard to follow with all the tense switches.
This is one of those books I need to reread. Because It's one of those books you have to read word for word and pay attention to the little details.
It was...beautiful.
Personally, I wish the had focused less on little bits that made me uncomfortable, and more on the mysterious creepy dress and the history and stories, on the eccentricities and uniqueness of Pearl and Rose....the secret place in the woods....just the eerie beauty and not so much all the other things.
This isn't a page turner. I was intrigued and couldn't put it down but it's not a thriller.
Its mainly just narration, stories within the story. But the prose is beautiful. Read it when you have patience to take your time and savor every beautifully crafted sentence and catch all the details.
Also the dress is gorgeous and I want to make it. Semi-disappointed that it looks nothing like the dress on the cover.
rating: like highhhhh
This is one of those books I need to reread. Because It's one of those books you have to read word for word and pay attention to the little details.
It was...beautiful.
Personally, I wish the had focused less on little bits that made me uncomfortable, and more on the mysterious creepy dress and the history and stories, on the eccentricities and uniqueness of Pearl and Rose....the secret place in the woods....just the eerie beauty and not so much all the other things.
This isn't a page turner. I was intrigued and couldn't put it down but it's not a thriller.
Its mainly just narration, stories within the story. But the prose is beautiful. Read it when you have patience to take your time and savor every beautifully crafted sentence and catch all the details.
Also the dress is gorgeous and I want to make it. Semi-disappointed that it looks nothing like the dress on the cover.
rating: like highhhhh
June 3, 2013
This book broke my heart. See my full review here - http://rochfordstreetreview.com/2013/...
August 30, 2013
Tragically, magically, beautiful.
June 15, 2018
Way darker than I expected after reading OPHELIA, but beautifully written!
March 12, 2023
not sure if this one is a 1.75 stars or 2 stars. i need to think. pretty awful though.
April 3, 2023
Intriguing little mystery set in far North Queensland. The story revolves around a girl and her alcoholic dad who roll into town one day. The daughter Rose, ends up making friends with another girl at school, Pearl. Together the two of them embark on new adventures and planning for the town's harvest festival, where every girl requires a dress. Rose gets a dress made for her by the mysterious Miss Baker, who lives alone at the foot of a mountain. Great story about how we can never really leave the past behind.
June 10, 2014
I actually like a book that starts with the ending. The Midnight Dress does exactly that, and it does a brilliant job of it. In fact, Foxlee manages to build the suspense by giving away the “ending” without any of the details: just a murky outline of what happens, so that you know there’s a threat, but you aren’t certain who’s in danger or what that danger is. Better yet, she tells the ending in parallel with the rest of the story, beginning each chapter with a brief snatch of the ending, so that you spend each chapter trying to work out how it relates to the ending, and trying to clarify what exactly happens in the end. Added to the excellent recreation of a heavy, threatening atmosphere and a general sense of hopelessness, this creates incredible suspense.
*Very mild spoilers below*
Unfortunately, however, I think Foxlee relies a little too heavily on the suspense. I have a tendency (like most bibliophiles) to guess plot twists, and I was certain of this one about 2/3 of the way in. That’s not necessarily a death sentence for a book; a lot of great stories rely on execution rather than just surprise to make their twists worth reading. In that regard, though, I felt a little cheated, because Foxlee focuses on the effects of the twist on her minor characters. On the one hand, I was impressed that she managed to surprise me (with this tactic) when I thought she was out of surprises. On the other hand, it feels like taking the easy way out, in a book where nothing is easy. It’s difficult to tell whether she meant to change the meaning, or convey the pointlessness of it all, or give her character a break for once, and that vagueness doesn’t seem like a relief from the painstaking detail of the rest of the novel so much as an incompleteness.
A few other thoughts:
It took a while for me to realize this book was set in Australia, so until I understood that, I was frustrated by what appeared to be inconsistency in language usages.
For a book that is extremely focused on details, from the differences between tree leaves to the different types of stitches, there are a few details that fall through the cracks.
I loved that each chapter was named after a different type of stitch, but those stitches didn’t necessarily seem to relate to the chapter at hand, or the order in which they would be taught. I also wish the stitch graphic accompanying each chapter title had reflected the stitches the chapters were named after rather than remaining identical throughout the book.
The imagery in this book is beautiful, and as dark as the midnight dress that stitches everything together. Again, though, this falls apart at the end, which is somewhat disappointing, though thought-provoking.
Favorite Quotes:
“Girls are good at running away. It’s a fact.”
“Do you promise?’ said Edie, which changed things.”
*Very mild spoilers below*
Unfortunately, however, I think Foxlee relies a little too heavily on the suspense. I have a tendency (like most bibliophiles) to guess plot twists, and I was certain of this one about 2/3 of the way in. That’s not necessarily a death sentence for a book; a lot of great stories rely on execution rather than just surprise to make their twists worth reading. In that regard, though, I felt a little cheated, because Foxlee focuses on the effects of the twist on her minor characters. On the one hand, I was impressed that she managed to surprise me (with this tactic) when I thought she was out of surprises. On the other hand, it feels like taking the easy way out, in a book where nothing is easy. It’s difficult to tell whether she meant to change the meaning, or convey the pointlessness of it all, or give her character a break for once, and that vagueness doesn’t seem like a relief from the painstaking detail of the rest of the novel so much as an incompleteness.
A few other thoughts:
It took a while for me to realize this book was set in Australia, so until I understood that, I was frustrated by what appeared to be inconsistency in language usages.
For a book that is extremely focused on details, from the differences between tree leaves to the different types of stitches, there are a few details that fall through the cracks.
I loved that each chapter was named after a different type of stitch, but those stitches didn’t necessarily seem to relate to the chapter at hand, or the order in which they would be taught. I also wish the stitch graphic accompanying each chapter title had reflected the stitches the chapters were named after rather than remaining identical throughout the book.
The imagery in this book is beautiful, and as dark as the midnight dress that stitches everything together. Again, though, this falls apart at the end, which is somewhat disappointing, though thought-provoking.
Favorite Quotes:
“Girls are good at running away. It’s a fact.”
“Do you promise?’ said Edie, which changed things.”
April 28, 2015
In the little town of Leonora, a girl is missing... and later found dead. She wears a dress the color of midnight, stitched by a woman said to be a witch.
And throughout "The Midnight Dress," we are haunted by the question of who killed the girl, and which girl she is (there are a number of them). This lush, bittersweet coming-of-age novel is the sort of thing Sarah Addison Allen would write if she were Australian -- beautifully written, fragrant, and with a hint of benevolent magic woven in.
Rose and her distant father are drifters, roaming from town to town. She doesn't expect to put down any roots when they settle in Leonora, but she does anyway -- an immediate friendship with the quirky, beautiful Pearl. Currently they're approaching the harvest festival, where it's tradition for all the teenage girls to wear beautiful dresses.
But since Rose has no money, Pearl whisks her off to Edie, the local dressmaker -- who is also rumored to be a witch. Edie is willing to help Rose sew a dress made out of midnight-colored cloth, and tells her stories as they work. As the harvest festival approaches, Rose and Pearl experience the pangs of growing up, love, family and -- ultimately -- tragedy.
"The Midnight Dress" is one of those stories that is steeped in beauty -- Karen Foxlee drapes it in ornate fabrics, colored pebbles, the scent of flowers, hidden beaches and many-colored dresses that shine in the darkness. Her prose is soft, lush, shimmering, with clever descriptive prose ("It smells like the bottom of an old lady's handbag, perfumed, powdery, dusty") that gives the mundane a touch of magic.
The story has a touch of magic too, but mostly it focuses on the coming-of-age of Pearl and Rose. Foxlee weaves many other tales into the story, mostly from Edie -- but mostly it's a simple story about how these two girls grow and change over a short period of time. It's a bittersweet story, because you know it cannot end well -- which makes the story all the more exquisitely lovely.
And of course, Foxlee keeps you hanging with the question of who the girl in the midnight dress is, and what happened to her. Every chapter begins with an italicized flashforward, which deftly avoids revealing who she is until the end.
It's a wrench when her identity is revealed, because by then, both the girls have become wonderfully well-rounded, intricate characters. Pearl is bright, enthusiastic and somewhat odd, sending letters to random Orlovs to find her long-lost father; Rose is introverted and hard-bitten from her lonely life, but begins to bloom out into greater confidence and love as she gains friends. And Edie is a character rounded out by her stories, revealing her compassion, sorrows and oddness.
"The Midnight Dress" is a sensual, bittersweet little novel about two girls' friendship, and it leaves you slightly sad but fascinated.
And throughout "The Midnight Dress," we are haunted by the question of who killed the girl, and which girl she is (there are a number of them). This lush, bittersweet coming-of-age novel is the sort of thing Sarah Addison Allen would write if she were Australian -- beautifully written, fragrant, and with a hint of benevolent magic woven in.
Rose and her distant father are drifters, roaming from town to town. She doesn't expect to put down any roots when they settle in Leonora, but she does anyway -- an immediate friendship with the quirky, beautiful Pearl. Currently they're approaching the harvest festival, where it's tradition for all the teenage girls to wear beautiful dresses.
But since Rose has no money, Pearl whisks her off to Edie, the local dressmaker -- who is also rumored to be a witch. Edie is willing to help Rose sew a dress made out of midnight-colored cloth, and tells her stories as they work. As the harvest festival approaches, Rose and Pearl experience the pangs of growing up, love, family and -- ultimately -- tragedy.
"The Midnight Dress" is one of those stories that is steeped in beauty -- Karen Foxlee drapes it in ornate fabrics, colored pebbles, the scent of flowers, hidden beaches and many-colored dresses that shine in the darkness. Her prose is soft, lush, shimmering, with clever descriptive prose ("It smells like the bottom of an old lady's handbag, perfumed, powdery, dusty") that gives the mundane a touch of magic.
The story has a touch of magic too, but mostly it focuses on the coming-of-age of Pearl and Rose. Foxlee weaves many other tales into the story, mostly from Edie -- but mostly it's a simple story about how these two girls grow and change over a short period of time. It's a bittersweet story, because you know it cannot end well -- which makes the story all the more exquisitely lovely.
And of course, Foxlee keeps you hanging with the question of who the girl in the midnight dress is, and what happened to her. Every chapter begins with an italicized flashforward, which deftly avoids revealing who she is until the end.
It's a wrench when her identity is revealed, because by then, both the girls have become wonderfully well-rounded, intricate characters. Pearl is bright, enthusiastic and somewhat odd, sending letters to random Orlovs to find her long-lost father; Rose is introverted and hard-bitten from her lonely life, but begins to bloom out into greater confidence and love as she gains friends. And Edie is a character rounded out by her stories, revealing her compassion, sorrows and oddness.
"The Midnight Dress" is a sensual, bittersweet little novel about two girls' friendship, and it leaves you slightly sad but fascinated.
July 5, 2015
In The Midnight Dress by Karen Foxlee, Rose moves to a small seaside town with her drifter, alcoholic father. She unexpectedly makes a friend in the bubbly and naive Pearl, who encourages Rose to attend the Harvest Dance, a touted event where all the girls show off their dresses and parade on stage. Rose goes to the local seamstress, and rumored witch, Edie Baker, for help making a dress, and slowly becomes wrapped in Edie's life story.
There are three layers to the story, though Foxlee does an admirable job of keeping them distinct from each other, so that the storyline never becomes muddled. The first is the story of Rose herself, and her blossoming friendship with Pearl and nascent fascination with Edie. Edie has her own story to tell, going back to her father and mother's whirlwind romance, and the tragedy of his homecoming from the war. And finally there is the mystery of the girl in the midnight dress and her disappearance on the night of the Harvest Dance.
The mystery is intriguing, but not difficult to solve; aside from a few red herrings, astute readers will be able to pick out both the girl and the perpetrator with little difficulty. The better story is probably Edie's slow unfolding and the path her reputation takes to local witch, and Rose's coming of age.
But even that's not why this is a great book - that's purely the writing. The writing in this book has a dreamy, drifting quality that initially put me off, but then began to reel me in until I was well and truly caught. There are moments of occasional great writing in books - passages that make you stop and read them twice, to savor the words - but this does it throughout. There's no one passage or line that makes you do that; the whole book does. Take Edie's description of love: "Do you know what love is like, Rose? It's like having a sky, a whole sky racing inside of you. Four seasons' worth of sky. One minute you are soaring and then you are all thunderclouds and then you are deep with stars and then you are empty" (180).
If you're looking for verisimilitude, this is not the book. Teenage girls, to my knowledge, have never talked like Pearl or Rose, and women living in strange houses in the woods don't have majestic stories to share. But if you're looking for that mystery, that romance, the sweet breath of words like mist in your mind, that's what this book will give you.
There are three layers to the story, though Foxlee does an admirable job of keeping them distinct from each other, so that the storyline never becomes muddled. The first is the story of Rose herself, and her blossoming friendship with Pearl and nascent fascination with Edie. Edie has her own story to tell, going back to her father and mother's whirlwind romance, and the tragedy of his homecoming from the war. And finally there is the mystery of the girl in the midnight dress and her disappearance on the night of the Harvest Dance.
The mystery is intriguing, but not difficult to solve; aside from a few red herrings, astute readers will be able to pick out both the girl and the perpetrator with little difficulty. The better story is probably Edie's slow unfolding and the path her reputation takes to local witch, and Rose's coming of age.
But even that's not why this is a great book - that's purely the writing. The writing in this book has a dreamy, drifting quality that initially put me off, but then began to reel me in until I was well and truly caught. There are moments of occasional great writing in books - passages that make you stop and read them twice, to savor the words - but this does it throughout. There's no one passage or line that makes you do that; the whole book does. Take Edie's description of love: "Do you know what love is like, Rose? It's like having a sky, a whole sky racing inside of you. Four seasons' worth of sky. One minute you are soaring and then you are all thunderclouds and then you are deep with stars and then you are empty" (180).
If you're looking for verisimilitude, this is not the book. Teenage girls, to my knowledge, have never talked like Pearl or Rose, and women living in strange houses in the woods don't have majestic stories to share. But if you're looking for that mystery, that romance, the sweet breath of words like mist in your mind, that's what this book will give you.
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