2017
Blog Tours
Book Reviews
Kate Thompson
Pan
Blog Tour: The Wedding Girls by Kate Thompson
Today is my stop on the Blog Tour for Kate Thompson's latest book, The Wedding Girls, out next week March 9th. I read and loved both of Kate's previous books, so I was really excited to discover a new story by her. Here's what I thought:
Title: The Wedding Girls
Author: Kate Thompson
Published: March 9th by Pan
Blurb: If a wedding marks the first day of the rest of your life, then the story starts with the dress.
It's 1936 and the streets of London's East End are grimy and brutal, but in one corner of Bethnal Green it is forever Hollywood...
Herbie Taylor's photography studio is nestled in the heart of bustling Green Street. Tomboy Stella and troubled Winnie work in Herbie's studio; their best friend and hopeless romantic Kitty works next door as an apprentice dressmaker. All life passes through the studio, wishing to capture that perfect moment in time.
Kitty works tirelessly to create magical bridal gowns, but with each stitch she wonders if she'll ever get a chance to wear a white dress. Stella and Winnie sprinkle a dusting of Hollywood glamour over happy newly-weds, but secretly dream of escaping the East End...
Community is strong on Green Street, but can it stand the ultimate test? As clouds of war brew on the horizon, danger looms over the East End. Will the Wedding Girls find their happy ever afters, before it's too late?
Review: This is Kate Thompson's third book and having read and loved her previous two, I knew what was waiting for me: a touching story, well researched with generous descriptions and historic details, and above all, full of heart. And Í'm glad to say that The Wedding Girls lived up to my expectations. This time, the author takes us to the East End a few year before WWII where three girls fight agains adversity with everything they've got.
Known as the wedding girls, Kitty, Winnie and Stella are a very close trio of friends who all work in the wedding business. Their only goal is to make this day as special as possible for the bride and groom but their own lives are not exactly rose tinted. Each of them has its own problems, especially with their families. For example, Kitty's father is not himself anymore, with an illness that is robbing him of everything. And Winnie's family is being threathen again by her violent father. So as we got to know these girl, I couldn't help but care and root for them. The three of them were really insteresting and complex characters that I loved getting to know.
While reading this story though, you soon realise that the East End and it close knitted community is a character on itself too. I could feel the camaredie in the community and how they all fought as one when circumstances required. Actually, with every book by Kate Thompson, I learn something new, about an era I didn't know as much. For example, The East End in 1936 was threaten by an increasing fascist movement that wanted to divide this welcoming and open community. And the author refelcted the tensions and difficulties perfectly.
Another bit that I found really interesting was that the author added some testimonies from the women she met during her research. They lived in the East End during that time and their words really resonated with me and made me understand the story even better. I really thing Kate Thompson captured their experiences perfectly in the story
All in all, another winner by Kate Thompson. A book full of heart that reminds us how important it is to remember history in order to not make the same mistakes again, and how important friendship and working together is.
Known as the wedding girls, Kitty, Winnie and Stella are a very close trio of friends who all work in the wedding business. Their only goal is to make this day as special as possible for the bride and groom but their own lives are not exactly rose tinted. Each of them has its own problems, especially with their families. For example, Kitty's father is not himself anymore, with an illness that is robbing him of everything. And Winnie's family is being threathen again by her violent father. So as we got to know these girl, I couldn't help but care and root for them. The three of them were really insteresting and complex characters that I loved getting to know.
While reading this story though, you soon realise that the East End and it close knitted community is a character on itself too. I could feel the camaredie in the community and how they all fought as one when circumstances required. Actually, with every book by Kate Thompson, I learn something new, about an era I didn't know as much. For example, The East End in 1936 was threaten by an increasing fascist movement that wanted to divide this welcoming and open community. And the author refelcted the tensions and difficulties perfectly.
Another bit that I found really interesting was that the author added some testimonies from the women she met during her research. They lived in the East End during that time and their words really resonated with me and made me understand the story even better. I really thing Kate Thompson captured their experiences perfectly in the story
All in all, another winner by Kate Thompson. A book full of heart that reminds us how important it is to remember history in order to not make the same mistakes again, and how important friendship and working together is.
Rating: 4,5 stars
I would like to thank the publishers for sending me a copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.
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