Play Audiobook Sample
The Gown: A Novel of the Royal Wedding Audiobook
Play Audiobook Sample
(0.00) - 0 listener ratings
Quick Stats About this Audiobook
Total Audiobook Chapters:
Longest Chapter Length:
Shortest Chapter Length:
Average Chapter Length:
Audiobooks by this Author:
Publisher Description
From the internationally bestselling author of Somewhere in France comes an enthralling historical novel about one of the most famous wedding dresses of the twentieth century—Queen Elizabeth’s wedding gown—and the fascinating women who made it.
“Millions will welcome this joyous event as a flash of color on the long road we have to travel.”
—Sir Winston Churchill on the news of Princess Elizabeth’s forthcoming wedding
London, 1947: Besieged by the harshest winter in living memory, burdened by onerous shortages and rationing, the people of postwar Britain are enduring lives of quiet desperation despite their nation’s recent victory. Among them are Ann Hughes and Miriam Dassin, embroiderers at the famed Mayfair fashion house of Norman Hartnell. Together they forge an unlikely friendship, but their nascent hopes for a brighter future are tested when they are chosen for a once-in-a-lifetime honor: taking part in the creation of Princess Elizabeth’s wedding gown.
Toronto, 2016: More than half a century later, Heather Mackenzie seeks to unravel the mystery of a set of embroidered flowers, a legacy from her late grandmother. How did her beloved Nan, a woman who never spoke of her old life in Britain, come to possess the priceless embroideries that so closely resemble the motifs on the stunning gown worn by Queen Elizabeth II at her wedding almost seventy years before? And what was her Nan’s connection to the celebrated textile artist and holocaust survivor Miriam Dassin?
With The Gown, Jennifer Robson takes us inside the workrooms where one of the most famous wedding gowns in history was created. Balancing behind-the-scenes details with a sweeping portrait of a society left reeling by the calamitous costs of victory, she introduces readers to three unforgettable heroines, their points of view alternating and intersecting throughout its pages, whose lives are woven together by the pain of survival, the bonds of friendship, and the redemptive power of love.
Download and start listening now!
“Calin’s flowing voice smoothly describes the lives of the women involved…British native Ann is given a slightly crisp accent, which contrasts with Parisian Miriam’s soft French tones. Calin uses a hard Canadian accent for Ann’s Canadian granddaughter, Hannah…The beautiful gown and the excitement surrounding its creation come to life through Calin’s exceptional performance. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award.”
— AudioFile
Quotes
-
“A treat.”
— People magazine -
“One of the most fun books you’ll read this year.”
— Women’s Day -
“For fans of The Crown…The Gown seems likely to dazzle and delight.”
— Washington Post -
“Robson’s meticulous attention to historical details—notably the intricacies of the embroidery work—is a wonderful complement to the memorable stories of Ann and Miriam, making for a winning, heartwarming tale.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“Alternating time lines between 1947 Britain and 2016 Canada, Robson vividly brings to life these three women’s struggles. Historical details about fabric, embroidery, and the royal family are well incorporated into their stories, with light romance rounding out this charming work of historical fiction.”
— Library Journal -
“A fascinating glimpse into the world of design, the healing power of art, and the importance of women’s friendships.”
— Kirkus Reviews -
“Embroidering a magical moment in royal history, Robson tells a heartrending story of friendship, loss, love, and redemption.”
— Leslie Carroll, author of American Princess -
“The Gown is marvelous and moving, a vivid portrait of female self-reliance in a world racked by the cost of war.”
— Kate Quinn, author of The Alice Network -
“Once I started reading, I couldn’t put this novel down. The story is engaging, memorable, and beautifully imagined.”
— Jeanne Mackin, author of The Beautiful American
Awards
-
Winner of an AudioFile Earphones Award
-
A Real Simple Pick of Best Historical Novels of the Year
-
A USA Today Pick of Most Anticipated Novels of 2018
-
An InStyle Pick of 2018's Most Anticipated Novels
The Gown Listener Reviews
Be the first to write a review about this audiobook!
About Jennifer Robson
Jennifer Robson is the USA Today and #1 Toronto Globe & Mail bestselling author of several books of historical fiction. She first learned about the Great War from her father, acclaimed historian Stuart Robson, and later served as an official guide at the Canadian National War Memorial at Vimy Ridge, France. She holds a doctorate in British economic and social history from the University of Oxford.
About Jennifer Robson
Marisa Calin is an actress, novelist, and multiple Earphones Award–winning narrator born in England and educated in New York at the American Academy of the Dramatic Arts. An artist with a flair for everything literary, she has written a young adult novel, You & Me, which received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews.