I
read the book in the evening before going to bed. Then my kindle gave out. I had to wait for a
new one to finish this book. I was
really struggling to keep with the book as she would be with one character from
one time period and within the same chapter in the next paragraph, she would
have changed time periods and characters without any break. At least that is the way it came in kindle
format. Very hard to get caught up in, I
never thought I would finish it. I got
used to the changing format when I got the new kindle and returned to the book
the last half of the book seemed to move much faster and be more interesting. I usually don’t mind stories that change time
periods and characters but this was handled in such a strange way I didn’t
enjoy it. There was a ton of research
that went into the book, much of the interesting things for me were in the
latter half of the book and I don’t want to give it away. This really wasn’t the book for me although from
the reviews I saw that people loved it or really had a hard time with it. I gave it three stars because I did find
interest in it eventually but kept putting it down before my kindle gave
out. I fall into the latter category
where the book just wasn’t for me. Therefore,
the three stars. It may be the book for
you if you enjoy these time periods and mysteries and don’t mind changing story
lines mid chapter. If you do give it a
go. It’s a slow starter but picks up
very much towards the end.
I
received this book through NetGalley and
wasn’t required to write a review or to give it a positive one. I wasn’t paid to read the book. The words above are my own and freely given.
Description
as found on NetGalley.com:
A
cursed opal, a gnarled family tree, and a sinister woman in a green dress
emerge in the aftermath of World War I.
After
a whirlwind romance, London teashop waitress Fleur Richards can’t wait for her
new husband, Hugh, to return from the Great War. But when word of his death
arrives on Armistice Day, Fleur learns he has left her a sizable family
fortune. Refusing to accept the inheritance, she heads to his beloved home
country of Australia in search of the relatives who deserve it more.
In
spite of her reluctance, she soon finds herself the sole owner of a remote farm
and a dilapidated curio shop full of long-forgotten artifacts, remarkable
preserved creatures, and a mystery that began more than sixty-five years ago.
With the help of Kip, a repatriated soldier dealing with the sobering
aftereffects of war, Fleur finds herself unable to resist pulling on the
threads of the past. What she finds is a shocking story surrounding an opal and
a woman in a green dress. . . a story that, nevertheless, offers hope and
healing for the future.
This
romantic mystery from award-winning Australian novelist Tea Cooper will keep
readers guessing until the astonishing conclusion.
“Readers
of Kate Morton and Beatriz Williams will be dazzled. The Woman in the
Green Dress spins readers into an evocative world of mystery and
romance in this deeply researched book by Tea Cooper. There is a Dickensian
flair to Cooper’s carefully constructed world of lost inheritances and found
treasures as two indomitable women stretched across centuries work to reconcile
their pasts while reclaiming love, identity and belonging against two richly
moving historical settings. As soon as you turn the last page you want to start
again just to see how every last thread is sewn in anticipation of its
thrilling conclusion. One of the most intelligent, visceral and vibrant
historical reads I have had the privilege of visiting in an age.” —Rachel
McMillan, author of The London Restoration
“Refreshing
and unique, The Woman in the Green Dress sweeps you across the
wild lands of Australia in a thrilling whirl of mystery, romance, and danger.
This magical tale weaves together two storylines with a heart-pounding finish
that is drop-dead gorgeous.” —J’nell Ciesielski, author of The
Socialite
Full-length
historical story with both romance and mysteryStand-alone novelIncludes
Discussion Questions for Book Clubs
