The Midnight Dress

by Karen Foxlee

The much - anticipated new novel from the award - winning author of The Anatomy of WingsM When a teenage girl disappears, a small town is awash with rumours: everyone is talking about the dress she wore, a midnight - blue dress made from the remnants of other dresses, a dress of stories ...For her whole life, Rose Lovell has moved from town to town with her alcoholic father. When they wash up in a coastal sugarcane town, Rose wonders if this time it will be different. At the local high school, Rose meets Pearl Kelly, who is popular, pretty and intent on tracking down her Russian father. When she convinces Rose to be part of the annual Harvest Parade, Rose must find a special dress for the occasion. She seeks the help of the eccentric Edie Baker, who knows all the town's secrets and whose own family is a rich tapestry of stories. When Rose agrees to let Edie teach her to sew, she doesn't realise that nothing will ever be the same again. The Midnight Dress weaves an intriguing story of loss and longing to the very last page.

• ISBN13: 9781459689596
• Publish Date: 21 November 2014 (first published 1 January 2013)
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 21 April 2016
• Publish Country: CA
• Imprint: ReadHowYouWant
• Edition: Large type / large print edition
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 416
• Language: English

Reviews

[Suz @ Bookish Revelations]

The Midnight Dress is a hauntingly beautiful novel, that captured my heart and soul. Karen Foxlee pens an achingly gorgeous novel full of so much emotion and told in so much vivid detail that it will take your breath away. A story about love, loss, friendship and of letting go, The Midnight Dress is full of suspenseful mystery and intrigue. Magical and brilliantly alive, the writing is what makes this book so lush and gorgeous. It's almost timeless, in a way.

My heart ached for Rose, whom I adored from the moment we were introduced to her character. It was incredibly easy to relate to her character on many levels, as we were introduced to how sorrowful her life truly was. A brilliantly written and equally compelling coming of age story, that readers will be able to deeply resonate with. The Midnight Dress is so much more than that, full of intense emotion, an enthralling lush atmosphere, and characters that are unforgettable. It possesses such an enthralling magical allure, that readers will cling to the story being told.

One of the year's best written and compelling novels, in my opinion. The Midnight Dress will not disappoint or leave you hanging, as you delve into the mystery and the story of a story within a story, set in such an imaginative and gorgeous atmosphere, and written with beautiful prose that will leave you marveling at its rich beauty. If you're looking for a dark, coming of age story that is part fairytale and riddle with mystery and suspense, then look no further than The Midnight Dress. The story that Foxlee weaves together is not only magical and breathtaking, but enchanting and sorrowful as well. It is a story within a story that you are likely to forget anytime soon. Emotionally charge and amazing, you don't want to miss out on this novel.