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A Vintage Affair
Phoebe Sanders runs her own vintage dress shop. But while she stitches and repairs couture suits and glorious dresses, there is something in Phoebe's own past that she cannot restore, and which is stopping her searching for love.
432 pages, Paperback
First published January 19, 2009
About the author
Isabel Wolff
30 books628 followersIsabel Wolff's ten bestselling novels are published worldwide. 'Ghostwritten', set in present day Cornwall and on wartime Java, was published in the UK in March 2014 and will be published in the US in February 2015 as 'Shadows Over Paradise'. 'The Very Picture of You' was published in the UK and the US in October 2011. 'A Vintage Affair', was an Amazon.co.uk 'Best of 2009' title and was shortlisted by the American Library Assocation for their Reading List awards (Women's Fiction). Isabel lives in west London with her family. Visit her 'Isabel Wolff Author' Page on Facebook, follow her on Twitter @IsabelWolff or visit her website, IsabelWolff.com. Thank you...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,126 reviews
March 17, 2010
Enjoyable! I wish there were pictures of the clothes.
FYI, this is light on the romance side but heavy on the story, which I think was a good thing in this case. (But if you're looking for chick lit heavy on the sexy side this is not it.) I liked the story and was (frankly) glad she wrote it that way...(I wasn't crazy about the men, anyway.)
Her books are harder to get in the U.S. but I recommend them if you can find them. They strike that nice balance between fluffy and somewhat substantive.
My Snarky Note:
One thing I do want to mention: Authors, all this repetition as to how 48 is SO INCREDIBLY OLD, over, and over ad nauseum will tend to alienate a large sub-section of your 'potential' readers. You might want to re-think that. (I hated the character, so it wasn't a big deal. But it WAS extremely annoying!)
FYI, this is light on the romance side but heavy on the story, which I think was a good thing in this case. (But if you're looking for chick lit heavy on the sexy side this is not it.) I liked the story and was (frankly) glad she wrote it that way...(I wasn't crazy about the men, anyway.)
Her books are harder to get in the U.S. but I recommend them if you can find them. They strike that nice balance between fluffy and somewhat substantive.
My Snarky Note:
One thing I do want to mention: Authors, all this repetition as to how 48 is SO INCREDIBLY OLD, over, and over ad nauseum will tend to alienate a large sub-section of your 'potential' readers. You might want to re-think that. (I hated the character, so it wasn't a big deal. But it WAS extremely annoying!)
April 10, 2011
Very cute! I liked that it focused more on a storyline than just romance. As Tammi mentioned, this would make an adorable movie. I'd love to see all those beautiful dresses on film. This made me want to go vintage dress shopping ASAP!
Read
January 2, 2015I am not going to rate this book with stars. I'm beginning to think this star business is dicey at best anyway. In reading this book I am reminded of the many gifts to be found between two covers. This is a book club read...and one I would not have selected. Two-thirds of the way through, having grumbled and grown impatient with the writing, much to my surprise I found tears spilling. It was dawning on me that this book was more than the words on the page and the romantic genre...in so many ways it is my dear friend's story...her way of telling us of herself. The woman she is. How life has touched her. A true and profound gift. One for which I am eternally grateful.
I cannot recommend this book...but if ever again a friend hands me a story I will quiet myself and consider the meaning of such a gift.
I cannot recommend this book...but if ever again a friend hands me a story I will quiet myself and consider the meaning of such a gift.
January 30, 2024
Phoebe.
Dan.
Miles.
Annie.
Mrs. Bell.
They each have a story.
And...
As a reader you want to connect to their stories and understand them, and hope for resolution.
We will want to know...
Will the struggling actress act again or write a play?
Will the owner of the vintage clothing store resolve her feelings about her best friend’s death?
Will the news reporter realize his dreams?
Will the elderly woman find her friend from the long ago war/holocaust?
And so forth.
If you love fashion and/or vintage clothes, you might be attracted to the descriptions of the many outfits and how it helps many of the characters that pass through the story.
All and all the book was wonderfully written.
And...
It showcased the power of friendship and loss and grief and forgiveness.
Dan.
Miles.
Annie.
Mrs. Bell.
They each have a story.
And...
As a reader you want to connect to their stories and understand them, and hope for resolution.
We will want to know...
Will the struggling actress act again or write a play?
Will the owner of the vintage clothing store resolve her feelings about her best friend’s death?
Will the news reporter realize his dreams?
Will the elderly woman find her friend from the long ago war/holocaust?
And so forth.
If you love fashion and/or vintage clothes, you might be attracted to the descriptions of the many outfits and how it helps many of the characters that pass through the story.
All and all the book was wonderfully written.
And...
It showcased the power of friendship and loss and grief and forgiveness.
May 29, 2010
After the untimely death or her best friend Emma Kitts, Phoebe Swift decides to start over. She breaks off her engagement, quits her job, takes out a massive bank loan, and opens her own vintage clothing store, all while struggling to overcome her feelings of responsibility for Emma's death. The daily running of Village Vintage soon brings her in contact with many interesting people including:
Dan, a color-blind, spontaneous, film-buff and news reporter, who wants to open his own movie theater and actually builds a personal screen in his backyard shed.
Miles, a wealthy partner in a law firm who would rather work in the French vineyard that is partly his, and single-handedly raises a spoiled teenage-daughter named Roxy.
Annie, a struggling actress who loves vintage clothing and would rather write plays than act in them.
Mrs. Bell, an elderly woman who struggles with the memories of losing her own friend, Monique, during the holocaust, a loss for which she too feels responsible.
A Vintage Affair has so many plot lines for a 340 page novel, that there is no time for the reader to become emotionally invested in any of them. Wollf's tale is much like a "chick flick" in book form. It is easy and engaging enough, that you fly through it without too much difficulty, but nothing grips you at the climax, the story simply ends.The description of the clothing is interesting, but the incessant referencing of designers and the allusions to pop culture further work to take the reader out of the novel and hinder any sort of emotional attachment.
Dan, a color-blind, spontaneous, film-buff and news reporter, who wants to open his own movie theater and actually builds a personal screen in his backyard shed.
Miles, a wealthy partner in a law firm who would rather work in the French vineyard that is partly his, and single-handedly raises a spoiled teenage-daughter named Roxy.
Annie, a struggling actress who loves vintage clothing and would rather write plays than act in them.
Mrs. Bell, an elderly woman who struggles with the memories of losing her own friend, Monique, during the holocaust, a loss for which she too feels responsible.
A Vintage Affair has so many plot lines for a 340 page novel, that there is no time for the reader to become emotionally invested in any of them. Wollf's tale is much like a "chick flick" in book form. It is easy and engaging enough, that you fly through it without too much difficulty, but nothing grips you at the climax, the story simply ends.The description of the clothing is interesting, but the incessant referencing of designers and the allusions to pop culture further work to take the reader out of the novel and hinder any sort of emotional attachment.
September 6, 2009
I have a hard time coming up with a genre for this one, reviews have said it's a lovely romantic comedy and she is described as writing chick-lit. But first there is no humor in this one, and yes it has romance but not any more than a normal book. It's not focused on the romance., and i don't want to call it chick-lit. Let's just call it a "normal" book with romantic tendencies. But the book is so much more than that, it's about friendship and loss, and there is a story about WWII that almost breaks my heart and I keep on hoping.
Phoebe has lost her best friend and she is trying to cope with that, she has left her boyfriend, and she blames herself, him, and she missed Emma. How she die you learn after awhile as Phoebe talks with the old lady telling her story about Emma, their friendship and how it all ended. She is trying to go on and she has bought a store and transformed it into a vintage store since that is the clothes she love. Then one day she gets a call from an old French woman who wants to sell her clothes, but in her closet there is a little blue coat and Phoebe gets to hear a story as she visits, a story about friendship during a hard time in occupied France. There are similarities between their stories and perhaps they can find forgiveness and friendship in each other.
I enjoyed this book a lot and I could not put it down. Isabel Wolf weaves a wonderful and delightful story and the corner stones are the vintage clothes that Phoebe sells. They make the story. I feel like I want to wear them too, even though I am like Phoebe's mum, I don't want to wear old clothes. But they seem so lovely, and unique. She explains about the clothes, their history and meaning. Even if I don't know everything she makes me know.
There are sad parts too, I had hope for so long time and kept turning the page and wanting. To learn the truth, and I did feel sad at times. It does deal with some heavy things.
And yes there is some romance, she meets a man, is he the man, or is someone else for her. But I was always more fascinated in Phoebes relationship with the old woman, and the two stories belonging to that. But the romance needed to be had so she could move on and love again, because I wanted her to be happy. There is also the story about her parents and the search for understanding and forgiveness there, so there are some themes that echo in the book.
Delightful and wonderful is how I would like to describe it. It makes me want to go out and find a vintage shop. A very sweet read that made me hold my breath at times.
September 17, 2013
I have owned this one for a number of years and finally decided to take it down from the shelf.
It was EXCELLENT!!!! If you love fashion and vintage clothes, this one is for you. Phoebe Swift after working for an auction house decides to strike out on her own by opening Village Vintage. The shop immediately starts doing business.
Meanwhile Phoebe has broken up with a man whom she was engaged to be married but then her best friend who had also been interested in the same man dies. Phoebe blames her finance and refuses to speak to him after giving him back his ring. Two other men come along, Dan who is color blind and Miles whose baggage is a sixteen year old spoiled brat of a daughter.There are also problems with Phoebe's own parents.
Then Phoebe goes to see Therese Bell who has a story about a little vintage blue coat which sends Phoebe on a computer search for a child taken to the concentration camps during WWII.
How this plays out is a great read! Such a talented writer to pull everything together especially as I am not real fond of cotemporary novels.
It was EXCELLENT!!!! If you love fashion and vintage clothes, this one is for you. Phoebe Swift after working for an auction house decides to strike out on her own by opening Village Vintage. The shop immediately starts doing business.
Meanwhile Phoebe has broken up with a man whom she was engaged to be married but then her best friend who had also been interested in the same man dies. Phoebe blames her finance and refuses to speak to him after giving him back his ring. Two other men come along, Dan who is color blind and Miles whose baggage is a sixteen year old spoiled brat of a daughter.There are also problems with Phoebe's own parents.
Then Phoebe goes to see Therese Bell who has a story about a little vintage blue coat which sends Phoebe on a computer search for a child taken to the concentration camps during WWII.
How this plays out is a great read! Such a talented writer to pull everything together especially as I am not real fond of cotemporary novels.
March 22, 2019
História de uma amizade inesperada, entre duas pessoas de idades e meios diferentes, mas que vai acabar por ser a salvação de ambas.
Bem escrita, com personagens cativantes e cheia de glamour. Recomendo!
Bem escrita, com personagens cativantes e cheia de glamour. Recomendo!
February 20, 2015
B&N Recommends:
Among B&N booksellers who helped choose the book, Amy Abst of Duluth, Minn., said, "I want to share it with my mother, my sisters, and my friends. And don't even get me started on the vintage clothes! Lovely!"
B&N said the book "tells the story of Phoebe Swift, a young Londoner whose decision to quit her job, break her engagement, and open a vintage clothing boutique strikes some as peculiar. 'I felt I needed a change,' Phoebe explains to an attractive journalist just before the opening of her shop in South London. But it's not really that simple. Although Phoebe's store is the culmination of a lifelong passion, her heart is weighed down with grief due to the death of her best friend, for which she feels responsible. To evade her guilt, Phoebe throws herself into her work, filling the shop with Pucci silks, Balenciaga gowns, 'cupcake dresses,' and other couture creations. As Phoebe embarks on an exciting love affair, she also becomes enmeshed in the past of Therese Bell, an elderly French woman who wishes to sell her designer suits and gowns. Coming unexpectedly upon a well-preserved child's coat in her new friend's wardrobe, Phoebe unlocks a secret that Therese has held close since her youth in Nazi-occupied France. A Vintage Affair is vividly colored with endearing characters and lovingly stitched with human sympathy."
Among B&N booksellers who helped choose the book, Amy Abst of Duluth, Minn., said, "I want to share it with my mother, my sisters, and my friends. And don't even get me started on the vintage clothes! Lovely!"
B&N said the book "tells the story of Phoebe Swift, a young Londoner whose decision to quit her job, break her engagement, and open a vintage clothing boutique strikes some as peculiar. 'I felt I needed a change,' Phoebe explains to an attractive journalist just before the opening of her shop in South London. But it's not really that simple. Although Phoebe's store is the culmination of a lifelong passion, her heart is weighed down with grief due to the death of her best friend, for which she feels responsible. To evade her guilt, Phoebe throws herself into her work, filling the shop with Pucci silks, Balenciaga gowns, 'cupcake dresses,' and other couture creations. As Phoebe embarks on an exciting love affair, she also becomes enmeshed in the past of Therese Bell, an elderly French woman who wishes to sell her designer suits and gowns. Coming unexpectedly upon a well-preserved child's coat in her new friend's wardrobe, Phoebe unlocks a secret that Therese has held close since her youth in Nazi-occupied France. A Vintage Affair is vividly colored with endearing characters and lovingly stitched with human sympathy."
May 14, 2010
This well-written and moving book tells the story of the power of love and of friendship. Phoebe, struggling to overcome the loss of her best friend (and subsequently her fiance) uproots herself from the life she has known and follows her heart to start a business focused on her passion for vintage clothes. Therese is approaching the end of her life, and seeks to pass along her clothes and her stories, and to alleviate her guilt for an error committed long ago. These two stories intertwine in ways that are both surprising and emotionally compelling.
Even though I am not much of a clothes person myself, it was impossible not to be drawn into Phoebe's passion for vintage clothing and the glimpses it provides into bygone eras. The clothes are as much a character as anyone in the novel, and I was drawn to the impact the dresses had on the women who fell in love with them. As Phoebe and Therese draw closer to resolution of their individual problems, it is there friendship that allows them to face the difficult truths in their pasts and forgive themselves for the mistakes that harmed their beloved friends. This book was an excellent read, one that I recommend sharing with your friends and family.
Even though I am not much of a clothes person myself, it was impossible not to be drawn into Phoebe's passion for vintage clothing and the glimpses it provides into bygone eras. The clothes are as much a character as anyone in the novel, and I was drawn to the impact the dresses had on the women who fell in love with them. As Phoebe and Therese draw closer to resolution of their individual problems, it is there friendship that allows them to face the difficult truths in their pasts and forgive themselves for the mistakes that harmed their beloved friends. This book was an excellent read, one that I recommend sharing with your friends and family.
March 12, 2021
This was a lovely, lighthearted imaginative tale! Pleasant read :)
January 11, 2019
Creo que no fue mi mejor momento para este libro. Siento que hace un tiempo lo hubiera disfrutado más.. Se me hizo entretenido y poco más
September 16, 2009
A Vintage Affair is a wonderfully written novel. I really didn’t want the book to end. Hearing Phoebe’s and Mrs. Bell’s story was sad but also very enjoyable. Their stories were eerily similar in the reasons why both felt so guilty. Isabel always managers to create such interesting back stories for her characters and both Phoebe’s and Therese’s were well crafted. Therese’s in particular must have taken a lot of research because it was very well explained.
I thought Phoebe was a brilliant character and I could feel her guilt about Emma and felt so sad for her. I also completely understood why she blamed Guy even though the truth does come out in the end regarding that night.
Therese was a very interesting character and I found she and Phoebe got along really well together. Their relationship was so easy going even though they hardly knew each other. We learn of Therese’s story really early on – it wasn’t dragged out at all. It was such an interesting and sad story, too. I felt so sorry for Therese that even after all of these years she still couldn’t forgive herself.
Of the minor characters I really liked Dan. I felt he got along better with Phoebe than Miles did. I was surprised to learn he was colour-blind, it was an interesting addition to his eccentric character. As I said, I don’t think Miles and Phoebe really got on all that well and I just couldn’t warm to Miles. He completely spoilt his daughter, Roxy, and I found her just as irritating. Roxy came across incredibly selfish and her behaviour was horrible.
I really liked Annie, Phoebe’s part-time helper in the shop. I liked her enthusiasm for the vintage clothes Phoebe sold. I found Phoebe’s mum hilarious with her constant wanting of facials and facelifts and all kind of treatments! I loved the story of the cupcake dresses and how each of the girls managed to acquire them. Katie was probably my favourite of the 4 – so different to the spoilt Roxy, she earned the right to buy her dress rather than being able to get her daddy to get it for her!
A Vintage Affair is probably one of my favourite books of the year. It was throughly enjoyable and is just as good as the other Isabel Wolff books I’ve read. Her writing just gets better & better!
Rating: 5/5
I thought Phoebe was a brilliant character and I could feel her guilt about Emma and felt so sad for her. I also completely understood why she blamed Guy even though the truth does come out in the end regarding that night.
Therese was a very interesting character and I found she and Phoebe got along really well together. Their relationship was so easy going even though they hardly knew each other. We learn of Therese’s story really early on – it wasn’t dragged out at all. It was such an interesting and sad story, too. I felt so sorry for Therese that even after all of these years she still couldn’t forgive herself.
Of the minor characters I really liked Dan. I felt he got along better with Phoebe than Miles did. I was surprised to learn he was colour-blind, it was an interesting addition to his eccentric character. As I said, I don’t think Miles and Phoebe really got on all that well and I just couldn’t warm to Miles. He completely spoilt his daughter, Roxy, and I found her just as irritating. Roxy came across incredibly selfish and her behaviour was horrible.
I really liked Annie, Phoebe’s part-time helper in the shop. I liked her enthusiasm for the vintage clothes Phoebe sold. I found Phoebe’s mum hilarious with her constant wanting of facials and facelifts and all kind of treatments! I loved the story of the cupcake dresses and how each of the girls managed to acquire them. Katie was probably my favourite of the 4 – so different to the spoilt Roxy, she earned the right to buy her dress rather than being able to get her daddy to get it for her!
A Vintage Affair is probably one of my favourite books of the year. It was throughly enjoyable and is just as good as the other Isabel Wolff books I’ve read. Her writing just gets better & better!
Rating: 5/5
April 30, 2020
OMG! I loved this book so much! I read it in two sittings. Highly recommend!
My Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by: Mrs. N
My Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by: Mrs. N
June 28, 2015
I'm really not in the least bit interested in fashion. Once I accidentally bought a second-hand quirky skirt by a well-known Kiwi designer, and the women at work all noticed it and asked, "Is that a ... ...?" which surprised me. Yes, the label was still on it and yes, they were right, but none of them had seemed to me to be clothes-horses. But then, I'm so not a follower of fashion that I can't even identify those who are.
One would think, therefore, that this book would bore me. It didn't. It didn't convert me - I still can't understand why anyone can go into ecstasies over a garment - but the descriptions are so well done that I could enjoy the colours and the textures of the fabrics, and imagine these clothes being worn. What great writing.
It all just goes to show that any well-written novel can engage me even when the supporting subject matter doesn't ordinarily pique my interest. It's in the characters and in the relationships and the unfolding of the (several) stories. This was a quick, light read, yet with some strong subject matter in people's life stories. I'm eager to read more by this author.
One would think, therefore, that this book would bore me. It didn't. It didn't convert me - I still can't understand why anyone can go into ecstasies over a garment - but the descriptions are so well done that I could enjoy the colours and the textures of the fabrics, and imagine these clothes being worn. What great writing.
It all just goes to show that any well-written novel can engage me even when the supporting subject matter doesn't ordinarily pique my interest. It's in the characters and in the relationships and the unfolding of the (several) stories. This was a quick, light read, yet with some strong subject matter in people's life stories. I'm eager to read more by this author.
October 6, 2019
I felt the author missed the opportunity to delve more into the history, people and stories connected to the vintage clothing in Phoebe’s shop; the same way she did for the story of Mrs. Bell’s “blue coat.” I found Mrs. Bell’s story far more interesting than anything going on in the lead character Phoebe’s love life.
March 10, 2016
Tengo que decir que el libro me ha sorprendido. Me ha enganchado más de lo que pensaba y ha sido una lectura dulce y entretenida.
March 14, 2021
Az a fajta kellemes kötet, ami miatt szeretem ezt a műfajt, címkézzék bár chick-litnek, vagy "női irodalomnak", vagy bármi egyébnek. Van története, méghozzá nem is buta, el lehet benne mélyedni, és mégis egy könnyedebb, szórakoztató műfajú könyv marad vintage ruhákkal, kis szerelmi szállal. Nagyon tetszett, hogy a sztori erősebb része a Mrs. Bell-lel folytatott beszélgetés, és az ebből körvonalazódó holokauszt téma volt - bevallom egyáltalán nem számítottam erre egy ilyen tündibündi borító mögött! -, illetve a párhuzamok, amiket vonni lehetett Phoebe életével.
De felüdülés volt, hogy a pasik is érdekesek voltak, és az elején kicsit bajban is voltam, hogy majd mi alapján dől el, hova húz a szív?... Pedig utálom a szerelmi háromszögeket, de ez lightos volt, és nem ezen volt a hangsúly.
Phoebe jó karakter, esendő, mégis erős, és jó volt kicsit fogni a kezét, aztán pedig útjára engedni az utolsó lapon.
Isabel Wolff tud írni. :)
Bővebben a blogon: https://pupillaolvas.blogspot.com/202...
De felüdülés volt, hogy a pasik is érdekesek voltak, és az elején kicsit bajban is voltam, hogy majd mi alapján dől el, hova húz a szív?... Pedig utálom a szerelmi háromszögeket, de ez lightos volt, és nem ezen volt a hangsúly.
Phoebe jó karakter, esendő, mégis erős, és jó volt kicsit fogni a kezét, aztán pedig útjára engedni az utolsó lapon.
Isabel Wolff tud írni. :)
Bővebben a blogon: https://pupillaolvas.blogspot.com/202...
Shelved as 'didn-t-finish'
May 9, 2022DNF. I just discovered that there are about 50 pages missing from this book, and groups of pages are in the wrong order. Wouldn’t you know it: I’m really early for a doctors appointment and don’t have anything else with me to read! One of the downsides of physical books!
August 10, 2015
I thoroughly enjoyed A Vintage Affair – from the moment I saw the cover I knew that it was going to be a book for me. I was fascinated by all the Vintage fashion and the author did a wonderful job showcasing it. The friendships that are formed as a result of Phoebe’s decision to pursue her passion of opening a Vintage shop are heartwarming and touching. I really enjoyed watching the interaction with all her customers and was especially endeared to Katie, a young girl trying her best to earn the money needed to buy her cherished dress.
But the real charm and passion of the book is the story of hurt and forgiveness that is woven throughout. Many of the main characters need to come to a place of acceptance and forgiveness and the author did an outstanding job weaving them all together to form a cohesive fabric.
At the beginning of the book we are introduced to Phoebe and her best friend Emma as childhood friends. We are then brought to the present where we discover that Phoebe has experienced a recent tragedy.
.
Tying Phoebe’s struggles to those of her new found friend, Mrs. Bell brought a whole new level of tenderness and depth to the book. This is where the true story lies and what made the book a five star for me. I cried along with both Phoebe and Mrs. Bell as they discovered that forgiveness is attainable but begins within.
But the real charm and passion of the book is the story of hurt and forgiveness that is woven throughout. Many of the main characters need to come to a place of acceptance and forgiveness and the author did an outstanding job weaving them all together to form a cohesive fabric.
At the beginning of the book we are introduced to Phoebe and her best friend Emma as childhood friends. We are then brought to the present where we discover that Phoebe has experienced a recent tragedy.
.
Tying Phoebe’s struggles to those of her new found friend, Mrs. Bell brought a whole new level of tenderness and depth to the book. This is where the true story lies and what made the book a five star for me. I cried along with both Phoebe and Mrs. Bell as they discovered that forgiveness is attainable but begins within.
March 11, 2011
3.5 stars
This was one charming story! it worked for me in some aspects, alas didnt in other regards that i thought were fundamental for this kind of theme to make a "wow" effect.
Firstly let me start with the fact that Wolff did an amazing job showcasing the Vintage fashion from all its angles. She goes into great detail of the designers of this era and what lead them to success. She really represented them as a competitive art not as the frivolous passion society has the tendency to embrace. She makes this a truly affair for the lover of design, color, texture and the many stories that cling to the once worn garments. This would be one of the books i would LOVE to see in a movie.. just to see all this clothing in their shining ethereal glory!!!
Now, the plot itself was a bit more complex for me to like or dislike.
Here we have Phoebe. This woman who transcribes her feelings through the passion for vintage and the feel of empowerment it provides. While she thrives in this end, she has her own ongoing set of demons to handle;a big gulp of guilt and remorse.Its very unique the way she webs her way back to forgiveness,which is through the whole vintage business itself.Unfortunately her love life in this book was a big "what the hell happened here" !! her candidates were so disconcerting that i really cared little to whom she would end up with.. it was a big "meh" for me. I acknowledge that im a sucker for romance, but even then.. this story could have done wonderfully with a good strong male figure there to reinforce the charm of the story! And to be honest it was kind of sad, because i liked the way Wolff made well developed characters.
i say, fashion lovers give it a try!! the premise makes up for the faulty interpersonal relationships.
This was one charming story! it worked for me in some aspects, alas didnt in other regards that i thought were fundamental for this kind of theme to make a "wow" effect.
Firstly let me start with the fact that Wolff did an amazing job showcasing the Vintage fashion from all its angles. She goes into great detail of the designers of this era and what lead them to success. She really represented them as a competitive art not as the frivolous passion society has the tendency to embrace. She makes this a truly affair for the lover of design, color, texture and the many stories that cling to the once worn garments. This would be one of the books i would LOVE to see in a movie.. just to see all this clothing in their shining ethereal glory!!!
Now, the plot itself was a bit more complex for me to like or dislike.
Here we have Phoebe. This woman who transcribes her feelings through the passion for vintage and the feel of empowerment it provides. While she thrives in this end, she has her own ongoing set of demons to handle;a big gulp of guilt and remorse.Its very unique the way she webs her way back to forgiveness,which is through the whole vintage business itself.Unfortunately her love life in this book was a big "what the hell happened here" !! her candidates were so disconcerting that i really cared little to whom she would end up with.. it was a big "meh" for me. I acknowledge that im a sucker for romance, but even then.. this story could have done wonderfully with a good strong male figure there to reinforce the charm of the story! And to be honest it was kind of sad, because i liked the way Wolff made well developed characters.
i say, fashion lovers give it a try!! the premise makes up for the faulty interpersonal relationships.
December 18, 2011
Audiobook was well read. Slow moving until the middle. Too much talk about the clothes. Most of the characters were really ugh. They were so self centered,so quick to betray friends while going after what they want, and so quick to lay the blame on someone besides themselves. Number one ugh is Phoebe. She turn out to be a poor friend to Emma and not very invested in the relationship with Guy. Who would dump someone they wanted to marry without even trying to work through the problem? Who would take up with someone her best friend liked without really getting that settled? And then flaunt the engagement? Who would forget what happend during the big Emma event and want to pin the fault on someone they loved? Guy is better off without her, but Guy isn't so hot either. Number two ugh is the father. Gah! How about ending the first long term marriage before starting the next one? What was the problem with the first wife - she wasn't going on digs with the husband? So he does what he did. Then doesn't he stay home and not accompany the new wife on her work? what's the difference? There should have been more sympathy for the first wife. Who wouldn't be shaken when the husband of so many years takes up with someone else like that? Why didn't he and Phoebe chip in to pay for the missed surgery. She was helping them.
I didn't really see the parallel between the Monica and Emma story. They weren't the same thing. The Monica story involved teenagers who couldn't imagine what was going on in the world at that time. The Emma thing involved people over 30 and selfish childish behavior. They should have known better. The Emma story was not a noble story.
I didn't really see the parallel between the Monica and Emma story. They weren't the same thing. The Monica story involved teenagers who couldn't imagine what was going on in the world at that time. The Emma thing involved people over 30 and selfish childish behavior. They should have known better. The Emma story was not a noble story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 28, 2014
Three and a half stars. Feeling guilty over what she perceives as her part in her friend Emma’s death, Phoebe quits her job at Sotheby’s and opens her own business called Village Vintage, where she sells vintage clothes and accessories. Phoebe likes the idea that vintage clothes have a story and she finds plenty to interest here when she meets Therese Bell . Therese starts to tell her a story about her Jewish friend from World War, and a child’s sky blue coat which Therese refuses to part with. Over the course of hearing the story which is interrupted by Therese’s ill health, the two women become friends.
Even though I am not into vintage clothes, I found the details of clothes interesting, if a little intrusive for my taste. But maybe if you have a thing for vintage clothes you will enjoy it. This story is more about friendship, guilt, regret and loss than it is about romance, which is just as well in my opinion. Miles is an idiot for giving in to his daughter Roxy all the time, at the expense of other relationships. I couldn’t understand why Phoebe would be interested in him anyway. If I thought Hannah was bad in The Cornish House Roxy was even worse. She is a thoroughly unlikeable girl and a spoiled brat! Phoebe’s mother was just as clueless and annoying, though in a different way. Dan and Annie are interesting characters and the relationship that develops between Therese and Phoebe and this story there is far more interesting than what goes on between Phoebe and Miles.
Even though I am not into vintage clothes, I found the details of clothes interesting, if a little intrusive for my taste. But maybe if you have a thing for vintage clothes you will enjoy it. This story is more about friendship, guilt, regret and loss than it is about romance, which is just as well in my opinion. Miles is an idiot for giving in to his daughter Roxy all the time, at the expense of other relationships. I couldn’t understand why Phoebe would be interested in him anyway. If I thought Hannah was bad in The Cornish House Roxy was even worse. She is a thoroughly unlikeable girl and a spoiled brat! Phoebe’s mother was just as clueless and annoying, though in a different way. Dan and Annie are interesting characters and the relationship that develops between Therese and Phoebe and this story there is far more interesting than what goes on between Phoebe and Miles.
November 15, 2015
'There are some people who say they’re able to ‘compartmentalize’ things, as though it is possible to put negative or distressing thoughts into neat mental drawers to be taken out only at a psychologically convenient time. It’s a beguiling idea, but I've never bought it. In my experience, sadness and regret seek into one’s consciousness willy-nilly, or they suddenly leap out at you with a snarl. The only real remedy is time...'
This was an incredible story and not exactly what I was expecting.
The story centers around Phoebe who has just fulfilled her dream of opening her own vintage clothing shop. Her life isn't completely happy; however, because she's still trying to deal with the loss of her best friend. She blames her ex-boyfriend for reasons that aren't explained till the end of the novel.
A side-story involves a French woman who contacts Phoebe to sell some of her vintage clothes. Phoebe visits her and while browsing through all of her beautiful clothes she discovers a seemingly out of place children's blue jacket. The woman decides to share her story involving life during WWII for the first time in her life with Phoebe. The two are able to help each other by sharing their stories and being able to move on with their lives.
It was truly a beautiful story.
This was an incredible story and not exactly what I was expecting.
The story centers around Phoebe who has just fulfilled her dream of opening her own vintage clothing shop. Her life isn't completely happy; however, because she's still trying to deal with the loss of her best friend. She blames her ex-boyfriend for reasons that aren't explained till the end of the novel.
A side-story involves a French woman who contacts Phoebe to sell some of her vintage clothes. Phoebe visits her and while browsing through all of her beautiful clothes she discovers a seemingly out of place children's blue jacket. The woman decides to share her story involving life during WWII for the first time in her life with Phoebe. The two are able to help each other by sharing their stories and being able to move on with their lives.
It was truly a beautiful story.
September 24, 2015
Kitaba başlamadan önce hem kapağı hem de adı tatlı bir aşk hikayesi olacak izlenimini vermişti. Elbette bu da var ama bunun dışında çok daha derin bir hikayesi var. Bayan Bell'in,mavi ceketin hikayesi...
Beni çok çok etkileyen geçmişin o berbat dönemine,Yahudi soykırımına dayanıyor mavi ceketin hikayesi. Ben o kısımları okurken çok rahatsız hissettim kendimi. Bunların gerçeklere dayandığını biliyor olmak beni çok etkiliyor. Kitapta böyle bir hikayenin de oluşunu sevdim ama,öyle düz bir aşk hikayesi değil yani.
Bir yanda da Phobe'un hikayesi vardı tabii. Berbat zamanlar geçirmiş,hayatı yerle bir olmuş ve bunu düzeltmeye çalışan otuzlarında bir kadın,başta değeri pek bilinemeyen bir erkek karakter...Tüm bunlar alışılmış şeyler ama ben dönem dönem böyle kitaplar okumayı seviyorum. Phobe gibi karakterleri daha çok seviyorum hatta. Tüm o yıkılmışlığa rağmen toparlanabilmelerini,o mutlu sona ulaşabilmelerini okumayı seviyorum. Ve bana göre,bazen böyle bilindik konularla,umut dolu yolculuklar yapmak çok keyifli. Ayrıca ben Phobe gibi düşünen karakterleri,"elbiselerin hikayeleri" fikrini seviyorum.
Kitaptaki tek sorun Fransızca kısımların çevrilmemesiydi. Nedenini çözebilmiş değilim.
Beni çok çok etkileyen geçmişin o berbat dönemine,Yahudi soykırımına dayanıyor mavi ceketin hikayesi. Ben o kısımları okurken çok rahatsız hissettim kendimi. Bunların gerçeklere dayandığını biliyor olmak beni çok etkiliyor. Kitapta böyle bir hikayenin de oluşunu sevdim ama,öyle düz bir aşk hikayesi değil yani.
Bir yanda da Phobe'un hikayesi vardı tabii. Berbat zamanlar geçirmiş,hayatı yerle bir olmuş ve bunu düzeltmeye çalışan otuzlarında bir kadın,başta değeri pek bilinemeyen bir erkek karakter...Tüm bunlar alışılmış şeyler ama ben dönem dönem böyle kitaplar okumayı seviyorum. Phobe gibi karakterleri daha çok seviyorum hatta. Tüm o yıkılmışlığa rağmen toparlanabilmelerini,o mutlu sona ulaşabilmelerini okumayı seviyorum. Ve bana göre,bazen böyle bilindik konularla,umut dolu yolculuklar yapmak çok keyifli. Ayrıca ben Phobe gibi düşünen karakterleri,"elbiselerin hikayeleri" fikrini seviyorum.
Kitaptaki tek sorun Fransızca kısımların çevrilmemesiydi. Nedenini çözebilmiş değilim.
July 15, 2018
Que devo dizer este livro conquistou-me!
O tema da moda nem é dos meus favoritos, mas a maneira como a autora coloca as histórias em torno de determinadas peças de vestuário foi genial!
E claro a história sobre a segunda guerra mundial está muito bem construída e entrelaçada com a história de Phoebe. Por isso ainda que o começo tenha sido pouco interessante depois prendeu-me.
Adorei! Viessem mais livros como este capazes de nos conquistar e arrebatar desta maneira!
O tema da moda nem é dos meus favoritos, mas a maneira como a autora coloca as histórias em torno de determinadas peças de vestuário foi genial!
E claro a história sobre a segunda guerra mundial está muito bem construída e entrelaçada com a história de Phoebe. Por isso ainda que o começo tenha sido pouco interessante depois prendeu-me.
Adorei! Viessem mais livros como este capazes de nos conquistar e arrebatar desta maneira!
February 11, 2012
I really enjoyed the historical aspect of this book about vintage clothes. I did not realize it was a thriving business. On the downside, I don't think the author had much depth to her secondary characters-even though most played major parts in the book. Also-some parts of the book were too coincidental & convenient vs realistic.
May 29, 2012
No es que sea una maravilla de libro en cuanto a cómo está escrito, pero la historia es realmente preciosa, me ha gustado tanto que en apenas dos días me lo he ventilado.
September 6, 2012
Really fun book with some of my favorite elements: London, vintage clothing, friendship.
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