Reviews

By Her Own Design, by Piper Huguley

datgirlcchelle's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Rape, Death of parent, and Pedophilia

momreadsbooksinbtwn's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

By Her Own Design is one of those lifetime book finds. I was so thankful to a friend that shared this book with me. It’s definitely a book that needs to be passed along from friend to friend, just to share it’s magic. It is a historical fiction novel based upon the story of Anne Lowe, a black designer that created Jaqueline Bouvier’s wedding dress when she married John F. Kennedy. The novel begins with a tragedy that occurs in her dress shop in New York, when a pipe bursts and ruins the wedding dress and bridesmaids’ dresses that Anne had created for Jacqueline’s wedding. Then the book leads into the story of Anne Lowe’s life, how and where she grew up as well as how she became such a talented seamstress. It covers her life and struggles, personally and professionally. The story does weave back to how Anne overcame to tragedy that occurred to that ever important wedding dresses. It was such a heartfelt story, I honestly did not want the book to end. The story of her life was presented in a manner that it just flowed, there were no lulls in the book and each chapter made you want to read more to see how Anne would persevere. Be sure to read the author’s note at the end of the book, you will read all about Piper Huguley’s research and some interesting details about Anne Lowe. I did listen to this book on audio and I think it definitely made the experience for me, the accents and different character voices were just perfect. Now I have to go and dive into Piper’s other novels.

ashrad's review

I’m not sure how to rate this one. I found the beginning (first 1/3ish) to be deeply disturbing which kind of made me just want to get through it. I love historical fiction though and had never heard of Ann Lowe before, so all the parts about her overcoming obstacles due to racism, the Kennedy’s, her benefactress, and her dress making artistry was very interesting.

eelaw10's review

emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

4.0

backinbooks's review

emotional hopeful informative inspiring slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

Very inspiring historical fiction with a strong black  female lead character.  It was great story telling but too long and more than I wanted to know about ball gowns for rich women of society.

jsant's review against another edition

informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

An excellent story about a remarkable woman. Based on the life of Anne Lowe, a black woman who designed many dresses for high society in the mid 1900s, including the wedding dress of Jacqueline Kennedy in her marriage to JFK. The author takes some liberties, but explains them in the author's note. 

libraryrobin's review

hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

3.0

A black seamstress uses her talent and works hard to rise from poverty to create dresses for women on the Social Register. 
Well written but a bit too long.

aprilbosworth's review

3.0

While I really enjoyed this based on real life story of a black dressmaker 2 generations removed from slavery, it fell prey to two common problems of the genre: 1-over emphasis of the fiction part of the novel (in this case, her childhood especially the rotten sexual relationship of the child marriage) 2-lack of steam at the end. That said I found the first person telling to be engaging. The character herself is interesting and complex. And the view of the changes in the world and in attitudes and experiences as she lived before, during, and after the civil rights era (without that major history really being a big part of her story) were skillfully portrayed.

hairiiam100's review

5.0

WOW WOW WOW!! To say this book was a page turner is a gross understatement. When our book club first voted on this book, I have to be honest, I did not vote for it and was disappointed in the selection. The synopsis did not capture me. But the book, the book ENRAPTURED me!

I am blown away by the story telling, the events of Miss Ann Lowe’s life, the fight in her and how love driven her artistry was. I hated to put this book down at night and found myself unable to sleep a few times from nagging curiosity of what would happen next.

The set up and reveals were one of my favorite aspects of this novel. The way the author, Piper Huguley, baits the reader at the end of each chapter ugh, it was like a brain freeze that hurts so good. Like, “WHAT? Just let her be already. Just let the good stay good

randi_b's review

5.0

Spectacular writing! Piper Huguley BECAME Ms.Anne Lowe! It was equivalent to the way Jamie Foxx embodied Ray Charles, or how Will Smith essentially transformed into Mohammad Ali. I’m still not convinced Ann didn’t write this herself, it really read like we were in her brain. She had such a passion for dressmaking, I mean all she wanted to do was sew and shawty just kept getting hit after hit, my goodness. I’m like I know this is based on real life but can she catch a break please?? And then you get to the end of a chapter and the last sentence is a cliffhanger/spoiler, and you’re like wait what just happened? At that point you have no choice but to keep going! I probably would’ve been done sooner but I kept googling her dresses and what was fact vs embellished fiction. Highly recommend. I feel so cultured after having read this *pinky up*