Plot Summary

The Dress Lodger

Sheri Holman
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The Dress Lodger

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1999

Book Brief

Sheri Holman

The Dress Lodger

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1999
Book Details
Pages

320

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Sunderland, England • 1830s

Publication Year

1999

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

Set in 1831 Sunderland during a cholera outbreak, Sheri Holman's The Dress Lodger follows fifteen-year-old Gustine, who works as a potter's assistant by day and a prostitute by night to support her son, born with a rare defect. Lending bodies to Dr. Henry Chiver, obsessed with her son's condition, Gustine navigates a crumbling, quarantined city fraught with distrust of medical professionals. The novel contains graphic depictions of body snatching and medical procedures.

Dark

Gritty

Mysterious

Melancholic

Unnerving

Reviews & Readership

3.7

8,468 ratings

56%

Loved it

29%

Mixed feelings

15%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Sheri Holman's The Dress Lodger is lauded for its evocative portrayal of 1830s England, blending historical fiction with gothic elements. Critics praise its richly detailed setting and complex characters, but some find the narrative dense and the pacing uneven. Overall, it is a compelling, albeit challenging, read suitable for fans of dark, historical narratives.

Who should read this

Who Should Read The Dress Lodger?

Readers who enjoy gothic, historical fiction with a dark twist, like Sarah Waters' Fingersmith or Michel Faber's The Crimson Petal and the White, will be captivated by Sheri Holman's The Dress Lodger. The book's vivid depiction of 19th-century England and rich character development are perfect for fans of atmospheric, gritty narratives.

3.7

8,468 ratings

56%

Loved it

29%

Mixed feelings

15%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

320

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Sunderland, England • 1830s

Publication Year

1999

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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