The Sewing Machine by Natalie Fergie

The Sewing Machine by Natalie Fergie
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 1 day

Pages - 320

Publisher - Unbound

Source - Netgalley

Blurb from Goodreads

It is 1911, and Jean is about to join the mass strike at the Singer factory. For her, nothing will be the same again.

Decades later, in Edinburgh, Connie sews coded moments of her life into a notebook, as her mother did before her.

More than 100 years after his grandmother’s sewing machine was made, Fred discovers a treasure trove of documents. His family history is laid out before him in a patchwork of unfamiliar handwriting and colourful seams.

He starts to unpick the secrets of four generations, one stitch at a time.


My Review

Firstly, I just want to comment on the cover, mine was an eBook however the cover for the paperback is exactly as the wee attached picture. It has so much detail without being over the top, flashy or in your face but when you pick it up and actually look at it, especially after reading the story, it is really something. The story itself concentrates on three main characters, Jean starting in 1911, Connie in 1954 and up to date is Fred in 2016. Three characters in different times, relatively different circumstances, different individuals all with one thing in common, sewing machines. It doesn't sound like a massive pull or overly interesting but guys, trust me, this is a great wee book.

Jean is torn between doing what is right, supporting her fellow workers in a time when every penny really does count and going against her father to take part in a strike that impacts on her future. Connie is a genteel soul, living with her mother and settled in what little life has given her, a dab hand with her sewing machine she has no idea her skills will bring forth change to her life. And lastly Fred, his life is upside down, a bereavement brings much changes and he commences on a journey of self examination and growth with unexpected surprises along the way.

Oh you would think anything about a sewing machine, especially with three individuals having them in their stories to be dull, a chore to get into. You would be absolutely wrong, this book is a gem that has many layers revealing its history and with each chapter drawing the reader into the world of families, relationships, hardships and issues that are evident for each despite the time differences.

For me I think the book grabbed me more because bereavements are in it and we just lost a family member last week. The act of going through his family history in memories from the flat, Fred is discovering as much about himself as he is his grandparents. Clearing out a home conjures up so many memories and questions not to mention emotions, the author encapsulates this perfectly. Sentences written that are absolutely time appropriate, words used both things that evoked personal memories for me and I imagine other readers. "...she heard their firmly-sprung letter box snapped closed." I remember the brass letterboxes we all had in the eighties that did exactly that, along with ripping the top layer of skin off before it banged shut.

I don't feel I am doing this book justice but it is hard to give examples without giving anything away, the book is beautifully written and you would never guess this is a debut novel. The authors voice is strong and she has a gift for bringing you into a time where even if you weren't born then you can easily envision the time, smells, sounds, feelings and issues. Three timelines go along with the main characters and are clearly marked, signposted and easy to follow. I genuinely hope this author is working on her next novel, maybe more from these characters or in the same period. I do love books that give unexpected gifts and trips down memory lane are something you are always grateful for. 4/5 for me this time, thanks to Netgalley for bringing a book to my attention I may have otherwise have missed. I will be buying a copy of this for a few friends who I think will enjoy it as much, if not more, than I have, an author worth watching I think!

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The Given Day by Dennis Lehane

The Given Day by Dennis Lehane
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 2.5 days

Pages - 734

Publisher - Black Swan

Source - Amazon

Blurb from Goodreads

1918. Boston. A city in turmoil as soldiers return home from World War One, bringing with them an epidemic of Spanish influenza.

Danny Coughlin is the son of one of Boston's most powerful police captains. An undercover cop, he is hunting for revolutionaries and anarchists who, in the aftermath of war, are pledged to overthrow the city's ruling classes. But Danny soon finds his ideals compromised as, drawn into the conflict, his family starts to question where his loyalties really lie.

Luther Lawrence is on the run. Having survived a murderous confrontation with a crime boss, he lands a job in the Coughlin household. But it isn't long before his dangerous past and his tenuous present are on a life-threatening collision course.

As the city goes into meltdown, Danny and Luther must confront the storm of violence that threatens to engulf them if each is to survive...


My Review

The book is split into three main characters timelines and points of view, well two main ones Luther Lawrence, Danny Coughlin and Babe Ruth gets a few chapters (yes the Babe Ruth!). Set in 1918-1919 in Boston we cover a few periods of time with big history. The Influenza epidemic, the Boston police strike and civial unrest and not forgetting the time period where racism is strong. Luther is a black gentleman trying to make a living in conditions where he is treated horrifically because of the colour of his skin. Danny is a white Irishman, police officer who has his own struggles at the time, the police aren't valued and have terrible working conditions. The two males have different problems and we see how they tackle them having very different opportunities and trying to survive a horrible time period. The book is historically correct, from what I have heard as history is not one of my strong points. I aim to read more about on the political unrest, the riots, the influenza that killed so many. The racism is ugly, heartbreaking and at times makes you very ashamed to be a human being. Whilst the book is fiction it portrays many true events and mirrors the attitudes of society at a time when poverty and race was rampant.

My workie David had been telling me about this book last year when we started working together, it is his favourite book of all time. It took me ages to get to it and I wish I had picked it up earlier, I love a book where you learn something. I read so much fiction and really need to learn more about the world we live in, we have such a dark history with the worst and best of humanity documented.

Baseball is not something I have ever been interested in however I would like to read more about Babe Ruth. I don't think the book would have lost anything had his parts not been in the book but it was interesting and I would like to read more on his history is not the actual team.

It took me a wee bit to settle into the book, it is a huge read and we flip between the three characters with very stark differences. Once you get into it it makes for riveting reading however be prepared going in to this to read some horrible aspects of human behaviour and complete disregard for human life. From what I can see this is the first book in a trilogy, I will certainly be getting the next one to see what is next in store for our characters, 4/5 for me this time.

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