The Dress Lodger by Shari Holman

Title:  The Dress Lodger

Publisher:  Grove Press

Publication Date:  2010

ISBN:   0802144926

Pages:  320

Source:  Purchased from BN

I finished this book over a week ago and I have waited to write my review because I wanted to let it sink in before I wrote about it.  While reading this book, I found myself flip flopping back and forth  from loving it, to hating it.  I think this is because the characters are surviving in such a dreary place in such a terrible time in history.  There is filth everywhere and a threat of Cholera looming over everyone. The main character is Gustine, a 15 year old prostitute. Gustine is not an ordinary prostitute.  Thanks to her horrible land lord, Gustine's customers are higher class than the average working man.  This is because the landlord has supplied her with a fancy blue dress that makes her look like a lady.  In turn, she sells herself, and he keeps a roof over her head.  But, he has her followed constantly to make sure she doesn't run off with his expensive dress.  Her keeper, is an old crone called, the Eye.  She is called the Eye because she only has one and the other side of her face is deformed.  Gustine gets herself mixed up with a Doctor that is teaching medicine.  She helps the Doctor round up dead people to be used in his teaching.  This all adds up to an adventure like no other.  There are times when the story is being told by dead people.  It is the story of a struggle for survival during a time of disease, filth, poverty, pestilence, and yes even love.  I have never read a book with more interesting characters.  For example, in the beginning of the book, it is being told by a woman that makes her living by painting the ends on match sticks.  She glows blue because the paint is full of phosphorous.  Overall, I believe this book is a good depiction of what it was really like for the people of this era.  If you want to read a book that is captivating, then you need to read this one!