Product Description

“We began the dress on the last evening in October.” For three sisters, it will become a banner of hope, spun from delicate memories of genteel tradition and woven with threads of possibility. Through the desolate landscape of winter, it will act as a beacon of unexpected fortune and faith in a world void of promise. It will inspire the noble heart that lies dormant beneath layers of grief. Together, the stalwart ladies of Oak Creek, Virginia will fashion their impossible dreams into . . .

THE WEDDING DRESS

Virginia Renfro Ellis’s extraordinary work of historical fiction evokes the tattered essence of the post-Civil War South, where widows, children, and scarred veterans were left to reconstruct a country. There is little to wish for in the lives of the Atwater women. Julia and Victoria were barely brides before their husbands marched off with the doomed Confederate army. Now alone, with scarcely enough money to see them through until spring, they embark on an impetuous mission to bring a sparkle of joy back into their youngest sister’s eyes. Seventeen-year-old Claire has always wanted to be married. And though she has no intended groom, her sisters decide to sew her a wedding gown.

As the dress takes shape, the gates of their meager plantation home welcome the arrival of Sergeant Monroe Tacy. He has come to fulfill a dying man’s last request, but his presence begins a series of remarkable events that will transform the Atwater sisters forever.

The Wedding Dress is an unforgettable lesson in hope, written with the natural simplicity and beauty of a born storyteller.


From the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #911300 in Books
• Published on: 2003-04-29
• Released on: 2003-04-29
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 304 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Set in post-Civil War Virginia, Ellis's suspense-filled romance evokes the aftermath of war in a state that is dying by inches, economically ruined and devoid of an entire generation of young men. The three beautiful Atwater sisters two with dead or missing husbands, one whose chances for marriage have been blighted by the war cling to each other in the ruins of their family home, Oak Creek Plantation. In an effort to stave off despair, the widowed Julia makes a rash gesture: she announces that 17-year-old Claire, the youngest, will be married in the spring. With no funds and no groom in sight, Julia, Victoria (whose husband has gone missing in the war) and Claire dedicate their resources to making a wedding dress. Tested by events ranging from the supernatural (ghostly Southern soldiers) to the providential (lace and buttons appear through the generosity of friends and strangers), the sisters rely on their faith to see them through. With the arrival of Monroe Tacy, Julia's husband's old comrade, along with several surprise visitors, some joy may be salvaged from the ashes of their lives. Ellis spins an engaging story, though her Southern dialect can be stiff and some scenes wax overly sentimental. Her narrative warmly embraces its entire range of characters and keeps the reader guessing until the end. The author, who has written a dozen romance novels under the name of Lyn Ellis, is off to a good start in combining a historical perspective with generous portraits of appealing characters.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Adult/High School-In this light, heart-warming novel, sisters Julia and Victoria, widowed by the Civil War, show their true, optimistic nature. Determined that their youngest sister, Claire, will have a beautiful, happy wedding, they design and sew a dress without a groom in sight. Their genteel poverty means that they must sell possessions to get the necessary cloth, but neighbors donate trimmings. Sergeant Tacy, an aide to Julia's husband, arrives at their Virginia plantation to tell her of William's last battle and his last expressions of love for her. The officer stays to help as the women begin to try to farm and start life anew. Julia tells the story, and readers feel both her confidence and her insecurities as problems develop. As she misses William more and more she sees specters of soldiers waiting around the farm. Later she decides he sent them to comfort her. The historical details of daily life are woven skillfully into the simple plot, and subtle nuances are drawn between classes and races. Teens will delight in the touches of humor that involve a contrary mule, and they will also realize that from depressed times can come hope and happiness.
Claudia Moore, W. T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
In this involving novel set during the Reconstruction era in the South, the Atwater sisters struggle to attain normalcy after the turbulence of the war years. Julia has lost her husband, William, in the war, and Victoria's husband, James, is missing and presumed dead. Convinced that the best years of their lives are behind them, they concentrate their attention on their younger sister, 17-year-old Claire, and decide to sew her a wedding gown as a symbol of their optimism about her future. Through a series of fortuitous events, they manage to lay their hands on almost everything they need--except a groom. Then Monroe Tacy, a sergeant who served under William, makes the arduous journey from Savannah to deliver William's dying message to his wife. Julia thinks she has found Claire a husband, but events take a surprising turn. Ellis, author of a dozen romance novels under the name Lyn Ellis, is making a bid for mainstream success here, in what is more a historical novel with a strong romance at the center. An enjoyable read. Joanne Wilkinson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Customer Reviews

A Beautiful Read
Based on the jacket cover description, I purchased this book to take on a vacation... I read it in about 2 days! I was so pleased with the quality of the writing. Ms. Ellis is truly a talented writer who writes from the heart (she, herself, lost her husband in a war) and has the skill of keeping you so engrossed that you can't put the book down. When I returned from my vacation, I searched for other books by Ms. Ellis and was disappointed that there were no others at that time. I have recently, however, discovered "The Photograph", bought it immediately, and should have it finished in a couple of days! Keep up the outstanding quality, Ms. Ellis... I will keep buying!

A Wonderful Book
This is one of those books you'll tell everyone you know about. I've given away probably a dozen copies to friends and family. Everyone loves it, both men and women. But the best testament I've heard so far was from my sister, who after reading it herself, read it allowed to her husband on their honeymoon. He enjoyed it so much, they've started a tradition of reading aloud to each other.

The story, the characters, the rhythm of language all blend together in a beautiful message of hope. This is a wonderful book, which I highly recommend. For myself, I know I'll end up reading it over and over again.

The Rhythm of "The Wedding Dress"
Virginia Renfro Ellis has written this novel the best way possible: she balances her prose with poetry to provide an underlining rhythm to the book. With such wording as "surprised into silence", "an embarrassment of riches", and "a different kind of war--one that must be fought after the losses of the other", this story engraves itself upon the reader's heart.
A great subtitle for this novel would be "The Wedding Dress: Don't Miss the Dance", based on the lyrics of "The Dance" by CW star Garth Brooks.
Treat yourself to the wealth of love this story provides.