The Midnight Dress is about a girl named Rose Lovell who moves into a run-down Queensland sugarcane town with her dad. Her new friend Pearl Kelly convinces her to get a dress for the annual Harvest Parade and so she approaches a forgotten dress maker, who knows all the town secrets and has a fascinating family history which she shares with Rose. The dressmaker Edie agrees to create the dress on the condition that Rose assists her, and it will be one woven from scraps, memories, stories and magic. But when the girl wearing the midnight blue dress goes missing, the town and all of its inhabitants will be laid bare in the search, and nothing will ever be the same again.
At the end of the day I really enjoyed 'The Midnight Dress'. At first I was not particularly gripped by the book, I found the main character rude and hard to connect and sympathise with. However as the book developed you see a change in the character, as you see her mature and become a nicer person in general. Despite the slow beginning, the book did become addictive as the mystery unravelled.
Furthermore the novel is uniquely and well written as Karen Foxlee jumbles up the story line telling you the tragic ending at the beginning of the book, leaving out key elements. The use of dramatic irony is addictive for the reader, as you really need to read on. Foxlee also writes other plots within the main story line which are as equally captivating and tragic. These separate plots aid the development of the characters and allow the reader to sympathise with the characters.
Some parts of the story are written as if the author is directly addressing the reader which is very welcoming and refreshing. This technique really makes the reader feel involved in the story. Foxlee's attention to detail is incredible adding in small gestures that, for me, really made the book that much more special, for example the title of each chapter is named after different sewing techniques.
Foxlee deeply develops the characters, whether they be major or minor characters they are incredibly thought out. The slight paranormal aspect is questionable as to whether or not it is true, and because of this I believe it can appeal to a wider majority of people (the paranormal lovers and the paranormal haters).
To conclude I enjoyed 'The Midnight Dress', it is a unique and intriguing novel, which I'd recommend to those looking for something different. I would personally aim this at the older teens due to the dark and slightly disturbing scenes. A must read beautifully tragic novel.
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