At the very end of the Ladies' Frocks Departments, past Cocktail Frocks, there was something very special, something quite, quite wonderful; but it wasn't for everybody: that was the point. Because there, at the very end, there was a lovely arch, on which was written in curly letters Model Gowns.
In the famous F.G. Goode department store, Lisa is the new Sales Assistant (Temporary) in Ladies' Cocktail Frocks. She is about to meet Magda, the glamorous Continental refugee and guardian of the rose-pink cave of Model Gowns.
About the Author
Madeleine St John was born in Sydney. She graduated from Sydney University in 1963 and lived in London for most of the succeeding years, until her death in 2006. The Women in Black is her first novel. She also wrote A Pure Clear Light, 1996, The Essence of the Thing, 1997, which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, and Stairway to Paradise, 1999.
Industry Reviews
'Funny, affectionate, moving and written with a light, comic touch.' -- Monica McInerney * Australian Women's Weekly *
'A delicious book. Funny and happy, it's like the breath of youth again.' * Jane Gardam *
'Seductive, hilarious, brilliantly observed, this novel shimmers with wit and tenderness.' * Helen Garner *
'A major minor masterpiece, a witty and poignant snapshot of Sydney the year before yesterday.' * Barry Humphries *
'St. John casts an airy spell with the deftness of her prose, which moves gracefully, swiftly and with perfect manners.' -- Delia Falconer * Australian *
'This glorious, witty snapshot of Australia in the 1950s...it really is a gem in the rough....This is no nostalgia piece for a lost way of life, but a clever, funny argument for why things had to change.' * Sunday Times *
'Wickedly humorous yet tender...Full of old fashioned elegance and witty humour. I loved every page.' * Style Magazine *
'Like the deceptively simple (but perfectly crafted) little black dress, this delicious and sly masterpiece works its magic from the very first sentence. Once you slip into its folds-- full of hope and new beginnings, of luck and laughter and love-- I dare you not to catch yourself smiling, and wanting to twirl, for days and days and days.' * Sarah Blake, author of The Guest Book and The Postmistress *
'Funny and light...perfect for lovers of chick lit with a dash of romance and historical fiction for good measure.' * Booklist *
'Department store particulars are part of the charm of The Women in Black, a deceptively smart comic gem that tracks four women through the pandemonium of one holiday season in 1950s Sydney. Laced with a fierce intelligence that captures the limited options for women and postwar xenophobia views, it's also a love letter to department stores of yore. Let's raise a glass to this heroic comic novel that's not only still alive but getting a second wind.' * New York Times *
