Reviewed by Edith Wairimu for Readers' Favorite

In her incredible, masterfully written memoir, Sidonia's Seam Binding: A Holocaust Dressmaker's Daughter Discovers Her Style, Hanna Perlstein Marcus documents her experiences as a child brought up by a single mother who survived the Holocaust. Sidonia was the only one from her family who survived the genocide. She spent four years in a displaced camp where her daughter was born. Marcus intertwines her personal experiences with her mother’s and the alternative life Marcus imagined for her. The author ponders over what life would have been like for her mother if she had not existed and reflects on her mother’s personality and decisions which were shaped by her childhood and the devastating experiences she experienced. Marcus shares how she developed her identity as an adult and covers her mother’s successful dressmaking journey and her own impactful career.

In her memoir, Hanna Perlstein Marcus weaves a beautiful tapestry of her life and her mother’s. Sidonia and her daughter are inspiring, building lives in a foreign country following the destruction and genocide of the Holocaust. Each of their stories is powerful with valuable insights about fortitude, courage, and hard work. With a skillful hand, Marcus depicts characters and personal experiences that will resonate with readers. She writes with compelling honesty, exploring her thoughts and her mother’s character and perspective. The historical details about Sidonia’s family and birthplace were fascinating and informative. A poignant and unforgettable read, Sidonia's Seam Binding by Hanna Perlstein Marcus is a moving story of two women’s brave and successful journeys after the horrors of the Holocaust. Highly recommended.