Valerie Myers

History said she was just a man's muse. History was wrong. Mizza Bricard, at a party surrounded by the most scandalous women in Paris - including Coco Chanel - sees what society expects of a woman alone in the world. That night, she vows to never be gossiped about because of who has paid for her pearls, a vow that drives her through decades and couture houses until finally her name is remembered and a legend created. The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard is a fascinating deep dive into the fashion industry from the 1900s, through to today. Mizza Bricard existed in real life and started as a pattern maker for Dior in 1946, eventually becoming known as his muse. Mizza's fictional daughter, Astrid, arrives in New York determined to change the fashion world forever but becomes best known for her dance on a table while wearing her daringly short, silver lamé dress and no underwear. And then Astrid disappeared… The author did an incredible job combining a real-life character with a handful of fictional ones to spotlight what fashion designers had to accept at the time - being invisible as men got the credit for their ideas. I felt the story lost some momentum during the star-crossed-lover bits Astrid and Blythe, both suffered through. (There's no doubt in my mind, however, that romance lovers will think that's the best part of the book!) For me? It was the fashion industry parts of the book that were the most captivating. Many thanks to both #Forever and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard, by Natasha Lester. #NatashaLester #HistoryWasWrong