Well done historical fiction. Set in Vienna beginning in 1889, when Fanny is born, and then moving up to and through WWI, it's the story of a determined woman that never gets melodramatic but still pulls at the heart. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

It was a interesting read, not a quick read but a good one
Enjoyable, a little long for my taste. But that is just on me.

At the Vienna General Hospital in the 1880’s, to reduce the number of abandoned babies a woman could give birth and not have to reveal her identity. Josepha Pfeiffer works at the Vienna foundling home, she names the new baby girl born in the early hours of Christmas day in 1889; Fanny, and she takes a personal interest in her well being. Josepha’s old enough to be Fanny’s grandmother, she makes sure she finishes school and helps her find employment when she leaves the foundling home.

Due to her humble origins, Fanny can only find work as a maid, Josepha lets her sleep on her couch when she get fired for numerous reasons and usually it's due to her not concentrating. Fanny has a talent for sewing, she wants to design and create her own clothes and her mind is full of ideas. Fanny’s determined to work for Madame Moreau at her fashion house, she manages to convince her to give her a chance and an apprenticeship. For three years she works for Sarah Moreau, studies at the technical college and gains her qualifications as a craftswoman in tailoring. Fanny always wonders who her real mother is, and Josepha explains her mother wouldn’t even take the certificate of admission from the hospital and gave birth wearing a veil. Fanny meets three people who are important to her and they all have a major impact in her life, Izabella and Maxim Kalman and Helene Bathory.

When France declares war on the Austria-Hungarian Empire in 1914, life in Vienna changes quickly and all the men are called up to fight. It causes huge shortages of labor, food, supplies and the city is full of hungry refugees. Fanny, Helene and Izabella all do what they can to help, the war is long and a brutal. At the end of the war, long kept secrets are uncovered about Fanny’s birth mother, it solves the mystery and no one will ever take Josepha’s place in Fanny’s heart.

The Girl with the Golden Scissors is a story about the life of Franny Schindler, from the mystery of her birth, her growing up in a foundling home and having the determination to follow her dreams, and never giving up. Based around the true facts regarding the Vienna foundling home, the Austro-Hungarian Empire and it’s reputation of crafting tailored suits. Julia Drosten has written a remarkable historical fiction book, I highly recommend reading it and five stars from me.

I really enjoyed getting to know Fanny and her struggles, the story kept me hooked and I really enjoyed reading it.

Great historical fiction that whisks you away to the past. A lovely relaxing holiday read. I could imagine it as a film.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

#The Girl with the Golden Scissors is written by a “duo” husband and wife team #Julia Drosten.Historical fiction this novel has been translated from German to English.Main character being Fanny taking place in “1889”,WW1, and is a orphan.She is a essential person in the fashion industry before and during World War One.
Thank you,
#Netgalley,#Julia Drosten, and #Amazon Crossing

In Christmas of 1889, in Vienna, a girl child is born to an unwed mother at the Vienna General Hospital who abandons her. The child is subsequently taken in by the matron of the foundling home attached to the hospital who also presided over the birth. The girl child is christened Fanny Schindler and under the care of her loving matron, grows up to be a strong willed and beautiful girl who has ambitions far ahead for a woman of her time. Determined to rise above her humble station in life, Fanny eventually gets a coveted apprenticeship position in one of the leading fashion houses of Austria-Hungary and finally begins to live out her dream of becoming a successful seamstress/designer. Through all this, Fanny has a constant desire to know about her birth mother and family and why she was given away to a foundling home. Her foster mother/matron who has received secret monetary payments through the years for Fanny's upbringing suspects that Fanny might belong to a very important family.

When World War I breaks out, Fanny's life takes a new turn where loyalties of her friends, people she knows and the future of the dual monarchy is tested. More so, this war finally affords her the opportunity to find out about her parentage.

The Girl With The Golden Scissors is a beautifully written historical fiction. The original book is written in German by the husband/wife duo who write as Julia Drosten and it has been translated to English by Deborah Rachel Langton. I haven't read the original book (since German is not a language I know) but from reading this English translation I feel that Deborah has done a wonderful job of capturing the descriptions and feelings of the people, places, events of the original novel. A good book to consider making into a movie.

My thanks to NetGally, the publisher Amazon Crossing and the authors for the e-Arc of the book. I definitely look forward to reading more from this author duo. I also apologise for putting up the review late.

A well written and unique perspective on turn of the century/WWI Europe and the life of a sassy, strong orphan and the experiences that shaped her. Not entirely what I expected, but a good piece of historical fiction.

I really enjoy historical fiction and I was hopeful about this book, and it was a good book. I enjoyed the early story of Fanny, how she blossomed in the care of the woman that took her in and she became a strong woman that knew what she wanted and set out to do something about it. It moved really slow in several places and overall the writing was really good and engaging. This wasn't a time period that I had read much about so in that respect it was "new" to me. I'm glad I had an opportunity to read this book.

Born into a foundling home for orphans of unwed mothers, Fanny Schindler spends her whole life proving herself to the loving woman, Josepha, who took her in. First by obtaining good grades in school and longing to continue her education, she works as a lady's maid for several rich young women. After several failed attempts in prominent houses, she decides to follow her dream of becoming a seamstress and buys herself an apprenticeship to one of the most prestigious clothing shops in Austria-Hungary.
I like how Fanny is such a strong female character learning to take care of herself through several failures and finally finding her calling in fashion. I love how she was able to eventually able to buy the clothing store she started in. Great historical fiction before and during WWI.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book!

I absolutely love historical fiction especially when it is written as eloquently as The Girl With the Golden Scissors.

Franny was born in 1889 in Vienna only to be abandoned by her unwed mother. She is cared for, lovingly, at a foundling home where she grows into a precocious child and a talented young woman. Ultimately, she finds herself as an apprentice in one of the most prestigious fashion houses in Austria-Hungary. Isn't it interesting how many of these young women end up in fashion houses? I can't sew on a button so I'm always amazed at this. Just as her life appears to be stable, war breaks out across Europe testing the loyalties of her friendships, people she trusted and, worse, the monarchy itself. It does, however, afford her the opportunity to search for the truth about her parentage.


The Girl With the Golden Scissors is a beautifully written saga that sweeps across Europe during a time that few people alive today fully understand. Which country was loyal to whom, families stretched across the globe, divided by their current nationalities. It is within this scene-scape that we discover the truth about Franny and how that truth will alter her life forever. Wonderfully written by the duo known as Julia Drosten and perfectly translated from German to English, this is an historical novel from a very different perspective and one that will leave you breathless and wanting more. I'm not sure how I've missed this writing duo before now but I definitely am a fan now.


With much gratitude to #Netgalley and Amazon Crossing for my copy of this incredible book...

This story is a rich story about Fanny, an orphan, who we get to watch grow up in the pages of this compellingly readable books. This books is woven together with characters that will warm your heart (and some who won’t). As someone who occasionally finds historical fiction tough to middle through, this book was everything I enjoy in a book and more.

This is a wonderful historical fiction that pulls you into the story. It was beautifully written and I loved the characters.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy free of charge. This is my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

really enjoyed this book. easy read. kept me interested. learned also along the journey. good book club selection.

I truly loved this book. I found the characters rich and wound together in beautiful ways. I wanted to root for Fanny, and most importantly for me as a reader, I couldn't wait to see where her life took her. While I'm still processing the book, I will put a full review on my blog (dionneabouelela.com) shortly. At this time, kudos to the author and thank you for a beautiful story full of rich textiles, rich emotions, and unexpected developments.

This is a great book. Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres and this one doesn't disappoint. I loved Fanny. She was born a illegitimate child in a founding home in Vienna. She had a lot to o second in her life but the lady who raised her had instilled good values. Really a good book with lots of good characters.
Thanks to Net Galley for allowing me to read this amazing book!

What a great read. An interesting historical fiction novel and an area of the world/war that I had no knowledge of. To be a child born into a Foundling Home and then to have many attempts to find parents never come to fruition must have been frustrating.
I love the character of Fanny Schindler. She is full of sass, but respect, friendship and love in all the right areas. What she goes through from such a young age, birth really and then to come out as the woman that she becomes is a testament to her character and upbringing by her guardian.
A fantastic read and I would recommend it to anyone.

I love a historical fiction novel that provides just enough historical detail to immerse me in the setting while also telling a compelling story about a relatable character. While I found myself exasperated with Fanny's choices through the novel, often wishing she would err just a bit more on the side of responsibility, I was cheering for her from beginning to end. A truly enjoyable and compelling read.

Set in Vienna in 1889. Fanny born in a hospital and given up and raised in what what was called foundling home for orphans. So many were mistreated and abused in foster care, that Josepha who had been working there for years, kept Fanny in the home and raised her. Fanny grew to be an independent woman who loved to sew!
"D'you know, I've been thinking about the first time we ever came here, and now this whole place is yours! I'm so proud of you. Not just for that but because of the way you didn't always listen to me! You followed your own stubborn path."
This was a wonderful, well-written novel! I absolutely loved it.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the eARC

Thank you, Netgalley.com, for giving me a chance to read a free copy of The Girl With the Golden Scissors in exchange for a fair review.
Historical fiction is a genre I like to read during the winter months. The Girl With the Golden Scissors is the story of an illegitimate child of the Austro-Hungarian empire, became an independent woman, and an essential person in the fashion industry before and during WWI.
It is the first time that I am reading a book that the perspective is from the losing party of the war.
It has a book that has an LGBTQ+ character, and through this character, you can learn the customs of acceptance or not acceptance of them. Also, you see that those years the thought of treating beeing homo-sexual with psychoanalysis.
Fanny is a strong character; she is fierce, and during her life, has to overcome a lot of struggles. Fanny knows what her social-economic status is, but at the same time, she is a true friend and knows to hold back even if it means to live with heartbreak.
The husband and wife, writing as Julia Drosten and the translator Deborah Rachel Langton had me devouring me the book. I could feel the cold entering into my bones while reading the passage where Max, the main character, posted in the military position close to the Russian border, before his commander, the remaining soldiers' surrender.
I had a little trouble with the pacing at the beginning, but about 10% of the book, I got used to it and enjoyed it.
Yes, this book a translation, and as I am familiar with translated works, it is a good translation. What is a sure thing is I will be on the lookout for the other books that have been written by Julia Drosten.
#TheGirlwiththeGoldenScissors #NetGalley