The Chalk and the Shears

About this book

In contemporary London, Sterling & Sons is the last independent bespoke tailoring house on Savile Row, but its doors are finally closing. At eighty-one, master tailor and Mentor Figure Alistair Sterling is forced into a corporate buyout orchestrated by his estranged brother, Marcus. As Alistair imparts his final lessons to his young apprentice, the narrative violently shifts backward in time. Employing a strict reverse chronology, the story unspools decade by decade—from the financial crash of 2008, through the corporate fashion boom of the 1990s and the labor strikes of the 1980s, all the way back to 1958. Through multiple viewpoints, we trace the devastating choices Alistair made to ensure the survival of his craft. His rigid adherence to tradition alienates his daughter Clara, driving her to climb the social class ladder to escape her working-class roots, while his head seamstress Eleanor battles for the unrecognized laborers in the basement. By starting at the bitter end and culminating in the tragic genesis of Alistair's ambition, the novel reveals that the true cost of perfection is a lifetime of unacknowledged debts, answering whether the preservation of tradition is worth the destruction of a family.

Book details

Genres:

Historical Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Family Saga

Language:

en

Published:

2026-06-13

Content rating:

PG-13