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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Very gripping and original tale which felt authentic historically and geographically.
Tracy Chevalier’s books always start out as a quiet read for me but grow into something memorable. I shouldn’t really be surprised by that by now, but I am amazed at her ability to take a small, domestic setting and create a world much greater than the sum of its parts. This time the story is about the ‘surplus women’ who remain unwed after the conclusion of the first world war. Society isn’t quite sure what to do with them and they really aren’t too sure what to do with themselves.
Violet Speedwell is one of these women. She lost a brother and a fiancé to the war. Since then, she’s had the odd ‘sherry men’ (so named because she sits in a bar drinking sherry until she meets someone for a brief dalliance) but by day she blends into the background. So when she is offered the chance to move her work as a typist for an insurance company to a nearby town, she jumps at the opportunity to leave home and her mother’s abrasive tones. Violet has much more freedom in Winchester, but at the expense of food and spare money. She wanders into Winchester Cathedral one day and comes across the group of broderers, who are stitching cushions and other items for the church. Violet feels a need to make her mark in the world too, so joins them. There, she makes friends and meets more people. As Violet’s embroidery skills improve, she grows as a person, taking more risks and becoming stronger. Her life becomes full of colour as she is exposed to more about the world and makes her own choices.
What I really enjoyed about A Single Thread is Violet’s growth – like her name, she comes into bloom as the story progresses. At first, Violet is very timid with only the rarest demonstration of rebellion. As she becomes more comfortable with who she is, she strikes out in new directions, sticking up for her colleague and (gasp!) offering business ideas to her boss who is openly shocked. She also falls in love, with someone who will never be ‘hers’ and Violet must make the decision to take what she can get, forget it or compromise. It’s interesting to read the choices she makes, and as she wavers, she becomes more human to the reader. Initially, Violet is very upright but like her stitching, opens her eyes to the variety of shades and colours around her. The finale is somewhat unexpected, but fits in with Violet’s growth as the second world war looms.
As always, Tracy Chevalier shines a light on somewhat forgotten pieces of history in her novels. This time it is the Winchester broderers, who are real (including Louisa Pesel). The story of the embroidery is very detailed. There are also some very detailed sections on the art of bellringing and the bellringers of the cathedral. It’s interesting that these are all roles in the cathedral, but the story itself has very little to do with religion. It was also refreshing to read a book set in the 1930s without a heavy emphasis on the Depression. The story is one that is very readable and even though it isn’t about the ‘big’ questions, it really grew on me.
Thank you to Harper Collins for the copy of this book. My review is honest.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
Violet Speedwell is one of these women. She lost a brother and a fiancé to the war. Since then, she’s had the odd ‘sherry men’ (so named because she sits in a bar drinking sherry until she meets someone for a brief dalliance) but by day she blends into the background. So when she is offered the chance to move her work as a typist for an insurance company to a nearby town, she jumps at the opportunity to leave home and her mother’s abrasive tones. Violet has much more freedom in Winchester, but at the expense of food and spare money. She wanders into Winchester Cathedral one day and comes across the group of broderers, who are stitching cushions and other items for the church. Violet feels a need to make her mark in the world too, so joins them. There, she makes friends and meets more people. As Violet’s embroidery skills improve, she grows as a person, taking more risks and becoming stronger. Her life becomes full of colour as she is exposed to more about the world and makes her own choices.
What I really enjoyed about A Single Thread is Violet’s growth – like her name, she comes into bloom as the story progresses. At first, Violet is very timid with only the rarest demonstration of rebellion. As she becomes more comfortable with who she is, she strikes out in new directions, sticking up for her colleague and (gasp!) offering business ideas to her boss who is openly shocked. She also falls in love, with someone who will never be ‘hers’ and Violet must make the decision to take what she can get, forget it or compromise. It’s interesting to read the choices she makes, and as she wavers, she becomes more human to the reader. Initially, Violet is very upright but like her stitching, opens her eyes to the variety of shades and colours around her. The finale is somewhat unexpected, but fits in with Violet’s growth as the second world war looms.
As always, Tracy Chevalier shines a light on somewhat forgotten pieces of history in her novels. This time it is the Winchester broderers, who are real (including Louisa Pesel). The story of the embroidery is very detailed. There are also some very detailed sections on the art of bellringing and the bellringers of the cathedral. It’s interesting that these are all roles in the cathedral, but the story itself has very little to do with religion. It was also refreshing to read a book set in the 1930s without a heavy emphasis on the Depression. The story is one that is very readable and even though it isn’t about the ‘big’ questions, it really grew on me.
Thank you to Harper Collins for the copy of this book. My review is honest.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
To me, this book is neither here nor there. It wasn't bad exactly, but it also wasn't that great... Something just felt missing. A plot, maybe? The prose and characters are very well developed, however.
This novel is described as "character-driven" and that is true, because there was not really much happening throughout the novel. But it is a lovely, yet sad depiction of single women in the inter- World War years. Chevalier does a nice job of showing the struggles of those who did not fit in the rigid social bounds: widows, "surplus" women, single mothers, the LGBT community, etc. Maybe if you're really into historical fiction, embroidery, bell-ringing or any combination thereof, you'd find this book more interesting than I did.
This novel is described as "character-driven" and that is true, because there was not really much happening throughout the novel. But it is a lovely, yet sad depiction of single women in the inter- World War years. Chevalier does a nice job of showing the struggles of those who did not fit in the rigid social bounds: widows, "surplus" women, single mothers, the LGBT community, etc. Maybe if you're really into historical fiction, embroidery, bell-ringing or any combination thereof, you'd find this book more interesting than I did.
I don't know if it wasn't as good as the author's previous books or I just wasn't interested in the subject matter.
This is a charming book which takes the reader into the unexpectedly fascinating worlds of 1930s church (or rather cathedral) embroidery, and bell-ringing.
Violet, a lonely, bereaved, no-longer-young woman leaves home to start a new job in Winchester, away from her overbearing mother. She meets a diverse set of people there, and forges a small life for herself.
I loved this book. Being an embroiderer (secular, not ecclesiastical) myself, and having lived in Winchester for several years as a student and when I started my first "proper" job, I found Violet's situation struck many parallels with me.
Tracy Chevalier is a skilled writer, bringing seemingly dusty old facts out into the daylight and creating a rich and vibrant story with them. 1930s Winchester is beautifully evoked, as is Violet's new home and workplace. Her status as a "surplus" woman as a result of her fiance's death in World War 1 is handled sympathetically.
At times I was reminded of George Gissing's "The Odd Women" and "The Third Miss Symons" by FM Mayer, both written about "surplus" women - without husbands, without jobs, unable to make their "natural" way in the world simply by virtue of being unmarried.
Violet was rather too knowing at times but the writing was skilful and affectionate, allowing the reader to get a feel for the hopeless situation so many young women found themselves in as a result of the Great War.
The developing relationships with her colleagues, her embroidery ladies and the bellringers gave the story a direction that Violet's own life was lacking.
On reading the notes at the end, I was delighted to discover that some of the characters were based on real people. I would read it again, which is not always the case. And it made me want to pick up some of my neglected embroideries and get on with those.
Violet, a lonely, bereaved, no-longer-young woman leaves home to start a new job in Winchester, away from her overbearing mother. She meets a diverse set of people there, and forges a small life for herself.
I loved this book. Being an embroiderer (secular, not ecclesiastical) myself, and having lived in Winchester for several years as a student and when I started my first "proper" job, I found Violet's situation struck many parallels with me.
Tracy Chevalier is a skilled writer, bringing seemingly dusty old facts out into the daylight and creating a rich and vibrant story with them. 1930s Winchester is beautifully evoked, as is Violet's new home and workplace. Her status as a "surplus" woman as a result of her fiance's death in World War 1 is handled sympathetically.
At times I was reminded of George Gissing's "The Odd Women" and "The Third Miss Symons" by FM Mayer, both written about "surplus" women - without husbands, without jobs, unable to make their "natural" way in the world simply by virtue of being unmarried.
Violet was rather too knowing at times but the writing was skilful and affectionate, allowing the reader to get a feel for the hopeless situation so many young women found themselves in as a result of the Great War.
The developing relationships with her colleagues, her embroidery ladies and the bellringers gave the story a direction that Violet's own life was lacking.
On reading the notes at the end, I was delighted to discover that some of the characters were based on real people. I would read it again, which is not always the case. And it made me want to pick up some of my neglected embroideries and get on with those.
Possibly closer to 3.5 than 3 but I found this a disappointing read. I was cautious as I'd been underwhelmed by 'Remarkable Creatures' by the same author. Both books explore subjects in which I'm really interested, Remarkable Creatures; Fossil hunter Mary Anning, A Single Thread; textiles and the inter-war period, but both books left me feeling their subjects are more interesting than the novels about them. I've read reviews that raved about the focus on 'Superfluous Women' in this book, but I've read more insightful narratives in books that many would consider more 'fluffy'. In sum, I found this slow, superficial and somewhat contrived in places and I cared little for the characters.
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I was fortunate to have won a copy of A Single Thread Advanced Reader Copy from Goodreads. I have read several other books by Tracy Chevalier and enjoyed them all. I find her characters warm and interesting, although the relationships between family members in England seems a little different to me.
Violet Speedwell, the main character, is struggling to recover from losing her brother and her fiance in World War I. She joins a group of women who embroider kneelers for the cathedral. She finds a group of supportive and interesting women. Her growth and that of her friends is the most comforting and loving of stories.
Violet Speedwell, the main character, is struggling to recover from losing her brother and her fiance in World War I. She joins a group of women who embroider kneelers for the cathedral. She finds a group of supportive and interesting women. Her growth and that of her friends is the most comforting and loving of stories.
Sleeper of a story. Enjoyed the descriptions of Winchester and surrounding area.
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was such a pleasure to read after some of the more complex books I've been reading recently - a straightforward story, set in Winchester between the wars. If you like embroidery or bell-ringing, then you'll probably love this book. I'm not interested in either of them, but I really enjoyed reading this - one of those books where what happens to the main characters becomes really important to you, which makes it hard to put down. The story is basically about the difficulties faced by a young(ish) single woman who wants to do things that we now consider normal (get a job, go to pubs with other women, have a baby etc), during a time dominated by men. The ending was particularly poignant, and like The Times reviewer, had me shedding a tear or two. My only criticism is of the blurb on the back that says " .. when whispers of another world war surface, she must live with a secret that could change everything ..." - I assumed this "secret" would be war-related (not unreasonably, given that blurb?) but the "secret" actually being referred to is really not very shocking in today's society!