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3.34 AVERAGE
3.34 AVERAGE
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I had trouble getting into this one at first but then it picks up. I was kind of hoping it'd be more about the silk but it's mostly her affair with Dickon. It was interesting but I was just a tad disappointed.
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
emotional
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
I enjoyed aspects of this and it was certainly a fun read! The silk industry side of this tale is covered in such detail, and I did enjoy learning more about how the industry functioned in this time period. From the blurb, I expected Jane to be a much larger presence and it does seem such a shame to have her sidelined so much (and even when she does feature, her character lacks depth) when she had such an interesting position in real life. Equally, some of the other women in the narrative like Alice start off as strong presences and then fade to the background as historical events kick into gear.
My main complaint would be the inconsistent characterisation and unbelievable plot details. Richard's characterisation seems to veer off a bit at times, particularly in moments like Hasting's arrest, and the result is that it makes Isabel seem like an extremely bad judge of character. Based on her business dealings we're supposed to view her as very savvy and observant, but she swallows his spins so easily that it really draws that into question. The relationship between the two never really seemed to open us up to any insight into Richard III - aside from popping up for clandestine meetings where he drops the odd crumb of information before riding off we never actually gain much from his interactions with Isabel.
I find myself coming away from this feeling quite mixed. I had a fun time and I was entertained, but the strongest elements of the story never really seemed to develop in a way that reached their full potential.
My main complaint would be the inconsistent characterisation and unbelievable plot details. Richard's characterisation seems to veer off a bit at times, particularly in moments like Hasting's arrest, and the result is that it makes Isabel seem like an extremely bad judge of character. Based on her business dealings we're supposed to view her as very savvy and observant, but she swallows his spins so easily that it really draws that into question. The relationship between the two never really seemed to open us up to any insight into Richard III - aside from popping up for clandestine meetings where he drops the odd crumb of information before riding off we never actually gain much from his interactions with Isabel.
I find myself coming away from this feeling quite mixed. I had a fun time and I was entertained, but the strongest elements of the story never really seemed to develop in a way that reached their full potential.
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Love this book. Basically, a young feminist decides to get into the silk industry, a predominately male run business. Then she joins forces with the few other silk women to bring about changes to the industry. ♥
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
While I started reading Vanora Bennett's Figures in Silk because of the Ricardian aspect of the plot, I actually found that part of the narrative rather thin compared to the rich and detailed story of life in the London silk trade which is the primary focus of the novel. Bennett's protagonist Isabel Claver is a young widow who becomes an apprentice to her successful mother-in-law Alice Claver, one of the foremost silk merchants in London. She learns the trade well and, in partnership with Claver and an Italian silk merchant, embarks on a crown-supported endeavour to bring the secrets of the Italian silk weavers to England.
Isabel's access to the court - and to royal patronage and significant commissions - is due to two things. First, her sister is Jane Shore, the mistress of Edward IV. Second, an accidental meeting with an intense young man in a church where both have gone to seek consolation turns ultimately into a secret royal liaison when Isabel discovers that the young man is Richard of Gloucester.
I have to admit that I didn't really buy Bennett's characterisation of Richard III, or the love affair between him and Isabel. Even Richard's contemporary enemies acknowledged that he seemed not only much in love with his wife, Anne Neville, at least up to the point where he became King, but also unusually faithful to her. The infrequent and furtive meetings between the two give us no sense of who Richard is as a man, and thus we have no background for the things that Richard does once his brother is dead.
Bennett presents Richard as laving been loyal to Edward until his death, but then forming an almost immediate plan to seize the throne from his nephew. She does not, however, go so far as to make him the murderer of the young princes. Rather, she has them spirited out of London at his design by the knight Tyrell, and raised in secret.
Because Isabel learns of most of the major events of the coup through rumour and the accounts of others, the story of Richard and the princes has no strong dramatic impact - we are caught up more in her confusion and growing shame at having taken as a lover a man who she comes to see as capable of disloyalty and cruelty.
While the greater political matters of the time are given a less than satisfactory treatment, it is as an account of life among the merchant class of London, and of the spirit and determination of a young woman to succeed in her craft despite many personal and professional setbacks that Bennett finds her voice and makes the book worth reading.
Isabel's access to the court - and to royal patronage and significant commissions - is due to two things. First, her sister is Jane Shore, the mistress of Edward IV. Second, an accidental meeting with an intense young man in a church where both have gone to seek consolation turns ultimately into a secret royal liaison when Isabel discovers that the young man is Richard of Gloucester.
I have to admit that I didn't really buy Bennett's characterisation of Richard III, or the love affair between him and Isabel. Even Richard's contemporary enemies acknowledged that he seemed not only much in love with his wife, Anne Neville, at least up to the point where he became King, but also unusually faithful to her. The infrequent and furtive meetings between the two give us no sense of who Richard is as a man, and thus we have no background for the things that Richard does once his brother is dead.
Bennett presents Richard as laving been loyal to Edward until his death, but then forming an almost immediate plan to seize the throne from his nephew. She does not, however, go so far as to make him the murderer of the young princes. Rather, she has them spirited out of London at his design by the knight Tyrell, and raised in secret.
Because Isabel learns of most of the major events of the coup through rumour and the accounts of others, the story of Richard and the princes has no strong dramatic impact - we are caught up more in her confusion and growing shame at having taken as a lover a man who she comes to see as capable of disloyalty and cruelty.
While the greater political matters of the time are given a less than satisfactory treatment, it is as an account of life among the merchant class of London, and of the spirit and determination of a young woman to succeed in her craft despite many personal and professional setbacks that Bennett finds her voice and makes the book worth reading.
I quite enjoyed this. An intriguing tale of silk women and their lives and business, with some Royal scandals built in. I never thought I'd see Richard III as a sympathetic romantic hero, but it totally worked.
Not your average historical romance. Took me a while to realize it was about THAT Richard and the young prince was one of THOSE little princes. Who knew Richard might have a girlfriend? A pleasure to read about ambitious woman who isn't the run-of-the-mill plucky, nice heroine, but is still accesible. well done.