"'Shhh!' Violet Speedwell frowned. She did not need shushing; she had not said anything. The shusher, an officious woman sporting a helmet of grey hair, had planted herself squarely in the archway that led into the choir, Violet's favourite part of Winchester Cathedral."
1932. After the Great War took both her beloved brother and her fiancé, Violet Speedwell has become a "surplus woman," one of a generation doomed to a life of spinsterhood after the war killed so many young men. Yet Violet cannot reconcile herself to a life spent caring for her grieving, embittered mother. After countless meals of boiled egg and dry toast, she saves enough to move out of her mother's home and into the town of Winchester, home to one of England's grandest cathedrals. There, Violet is drawn into a society of broderers--women who embroider kneelers (kneeling cushions) for the Cathedral, carrying on a centuries-long tradition of bringing comfort to worshippers.
Violet finds support and community in the group, fulfillment in the work they create, and even a growing friendship with the vivacious Gilda. But when forces threaten her new independence and another war appears on the horizon, Violet must fight to put down roots in a place where women aren't expected to grow. Told in Chevalier's glorious prose, A Single Thread is a timeless story of friendship, love, and a woman crafting her own life.
***
We are living in extraordinary times - times of anxiety, worry and uncertainty. My reading tastes are currently inclined towards the lighthearted and humorous. However, this book was neither of those things but it was absolutely the best thing I could be reading right now. I loved it, loved it, loved it.
The pacing of this book was perfect. It is sedate and gentle and I felt as though I was being swept along in the gentle current that was Violet's life. Ms Chevalier's writing is consistently engrossing across all of her works and is very apparent in this novel.
Violet is a wonderful character. Set between the wars we see how she is able to adapt to a life that was unexpected before the Great War. Like many women of the period, Violet finds herself living a life that was unanticipated when her fiance was killed in battle and she faced life as a spinster. However, we see her grow and develop into a woman who was brave, courageous and who paved the way for generations of women to come.
A book that combines two of my favourite things, reading and needlework, was a 'must read' for me and I enjoyed every word. I have previously read most of Ms, Chevalier's books and have enjoyed them all. I highly recommend this book.
ISBN: 978 0008153847
Publisher: The Borough Press
About the Author:
Tracy Chevalier is the author of ten novels, including At the Edge of the Orchard, Remarkable Creatures and Girl with a Pearl Earring, an international bestseller that has sold over five million copies and won the Barnes and Noble Discover Award. Born in Washington DC, in 2984 she moved to London, where she lives with her husband and son.
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