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Tracy Chevalier

    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier

    Reading Wednesday

    One of my favorite books I read over the past few years was a little known book called Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier. I really enjoyed that book, as well as her most well-known book The Girl With the Pearl Earring. So when The Lady and the Unicorn popped up on my Kindle recommendations I thought I would give it a try. Here is my book review The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier.

    Chevalier consistently writes books about strong female characters who challenge the constraints women endured in the past. In The Lady and the Unicorn, Chevalier’s brilliant research about one of today’s greatest masterpieces, combines with her imagination to create The Lady and the Unicorn.

    We are transported to Paris and Belgium in 1490, where a French nobleman commissions tapestries to elevate himself in the eyes of the French Court. We meet artist Nicholas des Innocents who creates the paintings the tapestries will be based on. We meet Georges de la Chappelle whose family will risk everything to weave the tapestries. And throughout this story we meet women and young girls who, behind the scenes play a remarkable role in the story that unfolds in the tapestry…the story of the Lady and the Unicorn.

    I love well written novels about this time period and Chevalier never disappoints. I learned amazing information about what it took in that period to create such tapestries. And as in all Chevalier’s novels, the underlying story of the women captivated me.

    By the way, the medieval tapestries, now restored, can be seen in the Cluny Museum in Paris. My next visit to the City of Lights will include a visit to the The Lady and the Unicorn. I hope you enjoyed my book review The Lady and the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier.

    *****Five Stars for The Lady and the Unicorn

    Read last week’s review Rabbits for Food

    My current read News of the World

    See this week’s top performing pin The Flora of the Desert here

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    Reading Wednesday

    Book Review Remarkable Creatures: A Novel by Tracy Chevalier

    Reading Wednesday

    Location: Reading Wednesday

    Oh I enjoyed this book so much. When I saw this book by Tracy Chevalier, author of The Girl With The Pearl Earring, I knew I would love it – I loved The Girl With The Pearl Earring.

    So I was kind of surprised I had never heard of this book. But I am glad to have found it. It’s just the kind of story I love; history, science and strong-willed women from an era of female suppression.

    Set in England in the early 1800’s a time where females had no rights, and without a husband, basically no life. Here Chevalier takes real people from the past and combines them with intriguing fictional characters to create a wonderful voyage of discovery in Remarkable Creatures.

    The name of this book refers both to our two herions and the discoveries they make.

    Mary Anning a real person from Lyme England is one of the early discoverers of fossils. Despite her lack of education or status, her work will lead to the scientific advances on dinosaurs and extinction. Mary will not however, get credit for most of her work since she is “just a female”.

    Chevalier creates fictional Elizabeth Philpot, a spinster with a broad mind and interest in fossils. Newly arrived to Lyme she befriends Mary Anning and they begin an unlikely relationship. Part envy, part loyalty, and part mutual appreciation the two women will use each others strengths to trail blaze the science, navigate the prickly issue of female rights, and help each other through love and loss.

    A fascinating book with just enough science as well as a beautiful love story and test of true friendship.

    Five Stars for Remarkable Creatures. Read last week’s review of About the Night.