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ClareR (5686 KP) rated A Single Thread in Books

Sep 12, 2019  
A Single Thread
A Single Thread
Tracy Chevalier | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry
10
9.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
A wonderful book!
A Single Thread is set in the period after World War 1, just before Hitler takes power in Germany. Violet Speedwell is a ‘surplus woman’, and so she is expected to live out her life caring for her ageing, cantankerous mother, and throwing herself on the mercy of her brother as she ages. However, Violet isn’t prepared to live her life like this. She manages to get a transfer from her job in Southampton to their Winchester offices. Life isn’t easy for Violet, and she lives off sandwiches and tea in her rented room. By chance, she finds herself in Winchester Cathedral on the day of the Society of Broderers service, where the embroidered kneelers and cushions are blessed and placed in the cathedral for the public to use. Violet finds herself drawn to the embroidery, and even though she has no experience, she becomes involved in the group.

I loved the descriptions of the embroidery: the different stitches, the colours, the camaraderie and friendships that Violet makes with Gilda and Miss Pesel (who incidentally, really existed - and what a life SHE had!). Who knew that embroidery and campanology (bell-ringing) could be so interesting?! Violet becomes very interested in bell-ringing - whether that’s because of the actual bell-ringing, or the fatherly Arthur who she falls in love with, I’m not quite sure.

I thought the social attitudes of the time were really well portrayed. ‘Spare women’ weren’t regarded very favourably, but this was something completely out of their control: so many young men had been killed during the war, that there just weren’t enough men to go round. And when some women found love with one another, they were ostracised and ridiculed. It’s good to see that we have moved on in some ways.

Anyway, I loved this book. It’s not just about embroidery and campanology, and I think that any reader will be pleasantly surprised at how interesting Tracy Chevalier makes these things! It’s a social commentary, a love story, a story about friendship and passion: of the man/ woman, woman/ woman and hobbies varieties. And I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.
  
Still Life: A SpecFic SciFi Romance
Still Life: A SpecFic SciFi Romance
Jayne Fury | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Still Life by Jayne Fury
Still Life is the sci-fi romance novella that takes place on and around an ice planet, that will hopefully change into a world that is lush and green. Ewan Stewarts has plans for the planet, along with Six, the droid that keeps him company. However, the ship that is bringing his supplies runs into a small problem in that all but one of the crew dies. Ewan and Jody have to work together to ride out a snowstorm, find out what killed the others, and try to survive mercenaries too.

This is a fast-paced novella, with plenty of action. Not only do you get the action that is current, but you also find out more about the past, and why Jody is how she is. The story moves along quickly, with attraction changing to love very quickly. This was a quick read, but an enjoyable one, with plenty of action going on to keep everyone happy. Definitely recommended by me.

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
  
TK
The King's Stilts
Dr. Seuss | 1939
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
King Britram has a difficult job keeping his kingdom from flooding, so he works all the time. The only break he takes is to walk on stilts, but one of his advisers doesn’t think that hobby is very kingly. What will happen when those stilts disappear?

This is a lesser known Dr. Seuss book, and that is a shame. It is definitely early Seuss with no rhymes and lots of words on each page, but older pre-schoolers who have the attention span for it will enjoy it because it contains the typical Seuss fun and imagination. Plus there’s a good moral in the story about balancing things in life.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/04/book-review-kings-stilts-by-dr-seuss.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
The Book Thief
The Book Thief
Markus Zusak | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.8 (129 Ratings)
Book Rating
This novel was recommended to me by an old high school friend. This is definitely not my typical book. I like the fast paced suspense/romance and I tend to stick with those novels. I'm glad that I picked up this novel.

This novel was very interesting. It's a collection of short stories narrated by death. It follow the life of a young German girl during the time of world war 2. It's told in a different way by having "Death" as the narrator.

This was a pretty quick read. It makes you think too. It's one of those novels that will make you think about the depravity of human beings and give you some hope along side of it.

All in all, it was a good novel that deals with World War II.