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ClareR (5879 KP) rated A Single Thread in Books
Sep 12, 2019
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.
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.
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2346 KP) rated The King's Stilts in Books
Mar 9, 2018
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>.
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>.
Caffeinated Fae (464 KP) rated The Book Thief in Books
Jul 10, 2018
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.
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.
Alice in Wonderland (1951)
7.9
Rate It
Movie Watch
Lewis Carroll's beloved fantasy tale is brought to life in this Disney animated classic. When Alice...
Epic Real Estate Investing
Podcast
In the spirit of Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad Poor Dad and Gary Keller’s Millionaire Real Estate...
Mastering the Art of French Cooking: Vol.1
Julia Child, Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle
Book
"This isn't just any cookery book. It is "Mastering the Art of French Cooking", first published in...
Kristina (502 KP) rated Initium (Nocte Trilogy #2.5) in Books
Dec 7, 2020
Contains spoilers, click to show
Thank you! I'm so glad Courtney decided to write a novella from Olivia's point of view. Perhaps I'm the only one who hadn't figured it out, but for the life of me, I couldn't understand the connection between Dare and the Savage family. I mean, I knew Richard was his stepfather, but I didn't know how they all came to be together. It was nice to finally get that all straightened out, even if I do feel just as confused and crazy as I do when reading Nocte and Verum. One thing I am happy about: It's good to know that Olivia kind of went crazy on her own and not that Dare drove her crazy because he killed Richard when she was in the bed next to him.
Darkest Hour Before Dawn (THIRDS #9)
8.0
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Book
THIRDS Team Leader Sebastian Hobbs and Chief Medical Examiner Hudson Colbourn are as much in love...
M_M Military Paranormal Romance
Lyndsey Gollogly (2893 KP) rated Lights out Liverpool (Pearl Street #1) in Books
Feb 26, 2023
22 of 235
Book
Lights out Liverpool (Pearl Street #1)
By Maureen Lee
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The folk of one small Liverpool street cope with the first year of World War II. They find the war affects each of them in a different way. One woman worries about her twin sons who are called up, another is liberated from a loveless marriage, whilst Jessica Fleming's life is changed irrevocably.
I love a good saga! This one kind of hit home with the start of WW2 and in comparison to what we are dealing with now and it’s quite frightening to think of what they were facing and the loss that was felt. It was a little heartwarming to read and have a break from my usual reads.
Book
Lights out Liverpool (Pearl Street #1)
By Maureen Lee
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The folk of one small Liverpool street cope with the first year of World War II. They find the war affects each of them in a different way. One woman worries about her twin sons who are called up, another is liberated from a loveless marriage, whilst Jessica Fleming's life is changed irrevocably.
I love a good saga! This one kind of hit home with the start of WW2 and in comparison to what we are dealing with now and it’s quite frightening to think of what they were facing and the loss that was felt. It was a little heartwarming to read and have a break from my usual reads.