Blog Tour: A Single Thread by Tracy Chevalier

Tracy Chevalier has been a favourite author of mine since I read and fell in love with Girl with the Pearl earring. I have read nearly all of her books from The Virgin Blue, Burning Bright to Remarkable Creatures. Each time I have been sucked into her characters and storytelling and A Single Thread was no different. 
Tracy Chevalier picks moments in history and manages to paint a true to life light on them. A Single Thread is set post in the interwar years where social change is happening. Violet is still suffering from the aftermath of losing her fiance in the war and is considered one of the 'surplus' women at the time. She is both pitied and looked at with disdain. I found myself at once feeling deeply sorry for Violet and admiring her in equal measure. Despite the loss of her fiance, she is determined to make it on her own and to get aware from her stifling Mother, she moves to the beautiful city of Winchester with its magnificent cathedral. It's here that she stumbles across the broderers and she is instantly enraptured by the work that they do for the cathedral, especially their beautiful embroidered kneelers. And this is where she joins this group of women.
Tracy's stories are always so clearly well researched and every time I read one of her books, I feel like I learn something new. As with all the female protagonists, I feel like I become their friend whilst reading and I always look forward to getting back to their story when I get my time to read.
As mentioned earlier, Violet is a character I came to greatly admire. Despite the constraints of her time and her sex, she is determined to make her life go the way she wants it too and does not care for the thoughts of others. 
Another exquisite read from Tracy Chevalier and one I will be adding to my list of favourites. 

A Single Thread is out now 

Part of the A Single Thread Blog Tour