A Single Thread

Author: Tracey Chevalier
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group, 2019
Pages: 336
Rating: Do Not Recommend

Synopsis: 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 eggs and dry toast, she saves enough to move out of her mother's place and into the town of Winchester, home t one of England's grandest cathedrals. There, Violet is drawn into a society of broderers -- women who embroider kneelers for the Cathedral, carrying on a centuries-long tradition of bringing comfort to worshipers.

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.

Review: I have more criticisms of this novel than I do praise, unfortunately.
Firstly, if I had to hear Tom call his sister "Old Girl" one more time, I might have screamed. It was awful and at 38 Violet was hardly old. If she had been, it would have been worse.

One criticism directed at the editors - one of the characters mentions something is as normal as routine as "brushing their teeth." While I understand the reference and ubiquitous nature of brushing teeth in the 21st century, I remember my grandmother saying that people really didn't when she was young. She was born in 1918 so this minor detail didn't ring true to me.

If I'm being honest, I don't know if I would have stuck with the print version of this book. I am far more tolerant of slow-plot novels when they're audiobooks. The metaphor of Violet stitching herself a new life while working on her embroidery for the Westminster Cathedral was not lost on me, but every character bears a certain sadness.

Violet is a surplus woman, thanks to the number of men killed and severely wounded during WWI. Her mother, a widow and grieving the loss of a son killed in the war. Even a newborn baby doesn't escape Chevalier's pen of pity when Violet mentions her new niece's unfortunate name - Gladys.

I'm torn on whether or not to recommend this novel. Violet is a strong character, belling ringing and embroidery are well-researched topics, and I imagine life in 1930s England for this class was described accurately. However, there are better post-World War I historical fiction novels available, for example check out author Jennifer Robson.

Also, because I was curious, I googled. The original embroidered kneelers and cushions from the 1930s at Winchester Cathedral are still in use. The cathedral still has an embroidery corps who clean, repair, and reupholster the pieces. This was perhaps the most interesting part of the novel. While the designers of the embroidered pieces drew on the history of the area for their designs, I would have preferred they chose religious themes.

Tracey Chevalier Novels
Girl with a Pearl Earring