A Single Thread: A Novel
An immersive, moving story of a woman coming into her own at the dawn of the Second World War, from internationally bestselling author Tracy Chevalier 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 to 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 worshippers. 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. Told in Chevalier's glorious prose, A Single Thread is a timeless story of friendship, love, and a woman crafting her own life.
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Community Reviews
Lovely little read about Violet, a young woman trying to escape her mother's overbearingness and gain some independence, so she moves on her own to Winchester and starts work as a typist. Set in the 1930s, between world wars, as Hitler is on the rise. Violet joins a group of broderers, who embroider cushions and kneelers for the cathedral, and starts to build a life there. She becomes friendly with an older man who is one of the bell ringers. Made me think of The Nine Tailors, a Dorothy Sayers book. Basically a tale of everyday life, with subplots building up to life-changing events.
An easy read. Interesting for me as it was set in and around Winchester, where I used to live, so I could picture many of the places mentioned. Interesting to understand more about life as a woman in the period between the two world wars.
Very interesting discussion that was helped by book specific questions. The book was very interesting and the themes of feminism and history aided a very informative and interesting discussion
Not just any author could craft a compelling narrative from embroidery and bellringing, but Tracy Chevalier isn't just any author. The book follows Violet Speedwell, a "surplus woman" after so many men, including her fiancé, were killed in WWI. Violet's been living with her widowed mother, and has had just about enough of her constant complaints and criticisms, so she moves a scant 12 miles away to Winchester, home of the famous Winchester Cathedral (where Jane Austen and many others are buried). As happy as she is to be on her own, she struggles with the challenges of supporting herself (she does have a job, but it barely pays enough for food and a rented room) and finding some kind of social life, all in a world that still doesn't look very fondly on women on their own.
On a visit to Winchester Cathedral, Violet stumbles up a Blessing of the Embroidery service, and decides to join the cathedral broderers, who are engaged in a years-long project to embroider new kneelers and cushions for the cathedral. And thus begins Violet's journey of self-discovery. Most of Violet's journey involves learning how to be a friend (this is what leads her to meet the bellringers), how not to be guilted into moving back in to take care of her mother, and, generally speaking, how to be an independent person.
Like all of Chevalier's books, the reader is immersed in the world that she creates with her words. Even the details of embroidery stitches and the difference between ringing a set of 5 bells versus 9 bells is interesting as we learn alongside Violet and see the world opening up in front of her.
On a visit to Winchester Cathedral, Violet stumbles up a Blessing of the Embroidery service, and decides to join the cathedral broderers, who are engaged in a years-long project to embroider new kneelers and cushions for the cathedral. And thus begins Violet's journey of self-discovery. Most of Violet's journey involves learning how to be a friend (this is what leads her to meet the bellringers), how not to be guilted into moving back in to take care of her mother, and, generally speaking, how to be an independent person.
Like all of Chevalier's books, the reader is immersed in the world that she creates with her words. Even the details of embroidery stitches and the difference between ringing a set of 5 bells versus 9 bells is interesting as we learn alongside Violet and see the world opening up in front of her.
There are multiple reasons why I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Tracy Chevalier transports the reader back in time to 1930s, post-war England. We follow a cast of fascinating characters as they go about their everyday lives in Winchester and Southampton. Chavalier writes so engagingly and with such detailed, visual descriptions that you can imagine yourself right there alongside Violet Speedwell. I had not really considered the concept of there being "surplus women" in the generation of young adults living after the First World War, and all the negative consequences this had on their lives. There were no young men of their age to fall in love with, or to be married to. They grieved their fiancés, brothers and friends. They struggled to make ends meet, working low-paid jobs (the only ones considered acceptable for women at the time) while watching friends marry the few remaining men and move away into different, unobtainable areas of life. There was also the expectation that they would stay home to keep company with and care for their parents, and to join groups which ran activities considered suitable for spinsters. I was routing for Violet as she moves from Southampton and tries to establish a new life in Winchester, aching to become independent from the overbearing demands of her mother. Equally, I loved the cathedral elements of the novel. I enjoyed learning about the Winchester Cathedral Broderers with all their cliques and rituals, but also seeing their dedication to their work, to their leaders and to their cathedral. I also enjoyed learning about the bell-ringers for the same reasons. I grew up in the UK and I remember the call of bells to worship on a Sunday morning, and at other times to mark social occasions - I could hear them ringing as I was reading! I also remember seeing the colourful hassocks in churches as I was growing up, always neatly arranged under the pews with all their intricate designs begging to be studied more closely instead of just being knelt on for prayers. Upon finishing the book I was interested to research the designs of Louisa Pesel. Tracy Chevalier lists some sources at the end of the novel and there are also some good examples on her website:
https://tchevalier.com/a-single-thread-background/louisa-pesel-and-canvas-embroidery
https://tchevalier.com/a-single-thread-background/louisa-pesel-and-canvas-embroidery
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