The Lady & The Unicorn - Tracy Chevalier

[Nollaig]

Synopsis from Amazon:

The Lady and the Unicorn tapestries are a set of six medieval tapestries. Weavers, patrons, designers, artists, merchants and apprentices were involved in their making, and behind them were the wives, daughters and servants who exercised influences over their men. Like the many strands of wool and silk woven together into one cloth, so these people came together in a complex dance to create the whole picture. Jean le Viste, a newly wealthy member of the French court, commissions the tapestries to hang in his chateau. Nicolas, his chosen designer, meets le Viste's wife Genevieve and his daughter Claude, both of whom take a keen interest in the tapestries.

There are a few Chevalier threads, but none for TL&TU, which surprised me, since the other threads seem to be mainly people directing people away from her other books and towards this one.

 

I've no review written (might do one at a later stage), but I really want to hear people's thoughts on this book, because I'm starting to think I've picked up a warped version of the text or something.

 

General thoughts: It's probably worth stating right now that I did ENJOY this book. I love historical fiction, I particularly love historical fiction that theorizes about the story behind certain people/events/things whose stories are largely unknown, and above all I love informative but accessibly written historical fiction. The reason I adored Girl With A Pearl Earring and enjoyed TL&TU as much as I did was because Chevalier's writing style is exactly all of the above. I suspect no matter how dull her stories or characters were (and that's not to suggest they actually are), her novels would still be thoroughly fascinating insights into the historical periods she illustrates.

 

I have to admit though, I'm at a bit of a loss when it comes to the story and characters in TL&TU. I LIKED the characters, they were all mostly likeable, and I did occasionally feel sorry for some of them (Genevieve in particular). But mostly, while I liked them, I didn't care about them, and ultimately didn't care that none of them really had a happy ending. I spent most of the book waiting for something really exciting to happen, and nothing ever did - the final resolutions for each character were underwhelming and to be honest, not entirely believeable in a couple of cases. As for the story... well, what story? Reading about the creation of the tapestries was thoroughly fascinating, but when tapestries weren't being woven it was mostly Nicolas wooing women and fantasizing about 'ploughing' them. I fail to see how the book warrants the description of 'lovely' I've heard given it.

 

Anyway, I could say more and probably will in time, but I really am dying to hear those who claim to love this book explain what's so loveable about it!

[Easy Reader]

I enjoyed this book too but felt that nothing really happened and that there isn't much to discuss on it. It was easy to read and I was interest in the process of making the tapastries and the characters were likeable and if not likeable then easy to relate to. I have read all of Chevalier's books now and I would say that this is one of my favourites along with The Girl With The Pearl Earing (which I felt was in the same style of engaging writing but not a lot of story imo)and Remarkable Creatures. The only one of her books that I wasn't too keen on was Virgin Blue as I didn't feel it was necessary to keep switching between the two time lines. I guess with TL&TU it is what it is she told the story nothing more and nothing less.

[Peacefield]

Although I have yet to read Chevalier's Remarkable Creatures, The Lady and the Unicorn is by far my favorite of her novels. I loved the storytelling from a different character's point of view in every chapter. I also found it fascinating to learn about the process of creating a tapestry from design to finish. IMO Chevalier is heavy on the character-driven aspect of writing rather than plot-driven, which is exactly why I love her.

[chesilbeach]

I'm with you, peacefield - this right up there with her best for me. I loved the setting, got caught up with the story, and absolutely adored hearing about the tapestry making process. In fact, it was only bettered by Falling Angels in my opinion.