Journal Entry 1 by fushmush from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Tuesday, March 23, 2004

Journal Entry 2 by fushmush from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Tuesday, June 08, 2004

my journal entry goes here... tomorrow.

update:
Another wonderful novel from Tracy Chevalier. Although I still rate The Virgin Blue as her best work.

The novel is told by multiple narrators and this seems to work quite well. I enjoyed Aleinor's story best of all. I never really liked Nicholas and couldn't quite understand what Claude saw in him (apart from his "bulge" *g*). Even in the closing stages of the novel he came across as arrogant and sleazy. So it was quite difficult to feel sorry for him when he is "punished" at the end. 

Journal Entry 3 by jubby from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Wednesday, June 09, 2004

I got this last night from the very kind (but not birthday girl) Fushmush.
I am loving it so far, and have read 100 pages. Will try and put down a proper journal entry, but I know exactly what FUshmush's last entry means!
THank you. 

Journal Entry 4 by jubby at Bookring in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Saturday, June 19, 2004

Released on Saturday, June 19, 2004 at Bookring in Bookring, A Bookring Controlled Releases.

Didn't finish reading (sadly), but passed on to a friend who will be passing it on to starflw5 this evening, as part of a bookring.

Enjoyed what I did read. Very similiar to 'Girl with the pearl earrings'.

I think 'Falling Angels' is still my favourite Tracey Chavalier novel.

Thank you FushMush for lending to me (and my friend).
 

Journal Entry 5 by StarFlw5 from Byron Bay, New South Wales Australia on Saturday, July 03, 2004

I enjoyed reading this book although I liked the discriptions about the tapestries and how they were made more than the dalliances of Nicolas des Innocents. I agree with previous journal entries, and found it hard to see why everyone found him so alluring. After such detailed descriptions of the tapestries, I would love to go and see the real things.

It's on to Noodlebowl next. 

Journal Entry 6 by noodlebowl from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Tuesday, July 13, 2004

Caught appropriately at the ArtHouse. We ate wonton soup in Chinatown, and consumed wine, chatted and swapped books. 

Journal Entry 7 by noodlebowl from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Monday, July 19, 2004

Another Tracy Chevalier book, my second after Girl with a Pearl Earring. I think Tracy makes the art the star of the book, and its always intriguing to see how the art was created and inspired. The characters of the book are almost secondary caricatures. Nicolas was certainally not alluring, and only a man could think that his seed will save all of humanity.

Overall enjoyable, and like Starflw5, I would love to see these tapestries in real life.

On to TQD next. 

Journal Entry 8 by tqd from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Thursday, August 19, 2004

Picked up over cocktails last night! Thanks Fushmush & noodlebowl! 

Journal Entry 9 by tqd from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Sunday, September 19, 2004

A good, fun, light read. Not as good as her previous The Girl With A Pearl Earring, but still worth a read.

A quick google got me images of the tapestries in question (http://orion.it.luc.edu/~avande1/unicorn.html), but it would be great to see the originals, I'm sure! I've always liked these tapestries, and it was great to have a history to them (even if most of it was made up!).

I have to admit though, I sniggered like a teenager every time Nicholas talked about "ploughing" a woman. (Gawd, I'm even sniggering now typing that...) He was a most unpleasant man, and using euphemisms just made him sleazy and unpleasant!

I've got hillcat's address already, so will pop this in the mail later today.

UPDATE 23-SEPT-2004: Popped in the post yesterday afternoon. Enjoy! 

Journal Entry 10 by hillcat from Melbourne, Victoria Australia on Thursday, September 30, 2004

Returned from my holiday to find a pressie in my mail box (thanks tqd!) Very exciting. Will read this week and pass on.

**************

Well it was a rainy cold day in Albury so I finished the book in one day. After re-reading everyone's comments I will definately read Tracy Chevalier's other books. I quite enjoyed this book.The multiple story tellers adds to the characters.

How amazing would it be to see the tapestries in person!

Thanks tqd for the link to see them on the net.

Will pop the book into the post today for w.a (hopefully) 

Journal Entry 11 by curdsandwhey from Perth, Western Australia Australia on Wednesday, October 13, 2004

Arrive safely yesterday! Looking forward to reading this one but have a couple of books ahead of it. Will keep you posted on my progress. :^) 

Journal Entry 12 by curdsandwhey at on Wednesday, November 17, 2004

Released on Wednesday, November 17, 2004 at about 7:00:00 AM BX time (GMT-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada) at Australia Post in Kalamunda, Western Australia Controlled Releases.

RELEASE NOTES:

Another very enjoyable Tracey Chevalier. Looking forward to getting my hands on a copy of 'The Virgin Blue' as I have found the other three quite absorbing reads.

Mailed on to tasamina today. Many thanks to fushmush for organising this ring :^) 

Journal Entry 13 by Tasamina from Yankalilla, South Australia Australia on Tuesday, November 23, 2004

Arrived safely with my mail today (thank you murmurrr). I hope to read it soon but it is second in line at present. 

Journal Entry 14 by Tasamina from Yankalilla, South Australia Australia on Wednesday, December 22, 2004

I enjoyed this lovely book almost as much as Girl with a Pearl Earring.Not only a wonderful story but also an education on the creating of tapestries. The characters are so vibrant, each with their own story, I didn't want to close the book and leave them but Christmas preparations could only be put off for so long. Thank you to Fushmush for making this book available and to everyone along the way before me. I will post onto Sally906 next week, complete with the beatiful Siamese cat card it arrived with. It made a lovely bookmark and no doubt those elegant creatures would look majestic in a tapestry, sunning themselves in the "millefleurs". 

Journal Entry 15 by sally906 from Darwin, Northern Territory Australia on Monday, January 03, 2005

This book arrived while I was away on holidays - I have had 7 bookrings/rays hit me at once - I am a fast reader and will have it out in a few weeks. Am looking forwards to reading it :) 

Journal Entry 16 by sally906 from Darwin, Northern Territory Australia on Wednesday, January 26, 2005

Finished book yesterday - have PM'd Funkybamboozle for snail mail address - but is out of country to end of this week - so will mail once I have heard, along with the pussy cat bookmark that the book is travelling with.

Was a gentle read - I agree with everything else that has been said - Nicholas was a sleeze, Claude was a little tart, and I really liked Aleinor, but again why she fell for Nicholas when she stated that she recognised he was lying and could smell whores perfumes on him!!! 

Journal Entry 17 by sally906 from Darwin, Northern Territory Australia on Sunday, February 06, 2005

Mailed to Funkybamboozle this evening 

Journal Entry 18 by Funkybamboozle from Georges Hall, New South Wales Australia on Wednesday, February 09, 2005

yahoo!!! I resisted the temptation to buy this on numerous occassions, and now its finally here and I can read it. I actually have two books ahead of it, but should get through them quickly so I can read this.

I havent read any works by this author, nor have I seen the film "Girl with a pearl earring". Lets hope this book inspires me to read more!!

Will keep you updated!

 

Journal Entry 19 by Funkybamboozle from Georges Hall, New South Wales Australia on Sunday, February 13, 2005

I’m halfway through and thoroughly enchanted by the story. I love how each character sees the unicorn as something different - Of course the sleazy Nicholas' view is quite entertaining, but I’m somewhat surprised that each woman is swept away by his stories. Obviously he has some fantastic pheromones, because even Alienor is under his charm. Like Tqd, I snigger at his references to “ploughing”.

I need to keep reminding myself that Claude is only 14, and quite impressionable. Should finish soon.


Oh- I found this site amusing as well http://www.wischik.com/lu/lady/
 

Journal Entry 20 by Funkybamboozle at Mailed to BC member in Mailed to another BC member, a fellow bookcrosser -- Controlled Releases on Monday, February 14, 2005

Released 7 yrs ago (2/14/2005 UTC) at Mailed to BC member in Mailed to another BC member, a fellow bookcrosser -- Controlled Releases

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

Mailing this out to Catsalive in the morning!! Second one in the last week!! 

Journal Entry 21 by Funkybamboozle from Georges Hall, New South Wales Australia on Monday, February 14, 2005

Im disappointed that Alienor ended up escaping the hands of woud man the way she did. I can understand not wanting to be married to a man that works with fermented sheep urine all day, but she should have seen what laid under her nose BEFORE rather than after. (I dont want to ruin the story for those that havent read it!)


I dont see Claude in the exact light as everyone else. The books starts when she is 14 and ends when she is 16. I think many girls become obsessed by the first man that compliments them, and Nicholas also has strange pheromones that seem to enchant every woman below the age of 25!!

Nicholas' punishment is little. Reading the epilogue reveals that he didnt take it seriously and I can only feel sorry for the other involved.

I enjoyed delving into the complexities of this text, which can not be read at face value for its full impact.

Will mail out to catsalive tomorrow

Thanks Fushmush for organising the ring!! 

Journal Entry 22 by catsalive from Rooty Hill, New South Wales Australia on Tuesday, February 15, 2005

I received this book today. Welcome to my MtTBR. 

Journal Entry 23 by catsalive from Rooty Hill, New South Wales Australia on Tuesday, February 22, 2005

I really didn't enjoy this one. In fact, I skipped about 100 pages, just finished off with the last chapter & epilogue. I gave it a pretty good try though. This one is not a patch on The Virgin Blue. However, without fushmush & BXing I would never have known either book, so thanks for the opportunity to find out.

The tapestries sound fantastic, but the people don't.

I'll return this to fushmush unless otherwise informed.

 

Journal Entry 24 by catsalive from Rooty Hill, New South Wales Australia on Wednesday, February 23, 2005

Posted to peggysmum this morning. 

Journal Entry 25 by peggysmum from Pearce, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Friday, February 25, 2005

Received in today's mail - thanks fushmush and cataslive.

I'll get to it as soon as the 2 other ring books that arrived this week (!) are finished. Should be 2-3 weeks.

...

Just when I was starting to get really anxious that I'd never get this book read (too many rings arriving at once), a friend gave me another copy. Now I can send this on to aussieangel2 without feeling guilty about holding up the ring. Shame I couldn't read and review for everyone, but my sources reliably inform me that its not as good as Falling Angels or Girl With a Pearl Earring, but definitely worth reading. 

Journal Entry 26 by peggysmum from Pearce, Australian Capital Territory Australia on Thursday, March 10, 2005

Aussieangel2 wants to be skipped - seems she's as over-committed on rings as I am. Posting in back to fushmush. Thanks for the opportunity to read this fushmush. 

Journal Entry 27 by fushmush from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Sunday, March 20, 2005

And it's back in my hot little hands. *yay* Another successful bookray! 

Journal Entry 28 by CakeMonster from Cremorne, New South Wales Australia on Friday, November 04, 2005

Book was given to me by FushMush at birthday party. Was an easy read but was easily distracted and often abandoned it for my partner's book! Was hoping that Nicolas became a new man and ended up with Alienor. I enjoyed the film version of a girl with a pearl earing but now have no desire to read the book. To sum it up I would say it was a 15th century Barbara Cartland novel. 

Journal Entry 29 by clare-pinki from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Monday, March 20, 2006

Received from fushmush. Plan to read soon!

Update:
I did actually finish this book some time ago, just took me a while to journal it!

I agree with fushmush's comments - I did not like the Nicholas character but did enjoy the way the belgium house was described. This as an easy read, and very similar in tone to Girl with a Pearl Earring.

I plan to release in Singapore next month. 

Journal Entry 30 by clare-pinki from Sydney, New South Wales Australia on Wednesday, February 04, 2009

Being released into the CBA libray at Sydney Olympic Park