Fabulous book!!

The novel is based around six tapestries and the lives of the people involved in the creation of it. Transported back to 15th century Brussels and Paris, this novel will capture your imagination with its interwoven characters and their individual stories.

I loved it! simply because the actual tapestries hang at the Musee du Moyen-Age, Cluny and Tracy Chevalier has a wonderful style of writing.

Historical fiction, at what I think is it's best.

This one I'm handing out on a ray :-)

The final listing for this bookray is: (taking into account individual requests - amended 6th March 2004)

1) rainbownadrain- UK
2) quizgirl- UK
3) LeighBCD- UK
4) glasgowgal- UK (ship Int'l)
5) MsMello- AUS (ship Aus only)
6) tantan- AUS (ship Int'l)
7) Katayoun- Iran (ship int'l)
8) hengameh- Iran (ship int'l)
9) scrawler- Poland (ship int'l)
10) catia- Portugal (no shipping pref)
12) stardustnf- Canada (ship int'l)
13) CBCD- US (ship int'l)
14) mlbish- US (ship int'l)
15) tchouli- US (no shipping pref)
16) yourotherself- US (ship US only)
17) spaceystacey- US (ship US only)
18) czersk- US (ship int'l)
19) eskielover- US (ship int'l)
20) marciNYC- US (ship US only)
21) book-bugger- US (ship int'l)
22) wareagle78- US (ship int'l)
23) WickedWordz (US) (ship US only)
24) DSM - US (ship US only)
25) fizzfred- US (ship int'l)
26) Babybee- Malaysia (ship Malaysia only) (awaiting someone else to join)
27) Caracas - Germany (shipt intl'l)
28) vampgirl - Spain (ship Europe)

then off into the wild!!!!

Please don't hang on to the book for too long!

Enjoy!

Received today! Thank you! I cant wait to start!

This is a fantastic book- I think I enjoyed it more than Girl with a Pearl earring! I just could not put it down. The descriptions in the book are wonderful from the sweet smelling flowers that Alienor grows to the rich colours of the tapestries. I came away with a lot from the novel; an understanding of the sense of duty, the realities of life for many in this period and the place of women in the society. The weaving scenes in Brussels made me realise that many of us do not know the meaning of hard work, taking many of little luxuries for granted:)

I hope everyone else enjoys this book as much as I did. Thanks leighspeak for organising this! This will be sent on as soon as I get GlasgowGals address:)

I'm so glad you enjoyed it, and I agree with you it was far better than Girl with a Pearl Earing :-)

Released on Monday, March 08, 2004 at ... by mail :) in Sent to a fellow BookCrosser, Bookring Controlled Releases.

Book sent to quizgirl!

It is now 23rd March and the book has yet to arrive with quizgirl- therefore we believe it to be missing in action! But never fear- as soon as a cheap one arrives on Amazon Marketplace it will be purchased and shall continue its journey!

rainbowandrain

Whoo hoo! Just came in from work to find this has arrived. Lots of lovely reading!

Looks like it was delivered to the wrong house which would explain its going AWOL!

This book went AWOL for 2 weeks and has a long list of BXers waiting for it, so when it did arrive I made sure I read it straight away. Not that it was a chore - this is a very good book and a pleasure to read. I like the way that the author has taken the tapestries and written a story aound their creation. Each chapter is written from a different character's viewpoint and this is an interesting way to tell a story. I can highly recommend this book. I am going to Paris in August so I will definitely have to visit the Musee National du Moyen Age to see the tapestries for myself.

Posting it off today to LeighBCD - Happy Reading

Received in Saturday's post - thanks very much! I really want to read this so I am most pleased to have received it. I have a few book ring books ahead of me plus I am working extremely long hours at the moment so do not have loads of time to read - I will do my best to read this though asap given that so many people are waiting for it. Never fear though - I promise this book will not disappear into the ether!

just a quick note to say that I am really enjoying this book... I am staying awake reading it rather than going to sleep which is a very good sign! This is the best historical novel I have read since The Other Boleyn Girl, without a doubt. I will make another journal entry once the book is moving again.

Well, yes, what can I say? This was really good. Thanks so much leighspeak for starting the bookray - I am now desperate to get to Paris and see these tapestries!!!

Here is a link to the Musee de la Moyen Age where you can see pictures of the tapestries in full.

I have GlasgowGal's details so will send the book on to her next week when I do my weekly trip to the post office!

Released on Thursday, April 22, 2004 at to GlasgowGal in Glasgow, Scotland Controlled Releases.

Off in the mail to GlasgowGal who has no idea that it is coming... I hope you enjoy the book!

Received this morning - totally out of the blue! Thanks LeighBCD!! There's a few ring/ray books ahead of this ... but I'll get to it ASAP.

:-)

*** UPDATE 31st May ***
This book has now worked its way to the top of Mt. TBR (rings and rays division) so I started it today. Will journal more once I'm done and send on as soon as I can.

I absolutely loved this book! I actually finished it on the 1st June, so many apologies for not journalling it sooner (I thought I had).

Chevalier is an author I have only discovered this year, and only through BookCrossing, and I have to say I am absolutely loving her work! I love the idea of seeing a piece of art and constructing a story of the lives of the people behind it. I didn't think the book was as good as "Girl With a Pearl Earring", but that's not to say I didn't thoroughly enjoy the book, nor get caught up in its magic. A wonderful read, and thank you so much to Leighspeak for offering it on a ray.

I thought the characters were great, although I did find it a wonder that Nicolas des Innocents could get so many women (literally!) falling at his feet. Maybe he's the 15th century equivalent of today's "bad boy" ... LOL. I felt sorry for George de la Chappelle and the effect the tapestries had on him. But it also makes me want to rush over to Paris and see the tapestries for myself. Hopefully it won't be too long until I can manage over. I also think having lived in Brussels brought an extra dimension to the book for me, as I can imagine the streets round the Grand'Place (with an apostrophe not a hyphen (Take note Ms Chevalier!)) and the Sablon so clearly in my mind.

This will be on it's way "down under" as soon as I can get to the post office. I've been a bit delayed on my PO run, but I hope it won't be too long before I can send it.

LeighBCD thanks ever so much for your wonderful entry, and your link too. Paris is such a wonderful place, and now I've got the itch to go back! maybe a weekend jaunt is in order!

GlasgowGal - your comment on Nicolas des Innocents, had me in fits of laughter. Yes, one does wonder how he got women literally falling at his feet, but then isn't that the gift some men hold? lol. These types of characters always makes me think of a Don Juan or a Casanova (or as you put it a bad boy!) Although the story of Casanova is rich, for not only was he known as a complete womaniser, but he was a hopeless romantic, and had a very rich intricate life. I believe he ended up being a librarian! a stark contrast to his days at the Vatican. If you ever get the chance read his story....

I'm so glad everyone is enjoying this book so far, it's a great feeling to know that pleasure in books can be shared :-)

Released on Wednesday, June 09, 2004 at BOOKRAY in n/a, n/a Controlled Releases.

Sent on to Ms Mello today

This arrived sooner than expected, thank you!

I loved it! I put aside another book to begin this one, and once I'd started I couldn't put it down. Chevalier's style is so easy to read. Her storytelling is woven like the tapestry ~ no one 'part' stands out from the rest, but rather the part contributes to the 'whole'.

Almost as good as Girl With a Pearl Earring.

Will send on to tantan soon.

Dropped it in the mail to tantan this morning!

Received 29/06/04 in the mail. Looking forward to the read!

I really, really loved this book, and like a lot of others enjoyed it more than Girl With a Pearl Earring. It's given me a burning desire to go back to Paris again so I can actually see the tapestries for real. If I ever actually met Nicolas des Innocents I would slap him, but I thought Philippe was so sweet. :-) I can't really add much more to the comments of everyone else, so this will be off to Katayoun as soon as I get their address.

Posted to katayoun 05/07/04. It had to go surface mail so hopefully won't take too long. Thanks Leighspeak for the great read! :-)

here! 3 months, well not bad as it's the usual for surface mail to get here. i've got a 3 more book before this and then i'll start this. will update again as soon as i start reading it.
update oct 18th: i'll be starting this in a couple of days and please feel free to push,kick or shove me if you feel it's necessary. though i'm hopefull that it won't stay here more that a month

Oct 21st: i've started it and will pass on to hengameh next week

thanks alot a very beautiful story told with such gentleness and care. a tale of women and the men that cared for them.
a tale of women trapped, and of women in quest for their soul desires spolierthough i kind of liked it that of them all alienor was able to do something about what she wanted, or atleast what she didn't want, of all the women nicolas met and helped in his own way, he pitied her most and yet she was the strongest.
thanks for the lovely ring Leighspeak, i will pass the book to hengameh this week.

and saw hengameh last night and the book's been handed over (also you should see her dance :))

got it from katayoun.thanks.