Synopsis:Amazon.co.uk
Tracy Chevalier has established an enormous and loyal fanbase with her much loved Girl With a Pearl Earring and Falling Angels. This is a reissue of her first novel, which was first published in 1996 and has been out of print for 4 years. The compelling story of two women, born four centuries apart, and the ancestral legacy that binds them. Ella Turner does her best to fit in to the small, close-knit community of Lisle-sur-Tarn. She even changes her name back to Tournier, and knocks the rust off her high school French. In vain. Isolated and lonely, she is drawn to investigate her Tournier ancestry, which leads to her encounter with the town's wolfish librarian. Isabelle du Moulin, known as Le Rousse due to her fiery red hair, is tormented and shunned in the village -- suspected of witchcraft and reviled for her association with the Virgin Mary. Falling pregnant, she is forced to marry into the ruling family: the Tourniers. Tormentor becomes husband, and a shocking fate awaits her. Plagued by the colour blue, Ella is haunted by parallels with the past, and by her recurring dream. Then one morning she wakes up to discover that her hair is turning inexplicably red...

The compelling story of two women, born centuries apart and the ancestral legacy that bins them. Historical fiction, suspense and romance are all to be found in this fascinating tale. The two stories run parallel through the book , but are not confusing as such a style can sometimes be.
My maiden name was actually Turner and I was fascinated by the French translation of Tournier, must take another look at the Family Tree and see if it apppears!
An excellent first novel and having read Girl With A Pearl Earring and now The Virgin Blue I am keen to read the rest of Tracy Chevaliers novels and will add them to My Wishlist. Certainly to be recommended to others.

RELEASE NOTES:

I enjoy playing on www.bookrelay.com and I am sending this title to PurpleElephant who accepted a surprise on 'The Christmas All Year Long Relay'
I hope I have chosen well and that you will enjoy this. I look forward to reading your journal entry and tracking the book on its future travels.

Wow thank you! Amazing! How did you know? This book was going to be on my wishlist as soon as I got around to setting one up! I've been meaning to read this book for some time!
For the month of October I've challenged myself to tackle my TBR pile and I'm not allowing myself to aquire any more books for the whole month. I'm putting this on the pile to be read during that month.
Thanks once again Lindyloumac. Oh and yours is ready to post tomorrow.
I love this relay!

Wow. I never did get to read this book during that month! I think I failed at not buying any books too. Oh well. I know i did read this a while back though and now I'm going through my shelf and I have found 2 books for which I forgot to write a review! Ah Bad bookcrosser.
As far as I remember I enjoyed this book, Tracy Chevalier is one of my favourite authors. Her style is truly captivating. Apologies for the short and vague review. Of course if I'd actually written on at the time I read it then it would be more detailed!

Anyway I think I have a bookbox on its way to me, so this may go in there. If not I will pop it along to one of the OBCZs in Cambridge. Thanks for sharing LindyLoumac.

This is now going in the post for Fellraven's Books For Bunnies appeal.