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m_a_p's review
4.0
Intriguing; believable despite the ridiculous"love" between the main characters. Really liked the side characters, especially Freya and Fulk. Hard to imagine an attractive tonsured man...
thecatsmum's review
4.0
I am not an avid reader of historical fiction although I have read a few books from this genre. I did enjoy this book despite it having a slight high brow bodice ripper feel to it. I found it hard to put down and it really made me interested in this period of history.
ireadinbed's review
3.0
Pros: I really enjoyed the descriptions of the not-a-tapestry, and there were plenty of stories going on to keep me interested.
Cons: the romance is completely unbelievable and the characters are flat.
Cons: the romance is completely unbelievable and the characters are flat.
_onebookmore's review against another edition
1.0
No. Just no. Some bits of marginally good writing, but the plot was a total mess, and it did not need to be nearly 600 pages long. Ugh. 2 stars for a few lovely phrases and the historical interest.
canadianbookworm's review against another edition
4.0
I picked up this book from the sale table at the bookstore because of the tag line "A powerful tale of sex, lies, and embroidery." I mean, how could I resist!
This is a historical romance set in the late 11th century beginning with the invasion of England by William of Normandy in 1066. Glytha is a young woman, originally from Wales, widowed and then a lay sisters in a nunnery, most recently lady in waiting to King Harold's mistress Edith Swan Neck.
When William's brother Odo takes it in his head to commission an embroidery chronicling the conquest, he gets his sister Agatha, now Sister Jean-Baptiste, to manage the project. One of her first tasks is finding embroiderers of sufficient skill to do the project and this search leads her to Glytha. Glytha has been forced to work she never would have envisioned herself doing, merely to survive, but she hesitates at working for the Normans until she discovers that it is Odo's project. Since she knows Odo is the king's brother and she knows he was present at Harold's death, she thinks she might have a chance of revenge if she joins the project.
However neither Odo nor Glytha could have predicted the sparks that fly between them, and how this attraction will affect both their lives. The two gradually reveal themselves and their histories to each other, growing in trust.
There is lots of sex and lies and the tag line suggests, and a fair bit of embroidery too. The embroidery in question here is what is now known as the Bayeux Tapestry. The interpretations of the tapestry and its imagery are both Bower's invention and drawn from historical research. While some of the characters, like William, Odo, and the Lanfranc are real historical figures, many are fictional. This is a tale of intrigue and politics, love and jealousy and an entertaining read.
This is a historical romance set in the late 11th century beginning with the invasion of England by William of Normandy in 1066. Glytha is a young woman, originally from Wales, widowed and then a lay sisters in a nunnery, most recently lady in waiting to King Harold's mistress Edith Swan Neck.
When William's brother Odo takes it in his head to commission an embroidery chronicling the conquest, he gets his sister Agatha, now Sister Jean-Baptiste, to manage the project. One of her first tasks is finding embroiderers of sufficient skill to do the project and this search leads her to Glytha. Glytha has been forced to work she never would have envisioned herself doing, merely to survive, but she hesitates at working for the Normans until she discovers that it is Odo's project. Since she knows Odo is the king's brother and she knows he was present at Harold's death, she thinks she might have a chance of revenge if she joins the project.
However neither Odo nor Glytha could have predicted the sparks that fly between them, and how this attraction will affect both their lives. The two gradually reveal themselves and their histories to each other, growing in trust.
There is lots of sex and lies and the tag line suggests, and a fair bit of embroidery too. The embroidery in question here is what is now known as the Bayeux Tapestry. The interpretations of the tapestry and its imagery are both Bower's invention and drawn from historical research. While some of the characters, like William, Odo, and the Lanfranc are real historical figures, many are fictional. This is a tale of intrigue and politics, love and jealousy and an entertaining read.
angelayoung's review against another edition
4.0
Another first novel that reads as if its author has covered reams and reams of paper writing several novels before this one, and yet she hasn't. It's set just after Harold's death at the Battle of Hastings and Gytha - who was employed by Edith, King Harold's common-law wife and now finds herself unemployed and longing to take some kind of revenge for Harold's death - gets herself a job as a needlewoman for the Bayeux Tapestry which has just been commissioned by Bishop Odo, half-brother to William the Conqueror. A tale of unexpected and unwanted but passionate love unfolds as the Tapestry's needlewomen work. I felt as if I was in the 11th century, not just reading about it. Wonder-ful.
athenabinghamauthor's review against another edition
2.0
The book started out very interesting with the whole tapestry business, and quickly dissolved into the standard romance format. It was an excellent idea that just got twisted into the traditional romance plot, at which point I lost interest because I wanted to read mostly about the tapestry. I don't mind a love story, but by 1/3 of they way through it was merely a connecting thread and not really in it anymore.
I think I'm over halfway through the book, and I can't face finishing it-it is simply dragging on too long in the middle for my taste.
I think I'm over halfway through the book, and I can't face finishing it-it is simply dragging on too long in the middle for my taste.
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