I found the descriptions of the weaving process so interesting, even though I couldn't understand a lot of it. ( )

Light and short read, with some nice descriptions of life in a weaver shop. I can't say that anything in this work enthralled me... ( )

Historical romantic fiction with interesting subject of the creation of the unicorn tapestries at the Cluny Museum in Paris. Characters not very engaging though. ( )

My initial assessment of The Lady and the Unicorn remained true throughout the rest of the book. It was alright, but not the good piece of historical fiction I was expecting. The best parts were when we’re taken to Brussels (home of the lissier and his family) and get inside the heads of the people who live there. Alienor was my favorite character, she’s charming, stubborn, sympathetic, and independant. She makes her own future to save herself from a dismal life with a man she cannot stand. She is the true central part of this book, but she doesn’t emerge until a third of the way through. If it had been more about her and her family, I think I would have liked it better.

We’re intially introduced to Jean Le Viste and his family; his daughter Claude is one of the main characters in the beginning, but a) she’s not very likeable, and b) she disappears for the whole middle section of the book and only surfaces briefly once before the very end. Additionally, the character of Nicolas has some motivational problems. On one hand, he’s an arogant, cheap womanizer who seduces anything with breasts and can’t wait to “plow” Claude in her fathers house. On the other, he’s a likeable, charming, struggling painter who saves Alienor from a life of misery. Make up your mind, fellow.

I felt that the language was a little too obnoxious at parts, especially with the times of prayers and the holidays. Sext, May Day, Ascension Day, Candlemas? These mean nothing to me so it’s hard to tell what the real passing of time is. I understand they’re part of the language, so I got over it, but toward the end they resurfaced a lot. And the characters voices and language when they were talking to each other also seemed unrealistic at times.

There’s a clear plot device (petite Claude) that is meant to shock the reader; but we’re not stupid and it falls flat. Overall, I wasn’t a fan, nor was I wholly disappointed with this book. It wouldn’t be the first one I’d recommed, but I’ve read worse. ( )

Once again, Chevalier brings a work of art to life by delving into the story of its making. Composed of bits from history, known facts about the parties involved, and fictional characters and events, she gives us a highly readable account of the creation of tapestries in fifteenth century France and Belguim. ( )