Violet Speedwell’s fiancé was killed during the First World War, and twenty years later she’s one of the many single women in Winchester. Even though there are so many, they haven’t gained any respect, it seems. Violet has managed to free herself from her difficult mother by arranging a work transfer from Southampton to Winchester, but so far she hasn’t made much of a life for herself.
When she stumbles upon a private ceremony in Winchester Cathedral, she gets interested in the work of the broderers, a group of women who embroider kneelers and seat cushions for the cathedral. She joins the group and soon has made friends with an office worker because of it. Although Violet is at first hyper aware of other people’s attitudes, through her new friendships she begins to become more accepting and take more risks.
I was reasonably interested in Violet’s journey, but this novel seemed unfocused to me. For example, although people are inconsistent, Violet’s extreme awareness of what other people think does not seem to mesh well with a woman who occasionally goes out to pick up men for sex. This characteristic seems much too modern for the woman Violet was at the beginning of the book, although the affair at the end is more plausible. Also, as to the two preoccupations of the novel, embroidery and bell ringing, it was as though Chevalier couldn’t decide which to write about. She did a better job at bell ringing than did Dorothy Sayers in The Nine Tailors, which I found incomprehensible (not the mystery, just the information about the bells), but I think that perhaps two focuses is one too many.
Maybe to Chevalier the cathedral said cushions and bells to her, but she wasn’t really writing about the cathedral. In any case, I’m trying to poorly express that I found this novel mildly interesting but also unsatisfying.
What? Me Read? 
What a shame, I used to love TC (especially The virgin Blue) but then found as you say, they became mildly interesting but ultimately unsatisfying. At the beginning of your review I had high hopes, never mind!
Yes, I’ve had the same experience, especially loving The Girl with the Pearl Earring.
I very much doubt that a “respectable” woman would have picked up men for sex back in the pre-contraceptive era. Sounds like she’s made the main character too modern.
Yes, that’s what I thought.
Now I don’t feel so bad about turning down the ARC for this book. Thanks.
I’ve always wondered about people who do that beautiful needlepoint and embroidery for churches and cathedrals. The National Cathedral has lovely handmade pieces.
I agree about the mis-characterization of her man-chasing. I notice that a lot of TV shows about the same era get that wrong. People nowadays just can’t imagine how shamed young women were for pre-marital sex in the era before birth control and easily available condoms to protect against disease.
Probably not all of them, but certainly it seems more likely that a woman like her would be.