The Virgin Blue

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It's a hit!

I cannot believe I had this gem in my bookshelf for 2,5 years before reading it! I'm glad I finally got around to it as it's one of the best reads ... (show more)

I cannot believe I had this gem in my bookshelf for 2,5 years before reading it! I'm glad I finally got around to it as it's one of the best reads ever!

I loved how the two women's fates were so intertwined and how 400 years later, Isabelle was still able to touch the lives of people. I always like books with strong female characters in them, and these had three: The Virgin, the sole hope for Isabelle in her darkest times; Ella, who took her fate into her own hands and would let no one tell her what to do; and Isabelle, who in refusing to give up her beliefs and identity all the while keeping it secret must have had such a strength inside. On a side note, I really liked Michelle as well, she seemed like a very loveable person.

I could see what was coming in the book long before it happened, but I think that the way Ella's life took such unexpected turns in her search balanced it. Not to mention that it is always really interesting reading a historical story.

This one is definitely, and warmly, recommended! A must-read! (show less)

 

 

by Facebook User

No, it's a flop!

The historical storyline in the this novel echoes the strengths of Chevalier's writing in "Girl with a Pearl Earring"... a gauzy, atmospheric writi... (show more)

The historical storyline in the this novel echoes the strengths of Chevalier's writing in "Girl with a Pearl Earring"... a gauzy, atmospheric writing that is less detailed and quite intense. The modern storyline in this novel often felt forced and unnatural. I don't really get the necessity of the modern storyline, except to have a device to have the secrets of the historic family "discovered" in the end. And don't even get me started on how irritating the details of the family research in this novel are to someone who actually DOES genealogical research. Some of that stuff is absurd. I wish Chevalier had written the story of 16th century Isabelle and left the modern selfish alter-ego out of the story altogether; as is, it is a noteworthy "meh" of a novel. (show less)

 

 

by Jennifer Jones Regan

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  I thought it was fairly absorbing, although not my favorite of her's. I wasn't fully convinced of why Ella was suddenly so involved passionately in finding out about her family, but I suppose it would be an interesting thing for someone to research after moving to a place of origin. I loved the balance of writing between the two stories. In the end when Ella is speculating what happened to Isabelle she mentions the "Shepard with the Scar" and I found it hard to believe she would h... (show more)

  I thought it was fairly absorbing, although not my favorite of her's. I wasn't fully convinced of why Ella was suddenly so involved passionately in finding out about her family, but I suppose it would be an interesting thing for someone to research after moving to a place of origin. I loved the balance of writing between the two stories. In the end when Ella is speculating what happened to Isabelle she mentions the "Shepard with the Scar" and I found it hard to believe she would have discovered him in her research, but even with these slight inconsistencies it was an interesting read. (show less)

   

   

  by Amy Miller on Mar 29, 2009 at 01:52AM

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  I started this book thinking it was just like everything else I've started by Chevalier and been disappointed in. Not so. As I raced through the final half of the book last night, I found myself hanging on every word. THIS should have been the book that got her noticed. THIS should have been published long before her others and THIS should be the example to which she must compare her future novels.

  It's a beautiful read, complicated and truthfully emotional. I connected with Ella in... (show more)

  I started this book thinking it was just like everything else I've started by Chevalier and been disappointed in. Not so. As I raced through the final half of the book last night, I found myself hanging on every word. THIS should have been the book that got her noticed. THIS should have been published long before her others and THIS should be the example to which she must compare her future novels.

  It's a beautiful read, complicated and truthfully emotional. I connected with Ella in a way I haven't felt connected to a character in a very long time, and I felt so very strongly for Isabelle that I found myself almost praying to the Virgin with her FOR her. The women are so different from each other, but their blood is thicker than water. While I understood Ella's choices, I don't know that I agreed with all of them, but that's the point - you don't have to agree with a character to see their point of view, and it's very important to see things from Ella's point of view. (show less)

   

   

  by Facebook User on Mar 18, 2009 at 01:38PM

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