Figures in Silk
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Product Description
Review
Praise for ‘Queen of Silks’:
'A richly textured historical novel' The Times
'A vivid, unmissable novel' Eve
'Bennett's novel has the verve of a thriller and the heady rush of a fine historical romance' Easy Living
'A masterly piece of storytelling' Woman & Home
Praise for ‘Portrait of an Unknown Woman’:
'Bennett's background detail is impeccable – part love story, part thriller, all excellently imagined and written' The Times
'There is plenty to admire and enjoy in Bennett's portrayal of a society convulsed by radical change…Vanora Bennett is a writer to watch' Times Literary Supplement
'Distinguished…Romance, intrigue and art history are confidently blended, and Holbein canvases are afforded starring roles' Daily Mail
More praise for Portrait of an Unknown Woman:
‘If you want a classier-than-average romantic read, one contender is this fine historical debut, a ‘Girl with a Pearl Earring’-style tale’
Sunday Times
'An atmospheric, passionate novel set against a backdrop of religious and political upheaval' Woman and Home
'Fans of Tracy Chevalier and Philippa Gregory will lap up this meticulously researched historical tale…A brilliant study of passion, politics, religion and art' Eve magazine
'Fans of Girl with a Pearl Earring will greet this with open arms: it's a similarly intriguing, clever web of art, passion and historical characters…atmospheric and alive with philosophy and treachery – exhilarating' Easy Living
‘Rich in period detail, full of human passion, ‘Portrait of an Unknown Woman’ mingles art, politics and family drama to evoke the period when humanism was taking root in England. A fascinating tale, skilfully told and highly recommended’
Iain Pears, author of ‘The Portrait’
'An enjoyable read' Guardian
‘If only history was taught by people like Vanora Bennett…I loved this book' Penny Smith, First magazine
Review
Bennett's novel beautifully merges larger-than-life characters with those found in history's footnotes.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
After reading Portrait of an Unknown Woman I couldn't wait to read Figures in Silk, and I wasn't disappointed. Vanora Bennett's masterful weaving of fact and fiction brought the era and historical characters to life, leaving the reader desperate for more. I was torn between sympathy and loathing for Richard III as his character unfolded in an attempt to unveil the man behind the traditionally assumed atrocities he committed to gain the throne but mostly I was fascinated by the lives of the silk women and the merchants in London, which showed a hive of industry and trade that I'd never thought of as an interesting part of fifteenth century England before now! Captivating - can't wait for Blood Royal!
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This author is new to me and I purchased this book on the recommendation of other reviewers. As an avid reader of historical reference books, biographies and historical novels I looked forward to trying a new author from this genre.
I found the writing style difficult at first as the narrative is somewhat jerky and I had to read some sentences several times to make sense of them, better editing would have greatly helped.
The characters were shallow and although the plot was written around established historical fact the storyline was weak. Forever the optimist I ploughed on thinking that things must improve but I learned nothing new and was left with the feeling that I had wasted my time.
I found the writing style difficult at first as the narrative is somewhat jerky and I had to read some sentences several times to make sense of them, better editing would have greatly helped.
The characters were shallow and although the plot was written around established historical fact the storyline was weak. Forever the optimist I ploughed on thinking that things must improve but I learned nothing new and was left with the feeling that I had wasted my time.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Queen of Silks and Figures in Silk are the SAME BOOK. Bought both and was disappointed to find a duplicate. A good book but beware the same...feel duped as have to sell the copy now for probably less than I bought it. Huge Bennett fan, but gutted re this book.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Engrossing
A brilliant book with an interesting insight into the silk business and extraordinary women who ran it in the City of London. Read more
Published on 16 May 2010 by Sandra Moore
A bit of a let down.
When two authors write books close together set in the same time period you'll always get comparisons between the two. Read more
Published on 6 Dec 2009 by Gareth Wilson - Falcata Times Blog
Beware
The reviews for "Figures in Silk" under the book "Queen of Silks" may appear somewhat out of place until, on receipt of the book itself, you find that they are the same book. Read more
Published on 25 Oct 2009 by R. G. Tough
I liked it very much
I nearly didn't read this book having reads its reviews. I'm glad I ignored them.
Fiction seamlessly woven with historical facts to the point of making it believe the story... Read more
Fiction seamlessly woven with historical facts to the point of making it believe the story... Read more
Published on 11 Aug 2009 by Maria Walker
Well written, but chronology all over the place!
Overall I found this to be a well written novel with evidently a good deal of research into the silk industry. Read more
Published on 7 Jun 2009 by Mrs. D. J. Smith
Hope There Is A Sequel
First of all, I know nothing about the silk industry, and I'm not a history buff, so I didn't notice any details being out of place. Read more
Published on 4 Jun 2009 by Ursula K. Raphael
dull and long winded
I had high expectations for this book,as a lover of Historical fiction I thought this looked a real treat. However this story failed to grip me at all. Read more
Published on 22 April 2009 by Jala sufian
You need to suspend a lot of disbelief
So we're supposed to believe a sheltered 14-year-old daughter of a well-off merchant during the end of the War of the Roses would open her heart about her fears of her upcoming... Read more
Published on 25 Dec 2008 by S. Chiger
Fabulous !
I absolutely loved this book and if there was a possibility to award more than five stars, I would definately do so. Read more
Published on 25 July 2008 by Anon
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