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Figures in Silk
 
 
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Figures in Silk (Hardcover)

by Vanora Bennett (Author)
3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
RRP: £14.99
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Figures in Silk + Portrait of an Unknown Woman + The White Queen
Price For All Three: £25.44

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Product details

  • Hardcover: 450 pages
  • Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd (6 May 2008)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 000722494X
  • ISBN-13: 978-0007224944
  • Product Dimensions: 22 x 14 x 4.2 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 211,128 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Product Description

Review

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 'If you want a classier-than-average romantic read, one contender is this fine historiccal 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 More praise for Portrait of an Unknown Woman: '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. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

Figures in Silk
51% buy the item featured on this page:
Figures in Silk 3.5 out of 5 stars (8)
£9.99
The White Queen
14% buy
The White Queen 3.7 out of 5 stars (48)
£9.47
Blood Royal
14% buy
Blood Royal 4.0 out of 5 stars (1)
Portrait of an Unknown Woman
11% buy
Portrait of an Unknown Woman 4.5 out of 5 stars (8)
£5.98
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Customer Reviews

8 Reviews
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3 star:
 (1)
2 star:
 (2)
1 star:
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Average Customer Review
3.5 out of 5 stars (8 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Bringing History to Life!, 2 May 2009
By Karen Rhodes (UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
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!
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6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars You need to suspend a lot of disbelief, 25 Dec 2008
By S. Chiger - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
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 nuptials to a forbidding-looking man she just met? That's just the first of many implausabilities in this historical novel. Now, a masterful writer can make the implausible believable or at least palatable (see Dickens). Ms Bennett is not that writer. The sense of time and place is well delineated, but there's way too much telling rather than showing when it comes to the motivations and feelings of her main characters, as if she herself felt she had to spell out why these people were behaving unrealistically. And although most of the book is filtered through the inner life of the protagonist, Isabel, occasionally we're made privy to the thoughts of a few secondary characters as well; while these characters are at times more interesting than Isabel, because we take their point of view only once or twice, the result is a jerky, creaky narrative.

So why am I giving this two stars instead of just one? Because in a weird way it was readable--I was determined to get to the end to see just how the loose ends were going to be tied up and if the ending would surprise me by being somewhat satisfying. Unfortunately, I was not surprised.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Hope There Is A Sequel, 4 Jun 2009
By Ursula K. Raphael "Eclectic Homeschool Mom" (Michigan, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Figures in Silk (Hardcover)
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. I just like reading historical fiction, and this was a great novel, in general.

While I appreciated getting a peek at other character's POV, sometimes when it switched from Isabel, it was so abrupt, it took me a moment to figure out whose mind I was in.

I had a lot of respect for Isabel's character until she got so lovesick over Dickon that she didn't appreciate how much she had accomplished. I can't believe that after defying her father, and becoming a "freewoman," she got sloppy with her lovelife.

I wish she had made her final decision a lot earlier...which is why I'd like to read a sequel.

Don't misunderstand me...I loved the story...in fact, I got too involved with the characters...lol.

Another thing I liked about this novel is that it included references to "liasons" without giving lurid sex details. It was historical fiction rather than a trashy paperback with some history thrown in.

If you like this book, you might also want to read The Blackstone Key.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

1.0 out of 5 stars 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 14 days ago by R. G. Tough

5.0 out of 5 stars 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
Published 2 months ago by Maria Walker

3.0 out of 5 stars 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 5 months ago by Mrs. D. J. Smith

2.0 out of 5 stars 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 6 months ago by Jala sufian

5.0 out of 5 stars 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 15 months ago by Anon

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