About this title: This first novel by the author of GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING is about Ella, an American woman, and her husband, Rick, who move to France, to the town where Ella's ancestors lived centuries ago.As Ella tries to settle in, she has a dream of the color blue. When the dream keeps recurring, and then she finds that a painting in the local museum that ...
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Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Binding: Trade paperback
Publisher: Plume Books
Date Published: 2003
ISBN-13:9780452284449ISBN:0452284449
Description: Good. No dust jacket as issued. Good reading copy-normal reading wear of spine crease and tilt. Pgs are clean. SHIPS V FAST! ! Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 304 p. Audience: General/trade. read more
Description: Near Fine. Trade Paperback. Plume, 2003. Near Fine Book. Aside from a crease to spine, overall a clean and tight, lightly read copy. Media mail packed in protective bubble lined shipping bags, Priority in a Flat Rate Envelope. Shipped quickly. Prompt response to questions. read more
Description: Very Good. 0452284449 Great condition Soft Cover book, clean pages, mild creases to spine, light edge/corner rubs, this book is GREAT! Shop & Save With US. read more
Description: Good. 0452284449 Good condition soft cover book, some creases to spine, may have inscription or notes, some edge/corner rubs, may have corner crease, small edge tear or spine slant, a good book for reading. Shop & Save With US. read more
Description: Very Good. 0452284449 Great condition Soft cover book, clean pages, no writing in book, may have mild crease to spine, some light edge/corner rubs, this book is GREAT! Shop & Save With US. read more
"I had always thought my favorite color was blue - it is so ubiquitous in my life - but had never thought of it as having a yin/yang ethos, a subtle light/dark tension that is simultaneously welcoming and warning. Chevalier explores this, and other dichotomies, in her novel The Virgin Blue.
Chevalier's first published novel is well written, with interesting fleshed-out characters. In some ways you can tell its a first novel (there's a sense of trying to look like she's not trying - not unexpected from an unproven writer) but the author's outstanding talent is clearly present and trumps any minor flaw. To me it is important to read this author, more than most, in sequence (first novel to most recent) because it reveals how she grows into her gift, each book's technical successes building upon the previous - there is a clear arrow pointing forward towards her next book, which will be her most amazing novel yet. This book so nearly hits the "greatness" mark that it was difficult not to award it the fifth star but I can't - I had too may little complaints to ignore, so piddling that I'm too embarrassed to list them.
I finished this book in two sittings, about 24 hours. Delightful and delicious, delectable, detailed and drawn with dexterity...
I adore this author. Read any of her books and you will be converted too.
This book deserves a screenplay. If no one is working on one, I will!"
"This is the story of two women, separated by centuries, told in an alternating narrative. One narrative follows Isabelle du Moulin, a 16th century French woman. She is persecuted in her small farming village because of her unusual red hair and knowledge of midwifery. She also secretly holds on to some of the old Catholic beliefs - a dangerous prospect given the vehement anti-papist sentiment of the locals. Her story is genuinely fascinating and captures nicely a crucial point in Europe's religious history. But where Isabelle is a mysterious, sensitive and self aware character - her modern day American descendent Ella Turner/Tournier is completely obnoxious, clueless and self absorbed, therefore making the entire book almost unreadable. Unfortunately for me, I was trapped in a car on a 16 hour road trip with nothing else to listen to.
So, back to Ella - she has recently moved to France with her near perfect architect husband Rick. Eager to 'fit in' and impress the locals Ella decides to adopt the original French spelling of her surname, hence Turner is now Tournier - obnoxious. She is also completely unaware of the difficulties a non-French speaking American might face in adapting to life in a small French village - clueless. And so finally at the first sign of (predictable) minor marital discontent and boredom, Ella decides to shack up with (quite literally) the first French man who gives her the time of day - self absorbed! She is basically a character so unsatisfied with life that she has to create drama to make it interesting. In a way her character makes an interesting contrast with Isabelle, who actually endures true hardships, but that we are actually meant to like and sympathize with Ella is really insulting. And finally, the interwoven plot is really just too trite and full of odd coincidences to be in any way satisfying. The climax of the story seems included solely for its shock value. And the ending is just implausible and unsatisfying. Not recommended."
"Even before my classese were over this spring, I had made a special friend, or mentor, in my Professor Dominik. And one of the things we loved to talk about was debuts, specifically people she had met, and publishing companies she had worked for like St.Martins Griffin (I am indefinitely jealous!).
She had also met, and worked alongside of, one of our nations highest praised art/historical fiction novelists, Tracy Chevalier. I was ecastic to hear this piece of information of course. I had been a fan of Tracy Chevalier for a long while after discovering two of her novels at my local library five years ago (when I was fourteen). And although her vocabulary and style is a BIT simplistic, well, ok, it IS simple. But witty and cutting at the best of times, especially when you think you are becoming bored with the story.
The Virgin Blue was my beacon of hope, I guess you could say. For some time I had been considering various colleges to attend for a chunk of my life to set a better foundation for my writing skills (if they were worthy enough). University of East Anglia is by far one of the best writing colleges I have come across in a VERY long time. The percentage of students that became published after leaving was phenomonal, and most of the time, their books were incredible. Take The Boy in the Striped Pajamas for example. Simple, childish, but evoking and strong in sympathy and truth. The same goes for Virgin Blue, the strength is subtle, but still there. The power of truth and believability is why I kept reading Chevaliers novels even if they were a bit...immature and hindered in certain places."
"Category: Books Genre: Literature & Fiction Author: Tracy Chevalier
The virgin blue mengambil latar belakang di abad ke16 dan pada saat pergolakan reformasi protestan di Eropa. Ceritanya sendiri ditampilkan dalam 2 sudut pandang 2 orang wanita. Isabelle Du Moulin, yang nantinya akan menjadi Isabelle Tournier yang hidup pada adad ke 16 ; dan Ella Turner seorang wanita America yang mencoba mencari tau tentang seluk beluk Tournier yang merupakan nenek Moyangnya empat ratus tahun kemudian. The virgin blue connected them ...Isabelle terpesona akan warna tersebut, sementara warna tersebut mengganggu Ella dalam mimpi-mimpinya.
Isabelle dikenal sebagai La Rousse karena rambutnya yang merah. Dia di jauhi dan disiksa okeh warga desanya karena rambut merahnya. Karena warna rambutnya ini Ia dijauhi disamakan dengan penyihir dan menghina dirinya karena rambut merahnya dikaitkan dengan sosok Virgin Mary, sementara penduduk desa menganggap Virgin Mary akan menghabat jalan mereka menuju kebenaran - mengikuti ajaran John Calvin yang merupakan rekan Martin Luther. Hati Isabelle terpaut ke Perawan Maria tetapi Ia harus menyakal keyakinan dirinya ini karena Ia tidak tahan dengan perasaan bersalah dan penghinaan yang diterimanya. Ia kemudian menikah dengan Etienne Tournier, bukan disasari oleh cinta melaikan karena Ia mengandung anak Etienne, dan memulai hidupnya sebagai bagian dari keluarga yang penuh prasangka dan penghinaan terhadap dirinya hingga akhir hayatnya.
Ella Turner adalah pendatang dr California di Lisle-Sur-Tar, kota kecil di Perancis, bersama dengan suaminya Rick. Ia berusaha beradaptasi dengan suasana baru tersebut dengan berganti nama Turner ke Tournier seperti leluhurnya, memoles bahasa Perancisnya,dll, tetapi Ia tetap merasa terisolasi, kesepian dan diabaikan *disini saya baru tau kalo French People not very welcome to new comer*
Saat ia memulai menyelidiki leluhurnya Ia bertemu dengan Jean-Paul a French Librarian dan kemudian jatuh hati kepada pria tsb. Cara Chevalier *penulis* menggambarkan kedua pria dalam hidup Ella sungguh menarik. Rick digambarkan sebagai sosok yang sangat America sangat California, dengan kuncir ekor kuda pirang, kulit coklat, tubuh kekar dan selalu berpikiran positif. Sementara Jean-Paul adalah kebalikannya dengan senyum sinis mata coklat yang tajam, tubuh ramping dan selalu siap mengangkat sisi pesimis dalam diri Ella.
The first chapter of this book a bit slow for me. I would recommend you to take it easy and enjoy the journey in every French town . Only then, in the end of chapter you'll be surprise with revealing of secrets that will fast drove you all the way until the last page. I would say this novel is entertaining and nice historical novel."
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