I completely engaged with Violet Speedwell in this book - she was so well portrayed as was her situation in the years after the First World War. A fascinating picture of what life was like for a single woman in that time - the expectations on her and the constrictions imposed. The secondary characters were also so well portrayed and believable. So much information about embroidered kneelers and bell-ringing. A joy to read. Many thanks to Netgalley for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Violet Speedwell has lost her brother and her fiancé in WW1 and like many other women finds herself without a role in life. She escapes her domineering mother to live in Winchester and secures a role as a typist. One day she happens across a group of Broderers in Winchester Cathedral who needlepoint kneelers for the church. She is accepted into the group and here her journey into her new found confidence begins. The Cathedral also has a group of male bell ringers who add another interesting facet to her story. Through friendship and community Violet gradually finds her voice in an era of surplus women and eventually overcomes hers grief and loss. This is a heartwarming story, beautifully written by Tracy Chevalier. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

One of Tracy Chevalier's previous books -The Last Runaway- was the beginning of my now, fairly established, hobby of patchwork and sewing. So, I was pleased to see that she had centred a lot of the interaction between her characters around the broderer's group at Winchester Cathedral. Though I have no time to add this to my list of 'spare time' activities, the evident research and Chevalier's thoroughness, offered a unique and empathetic window onto the experiences of women who came together at that time. As a consequence of the huge number of men lost in WW1 (including her own brother and fiancee), at 38, Violet Speedwell is one the 'surplus' women who were left behind with little purpose or independence. Furthermore, they offered an unwelcome and somewhat embarrassing reminder of the catastrophic events which had so recently occurred. Unwilling to remain trapped at home with her disillusioned mother, Violet (breaking uncomfortably with convention) strikes out on her own and moves away from Southampton, thus freeing herself from the claustrophobic expectations of family life and spinsterhood. Through the people she meets at the cathedral and work, she creates an independent existence, though not without difficulty. A good read, there was plenty happening in the story to keep up the momentum, but at no point did I find myself gripped. Violet's love interest seemed both foolish and unlikely; aside from the fact that she only seemed to have to think about Arthur and he would magically appear! I was also thrown by the unlikeliness of the strange stalker character; whilst her brother's gruff public school-boy manner ("It's hard work with three kiddies.") was jarring. My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for issuing me with an advance copy of the book.

Set in the 1930s, A Single Thread follows the story of Violet Speedwell, one of the many “surplus women” unable to marry due to a shortage of men after the First World War. Violet is headstrong and independent, determined to forge her own path and leave her own mark on the world — however, at 38, she is considered too old by much of society. She takes a job working as a typist in Winchester and becomes involved in a group of women, the Winchester Broderers, who provided the cathedral with embroidered seat cushions and kneelers. One of the things I enjoy about Chevalier’s novels is the blending of fact and fiction so beautifully and unobtrusively; here, there is a wealth of information slipped in about embroidery and bell-ringing, as well as larger issues such as feminism and LGBT couples. I did not find any of this too onerous to read and it all really developed the story, fleshing out characters and plot. Sadly, one of the things I really do not enjoy is a period novel about a strong female lead who inevitably becomes pregnant as a consequence of an affair or trauma. There is more to a woman’s life than having children — though I do realise that this particular trope was a very real occurrence in this particular time period. I was enjoying the book until the arrival of the love interest, Arthur, and the events that followed. After that it became quite predictable and I read on with a sinking stomach. Ultimately the book has an upbeat ending which affirms the power and depth of female friendships, especially with the unconventional nature of the Speedwell household at this point. Having enjoyed many of Chevalier’s novels in the past, I had high hopes for A Single Thread, but sadly it did fall short for me. The characterisation and plot are well executed and there is an evocative and sinister mood lurking below the surface of this book, indicative of the unease that lingered between the two World Wars, and this is handled beautifully. For me, not as good as At the Edge of the Orchard or The Last Runaway, Chevalier’s previous two novels, or even Falling Angels, but if you like historical fiction then this comes recommended. I received an e-ARC from the publisher, HarperCollins UK, through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a very easy read, there’s nothing to dramatic about the story line, it’s a pleasant, nice read. Post World War I following the story of Violet, I enjoyed following the relationship between violet and her family. Wouldn’t be the normal story/book that I would read but enjoyable.