The Virgin Blue

Book review by Tracey
I think this novel is my favorite yet from this author. She successfully blends two stories, present and past, and while I found the story from the past to be more interesting, the other was just as meaningful to the whole. I was particularly interested in the customs and superstitions brought to light by the story of Isabelle du Moulin. Ms. Chevalier weaves the frightening but very real prejudices of the common people during Isabelle's time, ultimately culminating in what we today would perceive as complete horror. Our heroine must not only live through it, she’s supposed to act as if it were completely normal. Actions sanctified by the Catholic and Protestant churches and mixed with the beliefs of older religions remind us that we are not so far from Ms. Chevalier's story in the fourteenth century. The author's Historical Note at the end is always a welcome addition to the story.

Tracey.