Rating: 
Summary: A seductive tapestry of medieval life
Review: As she did so successfully in 'Girl with a Pearl Earring,' Chevalier contemplates a work of art and imagines the story behind its creation. For this novel, she has chosen the famous medieval tapestries, which appear to show a lady's seduction of a unicorn (now hanging in a Paris museum).The story opens in 1490 Paris. Nicolas des Innocents, a talented, arrogant artist, receives a commission for bloody battle tapestries from Jean le Viste, a nouveau aristocrat, rich and important at court, but a man of little taste. Glad for the work, but uninspired by the subject, Nicolas welcomes the distraction of a beautiful young girl summoning him to le Viste's wife. Assuming the girl to be a maid, Nicolas embarks on his usual seduction (one le Viste maid is already big with his child), which involves a suggestive unicorn story. The girl responds encouragingly until her mother ' le Viste's wife, Genevieve - interrupts them. Nicolas blanches at his mistake ' the girl, Claude, could ruin him ' but the mother, in her own way, soon enthralls him. A sad beauty, unhappy in her marriage, longing for a nun's life, Genevieve subtly points out that battle tapestries are unsuitable in the hall of a man who has never been to war. She suggests a lady and a unicorn theme instead. Had she heard him with Claude? She seems pleased with herself and leaves it to him to convince her husband. Which he knows he must. Nicolas flatters le Viste into agreement and leaves, but the damage is done. Claude, already chafing at her restricted life, becomes obsessed with the artist ' and he with her. Not that that prevents him from trying his luck with the blind daughter of the Brussels weaver commissioned to transform his gorgeous paintings of Claude and Genevieve with the unicorn. Chevalier moves the narrative between sophisticated Paris and provincial Brussels, from weaver's workshop to Paris boudoir to cloistered convent. The narration switches among the characters, allowing them to reveal themselves and their views of the others. The weaving sections are particularly textural, giving a vivid feel for the Guild-structured workshop, the intricacy and pride of the work, and the tension as pressure in the workshop mounts. Details of social conventions ' clothing, the conventions of servants, women, Jews, merchants, nobles ' are fresh and immediate. And the story is steeped in sexual tension. Chevalier has another winner.
Rating: 
Summary: Mon Seul Disappointment:(
Review: I was thrilled to hear that Chevalier had written another book. I really enjoyed Pearl Earring, Falling Down and Virgin Blue. I was very disappointed with this story. It lacked plot and my honest opinion is that although the writing was exemplary, the story was not much different than a trashy romance novel - except that there was no romance at all really.... everything seemed motivated by lust, desire and conquest for Nicholas, the main character. As I examine all of Chevaliers books, (except Pearl Earring, which is probably the best book I have ever read), together, I am noticing a common theme - raw, selfish sex. There is a blandness and lack of theme to them. If I wanted to really expose myself to these themes, one needs only to turn on TV nowadays. I expected more from her..... perhaps it is my own fault for being so expecting.... Those are my thoughts. I would not waste your time or money on this book if you are looking for excitement, plot, intrigue, or a real good read.
Rating:
Summary: A joy to read
Review: This book tells Tracy Chevalier's made up story of a very real set of tapestries featuring several ladies and a unicorn that now sit at the Musee National du Moyen-Age Thermes de Cluny in Paris. The novel is set in Paris during the Middle Ages, takes us through the creation of the tapestries and the lives they effect, beginning with Nicolas des Innocents, who is anything but, and the women in his life. The story is woven as the tapestries and the lives of the characters. The tale is skillfully and artfully told. The writing is beautiful as the millefiore described in the art. The historical details are fascinating as is the journey through making the tapestries. This book is hard to put down. I loved this one almost as much as Girl with the Pearl Earring, and that is saying a lot because it is one of my all time favorite books. My book club also loved it.
Rating:
Summary: Another Chevalier Triumph
Review: Tracy Chevalier's latest novel, The Lady and the Unicorn tells the story of a set of tapestries, from the conception of the idea to the display of the finished work. Interwoven with these tapestries emerges the stories of several people, all involved in some way with the story of the Lady and the Unicorn and the tapestries that depict it. The novel is both well-written and well-told, using the first person narration, while changing narrators back and forth with each chapter. This could have been a clunky method, but Chevalier has made each transition seamless and easy to follow. Though I won't say this is my favorite Chevalier novel (Girl with a Pearl Earring holds that place) it is a wonderful novel, both in plot and writing. Chevalier continues to write with an easy, reader-friendly style, though I can see subtle changes that speak of a maturing writer. I highly recommend The Lady and the Unicorn, as well as other three novels.
Rating: 
Summary: Right up there with Pearl Earring
Review: I loved 'Girl with a Pearl Earring' and was excited to see that Chevalier had a new book out. I bought it on the spot without even giving it a second thought. My instincts were not wrong. I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. Each chapter is devoted to the point of view of a different character, yet the story flows in a sequential order and is easy to follow. I love anything written in the first person narrative and enjoyed having each character tell me their own story so that I could "meet" each one individually. Definitely, an interesting style of storytelling. The text, itself, was easy and quick to read. Can easily be read in a couple of days. I am eagerly looking forward to Ms. Chevalier's next endeavor.
Rating:
Summary: strong historical
Review: In 1490, having purchased his way into the aristocracy, French nobleman Jean Le Viste, feeling self-important, tries to further impress the King and his court on how worthy a person he is. He commissions artist Nicholas des Innocents to design tapestries for Le Viste. Jean's disappointing spouse, a failure for begetting three girls and no male heirs, wants unicorns as the stars However Nicholas finds his patron's daughter Claude as the inspiration for the work as he and she fall in love. However, her social climbing father would never allow his daughter to have anything to do with an artisan. Jean takes the drawings to Brussels where the drawings are converted into six lush six tapestries depicting a Lady and the Unicorn. On the surface THE LADY AND THE UNICORN seems like a repeat of the invigorating GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING that used a masterpiece to tell the story of the model that posed for the painting, but that is not really the case here. Though Tracy Chevalier uses the real tapestries hanging in the Museum of the Middle Ages in Paris, she paints a different story. This time a fabulous romance for the ages serves as a backdrop to an in-depth look at life in Paris and Brussels for the aristocracy and especially the artisans and a delightful look at the fifteenth century tapestry industry struggling to meet a tight time line with a quality product as Ms. Chevalier has done with her pioneering of a historical sub-genre that does to the arts what Stoppard did to Hamlet.
Rating:
Summary: Unrealistic Sex
Review: I have enjoyed all of Tracy Chevaleir's novels, but I have a nit to pick on this one. The sex between the blind virgin and the artist is so unrealistic I felt I was reading a "bodice ripper" from the 1970s. Why be so attuned to historical detail in the rest of the story, and then romanticize first time sex (without foreplay even!) so sappily?
Rating:
Summary: Simply Wonderful!!
Review: I must start off by saying, I just now started reading books again. I was in the store a few weeks ago, and decided I wanted to read a book, I picked up "girl with the pearl earring." I started it that night, and finished it the next day! I never knew I could be so caught up in a book, I had to read another one by this writer I thought! So I went to the store, and picked this one up. As soon as I read the first few pages, I knew I was right at home! I love the way Tracy Chevalier writes! I was in love with this book and the characters, ecpecially alinor! This is a must read!! You'll love it!!
Rating:
Summary: Lovely, Gentle Read
Review: Well, Chevalier has done it again: she has taken a piece of art and woven a story into it like the threads of the tapestry are woven together. She seems to have a knack for writing gentle reads, books that you read to take your mind off your troubles, and that are relaxing. The characters are fun, the first-person narrative makes for great insight into the book, and the scenes in the book are vivid and easy to imagine. I gave the book four stars rather then five because while it IS a good book, it isn't one that will make you catch your breath and leave you spellbound. But up until that point, it's wonderful.
Rating:
Summary: Another excellent book by Tracy Chevalier
Review: I loved this book from page one. The way Tracy Chevalier writes, I felt like I was back in time. I love how she writes from the point of view of the different characters. Excellent book.
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