A Single Thread cover art

A Single Thread

 Preview

Get 30 days of Premium Plus free

£8.99/month after 30-day free trial. Cancel monthly.
Try for £0.00
More purchase options
Buy Now for £12.99

Buy Now for £12.99

About this listen

FROM THE GLOBALLY BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING

‘Bittersweet … dazzling’ Guardian

‘Deeply pleasurable … the ending made me cry’ The Times

‘Told with a wealth of detail and narrative intensity’ Penelope Lively

Violet is 38.

The First World War took everything from her. Her brother, her fiancé – and her future. She is now considered a ‘surplus woman’.

But Violet is also fiercely independent and determined. Escaping her suffocating mother, she moves to Winchester to start a new life –a change that will require courage, resilience and acts of quiet rebellion. And when whispers of another world war surface, she must live with a secret that could change everything…

©2019 Tracy Chevalier (P)2019 HarperCollins Publishers Limited 20th Century Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Women's Fiction World War I Heartfelt Thought-Provoking Inspiring

Critic reviews

"Bittersweet...dazzling." (Guardian)

"Deeply pleasurable...the ending made me cry." (The Times)

"Told with a wealth of detail and narrative intensity." (Penelope Lively)
All stars
Most relevant
Take to this audio/book without doubt. I bought the hard back novel and the audiobook on speculation having read several Chevalier novels before. Sad to say I was initially dubious and left them in my library. A very foolish mistake. As soon as I entered the novel it was involving and thoroughly absorbing. Fenella Woolgar is a narrator I simply cannot fault; she could narrate a book of recipes for me. I think it has now come to the point that her commissions largely endorse the book. On the novel, it is a measured progression with interest, challenges, interesting characters, surprises. It is wholly satisfying and the various rebellions seeming just. I resisted looking up the various needlepoint stiches whilst reading (or the bell ringing aspects) but that can come. Both, however, raise the question, "Why didn't I know that?" and spur to taking greater attention on visiting places. I liked the homage to volunteers, and the sense of people finding ways to make a lasting mark. The novel pricks the conscience on what we take for granted. The novel is assured. It is also cinematic and can easily see it being taken up for the screen. Enjoy without the prospect of regret.

A Rewarding Read by one of Our Very Best Narrators

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This is a. delightful story, beautifully written, read by a warm, soothing voice.. Set between the wars, the story weaves all the characters, so that we see the effect of the first world war, and the fear of the soon to be Second World War. The struggle of the main charters, at loosing the men in their lives. Really enjoyed this, will certainly be looking for more of this authors work

A delightful story

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
A beautiful novel, wonderfully read. One of my favourite listens from my time in lockdown. The novel captures life as a single woman perfectly, but without bitterness or self pity. Plenty of humour and felt an accurate portrayal of the time it was set in (except one event towards the end of the novel that other reviewers have commented on. Seemed out of character and perhaps society at the time).

I have zero interest in embroidery and sewing, yet this was so well written my attention was captured the whole way through. I was sad to finish it.

Solace in Lockdown

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This book was beautifully read, well paced with convincing characters .
The plot evolved slowly but had much interesting detail which simultaneously gripped the imagination and informed. The themes were presented in a subtle, understated manner which was very satisfying.

Excellent Listen

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I was slowly drawn into this story of a single woman after losing both her brother and her fiancé during WW1. Thirteen years later, the effects of the war on the lives of this woman and others she meets after moving away from her childhood home are gradually revealed. The story unfolds and the characters take shape with poignancy. I loved it.
The writing is excellent and an in-depth knowledge of specialist interests such as embroidery and bell ringing are interwoven with the tussles of family, relationships and responsibilities against the background of economic hardship, the private griefs of shattered families and life plans.
The strength of single women to gain confidence in forging a future without the previously accepted trajectory of marriage and children is gently explored. Although women have gained the vote it is early days yet and entrenched attitudes remain to be resisted.
The narration is perfect and I look to hearing more from Fenella Woolgar and other Tracey Chevalier books.

evocative, engrossing social commentary on the 30s

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews