The Ritual Master One of my favourite genres in litterature is historical fiction. So when I pick up a Tracy Chevalier novel, I am over the moon. I came across her long before The Girl with a pearl earing movie histeria, and as a teenager, it was refreshing to discover a different way of looking at history. Her debut novel, The Virgin Blue, is my favourite so far, and quite suited for an October read. Here are my feelings about the book…
The story in one phrase : Ella Turner discovers the history of her family along with the story of the Protestant Reformation, while tracing her mysterious dreams of blue through the south of France and Swizerland.
How does it make me feel : Contemplative. And I couldn’t tell you why. I should be either sad or revolted, maybe a little happy in the end, but as I burned through the pages, all I could think was WOW. A sort of “lost in thought” feeling, between the hardships of centuries past, the losing oneself in the wrong mariage, I found myself quite impartial and reflective.
Top 3 details
Number one : a sad but essential moment in history. It’s not the most cheerful period in time, but I believe the 16th century Reformation is still today a lesson to be learned, both in the value of the concepts as in the errors of each side that generated bloody religious wars. In many ways, we find those exact basic urges of convincing others of the superiority of one’s beliefs, right here in our 21st century. One thing is certain, without the Reformation, we wouldn’t have evolved to see the freedom of cult we so appreciate in the Western world today.
Number two : a case study of settling into a new culture. An American woman who discovers French and Swiss habits in everyday life. While at the beginning she seems very critical of all the differences she notices in France, jumping to Switzerland changes her tone, as she becomes purely observant and less judgemental. Finally, coming back to France she finds herself almost confortable in her new french life. Maybe a lesson to be learned from a fictional character’s travels.
Number three : a lightness of writing. I have only admiration for the way American writers are able to tell sad stories without depressing me. And Tracy Chevalier is a perfect example of this easy, straightforward storytelling, that does not lack elegance in any way, but manages to keep the general tone positive.
My favourite character : I started off thinking we have two main characters : Ella in the 20th century story, and Isabelle in the 16th century one. But in the end, I feel like the two combine in creating the true main character of the novel : the Spirit of the Woman, navigating a world of men, a world who’s cruelty is sometimes painfully obvious, while at other times, sly and manipulating under a veil of love and care. While Isabelle had little choice in her destiny, Ella lives a defining moment of self knowledge and makes brave decisions that break the ancestral karma.
Yin/Yang : A Yin story of Yang times. A cautionary tale of what happens when Yin and Yang lose their balance. And in the end, a moment of honesty.
Favourite Quote: It was a funny thing, once you tell your story to others it becomes more like fiction and less like truth. A layer of performance is added to it, removing you further from the real thing.
Life Lesson : It’s not a complicated one, yet so many of us get it wrong : choose your partner wisely, and consider your reasons for starting a familly very carefully. We all know many couples, each with their own success story or failure to find common goals. There is no recipe, except time and reflection, and I believe these two investments are not too much to ask in exchange for a happy life.
Why you should read it : To whet your appetite for some history refreshers and maybe start making your own genealogy tree. It’s not only for teachers, you know…
If you would like to support The Ritual of Reading, please consider purchasing your books from the Bookshop.org dedicated site by clicking the link below. You get to support local bookstores and I make a small commission with every purchase. Thank you !
