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Joyce Elson Moore

Auteur van Haunt Hunters Guide to Florida

9 Werken 63 Leden 5 Besprekingen

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Bevat de namen: Joyce Moore, Elizabeth Elson

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This book was chosen as the very first "Featured Author" group read in the Historical Fiction group that I moderate here on Goodreads. The premise sounded fascinating to me - the story of the man who created Robin Hood. The cover is gorgeous as well, of course.

This story follows Adam de la Halle, poet, singer and songwriter and performer over a period of a few years of his life, attempting to fill in some of the gaps and bring him to life. After Adam is exiled in the story for singing a derogatory political satire song, he meets the lovely young Catherine Durant, Tapestry Shop owner's daughter, and from that point on their lives and stories are intertwined.

This story was rich in detail and the descriptions definitely allowed for a feeling of "being there". I enjoyed this aspect of the book very much, and liked the real-life portrayal of life in the thirteenth century.

I also liked that Adam seemed like an intelligent and perceptive fellow, especially regarding politics and religion. I wish that this was a bigger part of the story, as well as the play Jeu de Robin et Marion, which is rumored to be the earliest French secular play (according to Wikipedia). He seemed like a fair and kind-hearted man, and I liked that he didn't throw his royal patron's weight around.

Catherine is young, and beautiful and betrothed to a lug of a man. Catherine is the type of ideal, loyal and faithful daughter that any 13th c. man would want to have. Intelligent and trustworthy and pious and determined to do her duty. She marries the lug, but is widowed after he dies in an incident, which Catherine feels partially to blame for, and so she makes an oath to God to redeem her soul. Religion and faith plays a very large role in Catherine's character, taking her to extremes. Of course this determination in her oath and promise to God causes quite a bit of inconvenience in her life, but determination is determination.

Adam and Catherine cross paths again and again, both secretly pining for the other, but neither speaking, and neither sure of the other's intentions, and each with their own fears and doubts and complications. This was one of the two main issues that I had with the story. I didn't feel that there was enough to really form a basis for the attraction between them. It was too "love at first sight" for me and it just didn't feel true. I felt that there was a large gap where their relationship foundation should be.

The other issue that I had can be summed up with by the word inconsistency. I thought that the details of the locations and life in 13th c. France were very good, as I mentioned, but the story seemed to hop around quite a bit. Not only due to the shifting between Adam's and Catherine's stories, but in time, and during exposition and action sections - specifically continuity between actions or scenes. A lot is left to the reader to fill in. Additionally, I felt that one character in particular, Isabel, was very inconsistent. She was described as being Catherine's closest friend and confidante, assisting with ways to get out of her undesirable betrothal, but then when Catherine goes to her for guidance the last time, she tells her to forget her schemes and wild dreams and just accept the pending marriage. It just seemed completely contrary to how she was described.

Overall, I think that this was OK. I would have liked to see more of the dissident in Adam since this is a fictionalized biography, and would have liked more of the story surrounding the play, and for the characters to be fleshed out more, but this was a quick read and an interesting story surrounding a lesser known figure in history.
… (meer)
 
Gemarkeerd
TheBecks | 2 andere besprekingen | Apr 1, 2013 |
The beautiful cover of the Tapestry Shop by Joyce Elson Moore gives us a hint of the amount of historical research lovingly poured into this novel set in medieval times. Adam de la Halle, a trouvere (singer/composer of songs) in the thirteenth century, studies at the Paris University and falls in love with Catherine who is promised to another. Ms. Moore does a fine job of drawing the reader into the, sights, smells, sounds and confusion of the thirteenth century. I learned that women participated in the Crusades and particularly enjoyed courageous Catherine’s determination to keep her oath to God and go on pilgrimage. Look for the hint of the Robin Hood legend in this historical fiction novel.… (meer)
½
 
Gemarkeerd
hollysing | 2 andere besprekingen | Feb 20, 2011 |
The Tapestry Shop, by Joyce Elson Moore, is an historical novel based on the life of Adam de la Halle, a poet/musician who left behind a vast collection of secular compositions, including one which some say is the basis of the legend of Robin Hood, and that may well be, but being of Yorkshire descent, I like to believe that Robin Hood is an Englishman, not a Fenchman!
In all seriousness, and aside from the intrigue about the Robin Hood fable, I liked this book for the story. The medieval setting leaps from the page as we follow Adam's journey and that of Catherine, the woman he loves.
The writing isn't flawless, and at times it was a little silted in places, however the story flows well and the research is apparent.
I did like how the author gave both Adam and Catherine their own point of views, so the reader has the chance to know both characters well.

Fictional biographies is a favourite genre of mine and I was glad to read another one by an unknown author to me.
I highly recommend Joyce Elson Moore's novel, The Tapestry Shop to those who enjoy historical fiction.
… (meer)
 
Gemarkeerd
AnneBrear | 2 andere besprekingen | Nov 1, 2010 |
My full review is up at YouGottaRead Reviews, but this is a very good historical romance with a strong female lead character. It's well-written and I really enjoyed it a lot. It was fun to read about a medieval age woman standing up for herself and even teaching the men a thing or two. Jeanne's adventures were exciting and interesting, and the story as a whole was very well thought out and vividly told. Definitely worth reading.
 
Gemarkeerd
TiffanyAK | Jul 6, 2009 |

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Statistieken

Werken
9
Leden
63
Populariteit
#268,028
Waardering
3.2
Besprekingen
5
ISBNs
8

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