I always learn something.
For example, Girl with a pearl earring taught me about Dutch painting and guilds; The Lady and the unicorn informed about medieval tapestries; Remarkable creatures dealt with fossil hunters.
The only novel of Chevalier's I haven't read is The virgin blue - I don't know why not, I will, soon.
The last runaway opened my eyes to the "Underground railroad" which existed in Ohio in the 1850s.Ordinary citizens who objected to slavery assisted runaway slaves from the south, sheltering them and feeding them at different stops during their journey as they fled to safety in Canada. It was a remarkable and brave story in American history.
The novel tells the story of immigrant Quaker, Honor Bright, who accompanies her sister on a journey from Bristol to Ohio, and through a series of events becomes deeply involved in the railroad, and with a slavehunter, Donovan.
I adored this book. I also learned lots about the Quakers and their faith, life in Ohio in the 1850s, and LOTS about quilting - American, English, the differences between them; bizarre things like the family Honor marries into expecting her to provide TWELVE quilts as part of her dowry....
There is fabulous UST ( unresolved sexual tension) between good Honor and the wicked Donovan.
It is always tempting to give too many plot details, but it would ruin this book which I highly recommend for lovers of good historical fiction - any Chevalier fans out there, you are in for a "can't put it down" treat.
image: Ohio star quilt block pattern
Ha! You have a valid point. I'm slightly ashamed to admit that before I read Fallen Angels, my knowledge of suffragettes was limited to the mother from Mary Poppins and something about some Pankhurst people... and I learned about Hugenots from The Virgin Blue. Will have to look The Last Runway up.
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