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El azul de la virgen
by
Tracy Chevalier (Goodreads Author)
Meet Ella Turner and Isabelle du Moulin - two women born centuries apart, yet bound by a fateful family legacy. Ella and her husband move to a small town in France, but village life turns out to be less idyllic than she expected, however, and a peculiar dream of the color blue propels her on a quest to uncover her family's French ancestry. As the novel unfolds - alternatin...more
Paperback, 411 pages
Published
October 30th 2004
by Punto de Lectura
(first published 1997)
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Community Reviews
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1-30
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3,000)
Jan 20, 2008
Anne
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
People interested in historical stories centering around women
Recommended to Anne by:
My mother
Shelves:
heart-wrenching
I picked it up and a day and a half later, I set it down. At first, I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into, but 20 pages in and I was completely hooked.
Since I haven't read anything else by Tracy Chevallier, I wasn't sure I would enjoy her writing. I was happy to discover she has a natural knack for character development, I found her to be a very honest author, unafraid to describe what "we" are really feeling inside. Exposing the vulnerability of human nature with her intertwining storie...more
Since I haven't read anything else by Tracy Chevallier, I wasn't sure I would enjoy her writing. I was happy to discover she has a natural knack for character development, I found her to be a very honest author, unafraid to describe what "we" are really feeling inside. Exposing the vulnerability of human nature with her intertwining storie...more
"The Virgin Blue" is two stories in one. Or possibly two sides of the same story.
In one story, set in modern day, American Ella Turner is a midwife studying for re-licensing after relocating with her husband to France. She investigates her ancestral roots for something to do and becomes intrigued in both her family history and the local librarian, Jean-Paul.
The other story is that of Isabelle du Moulin, a French Protestant woman who marries into the Tournier family and who escapes persecution...more
In one story, set in modern day, American Ella Turner is a midwife studying for re-licensing after relocating with her husband to France. She investigates her ancestral roots for something to do and becomes intrigued in both her family history and the local librarian, Jean-Paul.
The other story is that of Isabelle du Moulin, a French Protestant woman who marries into the Tournier family and who escapes persecution...more
Definitely not as good as Girl with a Pearl Earring. I was really enjoying the first two-thirds of the book, but I didn't like the direction it took after that. There are two parallel stories happening and the modern one is less believable than the one that takes places four hundred years ago. I liked the character Isabelle from the 1500's much better than Ella from modern day. I'll still read more by Chevalier. She has a nice style of writing that totally sucks me in.
10 likes · like · see review
This kinda of has a stereotypical romance novel feel to it- married women meets French man, and they have an affair and that sort of thing. But there is another story besides this one that is really interesting, about her ancestor during medieval times. It follows her as she gets married and raises a family, and the issues she must deal with in her community and home during a time where social rules were changing under religious turmoil. I enjoyed it.
I borrowed this from my housemate because I had thoroughly enjoyed "Girl With the Pearl Earring" years ago. The Virgin Blue is so different from 'Girl' and yet still a great read. I was fascinated with the redhead history (being one myself) and had never heard of Mary as a redhead before! The whole redhead as witch thing is pretty common and always makes me kind of smile...although I guess I hadn't realized it had pushed so far south (it is an old but common belief in northern and eastern Europe...more
Jul 04, 2011
Angela Gaskell
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-fiction,
france
I really liked this novel. The overlapping stories are fascinating, exciting, and propel a sense of reality that sometimes other fiction can not accomplish. I believe that Tracy Chevalier is a talented writer (story teller) because of her characters, subjects, and environments, in which she places those characters. After watching a short video with her being interviewed about her newest book, "Remarkable Creatures," I realize how her creative mind works and what inspires her. She is very attenti...more
Dec 09, 2008
Cami
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historic-fiction,
mystery
This was a very interesting book about two women, centuries apart, linked through blood and circumstances.
Ella Turner moves to France with her husband Rick for his job. She has nothing to do with her days (she was a midwife in the U.S., but cannot yet practice in France) and begins researching her family history.
In nearly every other chapter we read of Isabella, who lived 400 years earlier. She is beginning her adult life with a marriage and child on the way. Forced to give up her beliefs in t...more
Ella Turner moves to France with her husband Rick for his job. She has nothing to do with her days (she was a midwife in the U.S., but cannot yet practice in France) and begins researching her family history.
In nearly every other chapter we read of Isabella, who lived 400 years earlier. She is beginning her adult life with a marriage and child on the way. Forced to give up her beliefs in t...more
Having never read Chevalier’s work I was very pleased with this novel, which is her first. The interesting thing to me was that the story took place at two different times in history but in the same geographic area. The first chapter introduces us to Isabelle, a girl who lives in France in the 1600s during a religious upheaval. Isabelle is seen as odd by her town because of her red hair, which was uncommon at the time. In chapter two we meet Ella, an American who has moved to France with her hus...more
Apr 09, 2008
Xeyra
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
read-2005,
historical-fiction
Apparently, this was Tracy Chevalier's first novel, quite different from most of her other ones. I have read two other novels by this author, "Girl with a Pearl Earring" and "The Lady and the Unicorn", and have enjoyed both very much. This author has a style that appeals to me, simple and straightfoward but with a beauty of its own in the way she captures the characters that compose her stories.
Although I liked "The Virgin Blue", reading it in two days, I ended up fairly confused as to what had...more
Although I liked "The Virgin Blue", reading it in two days, I ended up fairly confused as to what had...more
Surprisingly, this was somewhat a book about a mystery, but it did get me thinking quite a bit, particularly about memories and how they are stored in the brain. Because one of the two main characters "develops" memories from her distant relative (distant being 400ish years ago), I started to wonder about memories and if we will ever figure out a way to "harvest" and save memories to be viewed when "host" is no longer with us. It seems crazy, but maybe at one time, it seemed crazy to think we co...more
This book, which I believe Tracy Chevalier wrote before Girl With a Pearl Earring, reminded me an awful lot of The Weight of Water by Anita Shreve. It uses the same concept of alternating a historical plot with present day events, and both modern heroines are facing similar issues.
The modern story follows Ella, a woman with French ancestry who moves to France because of her husband's work. They decide to live in a small French town and Ella gets involved with a local librarian while researching...more
The modern story follows Ella, a woman with French ancestry who moves to France because of her husband's work. They decide to live in a small French town and Ella gets involved with a local librarian while researching...more
Nov 14, 2007
Santh memories
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
world_fiction
Ella Tournier mengikuti suaminya pindah dari Amerika ke Perancis, dan menemukan rumah di sebuah kota kecil dekat Toulouse. sejak itu, Ella yang sebenarnya mempunyai leluhur berasal dari Perancis, bermimpi tentang warna biru yang benar-benar "biru" - suatu gabungan antara kesedihan dan ketenangan - dan juga suara-suara aneh dalam bahasa asing serta suara batu berdebam. karena merasa "asing" di kota tersebut (alias belum biasa diterima oleh orang-orang di sana), plus tidak punya kesibukan, akhirny...more
2 likes · like · see review
I like Tracy Chevalier's writing. Her books, Girl with a Pearl Earring and Falling Angels were terrific. This book was good and I did finish it, but it fell short compared to her others.
I enjoyed the story of Isabelle du Moulin more so than Ella Turner's story. Isabelle is a tragic heroine and I wanted to learn more about her and her situation. Ella's story, while less tragic certainly, entertained me but did not grasp me. I felt distant from her somehow. I think she created her own problems an...more
I enjoyed the story of Isabelle du Moulin more so than Ella Turner's story. Isabelle is a tragic heroine and I wanted to learn more about her and her situation. Ella's story, while less tragic certainly, entertained me but did not grasp me. I felt distant from her somehow. I think she created her own problems an...more
Apr 24, 2012
Georgianna
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Georgianna by:
Michele Boskovic
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
I really enjoyed the split narrative (two female narrators, one in the 16th century, the other in the present day), but I wanted more closure than the ending ultimately provided. I'm tired of concluding in a state of liminal possibility.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Virgin Blue. It's not as good as Girl with a Pearl Earring, but still good enough to recommend. The story alternates between the 16th and 20th centuries and the lives of two women who are distantly related. I thought the story of Isabelle living in the 16th century was actually more believable than Ella in the 20th. As always, stories that showcase devotion to the Virgin intrigue me.
So this book started off strong -- very strong. The story of the 1500 Isabelle was very interesting, although could have been developed a little more, I think. I actually had a hard time putting the book down in the first three quarters or more. However, by the end, I was pretty much tired of it. Tired, because it was so odd and unbelievable, and I'd really stopped caring for Ella, the modern-day main character.
I loved the idea of what was happening -- the same land, same family, a modern day ve...more
I loved the idea of what was happening -- the same land, same family, a modern day ve...more
7 likes · like · see review
I was incredibly disappointed in this book. I had read Girl With a Pearl Earring and been very impressed, so I picked up this one expecting something as good. Well, maybe not AS good, since The Virgin Blue was her first book and I was prepared to give her some wriggle room for growth and learning and so on.
Let me say that I think the book's premise is very strong, and I really loved the 'flashbacks' to Isabella. In my opinion, these segments were strong and interesting and well-written.
Where the...more
Let me say that I think the book's premise is very strong, and I really loved the 'flashbacks' to Isabella. In my opinion, these segments were strong and interesting and well-written.
Where the...more
5 likes · like · see review
This is not my favorite Tracy Chevalier. The historical part about the French religious wars between Catholics and Huguenots, who were French protestants (I didn't now that), was very interesting, but the modern day interconnected story didn't have the same allure. For once though, a novel presents abortion as a reasonable option, which was a big plus. Ella Turner, the modern day character decides to start using the original, French, version of her family name Tournier and begins having dreams a...more
Several years ago, a little artsy theater in Menlo Park, California, had on its marquee, "Vermeer was Here," in way of a promo for the movie, Girl with the Pearl Earring. I furrowed my brow as I tried to puzzle that one out. I vaguely knew about the movie and book, but I didn't know who Vermeer was. Although I cleared everything up with an internet search, Vermeer and Tracy Chevalier were ever after connected in my mind with the uncomfortable feeling of being on the "I don't get it" side of a jo...more
This historic mystery/adventure takes place in the south of France in present time, but the woman, Ella Turner is an American, and is living there because her husband is working in France. She begins search for her ancestors that will become a mystery and personal development. It gives insight into the lives of women in the sixteenth century, along with the historic glimpse into the Huguenots who rebelled against the Catholic Church of France. Thousands of Huguenots were slaughtered when they ga...more
This book is about two different women living in two different times. They are related by blood as well as circumstance. Isabelle, living in the 1600s (I believe) and Ella, living in the present. Isabelle and Ella are both marries but Isabelle’s marriage is full of torment and lacks love, Ella’s marriage is comfortable. When Ella’s husband gets a new job in France, Ella moves with him and becomes interested in finding out about her French ancestors. As she begins to research she meets a man with...more
Nov 21, 2011
Helvry Sinaga
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
eropa,
fiksi-sejarah
Inilah buku kedua Tracy yang saya baca setelah The Lady and The Unicorn. Sepertinya Tracy menggunakan wanita sebagai tokoh sentral dalam karya-karyanya. Membaca buku ini, kita dibawa kembali ke alam-alam pedesaan dan pertanian Prancis pada awal abad 16. Sepertinya tidak seru bila tidak didahului dengan konteks historis.
Latar Belakang
Sebuah gerakan yang awalnya mengkritisi kebijakan gereja (katolik Roma). Seorang bernama Martin Luther memulai gerakan itu di Jerman pada tahun 1517. Pokok-pokok yan...more
Latar Belakang
Sebuah gerakan yang awalnya mengkritisi kebijakan gereja (katolik Roma). Seorang bernama Martin Luther memulai gerakan itu di Jerman pada tahun 1517. Pokok-pokok yan...more
3 likes · like · see review
I chose this book solely because I recently read and loved Chevalier's Remarkable Creatures. The Virgin Blue tells the story of two women from the same family born almost two centuries apart. Ella Turner has recently arrived in France from America and struggles to fit in with the culture and people. To make herself feel more 'French' she starts to research her family's history. Isabelle Tournier is forced to marry into the Hugenot Tournier family after becoming pregnant, but she is tormented and...more
Een paar jaar geleden las ik 'Girl with a pearl earring' van dezelfde schrijfster en dat vond ik een prachtig boek. Het verhaal dat Chevalier verzon rondom het schilderij van Vermeer van het meisje met een gigantische parel in haar oor, dat over haar linkerschouder kijkt, is een geweldige roman. Mijn verwachtingen toen ik aan The virgin blue begon, waren dan ook hooggespannen.
Het verhaal is totaal anders van opbouw. Waar 'Pearl Earring' zich louter en alleen in het verleden afspeelde, is 'Virgin...more
Het verhaal is totaal anders van opbouw. Waar 'Pearl Earring' zich louter en alleen in het verleden afspeelde, is 'Virgin...more
At first when I read this book I was NOT liking it at all. I was confused about some parts that I had read and was not sure that I liked it at all.
After meeting and discussing "The Virgin Blue" with the women in the book club, there were elements of the story that really changed for me. Although I think my feelings on this book are still the same- I was able to gain some new insight to the story.
We discussed what happen to Isabelle- did she die, was she murdered, or did she just leave her husba...more
After meeting and discussing "The Virgin Blue" with the women in the book club, there were elements of the story that really changed for me. Although I think my feelings on this book are still the same- I was able to gain some new insight to the story.
We discussed what happen to Isabelle- did she die, was she murdered, or did she just leave her husba...more
I love Tracy Chevalier. I fell in love with her after I read The Girl with a Pearl Earring, and The Virgin Blue was another one that did not disappoint. I studied abroad in France during the fall of 2009, and I read this book shortly before I left. I could not have chosen a better book to read because I really identified with the main character Ella, who seemed as hesitant to live in a foreign country as I was. Her difficulty in fitting in with the culture, her fear, and her slow transformation...more
I respect Chevalier's concept for her books -- taking a famous painting and imagining an entire story around it. Now, after a while, I think this concept might get a bit formulaic and redundant. In this book, I can see that she is actively trying to avoid just such a situation. Rather than imagining how the portrait came to be, as in "Girl with a Pearl Earring", Chevalier instead concentrates solely on the girl in the portrait and tries to imagine her life. The pacing of the book was a bit faste...more
Several things were covered in this historical/modern day novel. Part of the story was of Isabelle, a 15th century woman who was "cursed" with having red hair - the same color of hair as the Virgin Mary was portrayed as having. The time period was about the time when the Huguenots were being chased out of France into Sweden. The other part of the story is about Ella, a modern day woman who is researching the mystery behind her family ancestry after a move to France.
In essence, this is partly a h...more
In essence, this is partly a h...more
3 likes · like · see review
This story would not leave me alone! I had to stop reading it before bed because I could not sleep with the story running through my head. Then I'd wake up in the morning, thinking about when I had the time to sit to read and hopefully finish the book.
So why did I give this book only four stars, and not five? That's a good question.
First of all, I don't like it when English-language books have dialogue in languages other than English. Now, the main action of this book takes place in France, and...more
So why did I give this book only four stars, and not five? That's a good question.
First of all, I don't like it when English-language books have dialogue in languages other than English. Now, the main action of this book takes place in France, and...more
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unanswered questions- virgin blue | 5 | 130 | Aug 26, 2012 03:13pm |
Born:
19 October 1962 in Washington, DC. Youngest of 3 children. Father was a photographer for The Washington Post.
Childhood:
Nerdy. Spent a lot of time lying on my bed reading. Favorite authors back then: Laura Ingalls Wilder, Madeleine L’Engle, Zilpha Keatley Snyder, Joan Aiken, Susan Cooper, Lloyd Alexander. Book I would have taken to a desert island: Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery.
Educa...more
More about Tracy Chevalier...
19 October 1962 in Washington, DC. Youngest of 3 children. Father was a photographer for The Washington Post.
Childhood:
Nerdy. Spent a lot of time lying on my bed reading. Favorite authors back then: Laura Ingalls Wilder, Madeleine L’Engle, Zilpha Keatley Snyder, Joan Aiken, Susan Cooper, Lloyd Alexander. Book I would have taken to a desert island: Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery.
Educa...more
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Dec 04, 2012 10:53am