Title: A Tapestry of Light
Author: Kimberly Duffy
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Copyright: March 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0764235641
ASIN: B08CJTM8W2
Format: E-Book, 432 Pages
Genres: Religious Fiction, Christian Historical Fiction, Christian Historical Romance
Summary
Calcutta, 1886.
Ottilie Russell is adrift between two cultures, British and Indian, belonging to both and neither. In order to support her little brother, Thaddeus, and her grandmother, she relies upon her skills in beetle-wing embroidery that have been passed down to her through generations of Indian women.
When a stranger appears with the news that Thaddeus is now Baron Sunderson and must travel to England to take his place as a nobleman, Ottilie is shattered by the secrets that come to light. Despite her growing friendship with Everett Scott, friend to Ottilie’s English grandmother and aunt, she refuses to give up her brother. Then tragedy strikes, and she is forced to make a decision that will take Thaddeus far from death and herself far from home.
But betrayal and loss lurk in England, too, and soon Ottilie must fight to ensure Thaddeus doesn’t forget who he is, as well as find a way to stitch a place for herself in this foreign land.
Review
Ottilie Russell is a young woman of Indian and British descent living in British-occupied India. As the daughter of an Indian mother and British father, she doesn’t fully belong in either culture. She lives with her grandmother and brother, Thaddaeus, whom she supports through her embroidery work. She is skilled in beetle-wing embroidery, an old Indian art that she learned from her late mother. She sells embroidered clothing to British women of the upper-crust. When she meets Englishman, Everett Scott, she takes an instant disliking to him. He arrives with the unwelcome news that her brother is to become the next Baron Sunderson. This means that Thaddaeus would have to move to Great Britain and be raised as a nobleman. With Ottilie’s world falling apart, she tries desperately to keep her family together.
A Tapestry of Light is itself a beautifully woven story about hope and faith. I loved the characters in the book, especially Ottilie. Her struggles felt so real and so raw. She is a strong-willed person who does what she must to survive in a world where it seems like everything is against her. She is judged for being who she is, part-Indian and part-British. She is angry at God because she lost both her father and now her mother. Now she may even lose her brother to their British relations. Another character I admired was her grandmother, Nani-ji, with her warmth, wit, and wisdom. The pace was steady and the plot was fairly solid. This was my first time reading a book by Kimberly Duffy and I was very pleasantly surprised. I think what I enjoyed the most was her gorgeous writing and the descriptions of the beetle-wing embroidery. It was simply captivating. After finishing this book, I will definitely consider reading Ms. Duffy’s books in the future.
I graciously received this complimentary copy of A Tapestry of Light by Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley. All ideas and thoughts expressed herein are my own.
