January 1067. Charismatic bishop Odo of Bayeux commissions a wall hanging, on a scale never seen before, to celebrate the conquest of Britain by his brother, William, Duke of Normandy. What he cannot anticipate is how utterly this will change his life-even more than the invasion itself.

I have to admit I struggled a bit with this book and it took me a lot longer than a book of this length should have. There is nothing per se "wrong" with it, I just had difficulty completing it. Not a book for those who take offence in a certain type of graphic language (which doesnt cover me), this is the story of Bishop Odo (brother of William the Bastard aka William the Conqueror) and the woman Gyltha, who he takes as his mistress after she is one of the women hired to start work on what will become the Bayeux Tapestry. There is opposition on all sides to the relationship, not least because of her lower status and the fact he is a member of the clergy (and the brother of the King) and therefore should be celibate. In the end decisions have to be made.... ( )

I found it just too boring to continue reading.... ( )

Too much fucking, not enough sewing. A resounding eh. I read this so you don't have to. ( )

4.5 stars

This book is not so much about the Bayeux tapestry (yes we all know it's not actually a tapestry) but a love story with the creation of the famous embroidery as the backdrop. Odo of Bayeux, bishop and younger brother of the victorious Duke William, commissions a hanging to record the events of the conquest for posterity after the dust settles following the battle of Hastings and life has changed forever for the English population. His sister Agatha assembles a group of skilled embroiderers, among them Gytha, the former handmaid of Queen Edith. Gytha, despite her hatred of the Norman invaders, finds herself drawn to the charismatic Odo and a tempestuous relationship begins, a relationship that immediately incites criticism, jealousy and enmity in high places.

Many scenes in the Bayeux Tapestry aren't fully explained and I love the idea of looking at the images and trying to imagine what the lives of some of these people might have been like and what happened to them after the battle, who they were and what their hopes and dreams could have been. The result is a beautifully told love story of two people at a turning point in history. The characters are well developed and interesting, including the supporting cast. The author brings the period vividly to life and takes you to that time and place. From the lowliest hovel to bishop Odo's opulent residences, everything is described in great detail. Of course, we also learn something about the design and creating the Bayeux Tapestry.

It is a snapshot of a country at a time of great change and a beautifully imagined story. ( )

The characters are interesting, but the plot moves very slowly and sometimes the book seems overly descriptive. I gave up about halfway through the book since I have other more interesting books to read. The book seems like its a lot thicker than it has to be.

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