February 2009: Needle in the Blood by Sarah Bower

Susan · Post by **Susan** » Mon February 9th, 2009, 10:51 pm

[quote=""Leo62""]I agree with all of this. However my main problem wasn't the bonking as such, it was the lack of development in the relationship. I was convinced by their attraction, but not that they loved each other.[/quote]

Exactly! That's why I said their lust. I don't know why they were together except for the sex.

Margaret · Post by **Margaret** » Wed February 11th, 2009, 9:11 pm

Well, I liked this novel a lot more than the people who have posted so far did. For one thing, I'm always seduced by beautiful prose, and I loved Bower's prose and the sly sense of humor in it. Those of you who have pointed out that it's not really about the Bayeux Tapestry are correct - actually, that's one reason I enjoyed the novel. I felt the creation of the Tapestry was setting, not the central theme or plot, and the novel was really about the way Gytha comes to terms with the Norman Conquest by realizing that the Normans are not monsters, but people who have some fine qualities mingled with their flaws.

The ideas in this novel are not all on the surface. Readers have to do a bit of reflecting to access all of them. Personally, I like that in a novel. This is definitely not a historical romance, and readers expecting one will be disappointed, despite the lusty bedroom scenes.

SPOILERS FROM HERE ON:

While there's a lot of physical attraction between Gytha and Odo, I don't feel that's the source of their love. A certain potential respect between them appears very early, when Gytha witnesses the death of the child who impulsively rushes toward Odo's war horse, and the murder of the child's mother by an equally impulsive Norman soldier. Unlike most of the Saxons who witnessed this, Gytha recognizes, despite her hatred for Odo, that he was not at fault in either death.

Gytha is devoted to the truth. When recruited for the embroidery project, she insists she won't embroider lies about the Conquest - a brave thing, given that she's speaking to an upper class Norman, Odo's sister Agatha (aka Sister Jean). Odo, too, has a love for the truth. The first time he visits to watch the embroidery underway, he comments rather acidly that Agatha has made Bayeux look like "a fairy city." Gytha is still intensely angry with him, so his comment doesn't register with her as something to approve of, but it registered with me as an emotional kinship between the two. Both want to see the world as it is, though Odo in particular often falls short of his ideal. I found this the most interesting aspect of the novel. Perhaps there's another layer to this, as the author herself is far more devoted to conveying timeless emotional truths about people and the complicated and sometimes contradictory ways in which they think, feel and act, than to factual historical details.

EC2 · Post by **EC2** » Wed February 11th, 2009, 9:18 pm

I didn't dislike it Margaret. I think your comments on the content of the novel are very perceptive. While it didn't feel like the 11thC to me, I was aware of the aspects you mention and once I'd had a stern word with my 'detail disbelief' elf, I enjoyed the novel - if slowly because of the density of the imagery and the language. I'm sorry I can't comment in more detail, but it is a while now since I read it.

enelya · Post by **enelya** » Thu February 12th, 2009, 2:12 pm

I have just started reading, have not come very far yet...But it is not grabbing me by the throat so far. I think something is up with the way its written...
But I shall persevere, and read on

chuck · Post by **chuck** » Thu February 12th, 2009, 4:03 pm

I read a few chapters and stopped.....I could not relate to the story line.....weak excuse, but I had BC's "Azincourt" waiting the wings....and it was like "money (book)was burning a hole in my pocket" kind of feeling........I might give it another go...later.....

Ash · Post by **Ash** » Fri February 13th, 2009, 12:52 am

I think it helps a great deal that the author is very honest about what she is writing - its not really Historic Fiction, its just a story of a time and place (see her notes at the end of the book). So I am not bugged (yet) by some inaccuracies (less than 50 pages in); liking it so far, but then the tapestry has always fascinated me, so this should be an interesting take on the events. It also helps that she is a good writer.

Leo62 · Post by **Leo62** » Fri February 13th, 2009, 11:02 pm

[quote=""Margaret""]Well, I liked this novel a lot more than the people who have posted so far did. For one thing, I'm always seduced by beautiful prose, and I loved Bower's prose and the sly sense of humor in it. Those of you who have pointed out that it's not really about the Bayeux Tapestry are correct - actually, that's one reason I enjoyed the novel. I felt the creation of the Tapestry was setting, not the central theme or plot, and the novel was really about the way Gytha comes to terms with the Norman Conquest by realizing that the Normans are not monsters, but people who have some fine qualities mingled with their flaws.

The ideas in this novel are not all on the surface. Readers have to do a bit of reflecting to access all of them. Personally, I like that in a novel. This is definitely not a historical romance, and readers expecting one will be disappointed, despite the lusty bedroom scenes.

SPOILERS FROM HERE ON:

While there's a lot of physical attraction between Gytha and Odo, I don't feel that's the source of their love. A certain potential respect between them appears very early, when Gytha witnesses the death of the child who impulsively rushes toward Odo's war horse, and the murder of the child's mother by an equally impulsive Norman soldier. Unlike most of the Saxons who witnessed this, Gytha recognizes, despite her hatred for Odo, that he was not at fault in either death.

Gytha is devoted to the truth. When recruited for the embroidery project, she insists she won't embroider lies about the Conquest - a brave thing, given that she's speaking to an upper class Norman, Odo's sister Agatha (aka Sister Jean). Odo, too, has a love for the truth. The first time he visits to watch the embroidery underway, he comments rather acidly that Agatha has made Bayeux look like "a fairy city." Gytha is still intensely angry with him, so his comment doesn't register with her as something to approve of, but it registered with me as an emotional kinship between the two. Both want to see the world as it is, though Odo in particular often falls short of his ideal. I found this the most interesting aspect of the novel. Perhaps there's another layer to this, as the author herself is far more devoted to conveying timeless emotional truths about people and the complicated and sometimes contradictory ways in which they think, feel and act, than to factual historical details.[/quote]

Margaret - thanks for bringing some balance with an elegant and spirited defence of this novel

I did think it was well-written and I enjoyed the characters. I just found it frustrating cos I felt it could have been so much better given a few different plot choices.

For me, the book lost its way in the middle section.

*******SPOILERS********

The relationship between Odo and Gytha seemed to get stuck in one gear. I felt that she tried to move things on by having Gytha run away, but that seemed contrived to me and it just made me irritated at Gytha!

If Gytha had decided to go to court with Odo, there would have been rich opportunities for conflict between them, and so allow their relationship to grow. It would also have brought William into the story more, and we could have seen Odo's divided loyalties in play, instead of just being told about them.

That's why I said that the book lacked a good editor. I believe this was a first novel, so perhaps we should make allowances. It's still a pretty good attempt. I don't want to put anyone off reading it - I'll certainly give her next effort a go.

Margaret · Post by **Margaret** » Sat February 14th, 2009, 8:01 am

******SPOILERS******

You're right, Leo, that it would have been quite interesting to see Gytha go to court with Odo. At that point in the novel, I was rooting for her to do that, too. I liked the end, though, with Gytha raising her child in Wales. I'm one of those people who enjoys solitude, and I rather envied her lovely hilltop home with the ancient altar in it. It might not have been possible to arrange that if she had gone to court with Odo. Also, it might have been a good deal harder to avoid violating the historical record in more fundamental ways than she does with her setting details and the various tweaks that she admits to in her Afterword. If Odo had openly brought a mistress to court with him, we would probably know about it today!

There are very few novels that I don't think could be improved with some (or a lot of) judicious editing, A Needle in the Blood included. However, the prose was so graceful, and the characters were developed so well, I didn't mind the slower pace as much as I have with some other novels. Once I got into the rhythm of the story, I was fine with the pacing.

diamondlil · Post by **diamondlil** » Sat February 14th, 2009, 10:11 am

Sometimes I think I do things but I really haven't!

I meant to link to the existing reviews that we have on the site for this novel in the first couple of posts of this thread!

Never mind, here's the link now!

cw gortner · Post by **cw gortner** » Sun February 15th, 2009, 8:32 pm

[quote=""Margaret""] There are very few novels that I don't think could be improved with some (or a lot of) judicious editing, A Needle in the Blood included. However, the prose was so graceful, and the characters were developed so well, I didn't mind the slower pace as much as I have with some other novels. Once I got into the rhythm of the story, I was fine with the pacing.[/quote]

I completely agree with you, Margaret. I found Needle to be one of the most accomplished novels I read last year; the language was mesmerizing, and it explores with sensitivity the emotional realities of Odo and Gytha, in a manner that I find increasingly rare these days in this genre. I don't recall having any problems with the pacing; I do recall feeling as if Sarah Bower was spinning a finely wrought web of events, which I had to pay close attention to. But I love a novel that challenges me to read beyond the words. I didn't expect a book about the Bayeaux Tapestry so much as a book that uses the Tapestry as a metaphor and a catalyst; and I think that is what Sarah intended.

If you liked this one, you should try her next one, Book of Love, which I actually liked more than Needle. It's set in late 15th century Italy, about a young Jewish girl who flees Spain during the reconquest and gets caught up in the intrigues of the Borgia court. The book will be available in the US in April, and Sarah has written a special guest post for its release which I'll have on my blog, Historical Boys.

For those who are interested, I interviewed Sarah Bower last year about this novel:

http://historicalboys.blogspot.com/sear ... ah%20Bower