The Lady and the Unicorn

by Tracy Chevalier

Totally trashy tale of tapestries!

When Jean Le Viste commissions the design of six tapestries from Nicolas des Innocents, trouble soon follows. No one is safe from the charms and predatory sexual behavior of this painter, including those in his patron’s household. When Nicolas travels to Belgium to meet with the weaver of the tapestries, his shenanigans are the same.

I find this novel to be objectionable on two levels: first, the actual quality of writing is poor. It is written at a fifth or sixth grade level. Second, the smut level is embarrassing. More than once, I was glad that no one saw me reading this. Why should any of this bother me? This book is marketed as a literary tale of art history. It is not.

9/3/09