Simon & Schuster, Apr 2004, 22.00, 336 pp. ISBN: 0743236157 In 2002 Sylvia Compson and her eight partner friends have turned the Elm Creek Manor into a successful quilter making school and meeting place. Her friend Sarah quietly requests former students gift a block to be included in a special wedding quilt for the recently married Sylvia and her new husband Andrew. Summer struggles with informing her Elm Creek Quilter mom Gwen that she has moved in with her boyfriend knowing the angry reaction she will receive about throwing away one's freedom for a man. Gwen is also upset that she failed to obtain the department chair at the college she works because her academic research into quilting is perceived as insignificant. With his unsolicited actions Bonnie's husband proves that their relationship is practically dead and adding to her woes is the fact that someone broke into her fabric store and robbed all of the blocks received for Sylvia's wedding quilt. Agnes, Judy, Diane and Mary Beth have personal woes too, but all eight women worry about the wedding quilt most. More a series of vignettes as each of the quilter friends serves as lead of a chapter, fans of the series will enjoy the close up look at the supporting octet. Of interest is that readers receive the same events over the same time frame, but told from a different perspective (everything is relative). Jennifer Chiaverini's vast readership will appreciate THE MASTER QUILTER for it s insight into some old friends, but newcomers will wonder if the story line block was stolen too. Harriet Klausner | ||
Plot & Themes Tone of book? - thoughtful Time/era of story - 2000+ (Present Day) Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book Ethnic/regional/gender life Yes GROUP of women story? Yes Main Character Gender - Female Profession/status: Age: - 20's-30's Ethnicity/Nationality Main Adversary Identity: - none Setting How much descriptions of surroundings? - 4 () United States Yes The US: - Northeast Writing Style Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript |