Review: The Needle in the Blood

The Needle in the Blood by Sarah Bower
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Published: 01/04/2004
Author: Sarah Bower
Recommended for: fans of historical fiction

I was hooked on this book before I read it by the front cover. It tells of the story of the conquest of Britain by William the Conqueror and the commission of the sewing of the tapestry by Bishop Odo of Bayeux, William's brother depicting the story of the battle.

This book is superbly written in exquisite detail. The story touches on the unlikely romance between Odo and Gytha handmaiden of the fallen Saxon King Harold. I feel as though I have survived the harsh winters with Gytha and the other seamstresses and know their lives inside and out, their triumphs and sorrows. This book was certainly intriguing and I couldn't put it down. It's not a period of history I usually read about, opting for the tudors, but it was well worth going down a different path.

Everytime I thought I had work the plot out I was proved wrong. Having never read a Sarah Bower book before I would certainly read more of her works. I definately recommend this book.



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