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In the midst of war, love, heroism and the supernatural collide in this dazzling historical fantasy from International Bestselling Author Kate Heartfield.
There's a tradition in the Sharp family that some possess the Second Sight. But is it superstition, or true psychic power?
Kit Sharp is in Paris, where she is involved in a love affair with the stunning Evelyn Larsen, and working as an archivist, having inherited her historian father's fascination with the Bayeux Tapestry. He believes that parts of the tapestry were made before 1066, and that it was a tool for prediction, not a simple record of events.
The Nazis are also obsessed with the tapestry: convinced that not only did it predict the Norman Conquest of England, but that it will aid them in their invasion of Britain.
Ivy Sharp has joined the Special Operations Executive – the SOE – a secret unit set up to carry out espionage, sabotage and reconnaissance. Having demonstrated that she has extraordinary powers of perception, she is dropped into Northern France on a special mission.
With the war on a knife edge, the Sharp Sisters face certain death. Can their courage and extrasensory gifts prevent the enemy from using the tapestry to bring about a devastating victory against the Allied Forces?
What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (11/27/2025)
I'm rereading Tapestry of Time in prep for Kate Heartfield stopping by in a few days. And then… GASP … I don't have anything I have to read for about two weeks! It's so rare that I can read something 100% for pleasure I'm not sure where to start (I bought a ton of books this year so I certainly h...
-kim.kovacs
BookBrowsers ask Kate Heartfield, author of Tapestry of Time
Please join us in a Q & A with Kate Story, author of Tapestry of Time .
-kim.kovacs
About the BookBrowsers Ask Kate Heartfield category
Please join us for a Q & A with Kate Heartfield , author of The Tapestry of Time .
-kim.kovacs
Is there a quote or scene in The Tapestry of Time that stood out for you? Why do you suppose it resonated?
Yes - "She has never put any of this into words before. Here, in this hellscape, with the ghost of her sister always at the edges of her vision, every old fear seems flimsy and inconsequential. What does it matter if they hurt each other tomorrow? Tomorrow is a dream. Today is real, and today req...
-Molly_Y
How does the inclusion of clairvoyance in the novel influence the way it explores its historical themes?
Clairvoyance is a fascinating topic and joining it with its use as a tool of the resistance was very interesting. Inheriting such a tool is not a new idea, I.e. Harry Potter series) but used well by the author. It gives the family a mystical atmosphere
-Dianne_S
How does the novel exemplify ‘life carries on’?
The fact that the "the second sight" was passed from the aunt to the girls as well as their father is one example of "life carries on". Life carries on when we remember past family adventures, recipes and traditions. It is a comfort, in my opinion, that memories support us later in life. In this ...
-Ann_H
What surprised you the most about the book? Did you learn anything new about the period from it?
I am embarrassed to admit this, but I never heard of the Bayeau Tapestry. Needless to say ,I found it intriguing. I gotI bought an ebook , nonfiction about it, A Needle in the Right Hand of God by R. Howard Bloch
-Brenda_Wychock
Why do you think Helen struggles to cope with her clairvoyance?
I think Helen might fear it . She might feel as if she is going to be seen as different and weird. Maybe she feels scared of her ability .
-Brenda_Wychock
Which of the minor characters did you find the most intriguing, and why?
Definitely Grady. He intrigued me because he was so patient with Ivy and obviously developing feelings for her, but did not rush her or push her into a relationship with him. Rather, he showed his devotion and loyalty in a tangible, meaningful way.
-Janie-Hickok-Siess
What do you think is holding back Kit in her relationship with Max?
Kit simply didn't realize that her feelings had matured from friendship to romantic love. And I'm certain that a part of her feared that if they embarked upon a romantic relationship their friendship might be lost forever if the romance didn't survive. I don't think her hesitance was as much abou...
-Janie-Hickok-Siess
The girls’ mother tells Helen to not worry about her father (“There’s no need to borrow trouble. I’m sure your father is fine” p. 242). Why do you suppose she was so complacent? What would you have done, if anything, had you been in her place?
She knew her husband well, and was aware of his activities, I'm sure. She most likely knew that he was being interviewed and studied rather than interrogated by the Nazis, imprisoned, or worse. And as a practical matter, that's the answer a parent is going to provide a child in order to protect a...
-Janie-Hickok-Siess
The novel explores some mysteries about the Bayeux Tapestry. Do you think it matters whether we find definitive answers to those questions, such as who created it and why?
Art can be appreciated on its own merits, even if the viewer has no knowledge of its origins. Yes, it would be lovely to learn all the details about the tapestry and resolve all ambiguity about its origins. However, history rarely affords us the luxury of knowing every detail and eliminating all ...
-Janie-Hickok-Siess
Overall, what did you think of The Tapestry of Time? (no spoilers, please!)
I love World War II-era historical fiction and I enjoyed the book, but it was not my favorite of the genre. The book is well researched and written, but it did drag in places so, in my opinion, it could do with some judicious editing to avoid that. The characters were well-developed and interesti...
-Janie-Hickok-Siess
Which of the four sisters (Kit, Ivy, Helen and Rose) do you identify with most, and why?
Definitely Kit. She found her calling at the Louvre, and was the family protector who earned a living by her wits and reason. I had a very successful, but high-pressure/stress and demanding career, and have always been the major breadwinner & household organizer/manager. I've always been responsi...
-Janie-Hickok-Siess
How do you feel historical fiction can influence the way we look at history?
HIstorical fiction is an ideal way to look at the different experiences, actions, and beliefs of people who lived through the period in question. By illuminating the circumstances of the time – the challenges people faced, the different prevailing viewpoints, etc. – readers can gain a better unde...
-Janie-Hickok-Siess
To what audience would you recommend The Tapestry of Time? Is there another book or author you feel has a similar theme or style?
The book is a great choice for historical fiction fans who are looking for a unique story. There are so many works of historical fiction, especially set during the WWI-era, and this book stands out for its creative approach to telling an important story about the Nazis' quest to steal valuable wo...
-Janie-Hickok-Siess
What did you think of Evelyn’s approach to the war (“transactional resistance,” in her words), whereby she gives the Nazis information in exchange for protection/papers for her friends?
Evelyn was a traitor. There's just no getting around that. She claimed to love Kit, but sold her out to the Nazis, along with her family. She knew what she was doing and that she was placing the woman she claimed to care deeply about in danger. Sadly, too many people took her approach during WWII...
-Janie-Hickok-Siess
Mr. Yardley tells Helen about a “feminine impulse to warn and to guide…going back to the oldest times” (p.154). Do you think it’s true that women are more likely to fill this role than men? Why or why not?
Yes, that used to be the case. And certainly was the accepted viewpoint during World War II. But I believe it was based less on biology/inherent characteristics than on conditioning. From the time women are born, they are taught and expected to be nurturers, caregivers, protectors. This is less t...
-Janie-Hickok-Siess
In an age when we can digitize everything, do you think it is still important to preserve physical art and artifacts in times of war?
Yes! There is no substitute for physical art, vs. NFTs. To be able to look at the work of the great masters and appreciate that type of craftsmanship for the time in which they lived is priceless. These works also give us an idea of what it was like to live back then, what their culture was like,...
-Susan_P
Kit believes that the Nazis “need a history they can believe in…a history that tells the story they want it to tell” (p. 9). How did you feel about her opinion here? Do you think this was an important part of the control they had over their population?
As a rational, caring human I always find it bonechilling to realize how blindly people followed Hitler's propaganda. The evil events that took place during the war can only be explained as people reacting to skillful manipulation based on fear. Adding in the occult only made the evil stronger.
-Catherine_O_Callagha
How much do you know about your own family's history during WWII?
A great deal, all learned from my mother. My parents married in March 1941, and my father was drafted a year later. He served in the Army Air Force & was assigned to the motor pool following aptitude testing. He was stationed in Stockton, California, for a time which is how we ended up living in ...
-Janie-Hickok-Siess
What’s your opinion about the existence of clairvoyance? Have you experienced anything similar?
I do believe that clairvoyance is a gift bestowed people who are observant and fully present in the moment. My mother used to have dreams about things that later happened. I have had premonitions many times in my life & learned over the years to pay attention to them. I recently had a very strong...
-Janie-Hickok-Siess
Kit thinks, “[This guard] has a gun and he believes in it, just as he believes women shouldn’t smoke or wear trousers...His Paris is not her Paris, but his Paris snakes through hers, unavoidable” (p.30). What did you think about her observations?
Kit's observation was important to her survival. Knowing how others think, or might respond, especially in this situation, will often determine one's own attitude or action.
-Kathy_Downey
What weakness(es) in the writing of the book, if any, bothered you a bit?
I am not someone who thinks a book represents weakness. I am in awe of someone who can gets thoughts on paper, produce a book and share it with others. I do think it would have been hard for Kate Heartfield to put some of the words on paper due to the horrific content that was all to real to the ...
-Ann_H
In a vision, Ivy sees Queen Matilda telling Aelfgyva that if she presses her son’s claim that he'll die an early death, while if she steps aside he’ll live. What did you think of this scene? Would you have made a different decision?
I do think that our words and actions can influence other people's lives - they'll make certain life choices based on what we tell them and I think this is what Queen Matilda is eluding to. I remember when I was young my mom telling me how she had an astral chart made for me when I was born and h...
-Marijana_Bankovic
What are you reading this week? (6/26/025)
A vintage vendetta - Camelia Woods (ARC from Hidden Gems) The lost world - Arthur Conan Doyle (audiobook) Consider yourself kissed - Jessica Stanley (for bookclub) The tapestry of time - Kate Heartfield (for BookBrowse)
-Marijana_Bankovic
The Tapestry of Time by Kate Heartfield
Please join BookBrowse in our book club discussion of The Tapestry of Time by Kate Heartfield
-kim.kovacs
"No one writes historical fantasy like Kate Heartfield and she is at the top of her game in The Tapestry of Time. While this WWII novel never shies away from the moral complexities of war, readers will cheer for the Sharp sisters as they each find their unique strengths, both mundane and fantastic, in the fight against fascism and to reunite and redefine their family. By the end, you'll want to raise the V for victory in triumph." ―M. Darusha Wehm, author of Hamlet, Prince of Robots and winner of the Sir Julius Vogel award
"Kate Heartfield's The Tapestry of Time is a stunning book that perfectly marries a World War II story of resistance with the supernatural. It's speculative historical fiction at its very best, and kept me turning pages late into the night." ―Jenny Rae Rappaport, author of Girls With Needles and Frost
"The Tapestry of Time is a promise that love is stronger than hate and that families and communities are our strongest bastions. It celebrates the vital, but too often unsung, role that women played, and continue to play, in the fight against fascism. Kate Heartfield gets better with every single book and this one is simply terrific." ―Hayden Trenholm, Aurora Award winning author of The Passion of Ivan Rodriguez
This information about The Tapestry of Time was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Kate Heartfield is the author of the Sunday Times bestselling The Embroidered Book, the Aurora-winning novel Armed in Her Fashion, and the Nebula-shortlisted novella Alice Payne Arrives, along with dozens of other stories. Her interactive fiction projects The Road to Canterbury and The Magician's Workshop were shortlisted for the Nebula in game writing. She lives in Canada.
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