One Illumined Thread (Sally Colin-James, Fourth Estate)

Fans of Sarah Winman and Pip Williams will love Sally Colin-James’s debut novel One Illumined Thread, an intriguing story of three women separated by centuries yet inextricably connected by their quests for self-realisation. In ancient Judea, we meet Sheva, a fierce spirit living an isolated life due to her infertility. She masters the art of glassblowing in an attempt to cope with a patriarchal world where ‘women are despised for what we have and despised for what we do not’. In Renaissance Florence, we’re introduced to Antonia who, like Sheva, focuses on a creative quest (a dream to make the ideal white paint) ‘to release her from shadows that crawl under her skin’. But perhaps most affecting is the story of Dr Reed, a talented textile conservator from Adelaide grieving the loss of her 18-year-old son and trying to make things whole through her job, restoring fragile textiles (‘ragged pieces clinging to survive’). The author’s detailed exploration of each character’s creative world—be it paint pigmentation in Renaissance Florence, glassblowing techniques from ancient Judea or contemporary textile conservation—is extraordinary. But more striking is how the reader is moved to think, feel and ultimately cheer for the creative spirit of the female heart and its incomparable ability to illuminate the world despite extreme obstacles. One Illumined Thread is one of those rare books that will stay with you. The historical depth and authentic character development keep your mind (and heart) immersed long after that last page has been read.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Michelle Atkins is a communications professional and published educational author. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Category: Reviews