Welcome to the Celebrate Lit Blog Tour for A Tapestry of Light by Kimberly Duffy!! I have been waiting for this book ever since I saw the cover release. It’s such a beautiful cover, don’t you think!? I’m excited to not only share the book with you, but a guest post from Kimberly!!! Make sure you enter the giveaway at the end of the post too 🙂
About the Book
A Tapestry of Light Author Kimberly Duffy
Published by Baker Books
on March 16, 2021
Genres: Fiction, Christian, Historical, General
Pages: 432
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookbubCalcutta, 1886.
Ottilie Russell is adrift between two cultures, British and Indian, belonging to both and neither. In order to support her little brother, Thaddeus, and her grandmother, she relies upon her skills in beetle-wing embroidery that have been passed down to her through generations of Indian women.
When a stranger appears with the news that Thaddeus is now Baron Sunderson and must travel to England to take his place as a nobleman, Ottilie is shattered by the secrets that come to light. Despite her growing friendship with Everett Scott, friend to Ottilie's English grandmother and aunt, she refuses to give up her brother. Then tragedy strikes, and she is forced to make a decision that will take Thaddeus far from death and herself far from home.
But betrayal and loss lurk in England, too, and soon Ottilie must fight to ensure Thaddeus doesn't forget who he is, as well as find a way to stitch a place for herself in this foreign land.
My Perspective
Duffy takes readers on an emotional journey in A Tapestry of Light. Ottilie’s character brings to light so many things that haunt us today. She is both British and Indian, and struggles with others wanting her to hide part of who she is. Forced to pretend she is something she is not, just so her brother can have a chance at a “normal” life, or as normal as those around her wanted it to be. And thrown into a world that was so unfamiliar to her. And while suffering loss, trying to understand her faith, and maybe, just perhaps, fall in love. She is a complex character that goes through so much, and yet seemed to do so with a strength she didn’t realize she had.
One again, Duffy has amazed me with the depth of research that is inside the pages of this novel. Not only can you visualize each and every scene, you can smell them, and sense them in every way. She’s so descriptive, and so true to the setting and time period. She doesn’t miss a beat, whether it’s about the kind of embroidery Ottilie would do, the types of dresses worn, or the culture in general. I’ve learned a thing or two in reading this novel. It kind of makes me want to visit the beautiful setting of Calcutta in 1886!
I think historical fiction fans will fall in love with Ottilie and her family. Duffy’s poignant story of love, loss, and faith is a book that will stir hearts and inspire readers. I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
About the Author
Kimberly Duffy is a Long Island native currently living in Southwest Ohio, via six months in India. When she’s not homeschooling her four kids, she writes historical fiction that takes her readers back in time and across oceans. She loves trips that require a passport, recipe books, and practicing kissing scenes with her husband of twenty years. He doesn’t mind.
Guest post by Kimberly Duffy
When I set out to write a new novel, I plan the entire thing from start to finish. I write down each scene on an index card and know exactly what’s going to happen when I sit down for the day’s work. I’m meticulous that way.
But I never plan my characters’ spiritual arcs. Because I want their faith journey to be organic to the story. I want it to feel authentic. It’s such an important part of each of my books and I recognize that some things just refuse plotting and need to develop in a more natural way.
My debut novel, A Mosaic of Wings, features a heroine steeped in science. Nora loves the natural world and so her faith was encouraged by studying the wings of a butterfly or examining an interesting plant. She’s not particularly sentimental or emotive so the faith element of that story had to be presented in a way that made sense for her. Nora’s faith arc is subtle.
Not so for A Tapestry of Light. I had no intention of writing a book that delved into my own struggle with doubt. But that’s what Ottilie required. And it wrung me dry.
Then built me back up.
My faith story is a twisted kind of one. Raised a Christian, I went into ministry, firmly attached myself to the faith of my childhood, and thought it would never waver.
I was wrong.
Oh, how it wavered. For whatever reason, when I hit about 30, it seemed everything I had always believed no longer made sense. It was devastating. Terrifying. And it broke me.
But brokenness is its own sort of beauty and when you recognize there is no way for you to pick up the pieces yourself, God can come in and fill those cracks and shattered places.
Those five years of doubt and questioning and facing the reality that even though I’d always loved Christ, I didn’t really know Him (and didn’t really know why I believed in Him), were some of the most painful I’ve experienced. But I believe with every bit of my being that God is in the business of redemption. Of restoration. Of filling up so that we can pour out.
And he took my own very personal struggle and helped me turn it into a story that, I hope and pray, might encourage others. I gave Ottilie my questions. I gave her my doubt. I gave her my fear and desperation and, in the end, I gave her my hope.
There’s a little piece of me in each of my books, but this one contains my heart.
Tour Schedule
Life of Literature, March 27
Through the Fire Blogs, March 27
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 27
Texas Book-aholic, March 28
Breny and Books, March 28
By The Book, March 29
Genesis 5020, March 29
Inklings and notions, March 29
Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, March 30
Mypreciousbitsandmusings, March 30
A Modern Day Fairy Tale, March 31
Mia Reads, March 31
Reflections from my bookshelves, March 31
Connie’s History Classroom, April 1
Remembrancy, April 1
For Him and My Family, April 2
Rachael’s Inkwell, April 2
Vicky Sluiter, April 2
deb’s Book Review, April 3
Batya’s Bits, April 3
Locks, Hooks and Books, April 4
Godly Book Reviews, April 4
Pause for Tales, April 4
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, April 5
Simple Harvest Reads, April 5 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)
Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, April 6
A Baker’s Perspective, April 6
Labor Not in Vain, April 6
She Lives To Read, April 7
Betti Mace, April 7
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, April 8
To Everything There Is A Season, April 8
Mary Hake, April 8
Wishful Endings, April 9
Bigreadersite, April 9
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Kimberly is giving away the grand prize $25 Amazon gift card along with a signed copy of either A Mosaic of Wings or A Tapestry of Light!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://promosimple.com/ps/109d5/a-tapestry-of-light-celebration-tour-giveaway
What interests you about this book?
Thank you for your review on ” Tapestry of Light” by Kimberly Duffy and for being part of the Celebrate Lit book tour.
Sounds like a marvelous book and one I would greatly enjoy having the opportunity to read. It’s now on my TBR list. Love the cover which looks just like the title.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
Another wonderful review that leaves me longing to read this book!
I’ve not read any of Kimberly Duffy;s books, but this review sure makes me want to read A Tapestry of Light.
This sounds like a wonderful story!
Very interesting and a different type of story than what i usually read.
A
Oops.
I read Mosaic of Wings and loved it . I look forward to reading the new book!
I like historical fiction and this sounds like a really good read.