In her first semi-historical novel, Chevalier intertwines two narratives with surprising skill. In the present, Ella Turner, newly settled in France, has wild, disturbing dreams intensified by a Renaissance shade of blue. She becomes haunted by the past, where Isabelle du Moulin, Ella’s ancestor, has her life painfully altered by the French wars of religion.
     The association between the two women becomes more palpable as the novel continues, but could have been made more credible without the dramatic transformation of Ella’s hair into Isabelle’s distinctive red. However, the characters are strongly painted and, with a certain suspension of disbelief, the novel is an intriguing and poignant read.