Kit and Ivy Sharp are both clairvoyants, though the particulars of their gifts are very different. Together, the sisters must prevent the Nazis from utilizing the Bayeux Tapestry, or Queen Matilda’s Tapestry, which their father has long believed to be a prediction device. Their paths will cross with the frightening Oberführer Teller, who may just have an agenda of his own.

This was right up my alley. As I said, the prose sings—but more importantly, the details are wonderfully vivid, from the women in occupied Paris painting their legs to look like stockings, to the tricolor flags home-made out of dyed sheets. This is literature, folks. You're right there, on the war-torn streets.

You can also tell an enormous amount of research went into this book; even the author’s notes are a joy to read.

War often creates a desperation to have an edge on the enemy. This is most often technology be they longbows, guns or tanks but history also shows the supernatural is also sought. Only a few decades ago various secret projects were still looking to find people with ESP powers. In Kate Heartfield’s enjoyable historical fantasy novel The Tapestry of Time we have a winding tale of four sisters caught into the immediate aftermath of WW2’s D-Day landings where their special gifts create great danger. Fun is had although I have a few reservations how this all came together.

In Occupied France Its June 1944 and Kit Sharp works in the Louvre under the watchful eyes of Nazis. She focuses on trying to keep priceless artefacts safe from their greedy hands and has a secret relationship with her lover Evelyn. However suddenly kit sees the impossible her sister Ivy appears out of nowhere and vanishes in front of her. This happens again and again, and Kit believes she is in danger. Ivy went back to England when the war started but was noticed by her father’s friend for an unexpected gift for seeing glimpses of the future and has been recruited to become an agent to be parachuted into France to demonstrate the power of this ability. The Sharp family have many family legends about the Second Sight and the other two sisters also have roles to play. But elsewhere in Europe others with the ability want more power for themselves and battle looms.

I had fun with this story, but it felt overall like a tale of two very different halves not quite joining up which slightly reduced my enjoyment. The first half feels a historical fantasy and Heartfield works heard after setting up the initial mystery of the vanishing Ivy in 1944 to an earlier war period starting from 1940. Heartfield is always very good for making a period come to life and the atmosphere of occupied France and a Britain trying to keep its head above water feels tense and on edge from blackouts, rations and suspicion on those who may know what is about to happen. The Sharp family is built up primarily focusing on ivy but we also get to meet her academic father, her more cerebral sister Rose who goes to work at Bletchley park and Helen the more traditional WW2 Land Girl who is carrying her fiancé’s child outside of wedlock. This half really works for me you get to feel the family tensions and we learn all may have hidden gifts they know or hide. As time passes, we jump towards Ivy’s special training, which itself is dramatic and tension filled and even enhanced training to boost her Second Sight before a daring infiltration by parachute into France which again really works as a sequence into the unknown.

Once though Ivy and Kit meet up, I felt a big tonal shift. We move much more into WW2 supernatural action and the detailed exploration of the period and fine character work for me moves into more straightforward good guys versus Nazis. Nothing wrong watching Nazis being stopped – should happen more often! However, we suddenly get a menacing figure from the first half then turn into the story’s major antagonist and a sudden infodump on his masterplan, the powers all get ramped up to the max and the subtle hints of why the Bayeaux tapestry are so important to the story get again explained without much forewarning. I also found that the two UK sisters felt more plot pieces than characters – quickly covered then abandoned for large chunks of the story until having something to do. Instead, this second half is much more action and heroics but didn’t really feel earned or fleshed out.

Overall, this feels a story that a few hundred pages more to let the second half breathe would have been really useful here so that tonally the story lines up and everyone has a full story arc. I really enjoyed Kit and Ivy’s tale so were the wider family tales that needed? You can settle in and enjoy this story but for me its slightly misses being a fully satisfactory reading experience but if you’re in the mood for Nazis being beaten then come this way!

Kate Heartfield’s The Tapestry of Time is a captivating blend of historical fiction and fantasy, set against the backdrop of World War II. The novel follows the Sharp sisters, each endowed with clairvoyant abilities, as they confront Nazi forces intent on exploiting the mystical powers of the Bayeux Tapestry. Kit Sharp, an archivist in Paris, delves into the tapestry’s secrets, while her sister Ivy, an operative in the Special Operations Executive, undertakes perilous missions in occupied France. Their combined efforts aim to thwart the Nazis’ plans and alter the course of the war.

Heartfield masterfully intertwines elements of the supernatural with meticulously researched historical events, creating a narrative that is both thrilling and thought-provoking. The portrayal of the sisters’ psychic gifts adds a unique dimension to the wartime espionage theme, offering readers a fresh perspective on familiar historical narratives. The author’s attention to detail and commitment to historical accuracy lend authenticity to the story, while the fantasy elements enrich the plot, making for a compelling read.

In summary, The Tapestry of Time is a remarkable novel that offers a fresh and engaging take on World War II fiction. Heartfield’s skillful blending of history and fantasy, coupled with strong character development and a gripping plot, makes this a must-read for fans of both genres.

Thank you Netgalley and HarperVoyager for granting me an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, all opinion are my own.

I had some troubles with this book, first things first I believe that the genre used to describe this book - the fantasy one, has been in fact misused, or to be precise, it was incorrectly placed there. More than fantasy, this is undoubtedly a historical book with hints of <b>paranormal</b>. There were no magical elements or even a whiff of fantasy, and had this been tagged under there paranormal genre it would have probably made at times people less confused as in where would have the fantasy come out.

Taking that out Kate Heartfield has woven a sophisticated storyline involving the Bayeux Tapestry, four English sisters fighting each in their own way the nazis during WW2, all with a special gift, all scared or unsure on how to use this second sight of their.

The first sister we meet is Kit, currently staying in occupied Paris, soon followed by Ivy, the only sister who's been seriously trained the second sight, now agent for the SOE and dropped in the middle of France to try and liberate prisoners of the resistance captured by the Germans. Rose and Helen (the other two sisters) barely make an appearance, especially Rose, which by me had soo much more potential in the story and more POVS during her life would have made the book so much better.

The most interesting this in this book was the actual connection between the Tapestry and those who possessed the second sight. How the Teller used it to help the Reicht and how Ivy and Kit both figured out ways to communicate with each other during their imprisonment was the best part of the book. Taking that out the book felt flat, but if I'm not saying the writing of there author is lacking, in someway I believe that if the plot of the tapestry had been ampliated and some secondary character like Grady or Father had more screen time the book would have been more dynamic.

3.2⭐️

A most enjoyable book, set in wartime Paris. Some very strong women fighting their own wars and struggling with overbearing parents. Well written, believable characters, story moves along apace. Interesting use of the superstitious and historical. Would definitely recommend.

The Tapestry of Time is a historical novel set during World War II that follows the Sharp family, who possess a psychic ability. Kit, an archivist in Paris, is involved in a romantic entanglement and is fascinated by the Bayeux Tapestry, which the Nazis believe holds predictive powers. Ivy is a member of the Special Operations Executive, where she engages in espionage and sabotage.

The plot themes of love, heroism, and the supernatural against the backdrop of war.The characters are intriguing, particularly Kit and Ivy. Their personal struggles and the supernatural elements add depth. However, I found that the supernatural elements occasionally felt somewhat forced and detracted from the historical aspects of the story.

Overall, it is a good historical novel.

I am not really an historical book reader however this one really caught my attention. I was a little disappointed, I loved kit but really the book didn’t capture me. I would recommend it as it may just have been out of my comfort zone but it definitely was not for me.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for this eCopy to review

The Tapestry of Time is set during World War II and follows the Sharp family, who possess the Second Sight, a supposed psychic ability. Kit, an archivist in Paris, is involved in a love affair and is fascinated by the Bayeux Tapestry, which the Nazis believe holds predictive powers. Ivy is part of the Special Operations Executive, working on espionage and sabotage. The plot weaves together love, heroism, and the supernatural against the backdrop of war.

The characters are intriguing, especially Kit and Ivy. Their personal struggles and the supernatural elements add depth to the story. However, I felt the supernatural elements sometimes felt a bit forced and detracted from the historical aspects of the story.

Overall, it is a good historical novel