Threads

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View books by Nell Gavin.

A must read - Rated
This book is fantastic, I enjoyed it from start to finish within four days of purchase. It is in my top 10 of favourite books. It is a must read for those people into reincarnation.

Don't miss your chance to read this! - Rated
Nell Gavin's THREADS is extraordinary. From somewhere in time (the Memories) Anne Boleyn, lately beheaded by her husband, King Henry VIII, must review her life to learn from her mistakes, as well as her successes. Many of the wonderful moments in her life, however, do not come from the 16th century, but from earlier, far less regal lives. In THREADS, Gavin advances the theory of Heaven as a resting place where the soul must review life and choose another to return for learning lessons necessary for the refinement of the spirit. For Anne, the lesson is forgiveness. Her bitterness toward Henry, a man she has loved through many lifetimes, is the roadblock on the journey of her soul, and she must find a way to move it from her path. In THREADS Anne's voice is strong, consistent, clear, and most importantly, never self-serving. The book is haunting. I could not get it out of my mind after I finished it, and sent it to several friends. The response as been uniform: everyone has loved it. Filled with dialogue authentic to the times, characters so viable they might be sitting with you as you read, and an exploration of the spiritual plane so believable you may rethink all your beliefs on the subject, THREADS is a remarkable and striking achievement.

Suceeds in Being a Novel - Rated
I did enjoy this book, however it was a bit wooly in places. I thought the links between the lifetimes were quite vauge and no real explanation of what 'Anne's spirt' was going through and why was given.

A surprise - Rated
I bought this looking for a trashy throw-away novel to read on holiday. I had been watching a TV documentary about Anne Boleyn and was just in the mood to read about her. To be frank, I had low expectations - lots of women write about Anne, mostly because they rather fancy themselves as being like her - all intense, tragic,and sexy. Such books are rarely much good. Add to that the story of reincarnation in this one, and I was really looking forward to some holiday pulp.

Only it wasn't. I was gripped. It is well written, intriguing, and very sad in places. I really loved it, have carefully brought it back from holiday instead of leaving it on the plane, and have bought another copy to give to my sister at Xmas.

Not what I was looking for at all - an excellent story.

Unique twist to a compelling story - Rated
When Anne Boleyn dies at the scaffold in 1536, she finds herself faced with a mysterious Voice (her spiritual "guide"), severe emotional and psychological trauma, a lifetime's worth of memories she has to sort through (usually unwillingly), and an assignment: forgive Henry Tudor for having her put to death because she didn't have a son.

It appears on the surface that Anne's failure to have a son was the reason she was put to death. But in Threads, her story is much more complicated than that.

During the time Anne Boleyn was queen, she was wildly unpopular with the English subjects, and under constant siege by her enemies. She was always terrified, and had the sort of personality that caused her to get unpleasant under stress. It was her nervous harping, nagging and complaining that got her executed, NOT the fact that she didn't have a son.

But it goes even beyond that, back to a lifetime in Egypt where her problems first began. Anne, throughout history, has never liked women much, and always passed judgment on their behavior. She was especially judgmental toward women who were adulterous or sexually "loose". In one lifetime after another, she has earned karma from her treatment of other women that eventually accumulated to the point where, as Anne Boleyn, she would be accused of, and executed for things she didn't do, called a "whore", and publicly accused of sexual indescretions that even involved sleeping with her own brother.

Threads tells the story of Anne Boleyn from her point of view, while it weaves the tale through various other lifetimes. You learn that Anne was more mischievous than manipulative, had incredibly poor judgment at times, but actually married Henry VIII out of love. You find out which lifetimes and which choices resulted in what circumstances. Then you watch her carry the karma she earned as "Anne Boleyn" into future lifes.

Eventually, she and Henry VIII meet up again...

I would really recommend this book. It is historical fantasy, but more than that. It deftly explores the thoughts and emotions of a real woman, rather than parrotting the usual two-dimensions of an "historical character".

Not only is it a good read (it's almost as though the words have little "suction cups" on them that pull you through the story no matter where you open the book!), but it is philosophical and inspirational without preaching - in fact, if you don't feel like being inspired, just read it for the story! Otherwise - especially if you've ever experienced any sort of psychological trauma yourself as I have - you may find that Anne's observations and experiences will touch you and start you thinking. Anne shows us how much we all, as human beings, have in common.