The Unicorn, The Mystery

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Pub Date 10 Dec 2020 | Archive Date 30 Jul 2021

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Description

 The Unicorn, The Mystery a new novel by Janet Mason was published by Adelaide Books (New York/Lisbon) in October of 2020.

  In The Unicorn, The Mystery, a novel for adults, we meet a unicorn who tells us the story of the seven tapestries, called “The Hunt of the Unicorn” from the 1500s on display in “the unicorn room” in the Cloisters, now part of Manhattan’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. The tapestries tell the story of what is still called an “unsolved mystery.”   

  The story is set in an abbey in France not far from the barn in the countryside where the tapestries were discovered. Pursued by a band of hunters, the unicorn is led along by observing birds, smelling and eating the abbey flowers and fruits (including imbibing in fermented pomegranates), pursuing chaste maidens (there is one in the tapestry) and at times speaks to other animals such as the majestic stag.  


 The Unicorn, The Mystery a new novel by Janet Mason was published by Adelaide Books (New York/Lisbon) in October of 2020.

  In The Unicorn, The Mystery, a novel for adults, we meet a unicorn who...


A Note From the Publisher

Janet Mason's novel THEY, a biblical tale of secret genders was published by Adelaide Books in 2018. Her previous book Tea Leaves: a memoir of mothers and daughters (Bella Books; 2012) received a "Goldie Award" and was on the 2013 "Over The Rainbow" list for the American Library Association.

The Unicorn, The Mystery was published by Adelaide Books in December 2020.

Janet Mason's novel THEY, a biblical tale of secret genders was published by Adelaide Books in 2018. Her previous book Tea Leaves: a memoir of mothers and daughters (Bella Books; 2012) received...


Advance Praise

“The Unicorn: The Mystery” hits all the universal notes — it is about passion and longing, desire in its myriad forms and the eternal quest for belonging and connection. Lush, lyrical and always surprising, it is a compelling addition to Mason’s body of work, and your own library.

      --Victoria A. Brownworth, Philadelphia Gay News


Eloquent and sophisticated.… poignant and full of philosophical observation…Emerging stronger for her late coming understanding of her vanity and gullibility, the unicorn makes for a haunting protagonist. The ingenious, gentle, and perceptive young monk is equally convincing. Incorporated in the narrative are theological arguments about true love, homosexuality, chauvinism, conceit, empathy, passion, religion, and salvation. Mason has delivered a winning tale.  

                                    -- The Prairies Review

“Evocative, imaginative vision”

                                    — BooksCoffee (starred review) 

The basic theme, it seems to me, is the nature of wisdom and how to use it. Both the monk and the unicorn see themselves as wise yet are filled with inconsistencies as we all are… 

Her prose is gorgeous and her storytelling had me turning pages as quickly as possible…

                                                     -- Amos Lassen, Reviews

Like a beautiful tapestry, the novel weaves together theological debate and unforgettable characters, including queer nuns and their secret cat companion. Mason blends myth and history to conjure up a spellbinding vision. 

               -- Kittredge Cherry, publisher,  Qspirit.net

                                                                                                   -


“The Unicorn: The Mystery” hits all the universal notes — it is about passion and longing, desire in its myriad forms and the eternal quest for belonging and connection. Lush, lyrical and always...


Marketing Plan

The Unicorn, The Mystery has a large pool of people who would be interested in it. Readers should be open minded to the LGBTQ community. The unicorn is actually a symbol of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer community because of its association with rainbows. I made up a partial listing of readers:

anyone interested in the Middle Ages;

anyone interested in unicorns – they were commonly thought to be real by people in the Middle Ages;

anyone interested in art – the book was inspired by the tapestries at The Cloisters (part of the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art);

anyone interested in Greek and ancient Egyptian mythology – people in the Middle Ages were fascinated by the ancient myths;

those interested in alternative views of religion including the gnostic gospels – which were known in the Middle Ages;

those interested in nuns and cats; and

those interested in a good mystery and a good read.


The Unicorn, The Mystery has a large pool of people who would be interested in it. Readers should be open minded to the LGBTQ community. The unicorn is actually a symbol of the Lesbian, Gay...


Available Editions

EDITION Mass Market Paperback
ISBN 9781953510259
PRICE US$19.60 (USD)

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Average rating from 11 members


Featured Reviews

Great story. I've seen the tapestries at The Cloisters and they are truly beautiful. This was a really nice read about them snd I enjoyed it. Thsnks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

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The story The unicorn the Mystery reminds me of the tales of the old. The tapestry of the maiden and the In a Unicorn. In a way it is. You get the unicorns point of view which is really amazing, a novice monk, and some novice nuns.

It goes over how only the pure of heart can see a unicorn. Religious metaphors for what they stand for. What they do. The trials that it goes through, is it real or just a myth. Is it looking for a maiden pure?

This Arc was given to me by netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

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The Unicorn, The Mystery is quite unlike any book I've ever read. The storytelling is unique and fascinating, and it's very immersive and pulls you into the world. I do wish the formatting was a bit clearer with the switching POV's. I think writing a book based on the Unicorn Tapestry at Cloisters was an incredible idea, and it did not disappoint. It's short, quick, and unique, so if you're looking for something new, I highly recommend it.

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This book just wasn't my cup of tea. I went by the cover and the title, neglecting to read the description, so I didn't realize the book was as philosophical as it was. I thought Mason did a good job with the inner narratives the characters had about morality, sexuality, and what it means to have Christian love. Readers are left to ponder the rhetorical questions posited by the characters, coming to their own conclusions. However, I found the book dull and repetitive. The chapters alternate points of view - the unicorn's and the monk's, and the beginning of many of the chapters did a short recap from that character's last chapter. The dialog and narration swung between medieval to match the setting (which ended up sounding stiff and pretentious) and modern. I think it would have worked just as well consistently using modern language and it might have been less clunky for me.
I'd say that if you enjoy philosophy, you should give this book a try.

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