"The Virgin Blue" is a work of historical fiction that intertwines two storylines set centuries apart but connected by location and family ties.

The 16th Century Storyline One narrative thread follows Isabelle du Moulin, a young Huguenot woman living in the Cévennes region of France in the late 16th century during the French Wars of Religion. Isabelle has striking red hair, which was highly unusual at the time and led to her being viewed as an outsider in her village. She and her Protestant family are forced to flee religious persecution, undertaking a harrowing journey across France.

The Modern Storyline The other storyline takes place in the late 20th century and centers on Ella Turner, an American woman who moves with her husband to the small town of Lisle-sur-Tarn in southwestern France. As Ella settles into her new home, she becomes fascinated by the area's history and begins researching her own family roots, eventually uncovering her connection to Isabelle du Moulin and the persecution her ancestors faced centuries earlier.
Through meticulous historical research, Chevalier vividly depicts the lives, cultures, and religious conflicts of 16th century France, while also exploring themes of family, identity, and the enduring ties that can bind the present to the past..