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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The historical detail is fantastic of this story that takes place from summer 1648 to winter 1649. England is ripping itself apart, between those loyal to Cromwell, and those still loyal to the exiled King Charles.
Alinor, a poor woman with a missing presumed dead husband encounters a young man one night. James is a spy for the King, and though she could be killed for it, she helps him to safety, earning his thanks, and also gaining favour for her son Rob. Though he fights it, James falls for Alinor, and even while he continues working towards returning Charles to power, James contemplates wedding Alinor. Alinor and her daughter Alys meanwhile work at many jobs to ensure Alys has a decent dowry, and Rob's life is hugely changed because of a recommendation by James to become a rich man's son's servant and companion.
Alinor amazed me. She worked unbelievably hard from dawn till night, and though nothing she did looked suspicious or magical, there was always a concern about her abilities (she's a herbalist and midwife, in addition to raising bees and maintaining bee hives), and no matter what she does, always labours under a "fairy" taint. Alys worked equally hard, and I felt utterly exhausted reading how hard these two women's lives were with them just barely able to stay out of starvation.
The people they lived amongst were poor and generally uneducated, and hard workers, but absolutely terrified of witchcraft and fairies, and the fear Alinor lives with daily, as someone whose family fortunes look to be miraculously improving, are real and terrifying.
This is my first Philippa Gregory book. I loved the careful scene setting and character moments, and the author's obvious deep knowledge of the political factions and movements of the time period. But what I appreciated even more were Gregory's descriptions of the many small comforts and fears in an ordinary woman's life. Alinor is complicated, and a woman like her is not typically seen in historical fiction, as we usually concentrate on some Lady or Lady-in-waiting, or gentleman's daughter, meaning, someone much closer to power and money. Alinor and her family ate totally dependent on their own toil and the goodwill of their neighbours, and the larger political movements around them are mostly immaterial to them, other than Alinor's inability to secure her midwife's license and the ever-lengthening and dreary Sunday sermons about piety and hard work and no dancing or joy as those are not godly (ugh!) that people must sit through weekly.
This is a long book, but I didn't notice, as I found it fascinating as the poor of England and the plotting landed gentry intersect in interesting ways.
Alinor, a poor woman with a missing presumed dead husband encounters a young man one night. James is a spy for the King, and though she could be killed for it, she helps him to safety, earning his thanks, and also gaining favour for her son Rob. Though he fights it, James falls for Alinor, and even while he continues working towards returning Charles to power, James contemplates wedding Alinor. Alinor and her daughter Alys meanwhile work at many jobs to ensure Alys has a decent dowry, and Rob's life is hugely changed because of a recommendation by James to become a rich man's son's servant and companion.
Alinor amazed me. She worked unbelievably hard from dawn till night, and though nothing she did looked suspicious or magical, there was always a concern about her abilities (she's a herbalist and midwife, in addition to raising bees and maintaining bee hives), and no matter what she does, always labours under a "fairy" taint. Alys worked equally hard, and I felt utterly exhausted reading how hard these two women's lives were with them just barely able to stay out of starvation.
The people they lived amongst were poor and generally uneducated, and hard workers, but absolutely terrified of witchcraft and fairies, and the fear Alinor lives with daily, as someone whose family fortunes look to be miraculously improving, are real and terrifying.
This is my first Philippa Gregory book. I loved the careful scene setting and character moments, and the author's obvious deep knowledge of the political factions and movements of the time period. But what I appreciated even more were Gregory's descriptions of the many small comforts and fears in an ordinary woman's life. Alinor is complicated, and a woman like her is not typically seen in historical fiction, as we usually concentrate on some Lady or Lady-in-waiting, or gentleman's daughter, meaning, someone much closer to power and money. Alinor and her family ate totally dependent on their own toil and the goodwill of their neighbours, and the larger political movements around them are mostly immaterial to them, other than Alinor's inability to secure her midwife's license and the ever-lengthening and dreary Sunday sermons about piety and hard work and no dancing or joy as those are not godly (ugh!) that people must sit through weekly.
This is a long book, but I didn't notice, as I found it fascinating as the poor of England and the plotting landed gentry intersect in interesting ways.
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Always love how Gregory portrays women of many eras and how those women were thought of an treated.
3.5 ⭐️’s. It started a little slow but when it picked up… boy was I invested! Can’t wait to pick up book 2.
This was an okay story of Alinor, who grew up in the Tidelands and James, who comes as tutor for the noble family's son. Story was ok but not as exciting as her other stories.
I loved it. I loved it so much I wish I could forget it and read it all over again.
The descriptions just fully immerse you in the strange environment that is the tidelands and underneath everything there is a hint of danger and fear - of being caught, of war, but mainly of being a single woman during witch-fever.
10/10
The descriptions just fully immerse you in the strange environment that is the tidelands and underneath everything there is a hint of danger and fear - of being caught, of war, but mainly of being a single woman during witch-fever.
10/10
The book started somewhat slowly, but not before long it picked up. The book isn’t about royals, like most of Gregory’s books, but the time period is well described. I expect nothing less from this author.
My one complaint about the book is that the ending felt sudden. It just seemed to cut off completely, which I didn’t care for, and is the only reason I didn’t give this five stars.
My one complaint about the book is that the ending felt sudden. It just seemed to cut off completely, which I didn’t care for, and is the only reason I didn’t give this five stars.
Well this was certainly the beginning of a new saga from Ms. Gregory. The beginning was a little trudgy, but understandable since she was setting the stage for a new series. Lovely characters - although some were very unlikeable. But Alinor, her daughter and her son were lovely characters - and I'm eager to see what lies ahead for them.
I received an ARC from GoodReads.
I received an ARC from GoodReads.