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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
Tidelands is set in 1648. King Charles I is imprisoned on the Isle of Wight and the country is divided between those who support the King and those who support Oliver Cromwell. Alinor is an impoverished woman who ekes out a meagre living on Sealsea Island, a marshy area on the south coast of England. She is a wise woman who makes a living doing whatever work is available locally as well as being a midwife and collecting herbs for medicinal purposes. Her husband was a fisherman but hasn’t been seen for many months and may be dead, so Alinor has to support her two children alone.
One night, she meets a young man and helps him find his way across the treacherous marsh. This meeting has huge repercussions for them both.
I loved the descriptions of Alinor’s daily life and those of her children as well as the descriptions of Sealsea Island and its inhabitants. The author vividly portrays the local characters who are driven by envy and ignorance to gossip and spread malicious rumours about each other, particularly a beautiful young woman known for her healing skills. It was a difficult and dangerous time to be such a woman with accusations of witchcraft still being very commonplace. As always, Philippa Gregory researches her material thoroughly and it shows.
The story gathers momentum and I read the last quarter of the book with a feeling of dread. There’s a cliff-hanger of an ending so I’m embarking on the second book of this trilogy.
I have my reservations about aspects of the plot hence the 4 stars but to write in greater dealer could spoil the book for others. I really enjoyed this.
One night, she meets a young man and helps him find his way across the treacherous marsh. This meeting has huge repercussions for them both.
I loved the descriptions of Alinor’s daily life and those of her children as well as the descriptions of Sealsea Island and its inhabitants. The author vividly portrays the local characters who are driven by envy and ignorance to gossip and spread malicious rumours about each other, particularly a beautiful young woman known for her healing skills. It was a difficult and dangerous time to be such a woman with accusations of witchcraft still being very commonplace. As always, Philippa Gregory researches her material thoroughly and it shows.
The story gathers momentum and I read the last quarter of the book with a feeling of dread. There’s a cliff-hanger of an ending so I’m embarking on the second book of this trilogy.
I have my reservations about aspects of the plot hence the 4 stars but to write in greater dealer could spoil the book for others. I really enjoyed this.
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
I was very conflicted with this book. It reads far better if I digested it in long sections rather than shorter chunks. About halfway through I almost gave up but glad I stuck it through. The last 50 pages were the best and you finally get to the claims of witchcraft the latter part of the book (although it’s hinted at early on).
I don't know if I have just outgrown Gregory or if it is just this new series, but I did NOT like this book. I felt like I was reading a Lifetime Movie plot set in the 1600s. Two absolutely gorgeous people find each other in a forbidden love, one is a (gasp) priest! and one woman is the town witch according to some and still technically married. I couldn't get behind this book. It just seemed silly and stereotypical and I was bored a lot of the time.
Had to call time of death on this one. Really tried, but I just did not care. The Cromwell era just doesn’t do it for me. I’ll stick to the royal family when it comes to Gregory.
Not bad, especially as I knew little about this period of England’s history. A bit repetitive at times.