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3.14 AVERAGE
3.14 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
informative
tense
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
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What a horrible heroine. Does she have any redeeming characteristics? If so I forgot them through my growing dislike of her. Her callous criminal behaviour was bad enough, but I grew utterly sick of her speaking about her beauty. Ugh.
I've now read there is quite a bit of incest in Philips Gregory's books but this one is probably the worst. I did not know or expect that. It has turned me off reading any of her other books.
I've now read there is quite a bit of incest in Philips Gregory's books but this one is probably the worst. I did not know or expect that. It has turned me off reading any of her other books.
Although not as exquisitely wrought as Gregory's Tudor Court novels this historic trilogy is still worth reading for fans of her work. It tells the story of a family's gradual destruction and how they take the land and the village dependant on it with them. Beatrice Lacye is determined to inherit Wideacre and cannot bear the thught of being forced to marry and move away. So begins her obsession with becoming and staying the mistress of Wideacre at the expense of all those around her. Gregory displays her skill for writing passionate strong female characters that makes her work so relevant to modern day readers.
Wideacre is a fantastic book. It has some slightly uncomfortable moments but I have to say they just add to the story and make you despair of the character Beatrice. Philippa Gregory actually makes me want to read about a character I detest. Beatrice Lacey will do anything for Wideacre. She's slightly obsessed with it. The story tells readers just how far she'll go for Wideacre, even if her family and local villagers get in the way. Wideacre is a superb book. Highly recommended, I can't wait to read the others in the trilogy!
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
I love Philippa Gregory but this book was was just ick level 100 the whole way through. Great writing but disgusting characters.
This book is perfect if you are looking for a slightly smutty but not totally vapid story.
I don't understand why the rating of this book is so low. It was probably one of Gregory's best works yet. It is a completely original idea, not based off the lives of real people and I think she handled it exceptionally well. Of course, like most of her books, it does have questionable content. But, the book was amazing.
Now into the spoilers.
First off, let me say that the main character is wonderfully despicable. In real life, had I known such dark depths to a person's character I would probably hate them. But I found myself wanting Beatrice to get what she wanted, despite the fact that she was far less deserving than her dear father, her stupid and rather disgusting brother (for the incest, of course), and dear sweet Celia, whose guts I found myself hating despite how good she was. It was this that amazed me about the way the characters were presented. I began to love Beatrice so much as a character that I put her before Celia, who did nothing wrong and became the subject of a loveless and twisted marriage because of Beatrice's scheming. Yet, while I was lost in this book I didn't care for Celia one bit. What I don't understand is how much I hate Ralph. Really he is just as bad to the core as Beatrice herself but because Beatrice learned to dislike him I found myself following her tastes.
Come the second half of the book, however, I began disliking Beatrice and liking everyone else. I knew poor John deserved better and hated her for keeping him drunk, I wished that he and Celia had ended up with each other because they were both good people. I hated Beatrice for giving up in the end. Somehow though, I still liked her. I wish that Harry had somehow met a worse fate, if only for his ignorance.
I've never found myself so in love with or disgusted by one bookful of characters. Five stars for this reason.
Now into the spoilers.
First off, let me say that the main character is wonderfully despicable. In real life, had I known such dark depths to a person's character I would probably hate them. But I found myself wanting Beatrice to get what she wanted, despite the fact that she was far less deserving than her dear father, her stupid and rather disgusting brother (for the incest, of course), and dear sweet Celia, whose guts I found myself hating despite how good she was. It was this that amazed me about the way the characters were presented. I began to love Beatrice so much as a character that I put her before Celia, who did nothing wrong and became the subject of a loveless and twisted marriage because of Beatrice's scheming. Yet, while I was lost in this book I didn't care for Celia one bit. What I don't understand is how much I hate Ralph. Really he is just as bad to the core as Beatrice herself but because Beatrice learned to dislike him I found myself following her tastes.
Come the second half of the book, however, I began disliking Beatrice and liking everyone else. I knew poor John deserved better and hated her for keeping him drunk, I wished that he and Celia had ended up with each other because they were both good people. I hated Beatrice for giving up in the end. Somehow though, I still liked her. I wish that Harry had somehow met a worse fate, if only for his ignorance.
I've never found myself so in love with or disgusted by one bookful of characters. Five stars for this reason.
I only made it to chapter 5, and had 20+ hours left in audio and I am not enjoying this at all so ... DNF for me. Some SPOILERS below (even just that far in...)
Now I don't consider myself a prude. I've read a ton of stuff and at times am okay with the explicit. This just wasn't anything enjoyable at all. I'm okay being unsettled if there is something that comes from it, growth or redemption, or learning on my part, but glancing at the reviews, I didn't think this was going to head in that direction and I didn't want to invest hours in feeling awful. In truth, I'm got a miserable cold at the moment and am already feeling awful, but I don't know that this is something I'd want to spend hours in ... and it's only the first installment! Moving on ...
Spoiler
at first, it is a little discouraging, the female of the family going to be left out from the land she loves because of the times/entail. But the MC is just twisted and horrible. So much, too much, unsettling stuff. At just 15, she has a sexual relationship with one of the ranch hands. Discovered doing the deed by her brother, that turns weird "beat me". Then "lets murder your father and fleece your brother" ... and she says okay. While she has second thoughts about that, it's too late, Dad is dead. She goes to her murderer lover and murders him (or so we think) in an awful way ... as if murder isn't bad enough regardless. Of course there's one last sexual encounter before she does that. She self-justifies everything. Then she is attracted to her brother and a sexual relationship ensues there.Now I don't consider myself a prude. I've read a ton of stuff and at times am okay with the explicit. This just wasn't anything enjoyable at all. I'm okay being unsettled if there is something that comes from it, growth or redemption, or learning on my part, but glancing at the reviews, I didn't think this was going to head in that direction and I didn't want to invest hours in feeling awful. In truth, I'm got a miserable cold at the moment and am already feeling awful, but I don't know that this is something I'd want to spend hours in ... and it's only the first installment! Moving on ...