Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.14 AVERAGE
3.14 AVERAGE
If I could, I would have given this more like a 3.75. I was on the verge of giving it four stars because I found this book far from being mediocre, but it was also bogged down with so much internal dialogue that the book could have survived being about 200 pages less.
The main character, Beatrice Lacey, was brilliant. I definitely sympathized with her at least in the beginning. From the whole feminist perspective, the old argument of why a woman, who has been on her land since a small child, with as much knowledge, perhaps even more knowledge and ability should stand to inherit nothing, while the males in the family have to do nothing but wait for their properties to fall into their lap. Sh is incredibly full of herself, but you have to forgive it because she has quite simply, just been brought up that way, she doesn't really know how to be modest. And to her credit for most of the novel she doesn't really care about being beautiful, only when she needs to get something she wants, and I think we can all honestly say we know what that's like!
I can on some level understand her need to plot and scheme to achieve such a goal. I enjoyed the storyline of her relationship with Ralph, and her botched attempted murder of him. But to have to seduce your brother? To actually be attracted to him simply because he was now the Squire of Wideacre? I could have done without that for sure.
Her brother, Harry, almost seemed to me to be one of those conveniently planted characters where the author can just use him to fill in plot holes. I find it hard to accept that he was once so sickly as a child, near death at times, only to go away to school for a couple years and come home as a healthy, incredibly handsome fit young lad. Where as a child he showed no interest in Wideacre, now he is suddenly interested in farming? It was known to us that Harry enjoyed being bullied and dominated but I find it hard to believe that he could have actually allowed Beatrice to ruin their property so badly.
I found Celia to be a tedious character, even though she was needed to be seen as the white and innocent to Beatrice's darkness.
The character of John MacAndrew really surprised me. I really loved him at the beginning when he was courting Beatrice. How I wish they could've made it work. Why did he have to wear his heart on his sleeve. Its funny that even though he was the victim throughout his whole storyline, I was actually rooting for Beatrice by the end. Even though it was she who committed all these awful sins, the moment John started calling for Celia I turned on him.
The relationship of Wideacre with the local village was very nicely done, and I really felt awful for the ruined friendships of the villagers and Beatrice. They were part of the magic of her land, so when they started to turn against her, she stopped loving the land so much. It was obvious to see in her scheme to secure the property for her children, it was really for herself more.
All in all I really enjoyed this book. I understand that it is the first of three and although I can't wait to read the next one I definitely need a break from it. The other books just as lengthy as this one, and I'm not the biggest fan of description description description.
I would definitely recommend this book to you if you enjoy stories about feminism, family values, murder and romance. Be prepared for some incestuous love scenes though. And lots of the main character being completely full of herself ...
The main character, Beatrice Lacey, was brilliant. I definitely sympathized with her at least in the beginning. From the whole feminist perspective, the old argument of why a woman, who has been on her land since a small child, with as much knowledge, perhaps even more knowledge and ability should stand to inherit nothing, while the males in the family have to do nothing but wait for their properties to fall into their lap. Sh is incredibly full of herself, but you have to forgive it because she has quite simply, just been brought up that way, she doesn't really know how to be modest. And to her credit for most of the novel she doesn't really care about being beautiful, only when she needs to get something she wants, and I think we can all honestly say we know what that's like!
I can on some level understand her need to plot and scheme to achieve such a goal. I enjoyed the storyline of her relationship with Ralph, and her botched attempted murder of him. But to have to seduce your brother? To actually be attracted to him simply because he was now the Squire of Wideacre? I could have done without that for sure.
Her brother, Harry, almost seemed to me to be one of those conveniently planted characters where the author can just use him to fill in plot holes. I find it hard to accept that he was once so sickly as a child, near death at times, only to go away to school for a couple years and come home as a healthy, incredibly handsome fit young lad. Where as a child he showed no interest in Wideacre, now he is suddenly interested in farming? It was known to us that Harry enjoyed being bullied and dominated but I find it hard to believe that he could have actually allowed Beatrice to ruin their property so badly.
I found Celia to be a tedious character, even though she was needed to be seen as the white and innocent to Beatrice's darkness.
The character of John MacAndrew really surprised me. I really loved him at the beginning when he was courting Beatrice. How I wish they could've made it work. Why did he have to wear his heart on his sleeve. Its funny that even though he was the victim throughout his whole storyline, I was actually rooting for Beatrice by the end. Even though it was she who committed all these awful sins, the moment John started calling for Celia I turned on him.
The relationship of Wideacre with the local village was very nicely done, and I really felt awful for the ruined friendships of the villagers and Beatrice. They were part of the magic of her land, so when they started to turn against her, she stopped loving the land so much. It was obvious to see in her scheme to secure the property for her children, it was really for herself more.
All in all I really enjoyed this book. I understand that it is the first of three and although I can't wait to read the next one I definitely need a break from it. The other books just as lengthy as this one, and I'm not the biggest fan of description description description.
I would definitely recommend this book to you if you enjoy stories about feminism, family values, murder and romance. Be prepared for some incestuous love scenes though. And lots of the main character being completely full of herself ...
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I rarely read books where the main character can be so villainous and utterly dislikable but through it all I was STILL rooting for Beatrice. The book was long, but I barely even noticed because I enjoyed it so much!
I agree with the many who hated this book. I actually quite reading it 3/4th through (I kept waiting for it to turn around)and skipped to the end to see what happens (something I never ever ever do).
If you are a reader who loves extremely dark (and disturbing) stories, you may like this one. Its a story about a woman who continuously spirals down into the depths of human depravity all in order to obtain the one thing she wants. And yet she destroys it in the process. Things go from bad to worse, and then end horribly. I may have have been able to stomach it if there had been some kind of redemption to be had anywhere, but there wasn't.
It was just depressing.
If you are a reader who loves extremely dark (and disturbing) stories, you may like this one. Its a story about a woman who continuously spirals down into the depths of human depravity all in order to obtain the one thing she wants. And yet she destroys it in the process. Things go from bad to worse, and then end horribly. I may have have been able to stomach it if there had been some kind of redemption to be had anywhere, but there wasn't.
It was just depressing.
Beatrice is a bitch, I could hardly relate to but this book is a fast paced, beautiful read.
I apparently read this a long time ago, and forgot it. So I read it again, and it was a weird one! I really enjoy reading books from the perspective of an ambitious and opportunistic female lead ahead of her time in a lot of ways. They are always villains in the eyes of society... but in this case, Beatrice really was a huge villain... and although ruthless and murderous, the incest plots are what I can't get over. Ugh. And to know that incest plotline moves forward in subsequent novels in the trilogy really grosses me out. I don't remember the sequels from the first go round, and I won't be reading them again!
This book is horrible. I was given the trilogy to read by a friend and I counldn't even get past this book. I did finish it but I struggled to do it.
The main character is an awful person that does absolutly anything to save the land she lives on. Including not only murder but incest. It's gross! I read the back of the next in the series but when I saw the same type of incestuous relationship in that one too I was done without even starting.
There was no redeeming qualities for either sibling. Both drove me nuts.
Horrible read and I do not recommend.
The main character is an awful person that does absolutly anything to save the land she lives on. Including not only murder but incest. It's gross! I read the back of the next in the series but when I saw the same type of incestuous relationship in that one too I was done without even starting.
There was no redeeming qualities for either sibling. Both drove me nuts.
Horrible read and I do not recommend.
I was bored. So I stopped. Life is too short to spend reading books that bore me.
I made the mistake of reading this book with my husband was deployed to the middle east. I love and hate this book at the same time. I was so depressed while reading this book, and for sometime after. The reason I hate it is because it didnt end like I wanted it too. But it seems Gregory does that A LOT! But I LOVE it because it was so amazingly written. I have fallen in love with all her work now, just dont read it during difficult times. Or maybe do, so you know someone's life is worse than yours!
I'm surprised by how much I enjoyed reading this. There's something about Philippa Gregory's writing that keeps me hooked even through the most boring parts.
Unsure of whether I'll be reading the next in the series but will definitely reading other books by her.
Unsure of whether I'll be reading the next in the series but will definitely reading other books by her.