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3.14 AVERAGE
3.14 AVERAGE
Does it never stop in this book? Now I understand the complaint some folks made about [b:Outlander|10964|Outlander (Outlander, #1)|Diana Gabaldon|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41PXCSX5AKL._SL75_.jpg|2489796] and its sequels, except that there the protagonists never catch a break. Here, our narrator inflicts a rather astonishing series of rather horrifying acts on any number of others. I'm not normally given to running around thinking "ONOEZ! This book has CROSSED THE LINE!" but Beatrice's motives flip back, forth, back, forth, and she's so completely unsympathetic and, in my opinion, undermotivated by external forces that I found it hard to even read the book.
The fact that the setting doesn't particularly shout 18th century is another point against the novel, for me; the whole time, I was thinking, "This could just as well have been set 200 years earlier, or 200 years later." There was no need for the historical setting and it was treated more as a convenient way to explain away several plot points.
Bleh. Just bleh.
The fact that the setting doesn't particularly shout 18th century is another point against the novel, for me; the whole time, I was thinking, "This could just as well have been set 200 years earlier, or 200 years later." There was no need for the historical setting and it was treated more as a convenient way to explain away several plot points.
Bleh. Just bleh.
I'm quite surprised I finished this book. It was the first one I've read by Philippa Gregory, and I will certainly try another by her, but most likely not from this series. As others have said the main character in this book is really a wretched and evil human being and that was one reason I seriously considered not finishing this book. It is certainly not one I would recommend.
What a fascinating example of an unreliable narrator. The main charater in this novel is undeniably the villain of the piece, but because we are in her head the whole time, we know she never thinks so.
It's a sick, twisted book, but Philippa Gregory's style remains as engrossing as ever.
It's a sick, twisted book, but Philippa Gregory's style remains as engrossing as ever.
I was dubious about starting the Wideacre series, because it gave the appearance of being a romance novel (which I typically despise). There are a few love/sex scenes but these are used to magnify the horrors perpetuated on Wideacre (greed, obsession, murder, incest). This was more of a psychological thriller than a historical romance.
I loved the first half of this book. Beatrice Lacey is by far the most horrible, hateful, despicable narrator I've ever read, but I found myself rooting for her throughout all her scandalous deeds- the conspired murder, the attempted murder, the committed murder, the incest, the hidden pregnancies, and on and on the list goes. I even found myself disliking sweet little Celia, as wonderful a woman as she was, simply because she was Beatrice's enemy. That, I think, is the mark of a truly wonderful author. In any other case, I would despise a woman like Beatrice, but while reading this book, I couldn't help but be on her side.
So naturally, when the second part of the book came, and Beatrice's downfall seemed inevitable, I found it hard to get through. Everything was working against her and I lost the initial connection I'd felt with her as a narrator. Her desires didn't make as much sense to me anymore. No longer able to root for the narrator, and watching the world around her fall apart, I found it a difficult book to finish.
Because I loved the beginning and disliked the end, I give "Wideacre" three stars. Not a bad read and I do intend to read the next two books in the series.
Find more book reviews at A Quick Red Fox.
So naturally, when the second part of the book came, and Beatrice's downfall seemed inevitable, I found it hard to get through. Everything was working against her and I lost the initial connection I'd felt with her as a narrator. Her desires didn't make as much sense to me anymore. No longer able to root for the narrator, and watching the world around her fall apart, I found it a difficult book to finish.
Because I loved the beginning and disliked the end, I give "Wideacre" three stars. Not a bad read and I do intend to read the next two books in the series.
Find more book reviews at A Quick Red Fox.
Kinda loved this because of how horrible the narrator was. It may not be for everyone (lots of very creepy sex things) but I was hooked by both the historical language and formal setting as well as the very calm, measured voice of a woman slowly driven to ruin by her very own machinations.
I was blown away by this book. I found myself in a mood with my husband but couldn't place the reason I eventually figured out that as I was reading Wideacre I was taking on the emotion and the mood of Beatrice. When she was upset I found myself upset too, when she was excited so was I. It's not often I read a book and get so emotionally involved. Philippa Gregory has a real talent for writing.
It is also not very often that I enjoy a book with such a hateful main character (she is certainly not the heroine!). All the same I loved her, I believed in her and I wanted her to win. As I was reading, it was as if I was her sub conscience and as she convinced herself it was the only way to accomplish her dream she convinced me too. I was totally enveloped in this story and cannot wait to get underway with the next in the series.
This is not a book for the faint-hearted, it is not the same style as Gregory's tudor series and neither is it your regular regency drama. It is not about rich, young women looking for rich, handsome men to marry. It is a story of the passion one woman has for her land, land that she will never legally own, and her willingness to do anything and commit any crime to stay upon it and call it her own.
Warning: Sexually explicit, murder, incest, lies, death and alcoholism are a few of the themes you will find in this book.
It is also not very often that I enjoy a book with such a hateful main character (she is certainly not the heroine!). All the same I loved her, I believed in her and I wanted her to win. As I was reading, it was as if I was her sub conscience and as she convinced herself it was the only way to accomplish her dream she convinced me too. I was totally enveloped in this story and cannot wait to get underway with the next in the series.
This is not a book for the faint-hearted, it is not the same style as Gregory's tudor series and neither is it your regular regency drama. It is not about rich, young women looking for rich, handsome men to marry. It is a story of the passion one woman has for her land, land that she will never legally own, and her willingness to do anything and commit any crime to stay upon it and call it her own.
Warning: Sexually explicit, murder, incest, lies, death and alcoholism are a few of the themes you will find in this book.
While the book was well written it was a task to read, and not an entirely enjoyable one I have to say. The long winding narrative concluded in a disappointing and anti climatic manner and it didn't really feel as though there had been any real comeuppance for all the nastiness through the book. At times I felt the narrative unrealistic and the characters like Harry a little wooden and lacking in any depths. Harry is meant to be educated and yet he is portrayed as dull witted and easily fooled through out the novel. It is also uninspiring to read 600+ pages of a first person narrative when the main protagonist has no redeeming features and you lack any real compassion or care for what happens to her in the end. All in all a very disappointing read that seemed to use sex as a tool to spice up the narrative where it lacked any real ability to hold the reader. As adults there is nothing wrong with giving us a little spice in a novel but please please don't do it to fill pages or to somehow justify flimsy characterisation. I finished this book but only as a courtesy as I know how much work goes into writing. I will be very loathed to read another of Philippa Gregory's books which is a shame as 'The other Boleyn girl' is meant to be excellent. Two stars for this book but only because I'm biased as I'm from Sussex and too love its land.