Virgin Earth: A Novel
by Philippa Gregory
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 740)
Read in October, 2008
I'm a very big Gregory fan but this rates as one of my least favorite of her novels.
For the great period of turmoil in England in which it's set, Gregory has chosen one of the boring characters to narrate it. While the Tradescants might have been interesting and overlooked figures in English history having to endure this story from the Younger's eys is painful. The pace of the story plods along and we are given views of history second-hand. The way John tags along to witness big historical m...more
For the great period of turmoil in England in which it's set, Gregory has chosen one of the boring characters to narrate it. While the Tradescants might have been interesting and overlooked figures in English history having to endure this story from the Younger's eys is painful. The pace of the story plods along and we are given views of history second-hand. The way John tags along to witness big historical m...more
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Read in February, 2008
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Read in October, 2008
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in June, 2007
If you enjoy Phillipa Gregory's historic fictions, you will enjoy this one. This is technically a sequel to her book Earthly Joys, but I never read Earthly Joys and I don't think you miss anything - they are described as 'free standing.' The book takes place during the early to mid 1600's during a period of civil war in England. A royal gardener, John Tradscant, sets off to the royal colony in Virginia in an attempt to escape not only war-torn England but also to escape some tragedy in his pe...more
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Read in July, 2008
recommended to Bookmaniac70 by:
LindyLouMac
Copying my review at Bookcrossing.com:
I finished the book tonight I have no complaints toward one of my favorite writers.:-)) Perhaps it`s slightly below "Earthly Joys" but nevertheless I did see Gregory in her usual writing self. An intriguing period of English history,a rich plot with many turns,and some exotics thanks to the story line in Virginia. Perhaps John Tradescant-junior was lacking the integrity and strong will of his father but at the same time he was not without good...more
I finished the book tonight I have no complaints toward one of my favorite writers.:-)) Perhaps it`s slightly below "Earthly Joys" but nevertheless I did see Gregory in her usual writing self. An intriguing period of English history,a rich plot with many turns,and some exotics thanks to the story line in Virginia. Perhaps John Tradescant-junior was lacking the integrity and strong will of his father but at the same time he was not without good...more
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Read in March, 2008
I wasn't really expecting to become a big fan of Philippa Gregory, but in the past couple years, I have become a huge fan. This book, the stand-alone sequel to Earthly Joys, follows the son of John Tradescant, our first book's narrator, and gives us another generation's perspective. Different from his father (for better or for worse, he's always conflicted), John is never sure whether he wants to be in England or the new-found America. Giving dazzling perspective to both lands, peppering the ...more
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I picked this one up at the DI for a couple of bucks because I recognized the author from The Other Bolyn Girl. There was a little sexual content in this one, but probably not as much as TOBG. Same type of story though, historical fiction. It's about the king's gardner during the early american settlement period in Jamestown. He goes to America to gather plants for the king. He has difficulty choosing which life to lead, whether he stays with his family in England or goes to America to live with...more
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Read in January, 2006
recommends it for:
Gregory fans, gardening fans and especially fans of early American History
I love all of her books but i think that this is maybe her best and for a reason I am sure that she did not intend. With all of the early American History that I have read, sites that I have visited, history courses taken and movies and mini series watched this is the best I have ever really understood how incredibly difficult it was to just survive in the New World. Reading of the never ending struggle to find food was overwhelming, the loneliness was aching and sheer physicality of the life ...more
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The ending was surprising and weak, but I still enjoyed reading yet another of Philippa Gregory's novels. John was a likable and sympathetic character, and the comparison of the New World to England was balanced nicely throughout the book.
I never thought I would say this, but Virgin Earth was not as sexually descriptive as some of Gregory's other works. I'm not saying I read these books for the sex scenes, but I was at least expecting more than one. Sheesh.
On a pickier note, I noticed a...more
I never thought I would say this, but Virgin Earth was not as sexually descriptive as some of Gregory's other works. I'm not saying I read these books for the sex scenes, but I was at least expecting more than one. Sheesh.
On a pickier note, I noticed a...more
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Read in September, 2007
Yet again made me wish for a half-star -- it was an interesting book about divided loyalties which gained relevance as I read it due to some weirdness in my own life . . . I liked the attention to historical detail - Philippa Gregory is good for that - and it was a time period with which I was less familiar.
I think what distracted me most was that the center half of the book had a few too many parallels to Dances with Wolves, although the overall story was different. In all, lush, ...more
I think what distracted me most was that the center half of the book had a few too many parallels to Dances with Wolves, although the overall story was different. In all, lush, ...more
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Read in February, 2008
recommends it for:
Fans of English and United States History
I was really impressed by this novel from one of my favorite authors, Phillipa Gregory. I read Earthly Joys a few years ago, and this was the sequel to it. I loved her exploration of John's fickle personality through the love of Jane, Suckahanna, and Hester. He really grew into his own, and albeit late in life, he became a very strong individual. I really enjoyed accounts of both countries' warring at the same time for completely different (identical?) reasons. My heart bled for the Powhatan peo...more
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I am a huge fan of Philippa Gregory and while the book was not a complete waste of time, this and "Earthly Joys" are not my favorites and definitely not up to par with other Gregory books.
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