Wonderful Book

[MIRANDA]

I think this book (and the entire Wideacre trilogy) is an absolute must for any fan of historical fiction. Gregory keeps you on the edge of your seat with each twist and turn of the book. I highly recommend this book to anyone, it has found a special place on my favorite books list. I'm about to start the third book in the trilogy and I find myself sad that this is the last Wideacre book.

[BRNTerri]

I absolutely loved this book. It was a true page turner for me. I think Beatrice is an excellent antiheroine and the author did a great job with her. Beatrice truly has no conscience. I've never read a book quite that that one and can't wait to reread it this year. I think I first read it in 2006.

I liked 'The Favored Child' ok but thought 'Wideacre' was truly terrible. I still don't know what the point of it was, lol.

[Melissa]

I have only read the first book, Wideacre, and I enjoyed the story, but I didn't feel inspired to go on to read the other books. In reflecting on this, I think it is because the character of Beatrice was not believable to me. She was so terrible, too willing to go to extremes--she didn't seem to be realistically consumed by any shame or guilt.

[[deleted user]]

Melissa wrote: "I have only read the first book, Wideacre, and I enjoyed the story, but I didn't feel inspired to go on to read the other books. In reflecting on this, I think it is because the character of Beatr..."

I agree that she is terrible, but for some weird reason I was with her all the way. I'm sure if I knew someone like her in real life, I'd hate them. There are people like her in real life that have no conscience. But the book was so full of tension that I found it compelling and her self destructive streak was upsetting.
The other 2 books in the series, while excellent, were unbelievable medically. Surely all that incest would have resulted in the child Sara being terribly disabled or deformed. But the narrative and charters were so powerful I could overlook this and enjoy the books.

[Lisa]

I've read every book that Gregory has written so far, LOL, & this was so completely off the pale from her other books I found it refreshing! Color me strange, but I got a kick out of Beatrice. She kind of reminded me a bit of Scarlett O'Hara! Totally self centered, strong willed, devil take no prisoners kind of woman :)

[Hannah]

Absolutely love it. So wrong but so right! Possibly my favoutire book, and I agree with Lisa...I got a kick out of Beatrice too. So wilful and powerful. I think Im due to read to again!

[Morgan]

MIRANDA wrote: "I think this book (and the entire Wideacre trilogy) is an absolute must for any fan of historical fiction. Gregory keeps you on the edge of your seat with each twist and turn of the book. I highl..."

I feel the same way! I dont like them people 'judge' it when it is such a good book. If you read into the symbols and metaphors its not as in your face as it seems. I could not put Widecare of The Favored Child down. This one of my favorite series.

[Aysheh]

I Agree, this book I could not put down. I found myself making comments aloud when reading this novel. Like (no she didnt and oooo, and wow).

[Brandi]

I devoured all three of these books- absolutely loved them. Meridon was my favorite- I read it so fast in a mad panic to see how it all turned out, that I need to re-read it to pick up all the details! Thankfully, I got everything I wanted in the end :0)

[Aysheh]

I have not read Meridon yet. I will start reading it tonight. Do you have any other suggestions for mad panic reads? These titles I simply must have from you. I love these kinds of books! LOL

[Lizzie]

I loved this book. It is soooo different to other books set in this era. It is daring and adventurous. I know a lot of people had trouble with it because of the incest storyline but I think it tackled the issue in a very realistic way.
The characters are fantastic. I love the relationship between Beatrix and her brother's wife. She is wonderfully manipulative and so clever, albeit nasty!

[Morgan]

Brandi wrote: "I devoured all three of these books- absolutely loved them. Meridon was my favorite- I read it so fast in a mad panic to see how it all turned out, that I need to re-read it to pick up all the det..."
I just finished Meridon yesterday and I think it was my favorite too. I was so happy with the ending. I was gonna scream if she was too stubborn to be happy. To me that is how she is different from the other Lacy women, she decided to be happy and be with who she wanted.

[Jessie]

I absolutely loved Meridon. I think I need to re read Wideacre though. I remember the first time I read it I really didn't like it at all and refused to read the second book. I really have no idea what possessed me to read Meridon but I really ended up loving it. So maybe Wideacre a second time around will be better for me.

[Katherine]

This book almost turned me off of Gregory. I will admit that I had trouble putting it down, but after I finished it I just felt dirty. Maybe it was the incest and the evil that is laced through the book. This was not my cup of tea!

[N.C.]

Katherine wrote: "This book almost turned me off of Gregory. I will admit that I had trouble putting it down, but after I finished it I just felt dirty. Maybe it was the incest and the evil that is laced through t..."

I admit that during the first incest scene, I was like "uhhhhhh oookkaaayyy??" But once I got past that, I thought it was hilarious. But then again, I love anything where the person goes nuts, or "descends into madness" a phrase I picked up in my AP English class, in reference to the Emily Dickinson poem, "I felt a funeral in my brain."

[[deleted user]]

I couldnt stand the incest, it didnt agree with me either.I found myself caught up in the book and wanting to know what happens next. Someone wrote " so wrong but so right" I totally agree. I wasnt going to town this weekend but I really want to read the rest of the series I hope they have them.

[Jade]

the incestmade me raise an eyebrow at first, but then i got over it...after all, they used to marry among close cousins and since she hadnt really grown up with her brother i just ignored the family relationship bit.
enjoyed the first book, but not so much the rest...seemed a bit weak after wideacre

[Sonja]

flew through the first two and really liked them, but never got into the third and never finnished it

[Eileen]

I really liked the first two books.. Now I am reading the third one and it is totally different then what I ever expected. What a surprise! But it is still great!!! I loved this trilogy. The first was the one with the most explicit sex in it. After that it wasn't bad at all. I only wish I could read faster. I wouldn't have to stay up past midnight because I can't put it down.

[Famela]

This book should not be judged about its protagonist's nastiness. come on, it's literature. the author writes what it wants. the plot is good. thrilling because it has non-boring desires Beatrice Lacey had. Non-boring because they're forbidden and how the writer could resolve or twist things up. This novel surprises you in every page, you would want to flip pages more. I love this debut and how Philippa makes you feel the same of the mood this novel have.

[Lisa]

I am not sure why everyone is so squeamish about the incest. Surely murder is a worse sin, but no one ever says they found a book dirty because someone plotted and carried out murder.

I found the story interesting, but did feel it dragged on, and some of her decisions were a bit odd for someone so clever. Like denying the wheat dregs to the pickers. It would have cost her little but saved a little bit of good will.