Journal Entry 1 by Twynnie from Cambridge, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom on Saturday, September 23, 2006

I enjoyed this book - the plot was compelling although I couldn't 'bond' with any of the characters.

Here's a synopsis from Amazon:
This is a haunting story of a woman's desire in a time of turbulence. Alys joins the nunnery to escape hardship and poverty but finds herself thrown back into the outside world when Henry VIII's wreckers destroy her sanctuary. With nothing to support her but her looks, her magic and her own instinctive cunning, Alys has to tread a perilous path between the faith of her childhood and her own female power. When she falls in love with Hugo, the feudal lord and another woman's husband, she dips into witchcraft to defeat her rival and to win her lover, but finds - as her cynical old foster-mother had advised - that magic makes a poor servant but a dominant master. Since heresy against the new church means the stake, and witchcraft the rope, Alys's danger is mortal. A woman's powers are no longer safe to use!


I intend to start a bookring with this book

Here are the bookring rules:

1. Please journal the book when you receive it.

2. Please try to read the book within a month. If it's not possible, it's no big deal, but please make a journal entry to let everyone know what is happening with the book.

3. Please journal your thoughts on the book when you have finished reading, and also let us know when you are sending the book on to the next person.

and here is the shipping order:
penelopewanders (Switzerland, Europe only) <-- book is here
Cross-patch (UK, prefers UK)
PurpleElephant (UK, anywhere)
indygo88 (US, prefer US)
thegoaliegirl(US, prefer US)
rootmartin (US, anywhere)
lottiotta (UK, anywhere)
Cassiopaeia (UK, keep last)


back to me (Twynnie) in the UK! 

Journal Entry 2 by penelopewanders from Hasliberg, Bern / Berne Switzerland on Friday, October 06, 2006

So this book has truly begun its travelling adventure, having now scaled the Swiss alps to the village where I live. There seems to be a bookring convention here this week, as three other rings are here at the same time, but fortunately I'm a fast reader and the other three books are considerably lighter and slimmer. As soon as I read it, it will travel on to the next in the ring. Thanks so much, Twynnie, for making this available.

UPDATE:
Ok, I have now read the book, and although I continue to admire Gregory's writing I realized that I really disliked the heroine and that spoiled the book for me a bit. Alys betrays everyone and everything, basically caring only for herself - her faith seems derisory, her love fickle, even her skill unmastered. There is a glimmer of "hope" for her in the final scene, but since when is death real hope?
I'm glad to have read this as there were many elements I found fascinating. Philippa Gregory describes historical events well and makes her characters seem very real and complex. Unfortunately I felt I'd spent several days in the company of a very unpleasant person, and given my druthers, I'd rather spend time with people I like!
Thanks Twynnie for making this available. I will be sending it to Cross-Patch along with another bookring for her that arrived at the same time - such a coincidence! (The Birth of Venus, Sarah Dunant). Almost finished reading that so I should be able to post by next week at the latest. Sorry this has taken a while. 

Journal Entry 3 by penelopewanders at BookRing in controlled release, .---controlled release---. Switzerland on Saturday, November 11, 2006

Released 5 yrs ago (11/11/2006 UTC) at BookRing in controlled release, .---controlled release---. Switzerland

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

RELEASE NOTES:

This bookring is now posted and on its way to the UK. Thanks so much for making it available. 

Journal Entry 4 by Cross-patch from Leicester, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Monday, November 20, 2006

I love getting lost in a Philippa Gregory - I hope I like the main character more than penelopewanders does! Thank you for sending them on, and with such a beautiful post card of the mountain - I'll have trouble with my husband if he sees it, as he used to spend all his summers as a student climbing in the Alps!
Now you know I have a bit of a book fest, but I'll read on at a pace. Thank you Twynnie for sharing. 

Journal Entry 5 by Cross-patch from Leicester, Leicestershire United Kingdom on Thursday, December 14, 2006

I was disappointed. It's so hard to see past a nasty pair of leadng characters in this sort of novel. It was impossible to remain happy seeing the world through Alys/Ann's eyes. I'm stll a Philippa Gregory fan though, and shall read more of her novels.
I am waitng for PurpleEephant's address and then I'll post The Wise Woman on.
19 Dec. Posted today. 

Journal Entry 6 by PurpleElephant from Glastonbury, Somerset United Kingdom on Thursday, December 21, 2006

Book arrived this morning, thanks for posting Cross-Patch. Hope to set to this one almost straight away. 

Journal Entry 7 by indygo88 from Lafayette, Indiana USA on Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Arrived on my doorstep today! I see that you didn't journal your impressions, PurpleElephant...you alluded that you didn't care for it much on your postcard. :-( Hmmm....this book seems to have somewhat mixed reviews, so I'll give it a go and see what I think. I've got a few reads before it, though.
 

Journal Entry 8 by indygo88 from Lafayette, Indiana USA on Friday, July 06, 2007

This was my third Philippa Gregory novel and I continue to enjoy her writing style, although I have to say that I wasn't expecting a main character whom I disliked so much. Despite that, I found myself wrapped up in the story & found it hard to put down. Her older novels (such as this one) do seem to be a bit more bawdy & I found some of the plotline a little bit "out there". I'm glad I had the chance to read this one & I'm interested to see the reviews of further readers. Thank you for sharing, Twynnie!

I have thegoaliegirl's address and will posting this within the next few days. Sorry for keeping it as long as I did. 

Journal Entry 9 by thegoaliegirl from Spokane, Washington USA on Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Book arrived today. can't wait to start it! 

Journal Entry 10 by thegoaliegirl from Spokane, Washington USA on Thursday, July 26, 2007

This was not my favorite of her novels. I had a hard time liking Alys. She was only interested in herself and that annoyed me greatly. Even still, I had a hard time putting this book down.

Book went out to rootmartin yesterday. 

Journal Entry 11 by rootmartin from Marlborough, Massachusetts USA on Monday, August 06, 2007

Received in the mail today. I have a couple of books ahead of it but will start it within a couple of weeks. Thanks! 

Journal Entry 12 by rootmartin from Marlborough, Massachusetts USA on Monday, August 27, 2007

I hate to do this but I'm sending this book on its way unread. I simply have been bombarded with books to review and bookrings all at once and I don't want to hold up this bookring at all. So, I'm shipping it off. 

Journal Entry 13 by Lottiotta from Swansea, Wales United Kingdom on Thursday, August 30, 2007

Oooo thank you. :) I shall read it as soon as "The Plains of Passage" by Jean M Auel is through. Thanks!

5th September 2007
Ooooooo - emotional bits, scary bits, and general downward spirals. A lot gloomier than I expected, but very good!

Ready to send on to the next BCer, as soon as I have an address. Thanks for sharing, everyone!

6th September 2007
Posted this morning, second class. :) Enjoy it! 

Journal Entry 14 by Cassiopaeia from Cardiff, Wales United Kingdom on Saturday, September 08, 2007

Thank you Lottiotta, it has arrived safely. One and a half before this, hopefully I won't be too long, then back to Twynnie. 

Journal Entry 15 by Cassiopaeia from Cardiff, Wales United Kingdom on Saturday, September 22, 2007

I don’t have any strong feelings about this in any direction. The fifty or one hundred page deadline was never an issue, reading and getting through it wasn't a problem. It certainly created a sense of time and place but I don’t think the material
was well enough exploited to merit the length of the book or on the other hand maybe there just wasn’t enough material to lend any depth to the story?? I think I prefer Gregory when there is an abundance of historical detail and a lot more going on. Thanks Twynnie, glad I have read this, but not one of my favourites.

Ready to return again to Twynnie after its travels.

September 26th sent First Class Post today, back to Twynnie.
 

Journal Entry 16 by Twynnie from Cambridge, Cambridgeshire United Kingdom on Sunday, September 30, 2007

Well, the book has returned safely home. Thanks to everyone for taking good care of it! I haven't decided whther to keep it permanently or not yet - it may have more travelling to do...