Wideacre : A Novel
2 journalers for this copy...
From Publishers Weekly
Gregory's full-blown first novel is a marvelously assured period piece, an English gothic with narrative verve. Beatrice Lacey loves nothing more than the family estate, Wideacrenot her bluff, hearty father, her weak brother, Harry, or her mother, who can't quite believe mounting evidence that damns her passionate daughter. Foiled in her hunger to own the estate by the 18th century laws of entail, Beatrice plots her father's death, knowing she can twist Harry in any direction she chooses, for her brother harbors a dark, perverted secret. Their incestuous tangle is not broken even by Harry's marriage. And while a bounteous harvest multiplies, no one gainsays the young squire and his sister, the true master of Wideacre. Beatrice marries also, managing to hide the paternity of two children sired by Harry until her increasing greed squeezes the land and its people dry, and the seeds of destruction she has sown come to their awful fruition. Gregory effortlessly breathes color and life into a tale of obsession built around a ruthless, fascinating woman.
Gregory's full-blown first novel is a marvelously assured period piece, an English gothic with narrative verve. Beatrice Lacey loves nothing more than the family estate, Wideacrenot her bluff, hearty father, her weak brother, Harry, or her mother, who can't quite believe mounting evidence that damns her passionate daughter. Foiled in her hunger to own the estate by the 18th century laws of entail, Beatrice plots her father's death, knowing she can twist Harry in any direction she chooses, for her brother harbors a dark, perverted secret. Their incestuous tangle is not broken even by Harry's marriage. And while a bounteous harvest multiplies, no one gainsays the young squire and his sister, the true master of Wideacre. Beatrice marries also, managing to hide the paternity of two children sired by Harry until her increasing greed squeezes the land and its people dry, and the seeds of destruction she has sown come to their awful fruition. Gregory effortlessly breathes color and life into a tale of obsession built around a ruthless, fascinating woman.
I've read 3 of Philippa Gregory's other books (The Other Boleyn Girl, The Queen's Fool, and The Virgin's Lover), so I was very excited about reading her Wideacre trilogy. This book wasn't as good as the others, but it definitely kept me turning pages!
This book is the story of Beatrice Lacey and her struggle to keep her ancestral home, Wideacre. It's rather like a soap opera, filled with love, lust, betrayal, murder, etc. I didn't really like the main character (she's so evil!), but I kept reading anyway just to see what clever plot she'd think up next.
I look forward to reading the next book in the series, The Favored Child, to see what happens to Beatrice's poor daughter, Julia.
This book is the story of Beatrice Lacey and her struggle to keep her ancestral home, Wideacre. It's rather like a soap opera, filled with love, lust, betrayal, murder, etc. I didn't really like the main character (she's so evil!), but I kept reading anyway just to see what clever plot she'd think up next.
I look forward to reading the next book in the series, The Favored Child, to see what happens to Beatrice's poor daughter, Julia.
Sending this off to baronreads as a wish list RABCK...enjoy!:)
Received from Flakes. Thanks so much!!
