Wideacre by Philippa Gregory (Book 1 of the Wideacre Trilogy)

Synopsis

Beatrice Lacey, as strong-minded as she is beautiful, refuses to conform to the social customs of her time. Destined to lose her family name and beloved Wideacre estate once she is wed, Beatrice will use any means necessary to protect her ancestral heritage. Seduction, betrayal, even murder — Beatrice’s passion is without apology or conscience. “She is a Lacey of Wideacre,” her father warns, “and whatever she does, however she behaves, will always be fitting.” Yet even as Beatrice’s scheming seems about to yield her dream, she is haunted by the one living person who knows the extent of her plans…and her capacity for evil.

Sumptuously set in Georgian England, Wideacre is intensely gripping, rich in texture, and full of color and authenticity. It is a saga as irresistible in its singular magic as its heroine.

Review:
It was a gripping tale. I could barely keep it down. It was pure fiction though. Hardly believable, but quite enchanting nevertheless. It was very much fantasy and had a mystical theme throughout it. The mysical theme namely was one of an Earth Goddess/Witch and fertility of the land. I didn’t find Beatrice Lacey, the heroine, endearing. I found her rather simple minded, short-sighted and poorly reared. She was very much a country girl at heart and her desires were quite simple. She simply loved the land.
She made many errors in her youth. She bedded the wrong men. Was too hasty. But I blame most of her troubles to the fact that she was quite young and given a lot of freedom. Youth and freedom usually spell disaster. Impetuous decisions and mistakes seem to occur when that happens.
The ending seemed fitting, albeit not the one I was hoping for and if she wasn’t so superstitious it would have ended quite differently. But she was a country girl through and through and in the end she stayed with the old ways of country life. She was part of an old era and she represented the old ways.
She had several loves so I don’t know which one was her true love and her best love. It varies for me when I think about it. Each love seemed perfect at the time. But for the rest of her life I’m unsure.
Truly a book of fantasy. Wholly unbelievable. If you want to escape to fantasy land, this is a good book to read and one you won’t want to put down. I give four out of five stars because I found it amusing and intriguing.

Tags: book review, books, philippa gregory, trilogy, wideacre