Wideacre: A Novel (Wideacre, #1)

by Philippa Gregory

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Philippa Gregory comes the stunning first novel of a thrilling trilogy about the Lacey family, and the captivating woman at the heart of a power-hungry estate willing to go to any means to protect her family name.

Beatrice Lacey, as strong-minded as she is beautiful, refuses to conform to the social customs of her time. Destined to lose her heritage and beloved Wideacre estate once she is wed, Beatrice will use any means necessary to protect her ancestral name. 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 from the "queen of royal fiction" (USA TODAY), 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.

• ISBN10: 0743249291
• ISBN13: 9780743249294
• Publish Date: 2 July 2003 (first published 1 February 1987)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Simon & Schuster
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 688
• Language: English

Reviews

[Rinn]

Also posted on my blog, Rinn Reads.

On one hand I found myself despising Beatrice for everything she did, and she made me so angry with her narcissism - constantly referring to herself as beautiful and talking about her 'lovely body'. But as the book progressed, I started to almost feel sorry for her. The way she felt she had to do all these horrible acts to keep hold of Wideacre for herself, but they only contributed to her downfall. The way she no longer felt any love for the land she loved when she was younger and worked so hard for, the way she was ignored and hated by people who once loved her. I was both frustrated and quite enthralled by the book so I kept reading it, although from about the middle it was obvious how it would conclude. I think she is one of the few protagonists that I have really truly despised, but like I said my emotions became conflicted as the horrific acts lessened and she lost control. Her treatment of John was especially cruel and I actually found that part quite hard to read.

I'd recommend it if you're a fan of historical fiction that's a bit... saucier than usual, let's say. There's some squeamish parts that I don't really want to go into, and I think the main thing that kept me reading was that Beatrice's character was just so horrible, I wanted to see how it all ended.