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Wideacre #3
Meridon
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Other Boleyn Girl comes the final book of the extraordinary Wideacre trilogy as the heir to the great estate comes home at last.
Meridon knows she does not belong in the dirty, vagabond life of a gypsy bareback rider. The half-remembered vision of another life burns in her heart, even as her beloved sister, Dandy, risks everything for their future. Alone, Meridon follows the urgings of her dream, riding in the moonlight past the rusted gates, up the winding drive to a house--clutching the golden clasp of the necklace that was her birthright--home at last to Wideacre. The lost heir of one of England's great estates would take her place as its mistress...
Meridon is a rich, impassioned tapestry of a young woman's journey from dreams to glittering drawing rooms and elaborate deceits, from a simple hope to a deep and fulfilling love. Set in the savage contrasts of Georgian England--a time alive with treachery, grandeur, and intrigue--Meridon is Philippa Gregory's masterwork.
Meridon knows she does not belong in the dirty, vagabond life of a gypsy bareback rider. The half-remembered vision of another life burns in her heart, even as her beloved sister, Dandy, risks everything for their future. Alone, Meridon follows the urgings of her dream, riding in the moonlight past the rusted gates, up the winding drive to a house--clutching the golden clasp of the necklace that was her birthright--home at last to Wideacre. The lost heir of one of England's great estates would take her place as its mistress...
Meridon is a rich, impassioned tapestry of a young woman's journey from dreams to glittering drawing rooms and elaborate deceits, from a simple hope to a deep and fulfilling love. Set in the savage contrasts of Georgian England--a time alive with treachery, grandeur, and intrigue--Meridon is Philippa Gregory's masterwork.
569 pages, Paperback
First published May 3, 1990
449 people are currently reading
7754 people want to read
About the author
Philippa Gregory
133 books36.6k followersDR PHILIPPA GREGORY studied history at the University of Sussex and was awarded a PhD by the University of Edinburgh where she is a Regent and was made Alumna of the Year in 2009. She holds an honorary degree from Teesside University, and is a fellow of the Universities of Sussex and Cardiff. Philippa is a member of the Society of Authors and in 2016, was presented with the Outstanding Contribution to Historical Fiction Award by the Historical Writers’ Association. In 2018, she was awarded an Honorary Platinum Award by Neilsen for achieving significant lifetime sales across her entire book output. In 2021, she was awarded a CBE for services to literature and to her charity Gardens for the Gambia. and was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.
She welcomes visitors to her site www.PhilippaGregory.com.
Philippa's Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/PhilippaGregoryOfficial
She welcomes visitors to her site www.PhilippaGregory.com.
Philippa's Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/PhilippaGregoryOfficial
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 552 reviews
November 6, 2018
Philippa Gregory for me is one of those authors that you absolutely cherish. If I could summarise in a neat little package what my ideal book would be, it would one hundred percent have her name all over it. I love historical fiction and that is mainly due to this lady, she really can transport you back to the period shes writing about, each and every one of her characters is remarkable in there own way and Meridon is no exception.
Now, I have a great appreciation for this series, the last two books, Wideacre and The Favoured Child, were fascinating. They delved into unthinkable paths and I was anticipating this would be the same. For me this book was a lot tamer than the other two. I went into reading this one without trying to compare it too much but it is so tough not to. The other novels had such prominent, forceful and tenacious characters, Meridon, the main character in this book, paled in comparison. Their did not seem to be that ferocious fight in her that we have seen in the other books and the story lacked it. It needed that bit of nitty gritty in it.
The beginning for me was a bit sluggish, unusual for Philippa, however it does pick up towards the end. Reading this I had a strong sense that I was being taught a valuable lesson and I have come away thinking more about the way society is, the poor and the rich, how we can better ourselves without stepping on those below us. There is a very strong message in this throughout and I don’t think you come to understand it until you finish the novel and see the series as a whole. It really is enlightening, whether Philippa intended this or not.
Even though the book is written in a time long ago from now, the descriptions of West Sussex are still so familiar. Living in Chichester myself I feel a sort of closeness to the characters. I am familiar with the land they live on. Philippa has described West Sussex and the downs to a tee which resonates deeply with me. It has also made me look closer at the area around me and notice the things she did when she came here to write this book. When the novel returns to Wideacre Philippa really comes into her own, she demonstrates why she is one of my top authors, the description of the land is truly breathtaking as the amount of detail is staggering, location in this series is what it is really about. One of the best things about this series as a whole is that you really do not know what is coming next.
So overall, this one was a bit weaker than the other two but it is still better than most books I have read. I am disappointed that Wideacre will not be taking over my mind anymore, but if you think of it, I am living amongst Wideacre, and that is why this story will always stay with me. If nothing it has taught me to appreciate the area I live in and to love it like the Laceys.
Now, I have a great appreciation for this series, the last two books, Wideacre and The Favoured Child, were fascinating. They delved into unthinkable paths and I was anticipating this would be the same. For me this book was a lot tamer than the other two. I went into reading this one without trying to compare it too much but it is so tough not to. The other novels had such prominent, forceful and tenacious characters, Meridon, the main character in this book, paled in comparison. Their did not seem to be that ferocious fight in her that we have seen in the other books and the story lacked it. It needed that bit of nitty gritty in it.
The beginning for me was a bit sluggish, unusual for Philippa, however it does pick up towards the end. Reading this I had a strong sense that I was being taught a valuable lesson and I have come away thinking more about the way society is, the poor and the rich, how we can better ourselves without stepping on those below us. There is a very strong message in this throughout and I don’t think you come to understand it until you finish the novel and see the series as a whole. It really is enlightening, whether Philippa intended this or not.
Even though the book is written in a time long ago from now, the descriptions of West Sussex are still so familiar. Living in Chichester myself I feel a sort of closeness to the characters. I am familiar with the land they live on. Philippa has described West Sussex and the downs to a tee which resonates deeply with me. It has also made me look closer at the area around me and notice the things she did when she came here to write this book. When the novel returns to Wideacre Philippa really comes into her own, she demonstrates why she is one of my top authors, the description of the land is truly breathtaking as the amount of detail is staggering, location in this series is what it is really about. One of the best things about this series as a whole is that you really do not know what is coming next.
So overall, this one was a bit weaker than the other two but it is still better than most books I have read. I am disappointed that Wideacre will not be taking over my mind anymore, but if you think of it, I am living amongst Wideacre, and that is why this story will always stay with me. If nothing it has taught me to appreciate the area I live in and to love it like the Laceys.
January 2, 2024
hmm, 🤔 this was kinda like reading two books, and I liked the first one better than the second!
I enjoyed the first two fifths of the novel... finding Meridons life on the road, both as part of a Gypsy family and then as part of a travelling show, interesting and engaging. I liked her relationship with horses, the training of the horses, a little exploration of the similarities and differences between the Gypsy and Showman year and life, the structuring and development of the shows, the Welsh trapeze trainer... 🙂 and the way her strong and protective relationship with her sister Dandy was a constant.
🐎
the remainder of the book I didn't enjoy. I repeatedly thought about abandoning it, but kept reading in the hope it would improve soon... I was sure after such a strong start it would 'snap out of it' and get back to being good...
🏛
I was much less engaged by gentry living. but I think most of all it was the undermining of the lead character that bothered me. I'm not sure Meridon/Sarah would have made the decisions she was making, despite her heartbreak - she seemed way more canny than that, and it was odd for that to have supposedly just left her.
it became increasingly annoying how many times she commented on pretty much knowing what she was doing wasn't what she wanted to be doing 🙄 and then did the stupid and predictably flawed thing anyway 🙄😬
the whole latter part of the book was annoying and so predictable... and it became abit ridiculous, esp the romance 😬🙄 so much there that was underdeveloped and didn't really add up, and equally seemed to evince a complete character change for our (once) heroine.
the latter three fifths pretty much undermined the strong character Meridon is presented as in the first two fifths, which was incongruent, inconsistent and annoying, awa disappointing.
the latter part of the book was also very repetitive, and could have been way shorter and that could have made for a better read.
did the latter part of the book have any redeeming qualities?? 🤔 the more equitable farming on the Wideacre estate was interesting... tho I wasn't sure how realistic. it did leave me wondering if there had been a historical instance of this 🤔
and the book overall contained some interesting social comment, but also seemed to reinforce some sexism, and not really challenge much 🙄
I'm still abit surprised that the book went the way it did, and can't quite get over how inconsistent it was... and it leaves me abit wary of reading more by the author, and being similarly disappointed...
🌟 2.5 stars?
accessed as a library audiobook, well read by Charlie Sanderson.
I enjoyed the first two fifths of the novel... finding Meridons life on the road, both as part of a Gypsy family and then as part of a travelling show, interesting and engaging. I liked her relationship with horses, the training of the horses, a little exploration of the similarities and differences between the Gypsy and Showman year and life, the structuring and development of the shows, the Welsh trapeze trainer... 🙂 and the way her strong and protective relationship with her sister Dandy was a constant.
🐎
the remainder of the book I didn't enjoy. I repeatedly thought about abandoning it, but kept reading in the hope it would improve soon... I was sure after such a strong start it would 'snap out of it' and get back to being good...
🏛
I was much less engaged by gentry living. but I think most of all it was the undermining of the lead character that bothered me. I'm not sure Meridon/Sarah would have made the decisions she was making, despite her heartbreak - she seemed way more canny than that, and it was odd for that to have supposedly just left her.
it became increasingly annoying how many times she commented on pretty much knowing what she was doing wasn't what she wanted to be doing 🙄 and then did the stupid and predictably flawed thing anyway 🙄😬
the whole latter part of the book was annoying and so predictable... and it became abit ridiculous, esp the romance 😬🙄 so much there that was underdeveloped and didn't really add up, and equally seemed to evince a complete character change for our (once) heroine.
the latter three fifths pretty much undermined the strong character Meridon is presented as in the first two fifths, which was incongruent, inconsistent and annoying, awa disappointing.
the latter part of the book was also very repetitive, and could have been way shorter and that could have made for a better read.
did the latter part of the book have any redeeming qualities?? 🤔 the more equitable farming on the Wideacre estate was interesting... tho I wasn't sure how realistic. it did leave me wondering if there had been a historical instance of this 🤔
and the book overall contained some interesting social comment, but also seemed to reinforce some sexism, and not really challenge much 🙄
I'm still abit surprised that the book went the way it did, and can't quite get over how inconsistent it was... and it leaves me abit wary of reading more by the author, and being similarly disappointed...
🌟 2.5 stars?
accessed as a library audiobook, well read by Charlie Sanderson.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 13, 2024
What a brilliant finale to this trilogy!
This book is definitely my favorite of the three because it is a rich tapestry of a personal journey, peppered with many realizations along the way. I won't describe any of them here, lest I spoil the surprises and the ending.
I also very much liked that it explores transgenerational heritage in both its negative and positive aspects, along with the potential of re-creating it, not from the past but from new vistas. You must read the two previous books to fully appreciate this.
This book is definitely my favorite of the three because it is a rich tapestry of a personal journey, peppered with many realizations along the way. I won't describe any of them here, lest I spoil the surprises and the ending.
I also very much liked that it explores transgenerational heritage in both its negative and positive aspects, along with the potential of re-creating it, not from the past but from new vistas. You must read the two previous books to fully appreciate this.
November 15, 2016
So. The concluding volume of the Wideacre trilogy. Each book is different, but this is by far the tamest. The story arc covers two years instead of 10 or more & the WTFery is kept to a minimum; for those that care, there's no incest in this book.
Sarah's problems are unique in the Wideacre universe. Unlike her mother & grandmother, her initial contact with the land is metaphysical. She has a secret longing for somewhere else -- a place manifested by vivid dreams of past women who look like her, but live in an elegant house with clean clothes & fancy horses on a beautiful stretch of land. But she's not a Quality heiress. She's fifteen, a gypsy foundling, & her name is Meridon...right?
Maybe not.
Even when her true identity is established, Sarah grapples with guilt, inferiority, & bitterness. Unable to conceive of a comfortable life without excessive wealth, she unwisely throws her lot in with the neighboring Havering family, believing they can teach her to become Quality. But Clara Havering is no fool; she smells an unschooled heiress with a giant purse, which is just what the Haverings need to revitalize their own bank account & beat down those fiendish revolutionaries next door -- including Will Tyacke, the young estate manager that Sarah is ABSOLUTELY NOT attracted to. (Yeah, right. :P)
Wacky dramaz ensue. Etc, etc.
Ultimately, this is a novel about Sarah reaching emotional maturity. Her initial standoffish behavior & gimme-gimme attitude aren't always pleasant, but who can blame her? She's had a lot of shit to deal with...and she's only sixteen. By the last third of the book she's ready to consider her errors, but said wacky dramaz come first. Typhus, a drugged-out marriage ceremony, & skeevy gambling hells come into play -- all of which are born of the clash between Sarah's stubbornness & the Haverings' greed.
Unlike the double-edged sword in Wideacre & The Favored Child, this book portrays the land in a positive light. Even if the land cannot be completely owned by one person -- a major theme throughout the trilogy -- Meridon sets out to redeem the lure of rural life vs. urban London. Whereas Beatrice's natural perversions are enhanced by entwining with Wideacre, the land eventually accents Sarah's positives -- a lost-and-found heiress, the last true Lacey daughter. Like Beatrice, Sarah would rather die than be apart from Wideacre soil. But unlike Beatrice, Sarah learns to recognize her role as contented caretaker rather than dominant master. That key difference is courtesy of Sarah's mother -- the downtrodden but earth-loving Julia -- and it guides Sarah to a satisfying HEA, which neither of the previous heroines could attain.
4.5 stars. Despite the lack of WTFery, I quite enjoyed this one.
N.B.: Buddy Read with Karla. Apparently this is one of those rare books where we disagree. :D
Sarah's problems are unique in the Wideacre universe. Unlike her mother & grandmother, her initial contact with the land is metaphysical. She has a secret longing for somewhere else -- a place manifested by vivid dreams of past women who look like her, but live in an elegant house with clean clothes & fancy horses on a beautiful stretch of land. But she's not a Quality heiress. She's fifteen, a gypsy foundling, & her name is Meridon...right?
Maybe not.
Even when her true identity is established, Sarah grapples with guilt, inferiority, & bitterness. Unable to conceive of a comfortable life without excessive wealth, she unwisely throws her lot in with the neighboring Havering family, believing they can teach her to become Quality. But Clara Havering is no fool; she smells an unschooled heiress with a giant purse, which is just what the Haverings need to revitalize their own bank account & beat down those fiendish revolutionaries next door -- including Will Tyacke, the young estate manager that Sarah is ABSOLUTELY NOT attracted to. (Yeah, right. :P)
Wacky dramaz ensue. Etc, etc.
Ultimately, this is a novel about Sarah reaching emotional maturity. Her initial standoffish behavior & gimme-gimme attitude aren't always pleasant, but who can blame her? She's had a lot of shit to deal with...and she's only sixteen. By the last third of the book she's ready to consider her errors, but said wacky dramaz come first. Typhus, a drugged-out marriage ceremony, & skeevy gambling hells come into play -- all of which are born of the clash between Sarah's stubbornness & the Haverings' greed.
Unlike the double-edged sword in Wideacre & The Favored Child, this book portrays the land in a positive light. Even if the land cannot be completely owned by one person -- a major theme throughout the trilogy -- Meridon sets out to redeem the lure of rural life vs. urban London. Whereas Beatrice's natural perversions are enhanced by entwining with Wideacre, the land eventually accents Sarah's positives -- a lost-and-found heiress, the last true Lacey daughter. Like Beatrice, Sarah would rather die than be apart from Wideacre soil. But unlike Beatrice, Sarah learns to recognize her role as contented caretaker rather than dominant master. That key difference is courtesy of Sarah's mother -- the downtrodden but earth-loving Julia -- and it guides Sarah to a satisfying HEA, which neither of the previous heroines could attain.
4.5 stars. Despite the lack of WTFery, I quite enjoyed this one.
N.B.: Buddy Read with Karla. Apparently this is one of those rare books where we disagree. :D
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2009
If you like Jane Austen, but wish it wasn't quite so vanilla - this trilogy is for you!
Each book is the story of a daughter of the grand estate, Wideacre. Meridon is our heroine for this book. I can't say much without spoiling, but this one gives us a much different perspective on Wideacre, and it's little village. This is the best book of the trilogy, by far.
If you are just looking for an easy period romance, I think you can have that here. My stepmother enjoyed this series, and she has no use for themes and discussion of those themes. Give her pretty dresses, pretty gardens to stroll in, grand balls, handsome men and fine marriages. She's a happy camper.
However, if you need more from your period novels, like me, you will be VERY satisfied. This is where Phillipa Gregory really stands out from the pack. This is what puts her up there with Jane Austen, in my opinion (except there's lots of sex! Yay!)
Like most Gregory books, she explores the restrictive world of the female sex. These women live in a world where the only skills and talents that are valued are 1) the ability to marry well, and 2) the ability to produce healthy male heirs. Nothing else really matters. Your family's fortune can increase or decrease with every marriage and birth. You feel the pressure.
She has another theme that is pervasive throughout all her books - the responsibility of the ruling class to care for the lesser classes. It's extremely relevant even today - as congress debates restrictions on corporate greed, the progressive tax system, universal health care and the role and size of government.
In her other books, we watch the English monarchy and how it rules England and cares for it's resources on large scale. In this series, Wideacre is a microcosm of England itself. Fields don't plow and plant themselves, food doesn't get harvested and stored by itself. A noble family uses the local village population on it's land to get everything done. They are a resource, like trees, water, or soil. But they have to be managed properly for maximum long-term benefit for all, including the noble family.
Each book, and each daughter of Wideacre has a different tactic, with a different effect on the health and wealth of the village people, and Wideacre itself.
Each book is the story of a daughter of the grand estate, Wideacre. Meridon is our heroine for this book. I can't say much without spoiling, but this one gives us a much different perspective on Wideacre, and it's little village. This is the best book of the trilogy, by far.
If you are just looking for an easy period romance, I think you can have that here. My stepmother enjoyed this series, and she has no use for themes and discussion of those themes. Give her pretty dresses, pretty gardens to stroll in, grand balls, handsome men and fine marriages. She's a happy camper.
However, if you need more from your period novels, like me, you will be VERY satisfied. This is where Phillipa Gregory really stands out from the pack. This is what puts her up there with Jane Austen, in my opinion (except there's lots of sex! Yay!)
Like most Gregory books, she explores the restrictive world of the female sex. These women live in a world where the only skills and talents that are valued are 1) the ability to marry well, and 2) the ability to produce healthy male heirs. Nothing else really matters. Your family's fortune can increase or decrease with every marriage and birth. You feel the pressure.
She has another theme that is pervasive throughout all her books - the responsibility of the ruling class to care for the lesser classes. It's extremely relevant even today - as congress debates restrictions on corporate greed, the progressive tax system, universal health care and the role and size of government.
In her other books, we watch the English monarchy and how it rules England and cares for it's resources on large scale. In this series, Wideacre is a microcosm of England itself. Fields don't plow and plant themselves, food doesn't get harvested and stored by itself. A noble family uses the local village population on it's land to get everything done. They are a resource, like trees, water, or soil. But they have to be managed properly for maximum long-term benefit for all, including the noble family.
Each book, and each daughter of Wideacre has a different tactic, with a different effect on the health and wealth of the village people, and Wideacre itself.
March 5, 2022
Why this one the most normal but because of the normality was the most boring??
Don’t do wild in the first two of a trilogy then try to tame it in the finale. It really doesn’t work.
Don’t do wild in the first two of a trilogy then try to tame it in the finale. It really doesn’t work.
March 30, 2012
Meridon is the reader's payoff for surviving Wideacre and The Favored Child. Meridon, the character, has all the best qualities of her mother and grandmother, plus somehow does not have six legs despite having only one set of great-grandparents. Meridon, the book, has all the best qualities of the two earlier entries in the series and is entirely absent of the unsettling incest from the earlier two. There are a lot of nice callbacks to the better aspects of the earlier books, and I think Gregory finds a satisfying resolution to the conflicts set up earlier in the series. (Yes, there are some contrived moments, but it is a book about a lost heiress who has visions and was raised by gypsies, so by contrast no other plot point seems to strain credulity.) Gregory also takes a much lighter hand with the antagonists here. There was little or nothing good in Beatrice or Richard, but Perry and his mother can be understood as victims of the class system in their own way.
The book definitely loses some momentum after Meridon finds Wideacre and I could have read a lot more about the traveling circus and those characters - it's kind of disappointing to lose touch with them almost altogether. I also wish Ralph had made a reappearance. Overall though, it's a very satisfying stand-alone read and an excellent end to the trilogy.
The book definitely loses some momentum after Meridon finds Wideacre and I could have read a lot more about the traveling circus and those characters - it's kind of disappointing to lose touch with them almost altogether. I also wish Ralph had made a reappearance. Overall though, it's a very satisfying stand-alone read and an excellent end to the trilogy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2009
I confess: I usually love Philippa's books. Are they heady? No. Particularly clever? Rarely. But still, love them I do.
This one, though, sucked ass. Once I noticed the abundance of metaphors and similes, I was helpless to ignore them and found myself counting appearances (c'mon, does a sentence REALLY require FOUR of them??). Not to mention stomach-churning sex scenes including, "...fervently wishing he would plow my fertile soil..."
Sweet Moses.
This one, though, sucked ass. Once I noticed the abundance of metaphors and similes, I was helpless to ignore them and found myself counting appearances (c'mon, does a sentence REALLY require FOUR of them??). Not to mention stomach-churning sex scenes including, "...fervently wishing he would plow my fertile soil..."
Sweet Moses.
February 23, 2018
This was an amazing read! The story builds on the others but it is much better. The struggles of Meridon are true and believable and my heart broke at the death of her sister. It was a true life transforming moment. It was nice to have a character actually be happy at the end of one of the books in the trilogy!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 10, 2010
I have to disagree with a lot of people about this series. I absolutly loved it. I will admit that I found the first book, Wideacre, the least enjoyable, but I still rate it a 5. P.G. has become one of my favorite authors, she tells such a vivid story. Her stories may not be everyone's cup of tea, especially this trilogy, but I enjoy them very much.
I think that all three women in these books have qualities that can be admirable, yet they all have demons. I think it makes them more real. I like stories of women with the holy trinity; the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Beatrice had knowledge and determination, but could not see past her own ambitions. She knew how to love, but she did not know how to be truthful or forgiving.
Julia was kind in a way that Beatrice could never be, yet she was weak willed. She also knew how to love, but was a terrible enabler.
Meridon, or Sarah, seems to have a balance of both her mother, and grandmother, and through out the book she discovers that for herself. When it came down to it, she didn't let her demons keep her from happiness.
I don't think you can appreciate the outcome of this series without all three, however that is only my opinion. Again, this trilogy is not a series for everyone, but if you like historical fiction full(and i do mean FULL) of scandal, this is a great set of books.
I think that all three women in these books have qualities that can be admirable, yet they all have demons. I think it makes them more real. I like stories of women with the holy trinity; the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Beatrice had knowledge and determination, but could not see past her own ambitions. She knew how to love, but she did not know how to be truthful or forgiving.
Julia was kind in a way that Beatrice could never be, yet she was weak willed. She also knew how to love, but was a terrible enabler.
Meridon, or Sarah, seems to have a balance of both her mother, and grandmother, and through out the book she discovers that for herself. When it came down to it, she didn't let her demons keep her from happiness.
I don't think you can appreciate the outcome of this series without all three, however that is only my opinion. Again, this trilogy is not a series for everyone, but if you like historical fiction full(and i do mean FULL) of scandal, this is a great set of books.
September 13, 2011
FINALLY, something good happens for this family...well...sorta. At least she doesn't throw her life away or die in the end and finds some sense of happiness. As always with these families, though, there's plenty of drama and trouble. I went into this book expecting nothing. Still, Phillippa, I love your writing...even when you do the unthinkable and scandalize me to where I want to throw the book across the room. My friends just laugh at me when I get worked up and tell them about what's going on. Still, if you want to read a book that will evoke a wide array of emotions, this series is definitely one that can do it!
My only complaint was, as others have said, the first part of the book was amazing. After that, it kind of dropped off. I also wanted a conclusion on what happened with Robert and Jack. Also, is that all Perry and his mother Clara are going to do? I find that hard to believe.
My only complaint was, as others have said, the first part of the book was amazing. After that, it kind of dropped off. I also wanted a conclusion on what happened with Robert and Jack. Also, is that all Perry and his mother Clara are going to do? I find that hard to believe.
February 16, 2008
Absolutely skip Gregory's Wideacre books. So bad and tedious- worse than daytime soap operas.
November 29, 2010
I couldn't put this book down. I stayed up until 4am to read it. I had to know what was going to happen and couldn't wait.
The last book of the Wideacre story. It's not what I expected, which was good. The first two books were alot the same, so this was a change.
Like so many characters from Wideacre I felt so sorry for Meridon and the hardships she went through, but it made her a strong, independent person. She was able to experience so much more in life then the other characters in the first two books.
I had a feeling from the beginning that things wouldn't go well for Dandy. How would she have fit in Wideacre life...
I had hoped to hear about Ralph. I was disappointed he wasn't around.
I thought James would have a stronger leading part also.
I am glad it wasn't as cruel as the first two..the incest and rape.
I loved how Beatrice and Julia all stayed together, helping each other along the way and helping Meridon to find her way home. I loved the horse theme too. It made the story wonderfully touching having the connections there. Beatrice and Julia guided Meridon home with the help a beloved horse...wonder if each horse was related...I think so.
The last book of the Wideacre story. It's not what I expected, which was good. The first two books were alot the same, so this was a change.
Like so many characters from Wideacre I felt so sorry for Meridon and the hardships she went through, but it made her a strong, independent person. She was able to experience so much more in life then the other characters in the first two books.
I had a feeling from the beginning that things wouldn't go well for Dandy. How would she have fit in Wideacre life...
I had hoped to hear about Ralph. I was disappointed he wasn't around.
I thought James would have a stronger leading part also.
I am glad it wasn't as cruel as the first two..the incest and rape.
I loved how Beatrice and Julia all stayed together, helping each other along the way and helping Meridon to find her way home. I loved the horse theme too. It made the story wonderfully touching having the connections there. Beatrice and Julia guided Meridon home with the help a beloved horse...wonder if each horse was related...I think so.
June 22, 2022
I really liked the conclusion to "The Wideacre Trilogy", especially the second half of the book. Not to say the first half isn't interesting because it is; I was just waiting for Meridon to return to Wideacre already. Meridon starts off as a gypsy child with two stepparents and a beloved sister. Then she gets "discovered" and becomes part of an Equestrian show. The whole show reminded me of a circus. I'm sure Philippa Gregory must have had to research how one trains as a trapeze artist and horseback riding tricks because that is not common knowledge.
Unlike the last book I read which I tagged for too much sex, I could have used more here. It's a balance, people. Page 560 for the first real sex scene (besides a tease earlier) and all we could get is, "Then he loved me until the sky paled with dawn and I heard the spring birds singing." I need details, people! It was really cute, though, how Will was in love with Sarah (or at least I was pretty sure) before he admitted it or before she realized. And he had no reason to love her; she would always put down the profit-sharing scheme/Wideacre corporation and did not endear herself to be liked.
When Sarah met Lord Peregrine, I thought to myself is he the hero/love interest? Sarah didn't mind his hands on her waist (she didn't like to be touched by anyone), and he was gorgeous. But I was like Philippa Gregory wouldn't make the love interest a drunk, would she? Surely, Sarah could do better? He was a love interest, but not the real one. I totally wasn't expecting Will Tyacke when he was introduced to be the guy Sarah fell for. He seemed older and fine-looking but not handsome. He was probably 24 to her 16 (an 8-year age gap...but it was never addressed in the book).
It bothered me every time Perry (Lord Peregrine) would steal some of Sarah's money to pay off his gambling debts, even if it wasn't much. Also crazy how he put the deed to Wideacre down on the gambling table. This is why you don't marry a gambler. Too many men have gambled their homes and livelihoods away. It was frustrating too I was afraid we weren't going to get a scene where Sarah talks to Perry one more time. We got that, but what we didn't get that I really wanted was Sarah confronting him in anger about how he almost gambled Wideacre away...and that's why she left/ran away. She is the Queen of Running Away.
I'm not going to lie; Will said one or two really dreamy, romantic things that make me want to tag this book as "can-I-have-him? hero-hall-of-fame".
After reading "The Favoured Child", I wrote in my review how Philippa Gregory needed to give us a happy ending. We got that with this one, but it didn't feel entirely happy to me (because I didn't fully like it). First of all, she gives up living in the nice mansion that is Wideacre Hall to rent it out to bring in money for the corporation (going beyond what James & Will wanted for her as the new squire) and now wants to be known as Meridon again. She is still married to Perry but plans to never live with him again. Instead, she lives with Will Tyacke in his cottage with three children unwanted by a promiscuous woman that Will is caring for. What's to stop Perry and his mother, Lady Clara, from spending Meridon's money as what a wife owns is her husband's? Will her child still be the heir of Havering and Wideacre? She says she's the last Lacey, but surely she will have children?
I didn't like at the end how she was repudiating the name of Sarah when earlier she had repudiated the name of Meridon. When she found "Wide" and took her birthname, Sarah, I thought to myself how Sarah is such a plain name compared to Meridon. But now I got used to it, and I'm not too fond of the idea of her denying the name her biological mother gave her...
This book was definitely less crazy than Books 1 & 2. First off, there's no incest LOL. Also, Meridon doesn't work on the land like either Beatrice or Julia did.
So yeah, a great trilogy, but I feel conflicted about the ending. In my friend's review, she said there was an overarching theme for the trilogy that she didn't realize till this book. I didn't understand till this book either, though it is in books 1 & 2. The theme is the inequality of wealth: is it fair for the rich to own all the land and reap the most profits from it while the people who work hard on it are poor and sometimes starving? The whole profit-sharing scheme and Wideacre as a corporation made me think of Communism. Some food for thought.
Unlike the last book I read which I tagged for too much sex, I could have used more here. It's a balance, people. Page 560 for the first real sex scene (besides a tease earlier) and all we could get is, "Then he loved me until the sky paled with dawn and I heard the spring birds singing." I need details, people! It was really cute, though, how Will was in love with Sarah (or at least I was pretty sure) before he admitted it or before she realized. And he had no reason to love her; she would always put down the profit-sharing scheme/Wideacre corporation and did not endear herself to be liked.
When Sarah met Lord Peregrine, I thought to myself is he the hero/love interest? Sarah didn't mind his hands on her waist (she didn't like to be touched by anyone), and he was gorgeous. But I was like Philippa Gregory wouldn't make the love interest a drunk, would she? Surely, Sarah could do better? He was a love interest, but not the real one. I totally wasn't expecting Will Tyacke when he was introduced to be the guy Sarah fell for. He seemed older and fine-looking but not handsome. He was probably 24 to her 16 (an 8-year age gap...but it was never addressed in the book).
It bothered me every time Perry (Lord Peregrine) would steal some of Sarah's money to pay off his gambling debts, even if it wasn't much. Also crazy how he put the deed to Wideacre down on the gambling table. This is why you don't marry a gambler. Too many men have gambled their homes and livelihoods away. It was frustrating too I was afraid we weren't going to get a scene where Sarah talks to Perry one more time. We got that, but what we didn't get that I really wanted was Sarah confronting him in anger about how he almost gambled Wideacre away...and that's why she left/ran away. She is the Queen of Running Away.
I'm not going to lie; Will said one or two really dreamy, romantic things that make me want to tag this book as "can-I-have-him? hero-hall-of-fame".
After reading "The Favoured Child", I wrote in my review how Philippa Gregory needed to give us a happy ending. We got that with this one, but it didn't feel entirely happy to me (because I didn't fully like it). First of all, she gives up living in the nice mansion that is Wideacre Hall to rent it out to bring in money for the corporation (going beyond what James & Will wanted for her as the new squire) and now wants to be known as Meridon again. She is still married to Perry but plans to never live with him again. Instead, she lives with Will Tyacke in his cottage with three children unwanted by a promiscuous woman that Will is caring for. What's to stop Perry and his mother, Lady Clara, from spending Meridon's money as what a wife owns is her husband's? Will her child still be the heir of Havering and Wideacre? She says she's the last Lacey, but surely she will have children?
I didn't like at the end how she was repudiating the name of Sarah when earlier she had repudiated the name of Meridon. When she found "Wide" and took her birthname, Sarah, I thought to myself how Sarah is such a plain name compared to Meridon. But now I got used to it, and I'm not too fond of the idea of her denying the name her biological mother gave her...
This book was definitely less crazy than Books 1 & 2. First off, there's no incest LOL. Also, Meridon doesn't work on the land like either Beatrice or Julia did.
So yeah, a great trilogy, but I feel conflicted about the ending. In my friend's review, she said there was an overarching theme for the trilogy that she didn't realize till this book. I didn't understand till this book either, though it is in books 1 & 2. The theme is the inequality of wealth: is it fair for the rich to own all the land and reap the most profits from it while the people who work hard on it are poor and sometimes starving? The whole profit-sharing scheme and Wideacre as a corporation made me think of Communism. Some food for thought.
November 19, 2009
Philippa Gregory writes absolutely brilliant historical fiction, but this was not one of her best. Gregory is far more comfortable during the Tudor years, and it shows. It is very obvious, especially to a rabid Georgette Heyer fan like me, that she must have read quite a bit of Heyer before writing this book. Names, characterizations, and other details (like Meridon donning mens clothing all the time) were obviously borrowed from Heyer.
On a positive note, when Meridon is poor and working as a bare-back rider, (the first two hundred pages)I was hooked. The circus portions were fascinating since I had just finished another book about circuses, Water for Elephants. After Meridon arrives at Wideacre, though, I quickly lost interest, and had to convince myself to finish it. Also, there were a couple of historical details that were not quite accurate. During 1805, gypsies still slept in bender-tents when they camped . . . And men did not wear powder and patches during 1805 (they went out of vogue years before and had their final death knell with the taxes on powder in the 1790s!)
On a positive note, when Meridon is poor and working as a bare-back rider, (the first two hundred pages)I was hooked. The circus portions were fascinating since I had just finished another book about circuses, Water for Elephants. After Meridon arrives at Wideacre, though, I quickly lost interest, and had to convince myself to finish it. Also, there were a couple of historical details that were not quite accurate. During 1805, gypsies still slept in bender-tents when they camped . . . And men did not wear powder and patches during 1805 (they went out of vogue years before and had their final death knell with the taxes on powder in the 1790s!)
November 19, 2012
In the style of the two previous novels, very similar plot development and structure. But OMG, cannot believe this does not end with tragedy or death!!!!!!!
A big surprise for this series. But, seriously, how stupid can you expect a character that was supposed to a smart-ass gypsy savvy about life in the dumps/streets etc to become in such a short time? This is what I didn't like about this whole series: the main characters were supposed to be smart, or at least strong in some capacities but eventually, they all prove extreme moments of stupidity where they seem to lose all their strentgh or capacity to reason.
After surviving such an unpleasant and poor childhood, it is just unbelievable how blinded Meridon becomes to the Haverings' machinations. I mean, seriously, it was so obvious they were trying to take advantage of her!
It is hard to believe her transition from savvy street child to such a flimsy, vulnerable young lady in distress. And how conveniently did she, at the end, come back to her old self.
Sometimes Philippa Gregory seems to forget about the human capacity to reason...this is indeed fiction, but even when reading fiction there is a certain common sense to maintain. The only good part about this is that for once, the book was not so filled with disaster and tragedy and one could even go as far as saying the ending was decent, almost happy. Better than the previous book, but still worse than the first one overall.
A big surprise for this series. But, seriously, how stupid can you expect a character that was supposed to a smart-ass gypsy savvy about life in the dumps/streets etc to become in such a short time? This is what I didn't like about this whole series: the main characters were supposed to be smart, or at least strong in some capacities but eventually, they all prove extreme moments of stupidity where they seem to lose all their strentgh or capacity to reason.
After surviving such an unpleasant and poor childhood, it is just unbelievable how blinded Meridon becomes to the Haverings' machinations. I mean, seriously, it was so obvious they were trying to take advantage of her!
It is hard to believe her transition from savvy street child to such a flimsy, vulnerable young lady in distress. And how conveniently did she, at the end, come back to her old self.
Sometimes Philippa Gregory seems to forget about the human capacity to reason...this is indeed fiction, but even when reading fiction there is a certain common sense to maintain. The only good part about this is that for once, the book was not so filled with disaster and tragedy and one could even go as far as saying the ending was decent, almost happy. Better than the previous book, but still worse than the first one overall.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 23, 2014
With equal portions of dialogue and description in the depressing last book of the trilogy, I can say I'm glad to be done with this one.
While there is descript kissing, there are only vague references to sex...making this particular novel equally a novel for adults and YA. I liked this one less than book 2 and consider book 1 the better of the three. Wideacre (book 1) was an impeccable novel; The Favoured Child (book 2) was a bit disappointing, and, well, Meridon… Meridon was even more so.
I like that Gregory made Meridon a strong female character. Until she met her fiance...I know, I have to keep reminding myself of the place women held during that time period, but for her to be so strong and then allow herself to be dominated by a joke of a fiance who is controlled entirely by her mother...and when he starts gambling with her money... well I almost bit the page off it annoyed me so much.
Although Meridon frustrated me, that frustration shows how well written the book was to evoke such emotions in me. It was a well written novel with some unexpected plot twists; but ultimately, compared to Wideacre, which was a brilliant novel, it could have been a lot better...at times, the plot plodded along at a snail’s pace, which wasn’t particularly engrossing, and it was, overall, a somewhat poor end to a very promising trilogy.
One thing that irked me was wondering what happened to some of the minor characters from book 2; e.g., Ralph Megson.
While there is descript kissing, there are only vague references to sex...making this particular novel equally a novel for adults and YA. I liked this one less than book 2 and consider book 1 the better of the three. Wideacre (book 1) was an impeccable novel; The Favoured Child (book 2) was a bit disappointing, and, well, Meridon… Meridon was even more so.
I like that Gregory made Meridon a strong female character. Until she met her fiance...I know, I have to keep reminding myself of the place women held during that time period, but for her to be so strong and then allow herself to be dominated by a joke of a fiance who is controlled entirely by her mother...and when he starts gambling with her money... well I almost bit the page off it annoyed me so much.
Although Meridon frustrated me, that frustration shows how well written the book was to evoke such emotions in me. It was a well written novel with some unexpected plot twists; but ultimately, compared to Wideacre, which was a brilliant novel, it could have been a lot better...at times, the plot plodded along at a snail’s pace, which wasn’t particularly engrossing, and it was, overall, a somewhat poor end to a very promising trilogy.
One thing that irked me was wondering what happened to some of the minor characters from book 2; e.g., Ralph Megson.
September 18, 2020
In a nutshell: After her mother sends her away to be bought up by gypsys, Meridon (Sarah Lacey) is living as a vagabond bareback rider in a travelling show. But something in her heart is calling, and she knows that a ‘better’ life is her destiny. Will the lost heir to the Wideacre estate find her way home?
The last in the trilogy, and the worst in my opinion. This book felt different to the first two in that the first half was set amongst the backdrop of a travelling circus show, and for me this held a lot of promise. I was enjoying the change of scene and the new characters. However, the second half of the book was where it lost me. I just got a bit bored. The conclusion was not thrilling and the story left me with lots of questions (mostly regarding the fate of the characters from the previous books).
I liked Meridon’s character at first she was strong and feisty (much like Beatrice in the first book), but in second half she backtracked in her opinions and feelings and became, well, rather wet. I started to dislike her then and decided that I didn’t even care what became of her.
I have read numerous reviews suggesting that this is one of Gregory’s poorest novels, so I will not be put off from reading her again. I loved Wideacre (#1) so I know that I can thoroughly enjoy her writing, but maybe skip this series if you have not read her before.
The last in the trilogy, and the worst in my opinion. This book felt different to the first two in that the first half was set amongst the backdrop of a travelling circus show, and for me this held a lot of promise. I was enjoying the change of scene and the new characters. However, the second half of the book was where it lost me. I just got a bit bored. The conclusion was not thrilling and the story left me with lots of questions (mostly regarding the fate of the characters from the previous books).
I liked Meridon’s character at first she was strong and feisty (much like Beatrice in the first book), but in second half she backtracked in her opinions and feelings and became, well, rather wet. I started to dislike her then and decided that I didn’t even care what became of her.
I have read numerous reviews suggesting that this is one of Gregory’s poorest novels, so I will not be put off from reading her again. I loved Wideacre (#1) so I know that I can thoroughly enjoy her writing, but maybe skip this series if you have not read her before.
February 28, 2021
Just when I thought I had the ending figured out 3/4's way through, it changed. Was the change good? Yes! I will admit I could see the last two chapters play out in my head with the idea of having seen similar endings in other movies and books. The ending of this third and final book wasn't as earth shattering as reviews had lead me to believe but it was a nice, yet typical ending. All in all it kept my interest which at times found me turning pages quickly to see what would happen next. Happy to say that as the series goes on, especially the last book, the disturbing sexual content dries up. The first book had sexual content that was way off the charts in this readers opinion to the point of calling it down right disgusting and not necessary. I truly believe that Ms. Gregory could have gone another route in both the first and second book, leaving out the immoral sexual content within each book, yet ending the same way, including the final book and series.
December 19, 2021
The last of the trilogy. The middle of the book seemed to me to drag on but it did pick up and ended with more interesting events.
June 10, 2021
This book is the third and final book in Gregory's Wideacre trilogy, written back in the 1980s. The series takes place in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. As the second book The Favored Child ended, Julia Lacey's life had been ruined by the history of incest and greed on the Wideacre estate. Determined that the estate should not know another destructive Lacey master or mistress, she gives her newborn daughter to passing gypsies. Before she dies of childbed fever, she writes to the only man she ever really loved and asks him to become the guardian of her estate on her daughter's behalf.
Meridon begins 16 years later. Meridon's gypsy mother died years ago. Meridon lives with her step-father, his new wife and baby, and with Dandy, whom she believes is her twin sister. The family is poor, traveling in a gypsy caravan, and Da is a drunk and a cheat. He works his daughters very hard and often mistreats them. But Meridon and Dandy are sustained by their deep love for each other. And Meridon has odd, recurring dreams about an estate called Wide, and about women who look like her who have lived there. She is convinced that she belongs at Wide, not in her gypsy life.
Meridon's and Dandy's lives are changed when Da sells them to a showman who is impressed by Meridon's horse handling skills. Robert Gower runs a travelling horse show. Unlike Da, he is hard-working, ambitious, and bascically good-hearted. But he, too, works Meridon and Dandy very hard. Meridon tends to all of the horses, and learns to be a bareback-rider for the show. Dandy is trained as a trapeze artist, along with Gower's son, Jack. Gower sees Dandy for the flirt that she is and warns her off his son. He has ambitions for Jack to marry "up."
With the addition of the trapeze act, Gower's equestrian and aerial show is a great success, and the whole troupe prospers. Through her hard work and her talent with horses, Meridon even earns herself a purse of cash and her own horse, which she names Sea. But, when the inevitable romance between Dandy and Jack reaches a tragic end, Meridon flees, heartbroken, on Sea, with no destination in mind. And she finds herself at Wide - or Wideacre as it is more correctly known.
The one treasure that Da had allowed her to keep was the clasp from a string of pearls that is engraved with her grandparents' names. By this, the staff at Wideacre know that she is the long-lost heir. James Fortescue, her mother's great love, has run the estate for 16 years as a corporation, in which the former tenants and farm hands have a share. The estate and its residents are prospering. Fortescue and the estate manager, Will Tyacke, are eager for Meridon to stay and take an active role, as the heir.
But the neighboring estate is owned by the debt-ridden Havering family. They see Meridon's return as an opportunity for them to get their hands on Wideacre. Lady Havering takes Meridon under her wing, offering to teach her all that a young lady of means needs to know, and encourages a romance between Meridon and her son Peregrine. Peregrine is an alcoholic and a problem gambler, but he is so handsome and so sweet that Meridon is charmed, and she turns her back on Fortescue and Tyacke.
Meridon will need courage, a friend, and some of her old gypsy tricks to save what is most dear to her, and will once again find herself fleeing through the night towards the life that she was always meant for.
Loved this book. It really kept me turning pages. My only complaint is that Meridon's complete inability to see how she was being manipulated didn't always ring true. Granted, she was young and inexperienced and kind of dazzled. And granted, abused girls tend to be attracted to men who are as abusive as their fathers were, all the while thinking that they are doing the exact opposite. That's an old, sad story. But Meridon is also vey smart and cynical and it was kind of hard to believe that she wouldn't have seen through the Havering family way before she finally did.
Like my reviews? Check out my blog at http://www.kathrynbashaar.com/blog/
Author of The Saints Mistress https://camcatbooks.com/Books/T/The-S...
Meridon begins 16 years later. Meridon's gypsy mother died years ago. Meridon lives with her step-father, his new wife and baby, and with Dandy, whom she believes is her twin sister. The family is poor, traveling in a gypsy caravan, and Da is a drunk and a cheat. He works his daughters very hard and often mistreats them. But Meridon and Dandy are sustained by their deep love for each other. And Meridon has odd, recurring dreams about an estate called Wide, and about women who look like her who have lived there. She is convinced that she belongs at Wide, not in her gypsy life.
Meridon's and Dandy's lives are changed when Da sells them to a showman who is impressed by Meridon's horse handling skills. Robert Gower runs a travelling horse show. Unlike Da, he is hard-working, ambitious, and bascically good-hearted. But he, too, works Meridon and Dandy very hard. Meridon tends to all of the horses, and learns to be a bareback-rider for the show. Dandy is trained as a trapeze artist, along with Gower's son, Jack. Gower sees Dandy for the flirt that she is and warns her off his son. He has ambitions for Jack to marry "up."
With the addition of the trapeze act, Gower's equestrian and aerial show is a great success, and the whole troupe prospers. Through her hard work and her talent with horses, Meridon even earns herself a purse of cash and her own horse, which she names Sea. But, when the inevitable romance between Dandy and Jack reaches a tragic end, Meridon flees, heartbroken, on Sea, with no destination in mind. And she finds herself at Wide - or Wideacre as it is more correctly known.
The one treasure that Da had allowed her to keep was the clasp from a string of pearls that is engraved with her grandparents' names. By this, the staff at Wideacre know that she is the long-lost heir. James Fortescue, her mother's great love, has run the estate for 16 years as a corporation, in which the former tenants and farm hands have a share. The estate and its residents are prospering. Fortescue and the estate manager, Will Tyacke, are eager for Meridon to stay and take an active role, as the heir.
But the neighboring estate is owned by the debt-ridden Havering family. They see Meridon's return as an opportunity for them to get their hands on Wideacre. Lady Havering takes Meridon under her wing, offering to teach her all that a young lady of means needs to know, and encourages a romance between Meridon and her son Peregrine. Peregrine is an alcoholic and a problem gambler, but he is so handsome and so sweet that Meridon is charmed, and she turns her back on Fortescue and Tyacke.
Meridon will need courage, a friend, and some of her old gypsy tricks to save what is most dear to her, and will once again find herself fleeing through the night towards the life that she was always meant for.
Loved this book. It really kept me turning pages. My only complaint is that Meridon's complete inability to see how she was being manipulated didn't always ring true. Granted, she was young and inexperienced and kind of dazzled. And granted, abused girls tend to be attracted to men who are as abusive as their fathers were, all the while thinking that they are doing the exact opposite. That's an old, sad story. But Meridon is also vey smart and cynical and it was kind of hard to believe that she wouldn't have seen through the Havering family way before she finally did.
Like my reviews? Check out my blog at http://www.kathrynbashaar.com/blog/
Author of The Saints Mistress https://camcatbooks.com/Books/T/The-S...
August 1, 2023
The third novel of the Wideacre series, Redemption at last! Don’t want to spoil it too much, just going to comment about this last part of the story, but first a little recap. We encounter the daughter of Julia and Richard, Sarah, she was the product of an incest rape, Richard forced his own sister in his mad and twisted belief that it was the only way of obtaining complete power over his birthright, Wideacre, condemning Julia to an very unhappy short life; Julia, in her desperation, wishes not to continue with the Lacey lineage of madness, so as soon she gives birth to her daughter decides to terminate her life; right after having a child, Julia walks barefoot and still bleeding towards the river to only finding herself not being able to drown her little newborn, so she gives her away to a gypsy family who was already parting from the grounds, this is how little Sarah starts out in life.
Sarah grows up as Meridion, she lives in a forever traveling wagon along her stepfather that constantly beats her and her supposed twin sister, the mother they knew, died long ago so she only had her sister Dandy. They learned thieving trades and scheming card tricks as they grew up, robbing people and tricking them to buy horses that were barely tamed, Meridion, regardless of her short years, got really good in training horses, you can say it runs in her blood. One day, her stepfather sold them to a circus owner, a man who had a show with horses and wanted her as soon as he saw her handling them so well. They spent some time with the man and his son, he treated them better than their supposed ‘Da’ so they live well for a short while learning the horses show and trapeze tricks. After some tragic event (trying not to spoil the story) Meridion finds herself alone and traveling to nowhere on a horse she won, by miracle or destiny, she makes it to Wideacre, the place she always dreamed about since she was little.
Once in her beloved Wideacre, Meridion, now Sarah, battles with the new “quality’ life that’s presented to her, and here we go again, the Lacey’s madness threatens the stability that has been bestowed in Wideacre, which it has been working as a cooperative under the direction of Mr. James Fortescue (Julia’s true love) and Will Tayacke, she wants to regain control of her land, thinking that the world owes her for the miserable life she had. After living among the rich, Sarah realizes that it is no different than before, rich people also cheat, steal, lie, and trick others as much as those who are low in the food chain. She learns the hard way that this new ‘quality’ life, is not for her, is not what she really wanted. Still, she has the opportunity to let go of the old Lacey’s sick madness and live a full and happy life. Would she take it? Would she break the mad cycle that had plagued those before her?
I really loved the whole series, even though I had to break away several times to calm my temper, I wanted to punch them right on the face so bad!!!
Sarah grows up as Meridion, she lives in a forever traveling wagon along her stepfather that constantly beats her and her supposed twin sister, the mother they knew, died long ago so she only had her sister Dandy. They learned thieving trades and scheming card tricks as they grew up, robbing people and tricking them to buy horses that were barely tamed, Meridion, regardless of her short years, got really good in training horses, you can say it runs in her blood. One day, her stepfather sold them to a circus owner, a man who had a show with horses and wanted her as soon as he saw her handling them so well. They spent some time with the man and his son, he treated them better than their supposed ‘Da’ so they live well for a short while learning the horses show and trapeze tricks. After some tragic event (trying not to spoil the story) Meridion finds herself alone and traveling to nowhere on a horse she won, by miracle or destiny, she makes it to Wideacre, the place she always dreamed about since she was little.
Once in her beloved Wideacre, Meridion, now Sarah, battles with the new “quality’ life that’s presented to her, and here we go again, the Lacey’s madness threatens the stability that has been bestowed in Wideacre, which it has been working as a cooperative under the direction of Mr. James Fortescue (Julia’s true love) and Will Tayacke, she wants to regain control of her land, thinking that the world owes her for the miserable life she had. After living among the rich, Sarah realizes that it is no different than before, rich people also cheat, steal, lie, and trick others as much as those who are low in the food chain. She learns the hard way that this new ‘quality’ life, is not for her, is not what she really wanted. Still, she has the opportunity to let go of the old Lacey’s sick madness and live a full and happy life. Would she take it? Would she break the mad cycle that had plagued those before her?
I really loved the whole series, even though I had to break away several times to calm my temper, I wanted to punch them right on the face so bad!!!
December 20, 2010
I hate to say this, but I thought the final chapter of the Wideacre trilogy was going to be much better than that. By all means, share your opposing viewpoints, but I honestly thought that it was somewhat of a letdown. About two chapters of the story take place at Wideacre. I found myself missing the beautiful descriptions of the land that Beatrice and Julia so loved and understood so well. I was confused at the conflicting emotions in Meridon. She seemed to have this strong passion for the land she couldn't know, but in the end couldn't understand the value of the people that make Wideacre what it is. I could look past the fact that the first half of the book isn't even about Wideacre at all and could easily have been cropped down to about half its length. But the ending? Yay Meridon for running away from Perry and his psycho mother, but don't you find it odd that after all that effort, Lady Clara couldn't summon up the strength to track down her daughter-in-law and have it out with her in one big final battle? Gregory makes Meridon's situation to be a hopeless one, just as she did before with Beatrice and Julia. So it just seemed too easy for Meridon to almost magically get her estate back, run away, and never hear from anyone again. And her romance with Will? I was expecting the drama and downright craziness from the first two books. How can you say that Meridon refuses to be touched by anyone for the entire book, but all of a sudden is "in love" with Will? How predictable. Whatever happens to Perry and his mother? Why did James Fortescue play such a small part? I just consider this trilogy to be so epic that I can't imagine why it just ended so quickly with so few clues to how it all ends up for them. What does Wideacre look like in 10 years? 50? Readers who have enjoyed all three books have grown attached to the land and will surely want to know its fate. Sadly, they will never know.
June 25, 2011
This is one of my favourite Philippa Gregory books and the only one I like out of the Wideacre series. I have reread it several times. If you've read the other two and have found the incest a bit weird - don't worry, there isn't any in Meridon.
The story is split into two parts, being Meridon when she is poor and living as a gypsy/horse trainer, and Meridon when she is rich and trying to fit in. The story provides a fascinating expose of the nasty rich of the time (if you enjoy Diana Norma books, you'll like this) without romanticising them at all (Stephanie Laurens would have a heart attack). I like the gritty determination of the character and I love the fact that she makes mistakes. I like her interaction with those around her and the way that she doesn't instantly want to help people just because she was once poor herself. Its a fascinating plot turn and excellent characterisation.
Highly recommended and a good read on its own even if you haven't read the other two.
The story is split into two parts, being Meridon when she is poor and living as a gypsy/horse trainer, and Meridon when she is rich and trying to fit in. The story provides a fascinating expose of the nasty rich of the time (if you enjoy Diana Norma books, you'll like this) without romanticising them at all (Stephanie Laurens would have a heart attack). I like the gritty determination of the character and I love the fact that she makes mistakes. I like her interaction with those around her and the way that she doesn't instantly want to help people just because she was once poor herself. Its a fascinating plot turn and excellent characterisation.
Highly recommended and a good read on its own even if you haven't read the other two.
June 14, 2020
I loved this book. This is #3 in the Wideacre Trilogy, a historical series by Philippa Gregory set in England in the 2nd half of the 18th century. This book follows Meridon, a poor gypsy child who lives in a wagon with her sister Dandy, cruel father and indifferent stepmother. They scratch out a meager existence training and trading horses, cheating at cards, pickpocketing and poaching. Meridon is desperate to escape the hard poverty of her life, for security for herself and her sister. A chance meeting with a showman leads her father to trade Meridon and Dandy into a traveling bareback act which changes the course of Meridon’s life and leads her in directions she never expected. Some of the themes in this book (which are common among Gregory’s novel) are the right to earn a living wage, the cruel cycle of poverty, the injustice in the distribution of wealth. These themes are explored before beautiful and compelling backdrops. Of the trilogy, Meridon is my favorite.
August 24, 2010
Six Stars!!! I love Phillipa Gregory and I expect to love her books... which can set the bar a little high when I pick up one I haven't read. I didn't read the first 2 of this trilogy (and I didn't need to to follow this story) but I could not put this book down!! I tried reading while folding clothes, while eating breakfast, while pretending to play with the kids... seriously, it was such a great, great escape book! Is it literary fiction? Full of perfectly formed paragraphs? Are the characters consistent? I'd say no to the above, but as a book for pure reading enjoyment, I LOVED it. Loved it loved it loved it.
November 12, 2016
Considering this book took me almost a month to get into, it wasn't nearly as engaging as the first two installments. Meridon was a bit boring, and the lacing was snail paced slow. I'll probably pick it back up someday, but for now I must bid it adieu.
December 20, 2017
Gypsies, theirs and tramps
A great rollicking tale of the life of gypsy sisters sold off to a circus trainer and their rise and devastating fall... only to lead to unexpected dream come true, fraught with greed and treachery. Great read.
A great rollicking tale of the life of gypsy sisters sold off to a circus trainer and their rise and devastating fall... only to lead to unexpected dream come true, fraught with greed and treachery. Great read.
May 30, 2013
I will also be doing a video review here at my channel: http://www.youtube.com/magicofbooks
The final book in Philippa Gregory's "Wideacre" trilogy, "Meridon," follows that of Julia's daugther, Sarah, who Julia gave to the gypsies at the end of "The Favored Child." Sarah is given the name Meridon, and she has no idea about who she truly is. Meridon has dreams about a place called "Wide"---a place that she feels strongly connected to but doesn't know why. Through a series of events, Meridon and her sister, Dandy, become part of a circus act. Meridon leaves the circus after a devastating event and miraculously comes across Wideacre and learns she is the long lost heir. Meridon regains her birth name, Sarah, and is thrown into a world of riches, and treachery and has to learn to find her place in this new world and discover who she really is and what Wideacre means to her. "Meridon" is a stunning conclusion to the "Wideacre" trilogy and you just simply cannot put it down.
This final book was so amazing! It's just weird that I've finally reached the end after having such a rocky start with the very first book. Like I said in my other reviews, in "Wideacre" I absolutely hated and despised Beatrice and could form no sort of attachment or feelings to her; in "The Favored Child" I really sympathized with Julia and was heartbroken by the end of the novel. Here in "Meridon" everything falls rightly into place. Meridon/Sarah is a captivating heroine and so unlike her grandmother and mother. Meridon starts off as a very capable girl---very cold and calculating and planning out the future she desires with her sister, Dandy. When she becomes Sarah she is suddenly thrown into the life of the rich and famous and her only desire to to get her upper-class training complete so she can have all the money she's ever wanted. Sarah has no feelings or compassion for the people of Wideacre because she herself has lived in extreme poverty her whole life. So the idea of endless riches thrills her and she feels no remorse for the things she plans on doing to Wideacre. But as Sarah learns more and more about the gentry, she sees the corruption of the wealthy and that they are no better than the poor.
Meridon was just perfectly thought out as a character. In some ways, you can understand her feelings for wanting to ignore Wideacre because of how she grew up and the events that have occurred just right before she arrived at Wideacre. But then in other ways, you want to root for Meridon to see the error of her thoughts. Meridon is very petulant at the start. It's not until her visits to the city and her viewing of the corruption of the wealthy when she starts to change her mind. Plus, it's her relationships with Perry Havering, Lady Clara, and Will Tyacke that help her to see the light.
One of the things Philippa Gregory does so well in this novel is how she keeps Meridon/Sarah separate---as if they are two different people, when they are really not. Once Sarah comes to appreciate the power of her new life, the power of her money, and the fact that she can be her own person and love whoever she wants, she ends the novel by saying that she is Meridon and "this is where I belong." She no longer refers to herself as Sarah.
I guess the one thing that bugged me a little was that it seemed like once Meridon left the circus, it felt like Philippa Gregory kind of forgot about Meridon's fear of heights. I thought her fear was going to come back and bite her and some pivotal part of the novel because it seemed so stressed in the first part of the novel.
Once again, the two major themes in this book (as in "Wideacre" and "The Favored Child") were the ideas of women's rights and the rich vs. the poor. Sarah learns the hard way about a husband's rights over his wife. Meridon/Sarah even dresses as a man on multiple occasions and finds it's easier to pretend to be a man and gain respect and entry into certain places. As far as theme #2, Will says at one point:
"If we go on as we are going, with people thinking of nothing but making fortunes and caring nothing for their workers and caring nothing for the land, then they will regret it. They think they can count the cost of living. But the cost is even higher. They teach themselves and they teach their children a sort of callousness, and once people have learned that lesson it is indeed too late. There is nothing then to hold back rich people from getting richer at the expense of the poor, nothing to protect the children, to protect the land. The rich people make the law, the rich people enforce them. Time after time we have a chance to decide what matters most---wealth, or whether people are happy. If they could only stop now, and think of the happiness for the greatest number of people" (546-547).
This paragraph is one of the most simplest ways to describe these major theme that places through all three books. It is exactly this message that Beatrice, Julia, and Meridon struggle with in their own way. They think it all about the money, when it's truly not. They struggle to love others and they struggle to love their own land. It's this idea of happiness that both Beatrice and Julia failed at, but Meridon achieves. Books 1 and 2 had unhappy endings. People died and they themselves died. Meridon gets her happy ending with Will and the money means nothing to her in the end.
One other thing that frustrated me was the lack of the Gowers at the end of the book. Sarah did have a confrontation wit Robert Gower about the death of her sister, but we never saw a final confrontation between Sarah and the man who killed her sister, Jack. I really thought Sarah was going to come into her inheritance and it would all be about vengeance for her to destroy Jack. But instead the novel took a turn elsewhere. Robert and Jack were basically forgotten which I found odd. I just felt there should have been a better ending for them and some more dramatic confrontations.
Overall, such a fantastic conclusion to this series. Just so much character depth (whether you loved or hated characters), and the storylines were so intriguing from start to finish. Everything fell into place right at the end and, I think as a reader, you will really appreciate the conclusion.
The final book in Philippa Gregory's "Wideacre" trilogy, "Meridon," follows that of Julia's daugther, Sarah, who Julia gave to the gypsies at the end of "The Favored Child." Sarah is given the name Meridon, and she has no idea about who she truly is. Meridon has dreams about a place called "Wide"---a place that she feels strongly connected to but doesn't know why. Through a series of events, Meridon and her sister, Dandy, become part of a circus act. Meridon leaves the circus after a devastating event and miraculously comes across Wideacre and learns she is the long lost heir. Meridon regains her birth name, Sarah, and is thrown into a world of riches, and treachery and has to learn to find her place in this new world and discover who she really is and what Wideacre means to her. "Meridon" is a stunning conclusion to the "Wideacre" trilogy and you just simply cannot put it down.
This final book was so amazing! It's just weird that I've finally reached the end after having such a rocky start with the very first book. Like I said in my other reviews, in "Wideacre" I absolutely hated and despised Beatrice and could form no sort of attachment or feelings to her; in "The Favored Child" I really sympathized with Julia and was heartbroken by the end of the novel. Here in "Meridon" everything falls rightly into place. Meridon/Sarah is a captivating heroine and so unlike her grandmother and mother. Meridon starts off as a very capable girl---very cold and calculating and planning out the future she desires with her sister, Dandy. When she becomes Sarah she is suddenly thrown into the life of the rich and famous and her only desire to to get her upper-class training complete so she can have all the money she's ever wanted. Sarah has no feelings or compassion for the people of Wideacre because she herself has lived in extreme poverty her whole life. So the idea of endless riches thrills her and she feels no remorse for the things she plans on doing to Wideacre. But as Sarah learns more and more about the gentry, she sees the corruption of the wealthy and that they are no better than the poor.
Meridon was just perfectly thought out as a character. In some ways, you can understand her feelings for wanting to ignore Wideacre because of how she grew up and the events that have occurred just right before she arrived at Wideacre. But then in other ways, you want to root for Meridon to see the error of her thoughts. Meridon is very petulant at the start. It's not until her visits to the city and her viewing of the corruption of the wealthy when she starts to change her mind. Plus, it's her relationships with Perry Havering, Lady Clara, and Will Tyacke that help her to see the light.
One of the things Philippa Gregory does so well in this novel is how she keeps Meridon/Sarah separate---as if they are two different people, when they are really not. Once Sarah comes to appreciate the power of her new life, the power of her money, and the fact that she can be her own person and love whoever she wants, she ends the novel by saying that she is Meridon and "this is where I belong." She no longer refers to herself as Sarah.
I guess the one thing that bugged me a little was that it seemed like once Meridon left the circus, it felt like Philippa Gregory kind of forgot about Meridon's fear of heights. I thought her fear was going to come back and bite her and some pivotal part of the novel because it seemed so stressed in the first part of the novel.
Once again, the two major themes in this book (as in "Wideacre" and "The Favored Child") were the ideas of women's rights and the rich vs. the poor. Sarah learns the hard way about a husband's rights over his wife. Meridon/Sarah even dresses as a man on multiple occasions and finds it's easier to pretend to be a man and gain respect and entry into certain places. As far as theme #2, Will says at one point:
"If we go on as we are going, with people thinking of nothing but making fortunes and caring nothing for their workers and caring nothing for the land, then they will regret it. They think they can count the cost of living. But the cost is even higher. They teach themselves and they teach their children a sort of callousness, and once people have learned that lesson it is indeed too late. There is nothing then to hold back rich people from getting richer at the expense of the poor, nothing to protect the children, to protect the land. The rich people make the law, the rich people enforce them. Time after time we have a chance to decide what matters most---wealth, or whether people are happy. If they could only stop now, and think of the happiness for the greatest number of people" (546-547).
This paragraph is one of the most simplest ways to describe these major theme that places through all three books. It is exactly this message that Beatrice, Julia, and Meridon struggle with in their own way. They think it all about the money, when it's truly not. They struggle to love others and they struggle to love their own land. It's this idea of happiness that both Beatrice and Julia failed at, but Meridon achieves. Books 1 and 2 had unhappy endings. People died and they themselves died. Meridon gets her happy ending with Will and the money means nothing to her in the end.
One other thing that frustrated me was the lack of the Gowers at the end of the book. Sarah did have a confrontation wit Robert Gower about the death of her sister, but we never saw a final confrontation between Sarah and the man who killed her sister, Jack. I really thought Sarah was going to come into her inheritance and it would all be about vengeance for her to destroy Jack. But instead the novel took a turn elsewhere. Robert and Jack were basically forgotten which I found odd. I just felt there should have been a better ending for them and some more dramatic confrontations.
Overall, such a fantastic conclusion to this series. Just so much character depth (whether you loved or hated characters), and the storylines were so intriguing from start to finish. Everything fell into place right at the end and, I think as a reader, you will really appreciate the conclusion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 14, 2019
[a neighborhood post office 'library' find]
an unnecessarily heavy-handed morality tale, a protagonist i absolutely despised for 100+ pages of it, and a trite ending. but it was amusing in the sense that i needed some bubblegum reading. i wish meridon had not needed to learn the hard way quite so badly so that there could have been more about her horse training instead of the super boring/predictable society nonsense. also the pace was awfully slow. but it was one of PG's first books, and I did appreciate the detail of character building of Meridon (it's true, 16 year olds are rather unbearable, she captured that perfectly), even if every single other character was flat and unchanging. it seemed a somewhat realistic portrayal of someone who had experienced trauma, little love in her life, and had significant 'parent issues,' and I could understand a lot of her self-sabotage. so i gave it 3 for making me not sorry i finished it. [from the other reviews i'm glad i didn't read the first two!]
an unnecessarily heavy-handed morality tale, a protagonist i absolutely despised for 100+ pages of it, and a trite ending. but it was amusing in the sense that i needed some bubblegum reading. i wish meridon had not needed to learn the hard way quite so badly so that there could have been more about her horse training instead of the super boring/predictable society nonsense. also the pace was awfully slow. but it was one of PG's first books, and I did appreciate the detail of character building of Meridon (it's true, 16 year olds are rather unbearable, she captured that perfectly), even if every single other character was flat and unchanging. it seemed a somewhat realistic portrayal of someone who had experienced trauma, little love in her life, and had significant 'parent issues,' and I could understand a lot of her self-sabotage. so i gave it 3 for making me not sorry i finished it. [from the other reviews i'm glad i didn't read the first two!]
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