Rating: 
Summary: The Laceys are at it again!
Review: 12 year old Julia Lacey is haunted by dreams of the past and premonitions of the future. All she wants is to see the town of Wideacre flourish again and put food in the mouths of the hungry.She is named as joint heir for Wideacre, along with her cousin, Richard. Because he is the boy, he gets the education and the freedom. He indeed seems to be the favoured child. Meanwhile, Julia has to be content with becoming friends with the townfolk, learning the history of Wideacre and the Laceys and unravelling why she seems to have 'the sight'. Why she seems to have the power of her predecessor, Beatrice to make the crops grow. I really enjoyed the return of Ralph in this sequel, and the struggle that Julia had to fight as a woman with virtually no rights in a man's world. Philippa Gregory is very talented at writing a story of nasty people with bad intentions.
Rating: 
Summary: WONDERFUL SECOND BOOK
Review: A great second chapter with a spellbounding storyline. Julia's helplessness is evident from the beginning as is her growing strength by book's end. Richard's deceitful madness definite throughout the book. Celia's quiet agony and Ralph's constant guidance and final revenge a plus.
Ms gregory does a wonderful job capturing details of the era.
Very anxious to read the third and final chapter.
Rating:
Summary: As good as the first !
Review: After reading Wideacre I expected this book's heroine to be evil and manipulative. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Phillipa Gregory had created a good, yet incredibly deep character. Julia Lacey is definately not a one dimensional herione and is no carbon copy of Beatrice. I can't wait til I read the third book, Meridon!
Rating: 
Summary: If it had been poorly written, I would have rated it 0
Review: I can only say after reading these books that I am glad that I read "The Queen's Fool" and "The Other Bolyn Girl" first. If I hadn't, nothing could have inspired me to pick up another of this author's books. This book was marginally more enjoyable than its predecessor, "Wideacre." Although they are beautifully written, the characters are thoroughly unlikable and unbelievable. The story lines are trite and predictable. In this trilogy, the author has seemed to forget the tales' integrity and instead gone for shock value. Most of the characters in these books just need to be slapped or put out of their misery. If you like drama-queen stories intended to shock, I would suggest reading any book by V.C. Andrews rather than this trilogy. At least most of the characters in the V.C. Andrews books cannot do anything to improve their situations merely by standing up and being human. I have always said that no book read is a waste of time. I am sad to say I was wrong. These books have wasted valuable time that I could have spent on something more worthwhile. I would recommend to ANY reader two other books by this author, and those would be the aforementioned "The Queen's Fool" and "The Other Boleyn Girl." Both are great reads and worth 5 stars--more if it were possible to rate them that highly.
Rating:
Summary: If it had been poorly written, I would have rated it 0
Review: I can only say after reading these books that I am glad that I read "The Queen's Fool" and "The Other Bolyn Girl" first. If I hadn't, nothing could have inspired me to pick up another of this author's books. This book was marginally more enjoyable than its predecessor, "Wideacre." Although they are beautifully written, the characters are thoroughly unlikable and unbelievable. The story lines are trite and predictable. In this trilogy, the author has seemed to forget the tales' integrity and instead gone for shock value. Most of the characters in these books just need to be slapped or put out of their misery. If you like drama-queen stories intended to shock, I would suggest reading any book by V.C. Andrews rather than this trilogy. At least most of the characters in the V.C. Andrews books cannot do anything to improve their situations merely by standing up and being human. I have always said that no book read is a waste of time. I am sad to say I was wrong. These books have wasted valuable time that I could have spent on something more worthwhile. I would recommend to ANY reader two other books by this author, and those would be the aforementioned "The Queen's Fool" and "The Other Boleyn Girl." Both are great reads and worth 5 stars--more if it were possible to rate them that highly.
Rating:
Summary: If it had been poorly written, I would have rated it 0
Review: I can only say after reading these books that I am glad that I read "The Queen's Fool" and "The Other Bolyn Girl" first. If I hadn't, nothing could have inspired me to pick up another of this author's books. This book was marginally more enjoyable than its predecessor, "Wideacre." Although they are beautifully written, the characters are thoroughly unlikable and unbelievable. The story lines are trite and predictable. In this trilogy, the author has seemed to forget the tales' integrity and instead gone for shock value. Most of the characters in these books just need to be slapped or put out of their misery. If you like drama-queen stories intended to shock, I would suggest reading any book by V.C. Andrews rather than this trilogy. At least most of the characters in the V.C. Andrews books cannot do anything to improve their situations merely by standing up and being human. I have always said that no book read is a waste of time. I am sad to say I was wrong. These books have wasted valuable time that I could have spent on something more worthwhile. I would recommend to ANY reader two other books by this author, and those would be the aforementioned "The Queen's Fool" and "The Other Boleyn Girl." Both are great reads and worth 5 stars--more if it were possible to rate them that highly.
Rating:
Summary: Another terrific read
Review: I couldn't wait to begin this book after finishing Wideacre. I
was not disappointed. This book was as enjoyable and engrossing
as the first book in the triology.
Rating:
Summary: Much Better than Wideacre
Review: I had bought the trilogy together, so when I finished with the less than stellar Wideacre, I debated about reading The Favored Child. However, I must admit that I am glad that I decided to give this one a shot.
Unlike the first book which picks up fast and lags near the end, this book is quite the opposite. This book lags somewhat in the beginning, and the end is quite hurried and rushed. I really felt myself wanting to read more about Julia's life, and even Ralph.
Beatrice may have been a villian, but her child Julia is not at all. In fact, she is a well-liked and well-developed character. In this installment, it is the boy child, Richard, who seems to be the villian. Julia develops into warm-hearted, compassionate, smart, and brave woman who is torn between her love of her land and the love for her people. Making a huge (if somewhat unbelievable) sacrifice, she decides that her responsibility and commitment to the people of Acre matters more than anything in the world - including her flesh and blood.
I would be doing a diservice to you, if I did not mention that there are times where Julia is extremely annoying, and her poor, and hasty choices, will leave you incredibly infuriated. However, even still, there is a sense of admiration in what she is trying to do, and eventually, the biggest choices she has to make.
I was disappointed that the book did not explore more of James, Julia's love. However, truthfully, this story was not about James, or James and Julia, and it is probably best that the character of James be explored at length.
I was also disappointed with Celia's and John's relationship, but again, the book wasn't intended to be a story about their relationship. I did feel though, at times, that John's character was not the same throughout the two books. I think he deserved a little more continuity.
Rating:
Summary: As good as the first !
Review: I have become a fast fan of Philippa Gregory, starting first with The Other Boleyn Girl before beginning the Wideacre trilogy. I cannot put them down. In this second work I find myself sad for Julia Lacey but infuriated with her at the same time. I want to jump into the book and strangle her for her stupidity and weakness but then check myself on the time which her character lives. You cannot help but pity little Julia and hope that she will summon the strength of her mama/aunt Beatrice, the Wideacre witch, and break from the intolerably cruel rule of her cousin/brother/husband Richard and give him his just desserts. I cannot wait to learn how it all ends. This trilogy makes great summer reading. A MUST READ!!!
Rating:
Summary: Addictively Infuriating!!!
Review: I have become a fast fan of Philippa Gregory, starting first with The Other Boleyn Girl before beginning the Wideacre trilogy. I cannot put them down. In this second work I find myself sad for Julia Lacey but infuriated with her at the same time. I want to jump into the book and strangle her for her stupidity and weakness but then check myself on the time which her character lives. You cannot help but pity little Julia and hope that she will summon the strength of her mama/aunt Beatrice, the Wideacre witch, and break from the intolerably cruel rule of her cousin/brother/husband Richard and give him his just desserts. I cannot wait to learn how it all ends. This trilogy makes great summer reading. A MUST READ!!!
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