Philippa Gregory - 'Virgin Earth'

So for those of you who read my last post, 'Virgin Earth' is the sequel to 'Earthly Joy'. Very conveniently both of the books were on sale cheaply when I bought the first one for bookclub so naturally I had to buy/read the second one too. As much as I enjoyed the first book, I think I like the second one better. 'Virgin Earth' looks at the journey of John Tradescant the Younger (aka as J in the first book). He travels to America. Specifically to Virginia in it its early days as a Royalist colony. John falls in love with the native people and the plants in the colonies while of course still loving what he had left behind in England. This book explores the barbaric nature of the treatment of indigenous inhabitants, slavery, conflicting loyalty, idealism, family and the English Civil war. I have realised how limited my knowledge is of this era! Time to do some non-fiction reading too I think. Not that the book isn't perfectly easy to follow without that background, but my curiousity has been sparked. I found in this book the characters less complex in this book, but that this meant some of the themes were are little more confrontational. I enjoyed the book and definitely recommend it to people who like 'meaty' historical fiction.

Philippa Gregory - 'Earthly Joy'

It was my job to pick the book for this week's month's bookclub book. I was given the genre of 'historical novel' which I am sure they thought would be easy for me with my background! For the record it is really hard to pick a book you haven't read before for a group (just in case you have not been in this position). Anyway, I picked Philippa Gregory as the auther and then asked a friend who I knew had read a lot of Philippa Gregory's books to recommend one for me and here we are! The novel is set in the 1600's when Elizabeth I is still on the throne. The central character is John Tradescant, a gardener who shares a strong bond with the lord he serves. Time does not stand still however, and as time goes on John's loyalty is tested. New monarchs, new masters, new family. Conflicting views and as time progresses John realises the things he thought were straight forward might not be. Initially, the other members of the bookclub were a bit dubious after reading the blub. None of them had read this type of book before. While we have not had our official meeting, the comments on facebook have been very positive! Based on this, I would recommend the book for those wishing to try the genre. Oh, and I enjoyed the book and I am halfway through the sequel!

Philippa Gregory - 'Zelda's Cut'

Another contemporary novel by Philippa Gregory.

Isobel is a literary writer in her mid-fifties who is working hard to support an invalid husband. She values the type of writing she does, but unfortunately it doesn't pay well. So Isobel and her agent, Troy, create a new writer. 'Zelda' does not write for acclaim or to further the literary world. She writes about sex and desire and a darker side of life. She writes for money. However as Isobel finds her needs are clashing with her alter ego's a whole new series of problems arise. Add in the troubles associated with her husband and money her whole world changes in ways she never expected.

A story with double meaning and twists and turns that will keep you in suspense until the last page. Even the times you think you know what is going to happen and the times you do actually guess there is a twist that will take you down a whole different path.

Philippa Gregory - 'The Little House'

I am used to thinking of Philippa Gregory as writing historical novels. However, this novel is described on the cover of my edition as being a "chilling novel of contemporary suspense". An apt description.

The story is of two women, the mother-in-law and the wife, of the man who links the two and of a baby loved by them all. Covering issues such as post-natal depression, career v baby and the intricacies of some of the most complicated relationships you can have. The relationship between a mother and her son and between the mother and the woman who becomes his wife.

Set in the 1990's the story at times seems fantastical but with chilling echoes of real life. Games are played. Battles are won. As these two women attempt to co-exist in the life of one man.

An intriguing story.

Philippa Gregory - 'Fallen Skies'

When I first started this book, I thought it was like hundreds of other books of the same era. Just after WWI. Upper-class soldier returned home with an injury falls in love with a girl he sees performing in a show. While many of the common themes are present, the psychological aspect of a man who has seen the horrors of war is more deeply explored then in many of these books.

Stephen falls in love with Lily, hoping she can help him forget the horrors of a war he did not want to fight. Lily, however is in love with her career on the stage. Mrs Winters, Stephen's mother, is concerned about the impression Lily would make on her well ordered upper-class life. Mr Winters is an invalid since the death of his first-born son.

This is a story about many different types of love. It is about the clash of worlds. It is about the aftermath of a the war that took a generation and scarred those who survived it.

After I was about a third of the way through this book, I could not put it down. The first bit was readable, but then it became enthralling. Highly recommended to anyone who likes books about the post-WWI era.

Philippa Gregory "The Queen's Fool"

I think I had previously started one of Philippa Gregory's other books but I am not sure if I had ever finished it (not "The Other Boleyn Girl" which I still haven't read), but after reading this one I will definitely be searching my shelves to find it and read it properly.

"The Queen's Fool" is a work of historical fiction told through the eyes of a girl, Hannah, who is in fear of her life by accident of birth, as a product of times and as a victim of circumstance when she is thrust in the household of the dying King. Whilst it is set in historical times and tells the story of life in the times of (Bloody)Queen Mary it is also a story of conflicting loyalties, devotion, betrayal and of finding yourself. The book shows nothing is black and white and throughout the book Hannah is shown everything is about compromise. The book wasn't overly focused on the historical side of things but definitely gave you sense of the contemporary times in particular the controversy over religion. For those people who are interested in that side of things there was enough said to inspire further reading on the period. Similarly that while romance featured in the book I would not call it a romance novel.

The book reminded me of Jean Plaidy's books albeit less focused on the historical characters. Jean Plaidy was my first introduction to history and the beginning of a lifelong love of all things historical. I will be hunting up more of Phillipa Gregory's books after reading this one.