Tidelands: The Fairmile Series, Book 1

“Tidelands” is so richly described, so authentically peopled, that, even more so than in her astonishing royal courts series, Philippa Gregory’s beautifully written, cleverly beguiling twists and turns, and the actions & emotions of people that we KNOW in play, each turn surprised me further. The foundation of solid, erudite, well-researched history that Gregory is known for feels even more painstakingly researched and crafted into Tideland’s saga of the turning points in the lives of a family in a bewildering landscape of “tidelands,” lands bordered by beaches and a harbor but shifting, treacherous, and entrapping as the land’s flooding with every tide leaves the non-landed denizen’s lives as barren and murky as the tide waters trapped in the Miller’s mill pond, with every shilling earned going always to immediate demands of tithes to the landlord, tithes to the increasingly repressive church, and, if any is left, for the meanest of foods. “Tidelands” is a story to be treasured for its message of valuing oneself and the ability to persevere — and prevail in even the most ominous times. “Tidelands” was also a great find for me because my knowledge of the Reformation and the emergence of puritanical belief & societal structures, coinciding with the surprisingly convoluted, protracted defeat and demise of Charles I, is history of which I had barely a glancing knowledge. Black Adder episodes on the period taught me more than I gained in America in history classes. What had always seemed straight-forward and wholly tedious suddenly captured my interest when presented from the viewpoints of the working tenants supporting Cromwell and entitled, unquestioning children of nobles & the gentry, puritans versus papists, respectively. The Author’s Note at the end is as beautifully and movingly written as any of her books and is piercing in the simple points Gregory makes, knowing that no aspect of women’s history, particularly the untold stories, is simple. Perhaps the most stunning experiences of reading “Tidelands” is coming to the surface and blinking in the different time and place. Yes, of course, I read it straight-through in one long night and a half day — and I will do the same with the next story in the saga as soon as I obtain it!

This was a gripping story, but be warned, there is no Happily ever after ending! I prefer books with some sort of resolution. I guess I'm supposed to buy the next book to learn how Alinor survives? A disappointment.Also, how many times can the author describe the tides, water, sand, birds etc. And then the endless description of the labor and chores, boiling tea, mucking out stables etc. Skippable.Alinor is noble and brave, but most of the other characters behave dishonorably or foolishly.

4.5 stars. I’m a big Philippa Gregory fan, and if I haven’t read one of her books, I have it physically on a TBR bookshelf or device (or both!). As a history buff, I can appreciate the amount of research she puts in to her fiction novels, and that’s what I enjoy. I don’t just want to read a story set in another period, I want the story to be true to the character of the time, I want the facts to be correct, the style of clothing, the manner of speech, the actions of the characters, and Ms. Gregory delivers this in spades.With Tidelands she moves away from writing about royals and undertakes the story of the “common” women in England. She has said that this is the first book in a series that she hopes will span 250 years and 3 continents, following the paths of these women. In Tidelands we meat Alinor, a midwife and herbalist and her children Rob and Alys. While Rob has inherited her gift of healing and understanding the usefulness of plants and herbs, it is Alys that soon becomes the center of this familial drama. Set during the English Civil War when Oliver Cromwell is the head of government and there is no sitting King, when Catholicism is still outlawed and Parliament rules the land, Alinor does everything in her power to survive and provide for her children without a husband. She also tries to stay clear of anything that could connect her to witchcraft or the old ways. Her Mother and Grandmother were known healers in the area as well, but things they did could be considered witchcraft in Alinor’s world, so she must be careful with her words and actions.This is truly the story of women and how they were forced to survive in a world ruled by men, even the poorest of them controlled a woman’s everyday living. The reason it only got 4.5 stars was that it took awhile to get going, but once you get into the story, you’ll be hooked. I think because I am so used to reading books by Ms. Gregory about actual people, that I know where the story is going, but with this one, it was more of a slow burn at the beginning, but with the promise of a series (I know book 2 is about to be released!), well worth it.

This is a wonderful book. Perfect for anyone interested in history and a must have for all feminists and anyone else who is interested in understanding what it's like to live as a woman in a world run by men.Philippa Gregory is an incredible writer. I've enjoyed all her books. I'm really happy that she is writing about ordinary women in this novel.Whenever I finish one of her books I always wish that the book will be made into a film or tv series. I'd most certainly watch them and I think that it might be the only way men would see her brilliant, moving and skilful way of writing about woman in history

La novela esta es de mi pareja y todavia no ha tenido tiempo leerla. Lo siento! David.

This is a really interesting book! It’s all about a woman living in the time of King Charles I who falls in love with a Priest. I loved the description of her life in the poorest part of England and how she lived day to day. Well worth reading.

J'adore ce livre. Les rebondissements au fur est addictif et à mesure que l'histoire se déroule, le placement précis dans l'histoire avec des anecdotes et des références pour donner au conte l'authenticité est superbe. J'ai hâte de voir la suite le 24 novembre.Love this book. The twists and turns as the story unfolds is addictive, the accurate placing in history with anecdotes and references to give the tale authenticity is superb. I can’t wait for the sequel on 24 November.

Loved it