Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
Harper (2007), Edition: paperback / softback
Description
The second novel in the bestselling Wideacre Trilogy, a compulsive drama set in the eighteenth century. By Philippa Gregory, the author of The Other Boleyn Girl and The Virgin's Lover. The Wideacre estate is bankrupt, the villagers are living in poverty and Wideacre Hall is a smoke-blackened ruin. But in the Dower House two children are being raised in protected innocence. Equal claimants to the inheritance of Wideacre, rivals for the love of the village, they are tied by a secret childhood betrothal but forbidden to marry. Only one can be the favoured child. Only one can inherit the magical understanding between the land and the Lacey family that can make the Sussex village grow green again. Only one can be Beatrice Lacey's true heir. Sweeping, passionate, unique: 'The Favoured Child' is the second novel in Philippa Gregory's bestselling trilogy which began with 'Wideacre' and concluded with 'Meridon'.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member damsel58
Despite being a fan of some of Gregory's other novels, most particularly The Other Boleyn, this series crushed a lot of the enjoyment I have for her writing. I did read the entire series, growing both more disgusted with the main characters and more apathetic. This book continues the themes of
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incest and avarice from the first book, however it lacks the saving gace of the first -- charisma of the main character. Julia is supposed to represent the innocent contrast to Richard's bullying manipulation, but instead just seems a weak, insipid character. Show Less
LibraryThing member stacyinthecity
I'm working my way through the Wideacre trilogy. The second book continues the themes of the first one and is written in the same style. Pagan gods, seeing the future, and other phenomenon repeat throughout the book. It is dark and full of suspense.
But it also tells a very modern story, despite its
Potential Wideace (book 1) spoilers below.
Beatrice, the main character from the first book, loved the land and the people on the land, and all was good. The people loved her back and the land produced excellent harvests. But when Beatrice turned her back on the land and people living on it, in favor of securing her place on it in the future, it all turned on her. At the end of Wideacre, she left Wideacre to her 2 heirs - a son and daughter, both products of a secret incestuous relationship.
Now, the 2 children are grown and unaware of their close blood relationship to each other. The qualities of Beatrice have been split in two. Beatrice loved the land and loved the villages, so does Julia. But Beatrice also wanted Wideacre for herself, no matter what the cost, as does Richard. Beatrice treated villagers with compassion, but she did despicable things to the people who stood in her way. Beatrice was full of contradiction, but her two heirs have become the good vs evil that was inside of her. It may not be realistic, but it worked to tell this story.
The book was a good view into late 18th century manor life in the context of the changing economic world at that time. It also had some romance in it, which I enjoyed. But mostly it is a gothic tale of the lengths an evil person will go to hang on to the idea he is better than the rest and the lengths a truly good person will go to prevent that evil and provide for the people she loves.
But it also tells a very modern story, despite its
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eighteenth century setting. The main character deals with a changing economy, changing way of doing business, she deals with romance, and she deals with cruel emotional and physical abuse. While the characters telling of the events are very clear and in our modern society there is no question that crimes were committed, the way the world worked at that time was not entirely favorable to women like the main character.Potential Wideace (book 1) spoilers below.
Beatrice, the main character from the first book, loved the land and the people on the land, and all was good. The people loved her back and the land produced excellent harvests. But when Beatrice turned her back on the land and people living on it, in favor of securing her place on it in the future, it all turned on her. At the end of Wideacre, she left Wideacre to her 2 heirs - a son and daughter, both products of a secret incestuous relationship.
Now, the 2 children are grown and unaware of their close blood relationship to each other. The qualities of Beatrice have been split in two. Beatrice loved the land and loved the villages, so does Julia. But Beatrice also wanted Wideacre for herself, no matter what the cost, as does Richard. Beatrice treated villagers with compassion, but she did despicable things to the people who stood in her way. Beatrice was full of contradiction, but her two heirs have become the good vs evil that was inside of her. It may not be realistic, but it worked to tell this story.
The book was a good view into late 18th century manor life in the context of the changing economic world at that time. It also had some romance in it, which I enjoyed. But mostly it is a gothic tale of the lengths an evil person will go to hang on to the idea he is better than the rest and the lengths a truly good person will go to prevent that evil and provide for the people she loves.
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LibraryThing member amandacb
Creepy historical fiction...riveting and revolting at the same time.
LibraryThing member ilurvebooks
This is the 2nd book of the Wideacre Trilogy and just as good as the first one very gripping Philippa Gregory is one of my favourite authors she puts so much description into her writing you can imagine yourself in the tale quite easily!
LibraryThing member AdonisGuilfoyle
For the faint of heart who complained about Wideacre, the first novel in Philippa Gregory's trilogy, there will be no need to warn that The Favoured Child continues in the same ever-decreasing circles. Julia Lacey and Richard McAndrew are Beatrice's children, joint heirs to the land who have also
Julia and Richard are Beatrice's children, but also the polar opposites of her personality embodied in two individual characters, which is perhaps why neither work as well as Beatrice Lacey in Wideacre. Beatrice held the entire story with the strength of her own character, but Julia as narrator is a passive witness to her own life, and Richard quickly turns into a pantomime villain, all cackling laughter and evil deeds. For the most part, I did find Julia to be sympathetic and historically accurate, full of good intentions but without the confidence to act on her own, yet she can also be extremely infuriating. She represents the powerless state of eighteenth century women, controlled by society's expectations and owned by their husbands, and the point is regularly drummed home. But she is also the favoured child, sharing Beatrice's link with the land and her second sight - so much is made of this vital, mystical connection in the first half of the novel, only for Julia to throw it all away in the second. Maddening! Richard, in comparison, has all of Beatrice's greed and ambition and jealousy but without any of her depth or motivation - he's just a mad bully, with the dangerous capacity to charm and terrorise with equal impact.
The Favoured Child is a sensational, supernatural epic, which must be read as a sequel to Wideacre, but also a well-crafted historical novel, with an imposing message about the balance of power in late eighteenth century England. The Quality and the parish poor, landlords and labourers, men and women - while the French are fighting a revolution across the Channel, the struggle for independence is seething away beneath the pastoral beauty of the countryside, and amongst the Laceys of Wideacre, a corrupt family slowly turning in on themselves. I appreciated the historical social commentary, from the revival of Wideacre to the Austen-esque chapters in Bath, and enjoyed reading about another self-destructive generation of Beatrice's family. The ending is slightly rushed, with shocking deaths tacked on merely to accelerate the plot, but well worth waiting for - and I am glad I have Meridon, the last novel in the trilogy, already to hand!
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inherited the best and worst traits of their mother. (I must confess that I had forgotten exactly how warped the parentage in Wideacre was, and the Wiki synopsis of the book shocked me again!) But to fellow fans of this series, who love the twisted characters and the high drama of the novels, then this sequel is a worthy successor to the Wideacre controversy. Not exactly high literature, but very entertaining and easy to read! To misquote Victor Kiam, I love it so much I bought the set!Julia and Richard are Beatrice's children, but also the polar opposites of her personality embodied in two individual characters, which is perhaps why neither work as well as Beatrice Lacey in Wideacre. Beatrice held the entire story with the strength of her own character, but Julia as narrator is a passive witness to her own life, and Richard quickly turns into a pantomime villain, all cackling laughter and evil deeds. For the most part, I did find Julia to be sympathetic and historically accurate, full of good intentions but without the confidence to act on her own, yet she can also be extremely infuriating. She represents the powerless state of eighteenth century women, controlled by society's expectations and owned by their husbands, and the point is regularly drummed home. But she is also the favoured child, sharing Beatrice's link with the land and her second sight - so much is made of this vital, mystical connection in the first half of the novel, only for Julia to throw it all away in the second. Maddening! Richard, in comparison, has all of Beatrice's greed and ambition and jealousy but without any of her depth or motivation - he's just a mad bully, with the dangerous capacity to charm and terrorise with equal impact.
The Favoured Child is a sensational, supernatural epic, which must be read as a sequel to Wideacre, but also a well-crafted historical novel, with an imposing message about the balance of power in late eighteenth century England. The Quality and the parish poor, landlords and labourers, men and women - while the French are fighting a revolution across the Channel, the struggle for independence is seething away beneath the pastoral beauty of the countryside, and amongst the Laceys of Wideacre, a corrupt family slowly turning in on themselves. I appreciated the historical social commentary, from the revival of Wideacre to the Austen-esque chapters in Bath, and enjoyed reading about another self-destructive generation of Beatrice's family. The ending is slightly rushed, with shocking deaths tacked on merely to accelerate the plot, but well worth waiting for - and I am glad I have Meridon, the last novel in the trilogy, already to hand!
Show Less
LibraryThing member colette4071
Did not enjoy this book at all
LibraryThing member Marlene-NL
On Monday, January 08, 2007 I wrote about this book:
I thought it was a good read but not as good as Wideacre. maybe a bit too much of the same. Again a lot of incest.
I still enjoyed the book though.
Finished reading this book on January 2nd 2007
I thought it was a good read but not as good as Wideacre. maybe a bit too much of the same. Again a lot of incest.
I still enjoyed the book though.
Finished reading this book on January 2nd 2007
Subjects
Original publication date
1989
Physical description
7.8 inches
ISBN
0007841523 / 9780007841523
Similar in this library
DDC/MDS
| 823.914 |