The Favored Child

by Philippa Gregory

Book Overview

From #1 New York Times bestselling author and "queen of royal fiction" (USA TODAY) Philippa Gregory comes the thrilling sequel to the New York Times bestseller Wideacre as the once-great Lacey estate is restored to its former grandeur--though not without cost.

The Wideacre estate is bankrupt. The villagers are living in poverty and formerly stunning hall is a smoke-blackened ruin. But, in the Dower House nearby,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743249305
• ISBN13: 9780743249300
• Release Date: July 2003
• Publisher: Atria Books
• Length: 624 Pages
• Weight: 1.22 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 5.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

incredibly powerful....

so i just finished reading this book and my stomach is still in knots. philippa gregory is a puppet master and with every word she will tug on your emotions with this book along with her many other masterpeices....simply amazing. there were times when i was afraid to continue reading it because i was actually scared of what would happen next. it is beyond powerful. truly spectacular. i cant give this book or this author enough praise.

Just great!

After reading Wideacre, I quickly purchased the second book of this trilogy. This was better than Wideacre, the characters were very well developed. Interesting struggles between the roles of women during that time. Be prepared to be disgusted at some of the events, but it makes the book move quickly and at the end you will be so happy to know that there is still a book left to read in the trilogy.

A beautifully written sequel! A 19th century rollercoaster ride.

Firstly, I would like to say that I am not a child, I simply didn't have time to sign in and I really felt compelled to write a review. "The Favored Child" is a fascinating piece of historical fiction. Gregory, once again, gives her readers a peek at the world in which women in the early 1800's live. A world where there is utter powerlessness for a woman, even an heir to property. She also shows us the struggles of the poor and impoverished. The juxtaposition of the separate classes enables her reader to see that each class of society in this time period embodied different freedoms and restraints. Women were not citizens in their own right. Gregory does an amazing job of delving into the mind of women of this era. As women have always been reflective, Julia Lacey, the main character of this novel reflects upon her life...over and over. This, to me, rings realistically to women across the ages. I don't know a woman who doesn't lose a night's sleep thinking over the many facets included in decisions which involve risks or at times become so lost in thought that they wonder, " What am I doing in this room?" when they realize they don't remember why they came there. I also think that the love Julia shares for the people of Acre and her land is inspiring. However, her ambitious plans to give back to the people do not manifest as she is greatly limited, because Julia is a woman in her time. When you combine the EVIL antics of Julia's brother/cousin Richard with Julia's upbringing to be a lady and her love and loyalty to her mother into the scenario, the reader should not be surprised at Julia's lack of ability to bring her dreams to fruition. This story is spun with mysterious sightings and dreams. "The Favored Child" takes its reader to life's heights and depths. Just when you feel all is right with the world, it is not as it appears to be. Gregory is an ~aw~ inspiring writer. Her descriptions of how characters feel are magnificent. Her writing has such profundity. If you do not like drama and wonderfully fantastic writing as well as realistic endings, then you may not like her books. Here is a short quote from "The Favored Child" to give you an idea of how wonderfully she can describe her character's intensity of feeling.... "I could fill my anxiety building up to a panic as if I were in a coffin of crystal with a glass lid coming down on me. And even if I screamed aloud for help, no one would hear and no one would know that I needed aid. The fragile shell of the lie which hid me from my mama and from my Uncle John was about to tumble down about my ears, and no skill of mine would ever mend the shattered pieces. I knew the truth was coming for me in this bright field. I could not even tell which way the cracks were running, but I could hear the structure of my life creaking and beginning to shift." Philippa Gregory is a magnificent author. I would feel confident in suggesting this book to others. Also I would like to add that one of th

As good as the first !

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!

Another terrific read

I couldn't wait to begin this book after finishing Wideacre. Iwas not disappointed. This book was as enjoyable and engrossingas the first book in the triology.