This novel is garbage. I won't be reading any more Philipa Gregory books. ( )

I found this book greatly psychologically disturbing, ( )

Beatrice Lacey, as strong-minded as she is beautiful, refuses to conform to the social customs of her time. Destined to lose her family name and beloved Wideacre estate once she is wed, Beatrice will use any means necessary to protect her ancestral heritage. Seduction, betrayal, even murder — Beatrice's passion is without apology or conscience. "She is a Lacey of Wideacre," her father warns, "and whatever she does, however she behaves, will always be fitting." Yet even as Beatrice's scheming seems about to yield her dream, she is haunted by the one living person who knows the extent of her plans...and her capacity for evil.

Sumptuously set in Georgian England, Wideacre is intensely gripping, rich in texture, and full of color and authenticity. It is a saga as irresistible in its singular magic as its heroine.

Having previously reviewed and enjoyed The Other Boleyn Girl by Gregory, I thought for sure that I would enjoy this book, as well. Many of my friends have read and enjoyed the series, so I had high hopes.

I didn't finish it.
I just couldn't do it.

I was intrigued by Beatrice and her plight (trying to own Wideacre in a time when women cannot own anything), and I was interested in her story. The plot got extremely repetitive, however.

Spoilers Warning for the Following! /strong>
I am by no means a prude, but the incest with her brother, while I understood why she did it, was just too much for me. I think it would have been alright if it hadn't been the fallback for the plot:
She and her brother are incestruous. That gives her slight success. She tries something else for more success. It doesn't work so she goes back to her brother for more moderate success. She tries something else. Fail. Brother. New idea again. Fail. Brother.
My God, I just couldn't take it anymore!
And the fact that he liked to be dominated was really just the cherry on the cake.

End spoilers.

I did care enough about the characters to want to read the epilogue before I decided to officially file the book away forever.
I don't know if I'll ever finish the series; I have an awfully large TBR pile of books that I'd rather read before I ever get to The Favored Child. ( )

I'm so glad to see that others were as disgusted with the main character as I was. Like everyone else, I picked up the book after thoroughly enjoying The Other Boleyn Girl, but I really hated the protagonist when I don't think I was supposed to (an anti-heroine she was not). It's hard to make it through a book when you wish your "heroine" would get her comeuppance or just die already. She was conniving and evil, and I hated her more with each passing chapter. I have never given up on a book, but I seriously considered it here. My only thoughts as I progressed were "at least there's only 100 pages left"..."only a few more chapters"..."when will this end?" Just yuck. I definitely will not be looking at the rest of the trilogy. ( )

I had picked up and read this book awhile ago and I still remember how disgusted I was with this book. Like others I had read other works by Philippa Gregory and saw this one and thought it would be along the same lines. Well, I was wrong. I did finish the book but I do not regret not getting the following books in the series. I really don't care what happens to any of the characters or the offspring of incestuous relationship. ( )