Meridon
by Philippa Gregory
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Book Summary Information
Author: Philippa GregoryEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2003-07-02
ISBN: 0743249313
Number of pages: 576
Publisher: Touchstone
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9780743249317
- Condition: New
- Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Book Reviews of Meridon
Book Review: Underwhelming conclusion to the Wideacre trilogy (2 1/2 stars)...
Summary: 2 Stars
I read the first two parts of the Wideacre trilogy a few months ago. I loved Wideacre but disliked The Favored Child, and so I forgot about reading Meridon for a while. I have finally picked up Meridon from the bottom of my TBR pile because I'd wanted to complement a "meaty" book set during Georgian England with the "escapist" romance read set during eighteenth century Colonial America. This novel is somewhere between Wideacre and The Favored Child in terms of quality to me. This isn't quite as excruciating as The Favored Child, but not as darkly clever or as enjoyable as Wideacre. Meridon, whose real name is Sarah, is given away to gypsies after she's born. She lives a large portion of her life doing tricks in order for her and her sister Dandy to survive. But then she and her sister become part of a traveling circus as an accomplished horseback rider while her sister is a trapeze artist. But tragedy strikes when Dandy falls for the circus owner's son and the sisters flee to the place Meridon has dreamed about all of her life: the Wideacre estate. After she learns more about her past and settles in as the mistress of Wideacre, she worries about fitting in with highborn society and finds herself involved in some romantic intrigue where she finds herself making some harsh decisions. There are various twists throughout the novel.
I guess the most troublesome thing about this novel is that Meridon isn't as compelling to me as Beatrice from Wideacre. Neither one of Beatrice's descendants have been as complex and evil as the aforementioned anti-heroine. And so, the subsequent novels have been unimpressive after such an explosive introduction to the trilogy. The next two novels seem almost anticlimactic in comparison. The other thing I didn't like about this novel is that the story centers a little too much on Meridon and Dandy's life at the circus. While some of those scenes are good and give an insightful background into the sisters' lives, it also takes away from the central part of the story, which is Meridon and her dreams about "Wide." Another thing I found disappointing was how Meridon became Sarah Lacey after moving to Wideacre. The change is too abrupt and she seems to fit into her new surroundings a little too well for my taste. Yes, she does have trouble fitting in with the "quality" social scene, but the way she enters Wideacre is too unrealistic and quick. But the novel isn't a complete waste. Once again, Gregory does a fine job in describing the Georgian setting and adding just the right touch of gothic undertones to the story. And the author does maintain the overall dark tone and three-dimensional characterization. But as I said earlier, Sarah-Meridon is better than Julia Lacey but not quite as compelling and intricate as Beatrice Lacey. The aforementioned anti-heroine does some very disgusting things, which means she is someone you'd love to hate. Ah, well, all in all, this is an underwhelming conclusion to a promising trilogy. I give this effort two and a half stars because, despite its flaws, the novel managed to keep my interest all the way to the end. Phillipa Gregory is a good author with an excellent eye on historical accuracy though. I enjoyed The Other Boleyn Girl, which I read years ago. Perhaps I should read her other books in that series now that I'm into biographical/historical fiction centered on Medieval/Renaissance royalty and nobility. In the meantime, I recommend this if you want to finish up this trilogy. Just because I wasn't impressed with it doesn't mean that you won't like it.
Summary of Meridon
Meridon knows she does not belong in the dirty, vagabond life of a gypsy bareback rider. The half-remembered vision of another life burns in her heart, even as her beloved sister, Dandy, risks everything for their future. Alone, Meridon follows the urgings of her dream, riding in the moonlight past the rusted gates, up the winding drive to a house -- clutching the golden clasp of the necklace that was her birthright -- home at last to Wideacre. The lost heir of one of England's great estates would take her place as its mistress....Crowning the extraordinary trilogy that began with Wideacre and The Favored Child, Meridon is a rich, impassioned tapestry of a young woman's journey from dreams to glittering drawing rooms and elaborate deceits...from a simple hope to a deep and fulfilling love. Set in the savage contrasts of Georgian England -- a time alive with treachery, grandeur, and intrigue -- Meridon is Philippa Gregory's masterwork.
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