Thinking of reading a Phillipa Gregory - recommend one please

[CandyLoo]

I've never read a Phillipa Gregory, but hear lots of good things.
Picked one up in a bookshop earlier today, think I'll give one a try - what do you recommend? Thanks

[VivaLeBeaver]

Wideacre.

[BillysBeastlyBogeyman]

The Other Boleyn Girl and then the Boleyn Inheritence

[WhereMyMilk]

As Billy said.

They are great and will lead you on. Though think her recent books are a little weak. Try Alison Weir and Anne O'Brien thou, very good historians/writers.

[GlesgaRocket]

The Other Boleyn Girl. My favourite Philippa Gregory book.

[NotmylastRolo]

Agree - The Other Boleyn Girl.
Have just read The Kingmaker;s Daughter and am about to start reading The Lady of the Rivers. Not quite as impressed with Kingmaker's Daughter but was still good enough to read it in less than a week.
PG is so easy to read and get into. I have enjoyed each one of her books but my fave is still The Other Boleyn Girl.

[WelshWereRabbit]

Another vote for the Boleyn books as a starting point. Wideacre is a great read, but is not based around actual historical figures, so a bit different from her other stuff.

[highlandcoo]

The Other Boleyn Girl is really good, but if you want to read the Boleyn trilogy in order, start with The Constant Princess, which portrays Catherine of Aragon in her youth. Then TOBG, and finally The Boleyn Inheritance.

A Respectable Trade is quite different. Tells the story of a young woman who marries a slave trader and becomes involved with educating a group of slaves to speak English so that they'll command a higher price.

[MerylStrop]

They are not very well written.

If you fancy a Tudor historical novel would definitely recommend Hilary Mantel or Alison Weir.

Philippa Gregory just doesn't hold up in comparison.

[NotmylastRolo]

Will check out Hilary Mantel & Alison Weir so thanks for the heads up. I always like a recommendation.

[NotmylastRolo]

Wooppeee! Have just realised that Hilary Mantel wrote Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies (both Booker prize winners!) and I have asked my mum for these for Christmas without realising they were by Hilary Mantel. Am well chuffed now and will look forward to a great January read.

[MerylStrop]

They are both awesome

[BillyBollyBandy]

Agree the Hilary Mantel books are excellent.

I really liked Lady of the Rivers by PG but not The White Queen and The Red Queen as much.

[kenanddreary]

Why not try 'The Little House' by Philippa Gregory? Not an historical novel. Couldn't put it down. It was actually made into a mini-series a while ago. Psychological thriller. Brilliant!

[CandyLoo]

kenanddreary Thanks for that, although thrillers aren't really my thing.

[fedupwithdeployment]

I don't really lke Philippa Gregory, although I have read 2 or 3 of hers. The Other Boleyn Girl was ok....better than the film which was dire. But I found Wideacre really unpleasant. I think it was the incest that put me off.

[kenanddreary]

LaQueen - couldn't have put it better myself. OP - 'The Little House' is well worth a read. Not a traditional type thriller. You would hardly know it was a thriller - it's more of a family/dilemma type story. A lot of psychological elements involved.

[cryhavoc]

I didn't think The Boleyn Inheritance was as good as The Other Boleyn Girl. Her Elizabeth I books, The Virgin's Lover and The Queen's Fool, are excellent.

A Respectable Trade is also very good.

[CandyLoo]

You've convinced me to try 'The Little House', it does sound interesting and worth a look. Thanks

[upinthehills]

I enjoyed the White Queen...

[theoriginalandbestrookie]

Agree with the top recommendations - start with The Other Boleyn Girl - I enjoyed most of her earlier books but recent ones are a bit lacking in historical research and plot development imho including The White Queen.

I like The Wise Woman as well.

[Forester]

I like all the Phillipa Gregory books that are based on a real person/ real events and agree that the Other Boleyn Girl is good place to start. They are very entertaining to read.

In my opinion it all goes a bit wrong when she does her own plots. The lead character in Wide Acre was absolutely vile and the books that feature North America (can't remember the names) were boring (One I got to the end, the other I gave up a third of the way through)

[upinthehills]

Quite enjoyed Earthy Joys too.

But maybe I have no taste in books!