Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
What we're reading

Find your new favourite book or recommend one on our Book forum.

Original poster

Jean Plaidy - anyone read any? Are they rude?!

27 replies

BrendaBlackhead · 05/10/2014 19:34

Dd (11) likes historical fiction. I hate it so I'm not very clued up about what to suggest she reads.

I thought about Jean Plaidy but don't know if the books are bodice-rippers or whether they are seemly (!) and, also, decently historically accurate.

OP posts:
MrsDavidBowie · 05/10/2014 19:35

I'm sure there isn't a throbbing member or heaving bosom in them.

ChoudeBruxelles · 05/10/2014 19:35

They're not bodice rippers. Not sure they are terribly historically accurate either though

TheDetective · 05/10/2014 19:48

I think I've read one of hers called the Bastard King.

In fact I have. It's staring at me from the bookshelf.

I think I read it at 14. It's got some sexual stuff in it, but not loads. I think 11 is a little young maybe.

Maybe a couple more years?

Not sure what else to suggest though! Sorry!

FlankShaftMcWap · 05/10/2014 19:52

I grew up on Jean Plaidy, nothing at all I would worry about for an 11 year old as I remember. Have tried to suggest them to DD1 but she doesn't seem keen Sad

vdbfamily · 05/10/2014 20:17

Has she read the Roman Mysteries? Has she read the My Story collection. Just thinking of what my 11 year old loves.

LifeHuh · 05/10/2014 20:28

They won't be rude, because they are old! I was going to say I loved her growing up but as I'm typing I remember I wasn't so keen on Jean Plaidy- preferred Margaret Irwin. Not sure how accurate they are.

DuchessofMalfi · 05/10/2014 20:29

I read loads of Jean Plaidy as a teenager. They ignited a lifelong fascination with history. Nothing unsuitable at all so far as I can recall.

Also used to adore Georgette Heyer's novels. Must get round to re-reading.

lilacmamacat · 05/10/2014 20:45

We were banned from reading them at school (final year primary) but I don't know why. Perhaps they were considered a bit too rude at the time, but all I can remember was stuff like hot lips pressing against each other - so nothing too sexy and definitely nothing even mildly pornographic. I think it's pretty much an acknowledged fact that they're historically inaccurate but like Duchess they gave me a life long interest in history.

I think there were a few written especially for children - one about Mary Queen of Scots' childhood comes to mind.

SecretNutellaFix · 05/10/2014 20:51

Have a look at GoodReads to see what people say about individual titles- some have a bit more action in them than chaste kisses.

Behoove · 05/10/2014 20:52

I read every single one of Jean Plaidy's books, probably in my late teens, early 20s. At one point I had every book from all the series until I moved house and gave them all to the charity shop. Wish I'd kept them.

OhMyActualDays · 05/10/2014 20:55

I had one about the young Elizabeth written for children, but was definitely reading the grown up ones at 11. Alongside the Helen Forrester books and lots of Georgette Heyer. Didn't do me any harm! Think anything vaguely sexy probably went straight over my head!

ozymandiusking · 05/10/2014 20:59

Jean Plaidy is an excellent writer. As someone upthread says, they are historically accurate. I think they would be ideal for your daughter.

DuchessofMalfi · 05/10/2014 21:17

I meant to add in my earlier post that I noticed The Book People were doing a deal on box sets of her novels a while back. May be worth having a look to see if they are still available. I was tempted at the time, but have a huge reading list atm.

Original poster
BrendaBlackhead · 06/10/2014 08:28

Yes, the Book People offer is what made me think of Jean Plaidy. Dd is a good reader and it's that same old story of her being beyond children's books but not being ready for adult themes - or even worse teenage tribulations. She devoured the Lady Grace Mysteries a couple of years ago. So I was hoping to find something similar.

OP posts:
AmeliaPeabody · 07/10/2014 11:13

They're not rude! I don't know if I'd say they were similar to Lady Grace Mysteries, though.

carlajean · 07/10/2014 19:17

They're too old to be rude! When I was at school the Angelique books were seen as quite torrid, but would be nothing by today's standards. I would strongly recommend Norah Loft's books - the best writer of HF ever , in my mind. The House at Old Vine trilogy is a good place to start.

MasqueradeWaltzer · 07/10/2014 19:19

My mum started lending me hers when I was about 11. If there was anything sexual in them, it went over my head. I loved them.

Mendeleyev · 07/10/2014 19:21

Rosemary Sutcliffe wrote historical fiction aimed at children. Quite challenging reads. The eagle of the ninth trilogy is about Roman Britain. I seem to remember Beowulf too.

carlajean · 07/10/2014 19:21

...sorry, to carry on - I read a lot of JP when I was young, and they're good HF, except I feel that they make everything very focused on the particular upper class or royal personalities. NL, on the other hand, writes very well about history from the experience of a wider section of society, which makes her a better writer, IMO.

IrenetheQuaint · 07/10/2014 19:28

JP's novels (which I read avidly in my teens) are based closely on Agnes Strickland's Victorian histories of the queens of England and elsewhere. There is a certain amount of hinting about sex but nothing at all explicit.

Go for it, you have nothing to lose and if your DD likes them is probably more likely to remember the history she reads in them (albeit not 100% accurate, but still useful) than what she learns formally.

Original poster
BrendaBlackhead · 08/10/2014 08:35

Thanks for your comments, all. I'll have a look at Norah Loft too. What an excellent name: just the sort of name one of my old teachers would have.

OP posts:
Original poster
BrendaBlackhead · 08/10/2014 09:39

Ha! I knew it. Just looked up Norah Lofts and she was indeed a girls' school teacher. Just had to be.

OP posts:
carlajean · 08/10/2014 13:09
Smile
KatieKaye · 08/10/2014 13:14

Another one read JP from an early age and kindled my love of history. Nothing @unseemly" in them at all! DD will see a whole lot worse on tv

Vvvoom · 11/10/2014 21:33

I read loads of JP at this age, and - like others say - she inspired a love of history. Nothing rude!