Tidelands: THE RICHARD AND JUDY BESTSELLER

By Philippa Gregory

​***PRE-ORDER DAWNLANDS, THE STUNNING NEW NOVEL FROM PHILIPPA GREGORY, OUT SOON IN PAPERBACK***

England 1648. A dangerous time for a woman to be different . . .

Midsummer’s Eve, 1648, and England is in the grip of civil war between renegade King and rebellious Parliament.  The struggle reaches every corner of the kingdom, even to the remote Tidelands – the marshy landscape of the south coast. 

Alinor, a descendant of wise women, crushed by poverty and superstition, waits in the graveyard under the full moon for a ghost who will declare her free from her abusive husband.  Instead she meets James, a young man on the run, and shows him the secret ways across the treacherous marsh, not knowing that she is leading disaster into the heart of her life.

Suspected of possessing dark secrets in superstitious times, Alinor’s ambition and determination mark her out from her neighbours. This is the time of witch-mania, and Alinor, a woman without a husband, skilled with herbs, suddenly enriched, arouses envy in her rivals and fear among the villagers, who are ready to take lethal action into their own hands.

THE BRAND NEW SERIES FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLING AUTHOR
 
Praise for Philippa Gregory:
 
‘Popular historical fiction at its finest, immaculately researched and superbly told’ The Times

'Philippa Gregory is truly the mistress of the historical novel. It would be hard to make history more entertaining, lively or engaging' Sunday Express

‘Gregory has popularised Tudor history perhaps more than any other living fiction writer . . . All of her books feature strong, complex women, doing their best to improve their lives in worlds dominated by men’ Sunday Times

'Immaculate research, pacy narratives and a stubborn insistence that history is not only about men . . . a powerful reminder of how precarious the lives of the Tudor women could be' Daily Mail

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
• Release date: Aug 20, 2019
• ISBN: 9781471172748

Philippa Gregory

Philippa Gregory is an internationally renowned author of historical novels. She holds a PhD in eighteenth-century literature from the University of Edinburgh. Works that have been adapted for television include A Respectable Trade, The Other Boleyn Girl and The Queen's Fool. The Other Boleyn Girl is now a major film, starring Scarlett Johansson, Natalie Portman and Eric Bana. Philippa Gregory lives in the North of England with her family.

Reviews for Tidelands

[nwieme-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

WOW! I am not fond of this time period (I'm not versed in England's history) but this was TERRIFIC!! Philippa Gregory can tell a tale! I won't give the ending away, but I couldn't stop reading to get to the end.

[bookscookslooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have read many of Philippa Gregory’s books as I enjoy historical fiction and English history is a particular favorite. Tidelands is a bit different in that instead of dealing with royalty the main female character is a poor woman living in a village in an area known as the Tidelands; dependent on the sea and dangerous to traverse if you didn’t know where to walk. Her name is Alinor and she lives with her two children in a state betwixt and between as her husband went out to sea to fish and he never came back. She doesn’t know if he is alive or dead so she has no husband present nor can she call herself a widow. Alinor is a midwife and healer as was her mother before her but rumors fly in a small place and some think evil thoughts about a beautiful young woman without a husband.One night as she finds a man sneaking across the land and knows he does not belong. She helps him and gives him a place to rest and this small favor changes the course of her life in so many ways. It’s a dangerous time to be helping strangers as the country is still trying to settle from the civil wars that have led to King Charles I being held prisoner and the Parliament presenting demands for him to change how he rules.As Alinor’s favor rises with the local lord there are those that attribute it to supernatural means and petty jealousies lead to accusations. There are additional intrigues revolving around Alinor’s daughter and her son and all the stories weave together to a shocking end.As with all of Ms. Gregory’s books the research is evident in many ways; from the detail in the description of the lives of the people in the village to the details of the politics of the time. The conflict between the high born priest and the lovely Alinor made for an interesting dynamic and like today the difference between the haves and have nots is stark. It’s a book that kept my interest and I am very much looking forward to the second volume so as to see how the story continues. It was not an easy time in history for the common man (or woman) so it is fascinating to have a series focus on a character like this.

[joannemonck · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I am a follower of Philippa Gregory books but this this one takes a little different turn. She remains in the past and the arrest of King James but the story is a love story and mostly takes place in the tidelands (which is a tidal community of rather poor people. There is a woman who has been abandoned by her husband and has 2 children to raise. A rather rebellious daughter and a younger son. Some believe her to be a witch or at least one of the fairie people. Along comes a young man of high morals (a priest) and it goes from there.

[mojomomma_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This got some bum reviews for being overly long, but I enjoyed the detail. Alinor is a poor woman living on the English coast during the English Civil War with her two children. Her husband abandoned her and her ambiguous status in society means she must fend for herself as an herbalist and midwife. The religious folk of the area are frightened of her knowledge and assume she is a witch. This is a bad time to be accused of witchcraft. Then she meets a young priest who is headed to the area nobleman's house. He is still a royalist and the the priest is a spy. It's interesting to see how Alinor's life changes with this chance encounter with the handsome stranger.

[tina1969_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

1648, England is in the midst of cival war between the king and Cromwell. It's Midsummers Eve and Alinor is waiting in the churchyard for the ghost of her husband to appear. She is neither wife or widow and needs to know if he is still alive. Bringing up her two children making and selling ointments from herbs Alinor has to avoid suspicion. Instead of her husband comes a stranger seeking help.I have read nearly all of Philippa Gregory's books but have found her Tudor novels very hit and miss. I was excited when a new book came out which gave me hopes that she had returned to work similar to her Wideacre trilogy.I have however again been left disappointed. The story started very well with spooky vibes. Then for me it just went downhill. The first chunk of the book became very repetitive with plenty of descriptions of the Tidelands. The story of Alinor for a while held my interest but that didn't really pick up until the latter part of the book.There were elements I did enjoy. I liked the descriptions of the old ways, the herbs and Alinor's work. I enjoyed the superstitions and was expecting the book to be along the lines of The Wise Woman, which for me is one of PG best.This book for was disappointing, I became bored and was just flicking the last part just to see if it got any better. The book was overlong and at the moment there isn't enough for me to read book two. PG is a well respected author and historian and I have enjoyed many of her books but equally have been disappointed.

[lauriebrown54 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed “The Other Boleyn Girl”, so I was very happy to get a pre-release copy of ‘Tidelands’. I was disappointed I read it; I felt it wasn’t nearly as well written as TOBG was. It’s the first in a series, so there is a lot of stage setting to be done, and it was done well and in detail. But the pace is slow, although that may have been on purpose, to put the reader into the feeling of life for the poor in 1648. In the Sussex tidelands, Alinor Reekie, a 27 year old herbalist and midwife lives in a shack right in the muck and mud. Her two children work for the biggest employer in the area, the farmer and owner of a tide-driven mill. Alinor has an odd status; her fisherman husband disappeared months ago, so she is not a widow but she has no man to support her. Her brother Ned runs the human powered ferry. They live in Dickensian poverty, but at least they have shelter and *some* food. This is during the time of the English Civil War, when Charles I was exiled on the Isle of Wight- nearby to where Alinor lives. Parliament was running the country, and Catholicism was outlawed. Royalists practiced their faith in secret, and plans were always afoot to restore Charles to the throne. One night Alinor meets James as he flounders about in the tide flats. She leads him to the manor of Sir William. In thanks for that, he persuades Sir William to hire Alinor’s son, Rob, on as companion to his own son, to be educated by his side, giving him a chance to obtain a job inside. William also pays Alinor some money, in thanks for keeping some secrets. Alinor’s daughter, Alys, at 13 has turned into a beautiful young woman who is attracting the eye of the miller’s son. The family’s sudden good fortune- and Alinor’s profession- makes the area people jealous and suspicious that Alinor is a witch- a common fear in that time and place- the ruling Puritans really seem to have hated women. There are plots brewing and there are secrets that could lead to death. For a book this long, there is a strange lack of character depth. Even Alinor is not really fleshed out. I felt sorry for her, but she never came to life for me. Alys comes off as just annoying, the son barely exists, and I ended up despising James in the end. My biggest complaint, however, was the ending. It all happens suddenly, after over 400 pages of slowness, and with a Deus ex machina appearing. It was very unsatisfying. I loved all the details of life on the tideflats- the setting itself came alive for me- but that didn’t make up for the other deficits. Only 4 stars.

[shelleyraec · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Tidelands introduces a new series, Fairmile, from bestselling historical author Philippa Gregory.“These are the tidelands: half tide, half land, good for nothing, all the way west to the New Forest, all the way east till the white cliffs.”Set in the mid 1600’s, as the Parlimentarians/Anglicists and Royalists/Papists wrestle for control of England, Tidelands centres on Sealsea Island, off the coast of Sussex. It’s here in a small fishing hut that Alinor Reekie, ‘neither widow nor wife’, lives, earning just enough to keep body and soul together as a midwife, herbalist and healer. Her most fervent wish is to secure a better future for her children, twelve year old Rob, and thirteen year old Alys, a simple desire that seems improbable, but Alinor’s chance encounter with James, a young Catholic priest, seeking sanctuary could turn the tide for them all.Unfolding from the shifting third person perspectives of Alinor and James, Tidelands is a bewitching story of love, desire, danger and betrayal.It’s fair to say that though rich in description and detail, the story progresses little during the first third or more of the novel. Gregory relies somewhat heavily on foreshadowing to sustain the reader’s interest which means there are few surprises as the plot unfolds, yet I found the story engrossing, caught up in the vivid portrayal of a life and time unfamiliar to me.“I did not know that there could be a woman like you, in a place like this.”Key to this tale is the forbidden romance that develops between Alinor, and (Father) James Summers, the priest who also serves as a Royalist spy. James is intrigued by Alinor’s beauty and grace, qualities he never expected to find in an impoverished wisewoman, and Alinor unwisely allows herself to get swept away by the handsome young man’s sincere, if naive, interest. It’s not unsurprising, given the period and circumstances, that the relationship will end badly for at least one, and perhaps both of them.“It’s a crime to be poor in this county; it’s a sin to be old. It’s never good to be a woman.”Of course, Alinor will always be the one with the most to lose. Already, as a woman abandoned by her husband, envied for her beauty, and regarded warily for her skill as a wisewoman, which some equate with witchery, she is regularly the subject of suspicion, rumour and innuendo in her small community. Any failing, or error in judgement, could cost her not only her reputation, but also her life. Gregory does a wonderful job of exploring the vulnerability of women during this time period, especially a woman like Alinor who wants more than society believes she has a right too.“It matters to me. I matter: in this, I matter.”Beautifully written, well researched, atmospheric and interesting, Tidelands is a captivating novel I enjoyed much more than I expected to.

[over.the.edge · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Tidelands(The Fairmile #1)by Phillipa Gregorydue 8-20-2019Atria5.0/ 5.0Thanks to Atria and the author and Goodreads for sending this ARC for review.Mid summers Eve, in England. 1648, the Civil War between The Royalists, who support The King and the Parliment. The King has been prisoned by Parliment.Alinor, living on the Saxon Shore with her 2 children, is alone because her husband, fisherman, has disappeared. He is abusive and she is fine without him, but struggling financially. She works as an herbalist and midwife, and many believe she is a witch. She begins a relationship with James, a priest in hiding who is a Royalist. Alinor is not. Their romance is slow burning, it builds over time and is so well done. Alinor is a strong woman and true to her ideals which leaves her with an important decision....what she chooses will change her future, and her children's....This is so engaging, Alinor is my hero and I am totally invested in the second in this whimsical story.

[eyes92c · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Satisfying new series set in Cromwell's England.I am still recovering from the ending of this, the first in series Fairmile. Set in 1648 at the time of the English Civil War this dramatic tale reeks of authenticity, penned by the masterly hand of Phillipa Gregory.The cover is a satisfying reflection of what my mind conjures up as I imagine the novel's geographic description. Tidelands is set on Sealsea Island, off the Wessex Coast. With its shifting sands and dangerous waterways, the community and the Island itself reflects the swirl of place and times and becomes so much more. The tide has swung against the rule of Kings. Cromwell's parliament is in charge.And into the Tidelands, seeking help for King Charles, comes a young priest, a spy for the royal family and their followers sequestered in France, masquerading as a tutor and known as James Summer.Waiting in the churchyard this Midsummer Eve was Alinor Reekie. She "went to the graveyard in case [her husband's] ghost was walking, so that [she'd] know for sure that he was dead... When [she] didn’t see his ghost, [Alinor] knew he must be alive, and was choosing not to come home." The two chance upon each other here, on this waning eve, and in that meeting their lives and those of others will change. Gregory takes us through these desperate times when Englishmen are at odds and the monarchy is overturned.A time when a woman skilled in herbs, must be vigilant and do nothing to have people label her a witch. A woman who seems to be succeeding on her own. Times when a woman without a husband--neither widowed or subject to a husband is a suspicious entity. But when jealousy and fear are present, when surperstitions run rife, then any previous regard for Alinor's kindnesses and skilled treatment doesn't hold sway.I was submerged in Alinor's story, the community she dwells in and the wider unrest that will infect them. My heart was heavy as circumstances were wrenched from her control. Love and betrayal it seems go hand in hand, and the meek are definately not inheriting the earth, when rumour, resentment and anger are involved. After declaring eternal love for Alinor, it seems James' love cannot stand the tests presented. The gulf between Alinor's sense of right and the devout James' real being, his sense of self and worth, become glaringly obvious.A skillfully woven tale set in turbulent times opening up new possibilities. An Atria Books ARC via NetGalley

[flourgirl49 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is the first book in a new series by Philippa Gregory - this time not about English royalty but about a common woman (Alina) and her two children in the mid-1600s who live in extreme poverty. Alina's goodness, integrity and intelligence shine through, however, which lead to some good opportunities - and also some very bad ones - for her kids and herself. I found it to be pretty interesting, especially the archaic beliefs about witchcraft. The story will continue in the second book, "Dark Tides."

[lbswiener · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Tidelands: A Novel(1) (The Fairmile Series) is a book that describes an alleged area in England as awful. The people are extremely poor and living very harsh lives. There is a lot of hatred, jealousy and finger pointing that lead to one poor woman being accused of being a witch. This only leads the reader to ask oneself, how come a man who uses leaves and herbs for cures is called an apothecarist and a woman who does this is called a witch? The story went on and on therefore three stars in this review.

[wyvernfriend · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Because I had read the second book in the series I knew some of what was going to happen to the characters, which did ruin some of the suspense that was built in the story. I did find that a lot of what could possibly happen was very much flagged by the author, I had a fair idea of what was going to happen and I didn't really care all that much about the characters.Although there is some romance in the story I wouldn't really regard it as a romance and I didn't find the relationship all that great. Alinor was a woman trapped by expectations and assumptions of others. Her ability with herbs and midwifery is starting to trigger suspicions of witchcraft, not helped by her missing husband who spread rumours about her.I was readable but it didn't leave me feeling like revisiting it.

[karenbayly · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A fascinating journey through the last few months of Charles 1 and the lives of the people of that time. The story focuses on the the folk of the Tidelands and a doomed romance between a poor woman and a privileged man. However, it is story that could have played out anywhere in those times, with the ever-present threat of "witch" bubbling under the surface of everyday life for any woman who deviated from the norm.

[thornton37814 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Set in the years immediately prior to Cromwell's rule through Charles II's reinstatement as King, Tidelands focuses on residents of the island of Fairmile, particularly Alinor Reekie and her family. We see the remnants of the system of lords and their servile tenants. Alinor's husband left about a year prior to the book's beginning, and she's doing her best to support her two children with her midwife practice and through various jobs, mostly involving distilling herbs, milking cows, and other farm duties for the local miller's family. Her husband's accusations of her "magic" led many persons to be suspicious about where she obtained her cures. The resident lord, a papist, hired a man posing as a teacher, but working as a spy for the king, to tutor his son. He extended an invitation to Alinor's son to study with his son and to be his son's companion until he went to university. Too much sex outside the bonds of matrimony occurs for my taste, but it is central to the plot. I found the historical elements interesting, but I had a love-hate relationship with the story itself. The ending ruined the book for me. It seemed abrupt, leaving too much for future installments. While I want to know the resolutions, I'm not sure I want to wade through another installment this long to discover them. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Louise Beasley who did a capable job.

[asheley-627878 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My intention was to pick Tidelands up and read it slowly, but I devoured it. I could not put it down.Alinor Reekie is a midwife and herbalist, like her mother and grandmother before her. Her husband has been gone for nearly a year, a fisherman that left on their boat one day and never came back. Without knowing for certain if he is dead or not, Alinor is not quite a widow, but she's not quite a married woman either. And living in the tidelands, it's nearly impossible to have any sort of success and comfort in life without being married.Alinor is close to the earth. She lives near the water, but she fears it. She is not afraid of hard work because she knows her station in life. She is exceptional at things like milking cows and baking bread, at working with her hands outside on her landlord's farm and making the ale that they all drink. She sells fish and lobsters to earn a little extra money for her family. She also works with wool and making oils. She does everything, and she is way more of a woman that I could ever be. But she cannot help that she was born to her exact station and that her husband turned out to be a deadbeat, and this sealed her fate as poor, poor, poor when he left.I haven't read anything else by Philippa Gregory before, so I have no concept for her historical fictions involving life at court with queens and princesses and the like. But I do know that she wrote this poor woman's English life beautifully. Alinor describes the tidelands as "Neither sea or shore. Neither wet or dry and no-one ever leaves." That is exactly how life is looking for the Reekie family, with daughter Alys in desperate need of a dowry in order to even think about marrying and son Rob without any prospects in the absence of his father. Fortunately for Alinor, she meets a holy man by chance early in the story and BOOM! this opens worlds of opportunities for her family.Alinor has to tread lightly, though, because things like special chances make her stand out, as if she has spoken a spell and good fortune has come to her. She also has to tread lightly because many of the people in her community equate being a herbalist and healer with using spells and witchcraft, and whispers of witching is one of the worst things that could ever happen to a woman in 1648 England.I COULD NOT GET ENOUGH OF THIS STORY. I could not imagine it being any better and more interesting to me. The details and descriptions are delicious, and more than once I went to the internet to learn more about objects that were used or to learn more about the details of the war between King Charles I and Parliament. (King Charles believed in his divine right to rule, the right given to him by God, and this was the beginning of some huge changes in England.) It was riveting! This book is well-researched and meticulous, and I felt like I was standing inside of the story watching and hearing everything unfold around me. I felt BIG emotions and I held my breath, anticipating some things that I dare not mention, because spoilers. OH it was so good. AND THAT ENDING!! I am desperate for the next installment. DESPERATE for it.I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you, Atria Books!

[wagner5sarah35 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

*I received this book through a Goodreads Giveaway.*Set in during the English Civil War but focused on life in a small English village, this novel tells the story of Alinor, a village midwife, mother of two, suspected witch, and abandoned wife. Hoping to discover evidence of her husband's dead, Alinor instead meets a young man called James, a Royalist spy and secret Catholic priest. As their lives become intertwined and the danger mounts, Alinor struggles to find a way to ensure a better future for herself and her children. I've loved some of Philippa Gregory's books and hated others; this one is definitely one the love side of the spectrum. At her best, this author can recreate the past and take the reader on a rich and colorful journey into a previous era, an ability on full display in this novel.

[almin-70827 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Good historical detail about the English Civil War and King Charles I and a woman deserted by her husband, left to support her family and face the irrational prejudices of the 17th century. The ending makes you eager to start the second book in the trilogy. Highly recommend....

[siri51 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Atmospheric settings; mud, marsh, tides, harsh climate. Historical times; changes to king and parliament, plots and changing allegiances. Strong charachers, poor women, unreliable men, changes in fortune, rather too much idealistic romance that leads to unhappy endings. Could be a great series.