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Tidelands cover art

Tidelands

By: Philippa Gregory
Narrated by: Louise Brealey
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Summary

A series from the Sunday Times number one best selling author.

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 unmissable listen for summer 2019.

©2019 Philippa Gregory (P)2019 Simon & Schuster UK

Critic reviews

"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)

What listeners say about Tidelands

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Fabulous listen

This book is wonderful .it takes you back to a century were woman especially poor ones had a very hard life. This story is totally believable of the portrayal of a woman on her own deserted by her husband .In those days women were not valued at all . The narrator made you think you were there with the characters as if watching from a window. I thoroughly recommend this book and Philips Gregory never disappoints.

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A good insight into the Commonwealth

I went to a Phillippa Gregory talk and book signing. Really enjoyed this book and have purchased the audio book as my eyesight is poor.

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  • Overall
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Enjoyable Book

Very well written and read. Suspense throughout kept me going. It's near to where I live, it was interesting to learn more about the area. I would recommend this book.

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Tidelands a must read

I was totally entranced by the characters, their life and their story. I never wanted it to end. I want to know what happens next!!! Thank you Philippa Gregory. I love your books!

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A GRIPPING STORY, WELL WRITTEN AND WELL READ.

I've read many Philippa Gregory stories and have never been disappointed. I think she has a way of making history, the past and the people who lived there seem believable and current. I enjoyed Tidelands very much, although it definitely ended with a good chance of a follow up.

It's telling that every time I see that Louise Brealey has narrated a book, I look for the 'review moaners'. She has a style of reading, that I really enjoy. I loved her reading this, as I loved her reading The Five.
If you're a fan of different voices for every character, in order to make it believable, then maybe this isn't for you?
But if you just like a book to be read well, without the reader taking over the story, this will be right up your street.
The nights are drawing in, this book is ideal for a curl up by the fire.

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Unbelievable Fiary Story

The performance was very good, but the story was predictable. Okay for a beach read.

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Interesting but too slushy

Reading was ok,bit stilted at times but got better as it went on.History was interesting but the slushy story line not for me.

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The web and flow of the tide is like life

Wonderful, an amazing story of every emotion. Gripping and not wanting it to end. Book two awaits.

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Wow

Did NOT see that ending coming but absolutely loved it!!
One of my favourite writers

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Engaging story, sadly let down by narration

A gripping story, thoroughly researched as usual by Philippa Gregory, full of tension, suspense and historic human detail, sadly let down by the narration.

I read previous Audible reviews and should have paid more attention to the one listener who gave up early because of Louise Brealey’s narration. Certainly, I wish I’d read the book, rather than heard it. It is so important to get the right reader - someone who can switch their voices and accents at will, and most importantly, someone who is following the story! At times, the narration stopped me in my tracks for its flatness, or when the narrator didn’t seem to realise that the speaker had changed, as she continued with the same voice and tone.

My first Audible book was read beautifully by the wonderful Juliet Stevenson. Ms Gregory should have insisted her publishers paid the extra to engage her narration services instead. The story is enjoyable but I’m afraid listening to it pretty much spoilt it for me.

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64 people found this helpful