Tidelands

By: Philippa Gregory

Narrated by: Louise Brealey

This New York Times bestseller from “one of the great storytellers of our time” (San Francisco Book Review) turns from the glamour of the royal courts to tell the story of an ordinary woman, Alinor, living in a dangerous time for a woman to be different.

A country at war
A king beheaded
A woman with a dangerous secret

On Midsummer’s Eve, Alinor waits in the church graveyard, hoping to encounter the ghost of her missing husband and thus confirm his death. Until she can, she is neither maiden nor wife nor widow, living in a perilous limbo. Instead she meets James, a young man on the run. She shows him the secret ways across the treacherous marshy landscape of the Tidelands, not knowing she is leading a spy and an enemy into her life.

England is in the grip of a bloody civil war that reaches into the most remote parts of the kingdom. Alinor’s suspicious neighbors are watching each other for any sign that someone might be disloyal to the new parliament, and Alinor’s ambition and determination mark her as a woman who doesn’t follow the rules. They have always whispered about the sinister power of Alinor’s beauty, but the secrets they don’t know about her and James are far more damning. This is the time of witch-mania, and if the villagers discover the truth, they could take matters into their own hands.

“This is Gregory par excellence” (Kirkus Reviews). “Fans of Gregory’s works and of historicals in general will delight in this page-turning tale” (Library Journal, starred review) that is “superb… A searing portrait of a woman that resonates across the ages” (People).

Critic reviews

"A new series from Philippa Gregory is always a chance to do a happy dance. Louise Brealey's exceptional narration gives this title the life it deserves. In 1648, after his defeat in England's Civil War, King Charles is exiled to the Isle of Wight. Superstition and religious persecution permeate the tiny town and desolate tidelands of the region. One of the inhabitants is wise woman, herbalist, and midwife Alinor, whose husband, a fisherman, is missing. Looking for a spiritual sign, she goes to a cemetery, where she encounters James, a disguised Catholic priest. It proves to be a life-altering meeting. Brealey makes each of Gregory's incredibly detailed moments believable—from the treacherous tides and deadly intrigues to the dangers of just being human."

Love It!

This is my first review since I don't ever want to write them. I had to write this one to let readers know that Philippa Gregory has brought her storytelling skills to another amazing series. I love her stories about the Tudors, but there's only so much one can write. I was happily surprised to see that Gregory developed rich characters and a riveting storyline in this book as well - in keeping with the 1600s. I can't wait to see what develops as the series unfolds. Loved the narrator. If you're looking for more Philippa Gregory but a different story, I believe you will find it in Tidelands.

New Series

I have every book written by Philippa Gregory, she never disappoints. Tidelands started a little slow but I quickly feel in love with the main characters. I loved the ending, cried in disbelief while listening to the last hour! Can’t wait for the next book in the series.

Wonderful!

As always, Gregory delivers an amazing, raw story that was read by a fantastic narrator. The story is gritty, romantic and far too real. The characters, as with all her work, were complicated, had a great depth of feeling and contained those I both hated and dearly loved.
For as much as I romanticize Gregory’s historical fiction and dream of living in those days, it’s far too scary! As a woman, I’m grateful for the world I live in presently and thank God for the advancement of society!
Well worth the listen!

Captivating

I was always surprised with turn of events. Completely unexpected yet realistic ending. Highly recommend!

Gripping until the end

It was hard to switch from hearing stories of real people over to an imagined story but once I did, I was captivated.