Customer Reviews

Meridon

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Having read the first two novels in this trilogy, I was not quite sure what to expect from this one. While the first two novels emphasize the growth of Beatrice and Julia on Wideacre, Meridon spends the majority of this book away from her land, having grown up without any knowledge of her roots.
Yet, despite the fact that Wideacre as a place appears in this book relatively infrequently, Wideacre as a representative of the class struggle comes out much more strongly in this novel than the two previous ones. Meridon herself has lived on both sides of the track, and her unique experience gives her a completely different viewpoint from either of the two previous Laceys. Through the use of interesting side characters who each in their own way are struggling with money (the pursuit of it, why you need it, why you want it, and what to do with it once you have it), the at the time revolutionary ideas of spreading the wealth across the whole population are emphasized.
The only thing that I missed and wondered about was that there was no mention of Ralph in this book. Since he was so important in the first two books, I thought that he might make an appearance of some kind in this one... in any case, the character of Will Tyacke does well in illustrating that deep desire to help the poor.
All in all, I thought that this was an amazing finish to the trilogy, and a definite must-read.

I have mixed feelings about the entire trilogy of books, although I enjoyed "Meridon" the most. It is a wonderfully written book, full of vivid imagery and well fleshed-out characters, and the estate of Wideacre is a living, breathing place. My biggest complaint is that I just didn't LIKE many of the characters, especially the main protagonists. With the exception of James Fortescue and Will Tyacke, Philippa Gregory paints an ugly picture of people and all their foibles. I often found myself disgusted with everyone, and there were many times when I would have quit reading if the writing itself weren't so darned GOOD. Despite my feelings about the people, though, I would probably recommend "Meridon" and its predecessors, "Wideacre" and "The Favored Child," as good pieces of literature.

The third book in the Wideacre trilogy, Merdon follows the story of Meridon, daughter to Julia Lacey and heir to the Wideacre fortune. In the climactic conclusion of The Favored Child, Meridon (called Sarah at birth) is given away to gypsies. The first sixteen years of her life are spent with her sister Dandy, a vain conceited girl who Meridon loves more than anyone in the world.

It so happens that one day Meridon, noticed because of her adeptness with horses, enters into the circus act of Robert Gower. A man solely concerned with business, he has Meridon be the bareback rider in his show and Dandy is one of the trapeeze artists. Dandy has her eye on Robert Gower's son, but is forbidden to get near him since Robert has high expectations for Jack. Dandy's lofty expectations lead to tragedy in the ring and Meridon escapes.

She eventually finds herself in the place she often dreams about: the place she calls Wide. Once there she discovers that she is in fact the heir to the Lacey estate and that her mother's friend James Fortescue has been looking for her for many years. Now called Sarah, Maeridon battles with becoming one of the Quality and with having to marry a foolish, selfish young man--Percy Havering, heir to the Havering estate and distant relation of Sarah's grandmother. Sarah also meets Will Tyacke, a good friend who quickly becomes more than just that. The decision Srah makes at the end of the book is hardly surprising, given the lifestyle she was accustomed to living as a gypsy.

This was a good book, though it didn't have the same kind of atmosphere as the other two books in the trilogy. In some ways, in fact, it was anticlimactic. But it is well-written and sure to please those who love Philippa Gregory's books.

I enjoyed this book, but it took such a different turn from the first two in the trilogy. I did appreciate the way the book ended though, I wasn't expecting it to turn out that way!

All of Philippa Gregory's books are winners, this one as well.

I have read all three books of the Wideacre and trilogy and just absolutly loved each one! In the first book , Wideacre, I was completely fascinated with the evil mind of Beatrice Lacey , in the Favored Child I felt pity for Julia Lacey and in Meridon I found a character to relate to , who is facing real struggles and is someone you want to suceed! This trilogy takes the reader from the intrigueing and intense mind of Beatrice to fulfilling ending. If you are thinking of reading this book you must read Wideacre and The Favored Child first!

I read this trilogy from beginning to end. I found that with each book there was a point in the story which made me so frustrated and angry that I had to rush through and get to the end.

Meridon is a decent ending to the trilogy, but I didn't find myself having strong feelings of hate, love, or disgust towards these characters the way I did with Wideacre and The Favored Child. I also tired of reading about acrobatics and horses and would have liked more talk about James, Will and Meridon, and Wideacre itself. This book seems more centered on class struggle and economics than the other two books.

After reading Wideacre and The Favored Child, I think one must read Meridon. It still is a good read.

This book, the last of the three books about the Laceys of Wideacre, manages to be both very different from its predecessors, and also just as good. Wild gypsy girl Meridon lives hard and keeps her heart well guarded. Her abusive father, indifferent mother, and completely selfish sister make Meridon cynical and very tough. Yet despite the hardness of her life travelling, Meridon has one delight... her dreams of a beautiful home far away called "Wide" - a place where she is rich and loved and warm... do Meridon's longings bring her back to her ancestral home, and lead her into a life of happiness and luxury? You never know with that Lacey family. I would reccommed reading the book to find out...

Meridon is the story of a lost heiress living with a gypsy couple. The hero Meridon, is an odd girl with an affinity for horses. She loves noone except her sister Dandy. Meridon's gypsy talents for cards and horses pay off when she is sold to a traveling acrobat troupe where she and Dandy are trained to perform tricks on horses. For a while, the two sister's lives are greatly improved. They are fed regularly, not beaten and even earn some money.

Meridon is haunted by dreams of another life--a beautiful place called Wide where she is cherished by unknown persons. As they travel through the countryside, Meridon constantly observes the countryside to see if Wide will ever appear outside her dreams. Ultimately Meridon is restored to her family home after many years of hardship. Her adjustment to this life is difficult and she must learn many new skills in order to survive this strange new world.

This novel is an enthralling story of love and loss. The characterizations are interesting yet somewhat cold. Yet I resonated with the story of this orphan and wanted to know her fate. A good read.

Meridon is the third and last book in a 3-book series about the Lacey women who struggle to own/manage their family estate, called Wideacre, in a time when female children did not inherit any ownership rights of their family property. All three books in this series are enjoyable, and Phillippa Gregory adds period details that give you insight into life in England at that time. This book was my least favorite out of the three, partly because some of the language and settings were repeated from the first two books, and also because Meridon's life as a gypsy didn't seem quite as believable as the stories in the first two novels. Meridon was still an interesting conclusion to the series as I was interested to see if the women in the Lacey family ever gained control of their estate.

(Spoiler warning) This novel offers a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, first because it is the conclusion and second because Meridon is the first of the Lacey women who is sympathetic, endearing, likeable, and one whose choices the average reader can endorse, which always makes for a rewarding read. The novel can be equally enjoyable on its own--and might be better enjoyed that way by readers who would find the incest theme of the other two books too disturbing. The whole success of the Wideacre trilogy seems to rest on Gregory's ability to make a frankly unlikeable character interesting enough that we hang in there to learn how the story ends. In this case the character is Dandy; though we the reader may not find her appealing, Sarah/Meridon's feelings for her are completely compelling. The details, atmosphere, and emotional resonance are absorbing and utterly realistic, a rare but prized accomplishment in historical fiction. I still hold my breath through the gambling scene at the end, though I've read the book several times now. Every time I find myself rooting for the gypsy brat to discover her way, mature into a woman, overcome all her obstacles, and win through to what is right for her--and she does. A thoroughly satisfying book.