The Wise Woman: A Novel by Philippa Gregory
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Book Reviews of The Wise Woman: A Novel
Book Review: wise woman or witch?
Summary: 2 Stars
Like most of the other reviewers here, I'm a big Philippa Gregory fan, and I was really excited to read this reissue of The Wise Woman, thinking it would be as wonderfully transporting as The Other Boleyn Girl and The Constant Princess. Again, she successfully infuses every page with the uncertainty of the period immediately following the establishing of the Church of England and the accusations of witchcraft that spring up as a result, and in that way, and that way alone, is the book a pleasure to read. Everything else about it made me want to throw it down. Alys, our protagonist (for lack of a better word), is completely unlikeable! I didn't feel for a second that she was honestly driven to commit any of the horrible acts she did, regardless of the fact that Gregory gave us the reasons. And though it is the world of fiction, the historian in me refuses to accept the synonymous use of "wise woman" and "witch." Could wise women also be practitioners of the dark arts? I guess. But when I wrote a paper on witchcraft in college, every author I read made a clear distinction between the two (wise woman being a healer/midwife), and I couldn't get that out of my head.Book Review: Very sloppily written--yet extremely compelling
Summary: 2 Stars
I couldn't put this book down. And yet, when I was finished, I was extremely disappointed. (It's kind of like eating fast food--you enjoy it while you're eating it and then afterwards you just feel "ughhhh.") There were so many loose ends that never got tied up. Some truly fascinating ideas/thoughts/dreams that aren't explained. Prophecies that didn't come true combined with ones that did. The love/hate she had for Hugo, the way she felt about Mother Hildebrande--all never really developed. Unlike Anne Bolyen, whose obsession for power I understood, I couldn't really understand and sympathize with a girl who at first felt happy and satisfied because the convent was "clean" and then, once she was in the castle, suddenly would stop at nothing to reach the highest possible position. Her lust for power seemed to come, like her lust for Hugo, from out of nowhere. The ending of the book was cruel and too quick--so little about Alys was resolved before this surprising and disappointing ending. I didn't like the Wildacre series--I hope SOME of Gregory's books live up to the quality of The Other Boleyn Girl!!Book Review: Skip this and go straight for the Tudors
Summary: 2 Stars
I've read almost all of Gregory's book about the royals (including The Queen's Fool) but none of her other work. I have to say, I hope her other series isn't as disappointing as this one was. The main character was scattered all over the place: she's good, she's bad, she accepts her power, she shuns it: make up your mind, already! You're supposed to be The Wise Woman. It says so on the cover.
Maybe that's the deliberate irony coming into play? (gag cough). Uh, no. Unfortunately, this scattered persona contagion spreads to just about every main character in the book. For example, the Young Lord: he loves her, he doesn't love her, he's sincere, he's a cad. Oh, pick one already.
The plot wanders about listlessly with the occasional softcore bodice-ripping page or two to pique your interest before finally flinging itself on the merciful suttee of a conclusion. But I suspect once you close the back cover, you'll feel this was (2, 4, 6?) hours of your life you'll wish you could get back again - to read one of her much-better written historical novels instead.
Book Review: I. Hate. Alys.
Summary: 2 Stars
I didn't really enjoy _The Wise Woman_, and I think that's mostly because I hated the protagonist, Alys, so, so much. Her first act within these pages is one of selfishness and cowardice. I chalked it up to the harrowing circumstances, and hoped she would be more sympathetic in the rest of the story. No such luck.
It might have been fun anyway, if I could have reveled in rooting against Alys, but I can't stand the other characters either. The whole novel is an endless, joyless parade of nasty people doing nasty things to each other. It got dull rather quickly.
The best part was the ending, which dovetailed with the beginning in such a way that I wondered whether I was meant to think that Alys had never escaped the first situation at all and that most of the novel was a fantasy she dreamed up as her fate closed in. I think I'm probably overthinking it, though.
Book Review: Did Philippa Gregory really write this book?
Summary: 2 Stars
I have read almost every book that Philippa Gregory has written and I know that she has dealt with some rather dark themes in some her novels like Wideacre. I am all for authors seeking to plumb the depths of the human psyche, but I am at a loss as to why the author thought this book was worth the effort of writing. I say effort because it seemed to me that Ms. Gregory was trying really hard to complete this text out of obligation rather than for the sheer joy of writing it. Some of the text seemed forced and the plot bordered at times on very bad romantic fiction. Honestly, I barely got half way through the novel, before I got sick of the lead character and her odd voodoo candles.