A review by jessyhayward
Tidelands by Philippa Gregory

emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I liked this book, but the pacing was ridiculous. The first half was irritatingly slow to the point where I wanted to DNF, but I continued because I enjoyed Philippa Gregory’s eloquent and descriptive writing style. The second half was well-written, though somewhat rushed, and I enjoyed that quite a lot. I hated James’ character but sympathised greatly with both Alinor and Alys. My favourite part of this story, aside from the writing style, is the historical detail written into every page. It is meticulously researched and, as far as I can, extremely accurate to the time. This is what saved the pacing issues for me. I’m not sure how I feel having finished it; the first half is pretty terrible and the second half captivating. I’ll have to think about it and edit this review later. Regardless, I am glad I read it.