Confession: I’m reading the skankiest book right now, and I LOVE it.
Actually, I have three books in rotation right now, but the other two have been pushed aside because it turned out that their incest/murder quotient was simply not high enough to keep my interest. Before last summer’s adventure with the Outlander series, I had never read anything that could be classified as a romance novel. Forgive me, historical romance. Not that I wasn’t getting my daily recommended allowance of smut. It was just well disguised. You know, in novels by folks like Marquez or Kundera – some seriously dirty bird writers, who by virtue of maleness, managed to escape having their perversions labeled as romantic.
At book club the other night, we did a swap. My contribution was a book of short stories by Ursula Le Guin; my take home was Wideacre, by Philippa Gregory. Boy is that lady a degenerate of the most awesome kind! Her heroine (who I find myself pulling for despite her proclivity for evil) is a seductress, a murderess, a dominatrix and a super eager/willing participant in a steam incestuous relationship all while still in her teens. Does it get any better than this? Probably not, which is why when I finally pluck Three Junes off the nightstand to finish it, it’s going to seem a little bit like homework. Not in the way Tolstoy does, mind you, but the lack of riding crops and patricide? It will be keenly felt.
So happy to read this – I have Wideacre sitting on my counter waiting for me, Now that I’ve read your review I can’t wait!
Philippa Gregory does some good smut-in-history’s-clothing. The Wideacre series is good, but I also really liked her series on the Wives of Henry VIII and the “Virgin Earth” series. Quality literature it’s not, but she’s great at brain candy.
I love Philipa Gregory. I can tell everyone I read historical fiction without feeling the shame. And my husband thinks I’m a smarty pants. I guess he hasn’t made the connection that after a few chapters, I’m ready to rip his clothes off…
Right?! Those books are honest to goodness aphrodisiacs!
Oh, excellent. I read The Other Boleyn Girl and LOVED it, but you know how an author can disappoint if they had one phenomenal novel and the rest are .. eh. Glad to hear I can start in on the rest of her books!
Hey Heather,
I’ve been tossing around reading the Outlander series. My roommate and her mom rave on and on about it…it just seems like such a daunting series to start, considering the length of each book and the series. (I’m also usually not into historical fiction.)But, would you highly recommend it?
Thanks!
Another Stephanie stepping up to say I also loved The Other Boleyn Girl and highly recommend the rest of the wives of Henry VIII books! I remember reading Wideacre many years ago and thinking it had some pretty kinky elements-those raunchy Brits!
I have been reading Philipa Gregory for many years and love it!
I have always loved historical fiction books, even when they weren’t smutty. So I read some of Ms. Gregory’s works and was all like, “Oh, smut in the English court! Can’t get enough!” So when my mom asked me what I wanted for Christmas, I told her Wideacre, because it is her first book. I knew things might be a little steamy but honestly…
The look on my mom’s face when she gave me that book. In my family, it isn’t uncommon to read a book before giving it as a present. So my mom read the lovely, heady, incestuous smut that is Wideacre, knowing full well that I had wanted this to celebrate Baby Jesus’ birthday.
While the rest of Phillipa’s canon is filled with old dirty hoes getting down, Wideacre is by far, BY FAR, her most lurid work. And I’m so happy my Catholic mom gave it to me for Christmas.
I have always loved historical fiction books, even when they weren’t smutty. So I read some of Ms. Gregory’s works and was all like, “Oh, smut in the English court! Can’t get enough!” So when my mom asked me what I wanted for Christmas, I told her Wideacre, because it is her first book. I knew things might be a little steamy but honestly…
The look on my mom’s face when she gave me that book. In my family, it isn’t uncommon to read a book before giving it as a present. So my mom read the lovely, heady, incestuous smut that is Wideacre, knowing full well that I had wanted this to celebrate Baby Jesus’ birthday.
While the rest of Phillipa’s canon is filled with old dirty hoes getting down, Wideacre is by far, BY FAR, her most lurid work. And I’m so happy my Catholic mom gave it to me for Christmas.
Have you ever read any books by Joan Elizabeth Lloyd? A friend lent me one and talk about steamy!
20-Something
The Outlander series is totally worth the commitment. It takes a few chapters in the first book to get into it but after that you’ll be hooked. And a tip to make it seem less daunting…as soon as you devour one book, there’s the sequel just sitting there waiting…
I am so excited to hear how smutty Wideacre is – I am in the mood for that kind of book and just happen to have it from the library – but even after reading many of the Henry’s Wives books it didn’t occur to me that Wideacre would be trashy. Can’t wait to get home and start reading!
Three Junes is outstanding – enjoy!
I’m reading The Other Boleyn Girl these days and love it! Also read The Virgin’s Lover and The Queen’s Fool. I have to say that while writing doss, Philipa is pretty good at staying within the bounds of historical realities, and disturbingly nuanced at describing heartache. The emotional torment in The Queen’s Fool was very finely articulated… and painful to read.
For high quality historical fiction that is also excellent literature, try The Acursed Kings series by Maurice Druon. To this day, it’s my benchmark against which all historical fiction is measured. It’s about the size of Tolstoy – but really worth it if you love your history.
Now I will shut up, and go back to Mary Boleyn and all that lovely doss.
I loved this entry! It’s SO true!
Phillipa Gregory is fabulous. Both The Other Boleyn Girl and The Boleyn Inheritance were fantastic and smutty all at once, but now I may have to check out Wideacre. It’s amazing how much of a smarmy bastard King Henry was. Oh, those Brits.
I picked up Wideacre from the bookstore after reading The Other Boleyn Girl and you could say I was a little shocked. Definitely enjoyable but the heroin is so awful at times that I couldn’t stand her. My mom asked if she should read it when I was done and I almost died. She should probably stick to Agatha Christie.
Yeah, I read the entire Wideacre series (along with most of Phillipa Gregory’s other books) when I was in highschool. Very steamy stuff! So glad you’re enjoying it!!!
All I can say is that if I were Phillipa Gregory’s brother, I would be very creeped out!!
Just like so many other people who comment and say this… I have never commented before but could not help but throw my two-sense in.
Anyone who has never read Judy Blume’s Wifey is missing out. I read it for the first time in 10th grade and expected much more of the “Hey God, It’s Me Margaret” variety, only for adults. Adult content does not begin to describe that book. I sat there in shock.
And still continue to read that book when I need a bit of smut in my life. Highly recommend it…
I love Phillipa Gregory; esp. her books about Henry VIII’s wives. Great stuff. I can say without an ounce of shame that I love historical fiction.
My smutty books recommendation: Jacqueline Carey’s Kusheil series of books. Historical Fantasy with a ton of intrigue to tie the smut together.
So glad other people have a few books in rotation. I always feel like I’m a little strange. I still do, but now the book part of that isn’t so bad.
oh, phillippa gregory is love. I love the wideacre series, as well as the stuff about the Tudor period (Other Boleyn Girl is my favorite ever) I’ve been meaning to read wideacre again lately, actually….
20 something –
I, too, highly recommend the Outlander series. It does take a few chapters to get into it, but you won’t notice how long the books once they hook you.
@ Jessica: Oh, yes! If you guys like historical fiction, check out the Kushiel’s Dart (or Legacy, or what-have-you) series. Deliciously smutty smut, with a lot of political machinations, all in a Europe-esque setting! Fun stuff all round. Now I’m off to pick up Wideacre.
I saw a little cartoon in which two little guys were present, the first one was very engrossed in a book. The second came to the the first guy and asked “Romance novel??” throughly confused as to why his friend was reading such craziness. The first boy simply replied “girl porn.”
My favorite book of all time is “The Other Boleyn Girl” The Boleyn Inheritance and The Constant Princess are both excellent as well. People say she is as close to “historically correct” as it gets… and we think we live in scandalous times.
Enjoy!
so happy to hear i’m not the only one who gets into those romance novels… they do more for me than any movie or well… you get it.
Belle du Jour is another fabulously smutty novel… no real historical anecdotes there, but soo interesting.
I loved the Outlander series-but Diana Gabaldon totally sold out with her recent spinoff series. Very disappointing. And if you haven’t read The Time Travelers Wife, run now to the nearest bookstore.