Dawnlands
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4.3 • 46 Ratings
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- $4.99
Publisher Description
A kingdom divided.
A dangerous royal deception.
And one family caught in the fight for England’s future.
England, 1685. King Charles II is dead, the country is divided, and rebellion is rising against the new king, James II. As political unrest sweeps across the nation, Alinor and her family are pulled into a deadly struggle for power, loyalty, and survival.
Alinor’s brother Ned returns from America determined to join the rebel cause, bringing with him secrets — and dangers — from the New World. Meanwhile, Alinor and her daughter Alys are drawn into the treacherous orbit of the ambitious and manipulative Livia, who promises them a chance to reclaim the Tidelands they once lost forever.
But the price may be catastrophic.
As conspiracies deepen inside the royal court, Alinor’s son becomes trapped in a shocking plot to create a false Prince of Wales — a deception that could alter the future of England itself.
From the royal palaces of London to the windswept Somerset Levels and the hidden caves of Barbados, Dawnlands is a sweeping historical epic of betrayal, ambition, political intrigue, forbidden secrets, and the extraordinary women fighting to survive in a dangerous new world.
Rich in atmosphere, passion, and historical detail, this unforgettable conclusion to Philippa Gregory’s bestselling Fairmile series is perfect for fans of Diana Gabaldon, Hilary Mantel, and Ken Follett.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Gregory (The Other Boleyn Girl) delivers an engrossing if scattered third installment to her Fairmile Series. In 1685, England's Stuart James II is king. But for how long? His second wife, Mary Beatrice of Modena, is openly Roman Catholic. Some whisper that the young Duke of Monmouth, Charles II's illegitimate son, is England's rightful ruler. Will England see rebellion yet again? Through these fraught times Gregory follows tough-as-nails midwife Alinor Reekie, as well as her family and friends: Alinor's son Rob wishes to avoid the brewing war but is soon entangled in it, and Alinor's brother Ned Ferryman returns from America with his mysterious, newfound Pokanoket companion, Rowan, to fight with the rebels. Gregory intertwines these fictional lives with some of 17th-century England's most famous and infamous figures. Some, like Lord Chief Justice, Judge Jeffreys, remind readers how barbarous the era could be, as he sentences a 70-year-old woman to burn alive. The narrative unfolds in familiar settings such as St. James's Palace, Whitehall, and Windsor Castle, as well as London's back allies and coffeehouses, and jumps to Bristol, Bath, Somerset (where the soon-to-be-executed Monmouth declares himself king), and colonial settings across the Atlantic. With so many places and characters in the mix, the story can be difficult to follow, but Gregory is as adept as ever at creating convincing atmosphere. The author's fans will not be disappointed.
