Philippa Gregory
Friday 22 May 2020
I’ve just started reading Philippa Gregory’s The Lady of the
Rivers, which is an excellent piece of historical fiction and beautifully
paced. I’m late to reading Philippa
Gregory and my only excuse is, there are a lot of good writers out there and a
finite number of reading hours in the day.
I was inspired to read these books because Philippa Gregory’s
writing was once the cause of an unexpected argument in one of my creative writing
classes. Often, during the first week or so of a new class, I ask students
about their favourite novels or authors. It gives them a chance to share
something they love and it gives me a chance to understand their tastes in
writing. It also allows me a chance to
learn about the fantastic storytellers that are out there, such as Philippa
Gregory.
On this particular morning, I was welcoming a new class of
elderly writing students, the youngest of whom was in their seventies. I’d been
round the room asking each person to say a little about their favourite author
and one shy and retiring lady explained that she liked Philippa Gregory’s stories
because they were such detailed historical romances.
“Oh! Yes,” called a brusque woman from the other side of the
room. This lady was in her eighties, had a face the colour of boiled ham and a
voice that sounded like something you’d hear on a hunt. “I’ve read her books. She writes about
witchcraft and sorcery and that sort of nonsense. Lots of fun.”
“Not quite,” demurred the first lady. “It’s historical
fiction rather than witchcraft and sorcery.”
“Are you calling me an effing liar?” demanded the woman with
the boiled ham face.
“I’m saying, if you have read the books, you clearly didn’t
understand them,” said the first woman.
I stopped the confrontation before it became physical
(because it looked like one of them was going to get up and lamp the other
one and, despite her quiet voice, my money was on the shy and demure woman). And, now I’ve started reading Philippa Gregory’s work, I’m looking
forward to finding out which of those women was correct.
PS – PayBack Week was re-released yesterday. If you enjoy horror fiction that genuinely
scares, treat yourself to a copy: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Payback-Week-Ashley-Lister-ebook/dp/B088R9B5J4/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_1
0 comments:
Post a Comment