Be sure to read the first book (Earthly Joys) in this series before reading Virgin Earth. These two books tell the story of the first botanist in England and a family who were gardeners to the King and some of his powerful supporters. This is a fictional account of a real family that was involved in the turbulent times of James I, Charles I and the Lord Protector, Oliver Cromwell. This book deals with the younger John Tradescant who had many personal demons to defeat and left his family in England to travel to Jamestown to collect botanical specimens from the new colony. In his adventures he is taken in as a member of the Powathan tribe and takes an Indian "wife" before he returns to England. Loved the book.

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Good thick page turner. I read it all at once! Very interesting!

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Being a Phillipa Gregory fan I will add another of her books to my favorite list. I read this and could absolutely picture the era! The trials and the turmoil the character faces are what keeps you reading it in every spare moment. Great story and the history of that time is brought right to your imagination.

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Not one of Gregory's best, this novel traces the story of John Tradescant the younger, gardener to King Charles I, son of the subject of the first novel in this duo. As with the first, this tome is heavy to read, and slogs through time about as slowly as it must have happened. I finished it to say that I had, but honestly wonder why. Not my cup of tea.

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Interesting historical perspective of the reign of Charles I, the protectorate, and the return of Charles II in England. The parts of the story that were set in Virginia also gave an even broader view of life in those times.

However, I'd have to say that a quarter of the way through the book, I was fed up with the main character - he wasn't sure which cause he believed in, which king he should follow, which wife or which country was his. I guess that was the device the author used to give you the opportunity to see both sides, but I found it a distraction.

Overall, not bad, but not her best book.

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A very good follow up on "A Respectable Trade". I didn't care for the adult version of Johnny Tradescant. He was self absorbed and without heart. So unlike his father. These books did inspire me to work a little harder in my gardens. So...that will increase the # of stars I give it by one.

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