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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
Enjoyed this book and looking forward to finishing the series. The historical setting of England on the brink of WW2 and the large cast of characters made this an enjoyable read.
Mixed review as I see this as the basis for a good series and have been recommended that it is very good later on.
Pros
I liked Rachel the Aunt who is the main brains behind the family and is by the far the wittiest. She is an a gay relationship but like that this isn’t the main fracture of her story.
There was also an equate amount of scandal which is worth a book of this size.
Cons
The plot was good however, this was deviated by random monologues on random characters who did not contribute much. I understand there was a need to have a slight downton abbey theme but don’t think that she made the servants characters interesting on a way that they could be.
I also think that some of the children’s characters such as Louise and Clary needed development as they seemed too similar in personality.
Pros
I liked Rachel the Aunt who is the main brains behind the family and is by the far the wittiest. She is an a gay relationship but like that this isn’t the main fracture of her story.
There was also an equate amount of scandal which is worth a book of this size.
Cons
The plot was good however, this was deviated by random monologues on random characters who did not contribute much. I understand there was a need to have a slight downton abbey theme but don’t think that she made the servants characters interesting on a way that they could be.
I also think that some of the children’s characters such as Louise and Clary needed development as they seemed too similar in personality.
Pure escapist entertainment, that is if you like sagas like "Downton Abbey", "Upstairs Downstairs", etc. as I do . Immensely enjoyable with a large cast of intriguing characters set at a momentous time in history - just before the outbreak of the second World War in England. As it's the first of the chronicles with several more books to follow, I can't wait to read more.
There were so many characters! Some of them were great but others got a but lost for me. I enjoyed the first half of the book but the second half felt very slow and a little repetitive.
Downtown abbey in book form (I realise this came first). Large family, grateful for the initial family tree, with intermingling stories and moments. All on the eve of world war 2.
You just never know with me. I COULD have found this book corny, or simple minded, or sentimental, or whatever complaints I always manage to come up with. But although this is simply written and there is a lot of focus on children, who I often can't stand, I really LIKED it. I got halfway through reading on Kindle Unlimited and ordered the entire set in paperback and have jumped right into the second one. Go figure.
funny
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Sexism, Death of parent, Pregnancy, War
EJH mastered the art of unwritten writing. Not everything is written, or indeed said by the characters, but so much more can be gleamed from the story than is written. Complex themes (power, violence, family dynamics, servitude) alongside the bubbling tensions leading up to WW2. Everyone interested in WW2 in Britain should read this for a fuller picture of civilian events.
Sorry to read of Elizabeth Jane Howard's death last week. Wonderful series of novels. Surprised to discover that I missed the last one. Gives me an opportunity to go back and savor the earlier books.
As other reviewers have said, not a whole lot happens. But I enjoyed getting to know the MANY characters and getting a glimpse of what life was like in the years just before WWII. It had to have been a very nerve racking time. Although I very much would like to see the family’s lives evolve within the trilogy, other books are beckoning me.