Anyone read the Cazalet saga?

Read them all over Xmas. I agree book five was not nearly as good. The other 4 had me hooked.

I loved the series, but yes book 5 was not up to scratch. Felt like you really knew the characters and cared for them. I loved how the family looked after Miss Millament.

I liked some of the story lines in book 5. Others grated a bit, and the one that was the closest to autobiographical is most annoying.

But having read her autobiography I don't see the WWT in quite the same light.

The ending is a bit of a cliff hanger, and we'll never know quite what happens next. A bit like real life.

I've had the first one for over a year and haven't got round to reading it yet. It went astray at the back of a bookcase but turned up a while ago. I might give it a try. I thought it might be a bit too twee.

On a related note, I've just listened to the ten part reading of her book Odd Girl Out on R4X. Fabulous story as well, well worth a listen/read for EJH fans.

I love them but had to stop reading them after a while because i just knew them by heart.

The 5th one was methadone - stopped the craving but it was really not very good. When one of the characters was described as a 'hands-on parent' - in the 40s?? I'm sure that phrase didn't come about until the 80s/90s - I mentally gave up on it.

I thought the TV series was shit, to be honest, except the sets, which were perfect. The intensity of the books for me is those long, long detailed internal monologues which means you get to know all the characters, their voices, motivations, fears, joys. Almost all of which disappeared in the TV series.

I quite liked book 5! But maybe it means more as you get closer to the age where parents have died, and people are beginning to get to a "certain age". I assume she'd still based it on people she knew.

I missed the radio tribute to her recently - but did catch Martin Amis being very complimentary about her. I think she did a lot to start his writing career.

I don't think it's chick lit - Elizabeth Jane Howard was quite a serious literary writer. The Cazalet books are in a more popular fiction genre - family saga perhaps - and they work fine on that level but she was also a really good writer. I also enjoyed the social history dimension to the books.

My sister brought the DVDS of the TV adaptation home to watch, and my mum, sister, stepsister and I really quite enjoyed it. Even my mum's husband enjoyed some of it (and might have liked the rest if he'd stayed around to watch!)

Love these books, though I would agree with previous posts that number 5 is a bit of a let down, I felt it dragged a bit and didn't fit with the other 4 but it was still a good read. Aliasjoey i don't think it is chick lit, at least not in my opinion. I found it quite thought provoking.

"I heard there was a tv drama. Did you see it? Any good?"

I saw the TV series when it was originally shown in 2001 and absolutely loved it. It inspired me to buy the books, which I also thoroughly enjoyed. I have read part 5 as I have been put off by poor reviews.

I have tried other books by EJH, but have given up as they didn't grab me the way the Cazalet series did.

I was going to suggest this for my book group, do you think that's a good idea or is it a bit chick lit? Have never read any, but liked the sound of it.

I read the first four in one long binge about 15 yrs ago, just loved them. Hated the radio series soooo very much, it made them sound so flat. The fifth isn't incredible, but I did enjoy it, in the way I'd enjoy catching up with an old friend I'd lost touch with. Only now getting to find her other novels. They are subtle, beautiful and compelling. Odd Girl Out is on iplayer radio at the moment, well worth a listen!

I really enjoyed them all , although by the end a lot of the characters really really irritated me. But good winter reads

My favourites. I've only just read the last one though, so as it had been a while since I'd read the originals I had to re-read them again just to refresh my memory Agree with PP who mentioned comfy slippers.

I have read the first, which I really enjoyed, and have the rest from MIL (her best saga series of all time she reckons) on the shelf to be read. Quite keen to read number 2 soon, whilst the first one is still fairly fresh in my mind.

I thought it was going to all be a bit la la land, a la Downton head in the clouds stuff to start with, but some of it is quite punchy, and it had a few twists and turns I really didn't see coming so I'm up for more of the same please.

I read number one while on holiday

I took it as I'd got it in a £ deal from the book people and as it's not my type of book I thought if I don't enjoy it I could just dump it and leave it there

Really, really enjoyed it, accidentally left it out in the rain when I was just two chapters away from finishing

Had to buy it on kindle when I got home to finish the bloody thing

And the book people had all 5 for £5!!! So I had to buy them!!!!!

Worst thing is I recommended them to a book club friend, and she didn't like it at all...I'd obviously overhyped it

They are like a comfy pair slippers. I also love them and surprised myself in doing so.

Last one wasn't that great for me. But never mind. Her stepson Martin Amis wrote a lovely tribute to her following death.

You're very welcome, AutomaticShoes. It was spotting that bargain that prompted me to put them on my Christmas list. Now I just need to get off the internet and read them!

Thank you MaudantWit for that tip....books 2-5 were on my Xmas list but dh missed the 'hint' so being able to get them for that price is amazing! Does mean I now have two copies of book 1 if anyone wants the first one....pm me if you'd like a copy of the first book for free!