Books which follow characters over many years?

85 replies

Bearg · 28/05/2024 17:40

I love books which really dig into the character/characters and follow them over their lifetime or many years. Some of my favourites are Summer Sisters by Judy Blume, One Day by David Nicholls, and I've almost finished Lessons by Ian McEwan which I have also enjoyed.

Can anyone recommend any other similar books?

OP posts:

Caferouge · 28/05/2024 18:25

Any of the longer Ken Follet books. The Century trilogy or the Pillars of the Earth series.

Timeandtune · 28/05/2024 18:24

definitely

Timeandtune · 28/05/2024 18:24

Define the Cazalet Chronicles

Lovechilli75 · 28/05/2024 18:23

The Starbridge novels by Susan Howatch. They’re all standalone but each one has a different narrator and lots of the characters appear in each of them, from different standpoints and in different decades.
The background is the 20th century history of the C of E….But despite sounding a bit dry, they’re fascinating, especially in their character development.

Preparetoturnright · 28/05/2024 18:20

Maybe more "historical" than the ones that you mention, but the Edward Ruthurford books are excellent. He has done several - I started with "London" as I was living there at the time. It's a very long book (starting with the Druids I think) but there is a tangible familial link with each period of history.

Lots of actual facts, but an element of fiction too. I learnt an awful lot about the city that I had lived in for years!

Franklefoot · 28/05/2024 18:19

The Cazalet Chronicles by Elizabeth Jane Howard. Family saga, many characters over many years, 1930's to 1950's.

Thewalrusandthecarpenter · 28/05/2024 18:12

East of Eden - Steinbeck

MrsTomRipley · 28/05/2024 18:03

Patricia Highsmith did a pretty good job when she created me.
I can't even tell you all the bad stuff I have done, or how old I am

IncognitoUsername · 28/05/2024 18:00

The Almonds and Raisins series follows a family over the course of almost 100 years.

EwwSprouts · 28/05/2024 17:44

Still Life by Sarah Winman
Poldark series

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