Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
What we're reading

Find your new favourite book or recommend one on our Book forum.

Original poster

A really gripping, well written saga. Bonus if it has separate chapters for each character!

119 replies

Radioundermypillow · 20/07/2025 09:21

Looking for something for my holiday. Loved Gone To Soldiers by Marge Piercy. Also The Bee Sting.

I really enjoy books where each chapter is about a different character or from their perspective.

Thanks!

OP posts:
FreiasBathtub · 21/07/2025 19:07

The Amitav Ghosh Sea of Poppies trilogy. So so good. Not really a saga time-wise as all takes place over a decade or so, but absolutely brilliant characters and writing.

Or Dorothy Dunnett, though that is quite an intense read!

CalliopeFosterBeauchamp · 21/07/2025 19:05

Freysimo · 20/07/2025 12:48

Fingersmith is one of my favourite books. Love Sarah Waters, but she appears to have stopped writing!

Show quote history

She’s working on something new at the moment (insider knowledge!)

Howyoualldoworkme · 21/07/2025 19:03

Enko · 20/07/2025 09:30

Idk if this is fully what you are after but what about Cynthia Harrod-Eagles Morland dynasty. There are a few more than 3 though... (36) but they can be read as a single. I loved this swries that was originally intended as history without tears', fictional characters in a real historical background.

Thanks for the recommendation, I've just got the first one for 99p on Kindle and I'm hooked!

Abra1t · 21/07/2025 18:25

The Midwife’s Promise.

smooshraspberry · 21/07/2025 18:24

Seven Sisters. Not a literary masterpiece but enjoyable to engross yourself in none the less!

milislovelybut · 21/07/2025 17:39

You must read The Names. Each chapter is about the same child who is given different names at birth and how his life is very different with each name. It catches up with him every seven years. It’s heartbreaking at times. I will read it again soon but do it in ‘name’ order rather than age. A must read.

Whisper99 · 21/07/2025 17:39

Bear Town by Backman

Steelworks · 21/07/2025 17:38

The Far Pavilions -MM Kaye - what an epic book.

Stowickthevast · 21/07/2025 17:35

A couple of more recent ones:

The Love Songs of Boysie Singh - Ingrid Persaud - this is written in patois which takes a bit of time to get into but it's a really good story from the point of view of lots of different women.
The Covenant of Water - Abraham Varghese follows a family in India over a hundred years.

Not exactly a family saga but Our London Lives by Christine Dwyer Hickey follows a man and a woman living in London from the 60s to the around 2015 and alternates between her story in the past and his in the present.

Also if you haven't read it, A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth is a mega family saga.

Misknit · 21/07/2025 17:34

The Names by Florence Knapp and So Thrilled for You by Holly Bourne.

MsPug · 21/07/2025 17:33

Valley of the dolls!

Thewalrusandthecarpenter · 21/07/2025 17:32

East of Eden by John Steinbeck is my favourite of this type, although I also like The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher.

CatChant · 21/07/2025 17:22

RF Delderfield’s The Dreaming Suburb and its sequel The Avenue Goes To War.

Alice Thomas-Ellis’ Clothes in the Wardrobe trilogy: The Clothes in the Wardrobe; The Skeleton in the Cupboard; The Fly in the Ointment. Each one concerns the same series of events in the run-up to a wedding told from the point of view of a different protagonist.

Stormroses · 21/07/2025 16:58

Freysimo · 20/07/2025 12:48

Fingersmith is one of my favourite books. Love Sarah Waters, but she appears to have stopped writing!

Show quote history

I didn't know she'd stopped writing. What is the woman up to instead? We need to send her some pens. Grin

OllyBJolly · 20/07/2025 14:39

All the broken places, John Boyne.

MissyB1 · 20/07/2025 14:29

The most fun we ever had - Clare Lombardo. I didn't want it to end.

Original poster
Radioundermypillow · 20/07/2025 14:27

GagaBinks · 20/07/2025 14:25

If you like space stuff then The Expanse series. First book is called Leviathan Wakes

Is it well written would you say? If so I might check that out, thanks.

OP posts:
GagaBinks · 20/07/2025 14:25

If you like space stuff then The Expanse series. First book is called Leviathan Wakes

curly100 · 20/07/2025 14:22

Love Untold - Ruth Jones

feministmom4ever · 20/07/2025 14:06

The girl on the train.

EmpressaurusKitty · 20/07/2025 13:22

Nice to see it’s not just me either!

I haven’t read Wheel of Fortune or Penmarric but I enjoyed Susan Howatch’s Starbridge series & the following St Benet’s trilogy. Each book’s narrated by a different character & like you, OP, I love seeing the different perspectives & how they view each other.

ProfessionalTeaDrinker · 20/07/2025 12:49

EmpressaurusKitty · 20/07/2025 09:42

I listened to the first two books & gave up three chapters into Confusion - it was so depressing, & the repeated descriptions of messy eaters throughout the books made me feel sick. All the stuff about people dropping food on themselves was revolting and unnecessary.

The repeated love for the whole saga on MN makes me wonder if I’m missing something though.

Show quote history

I have read the first one but only stuck with it because of all the praise I'd seen on here for it. I found it okay. I'm not sure I'll bother with the others but I also thought I must be missing something so nice to see it's not just me!

Freysimo · 20/07/2025 12:48

Stormroses · 20/07/2025 09:47

Also:
House of Spirits - Isabelle Allende
Fingersmith - Sarah Walters
Atonement - Ian McEwan (I hated it but many people love it)
Woman in White - Wilkie Collins

Fingersmith is one of my favourite books. Love Sarah Waters, but she appears to have stopped writing!

SapatSea · 20/07/2025 12:43

@user1471468793 I concur - great big reads loosely based on historial dynasties like the Plantagenets. The 1970's adaptation of Penmarric is on Youtube. As well as Penmarric and Wheel or Fortune there is also Cashelmara and the Rich are Different (and the sequel Sins of the Father).

Behind the Scenes at The Museum by Kate Atkinson
Lissa Evans books are a good read - Old Baggage/Crooked Heart/V for Victory trilogy is great and her latest novel, Small Bomb At Dimperley is very sweet.

I didn't like the start of Poisonwood Bible either - but stick with it - it really pays off.

user1471468793 · 20/07/2025 11:33

Wheel of Fortune or Penmarric by Susan Howatch. Can never decide which of these 2 are my favourite book of all time. Simply superb. And should be the next adaptation for BBC or Netflix.

Swipe left for the next trending thread