Cazalets fan

[chipfork]

Listened to all the volumes of Cazalets on audible following a mumsnet recommendation and enjoyed them a lot. Stumped for what next - would welcome any suggestions? Thanks!

Anthony Trollope - The Pallisers?

Mary Wesley?

The Poldark series?

Something by Barbara Taylor Bradford?

I am a big fan. I'm on 4, reading it also after a recommendation from mumsnet.

A really good WW2 novel I've enjoyed is called Everyone brave is forgiven by Chris cleave. Its very similar without the genius of EJH. I'm not sure where you get a shifting perspective that gets so inside the skin of a character.

If you've not read Kate Atkinson now is the time to get into her." Life after life " followed by "a god in ruins" are amazing WW2 family tales but admittedly with a magic realism/ postmodernist twist.

Sarah Waters WW2 era book is called the Night watch and has a lesbian characters because she does write from that perspective. The main character viv is in an ambulance service in the blitz. It's really engaging.

Another similar era but more depressing is Atonement by Ian Mcewan. Personally a complete classic that should not be missed.

I'm planning on reading more EJH and hilary mantel recommended "the long view" her second novel as a place to go after cazalets.

I found this interesting to talk about EJH other novels

Oh definitely The Pallisers read by Timothy West. An absolute joy.

Mary Wesley has been the closest I’ve found, the Camomile Lawn is very good.

Thanks very much all, interesting and will follow up, unexpectedly they just hit the spot for me and was a bit sad to come to the end.

Cazalet Chronicles was my comfort reread when I was ill in 2019 - even though some of it is pretty dark. Definite endorsement of The Night Watch and Atonement.

Thanks! Was recommended as a comfort read - which it was in many ways- but also very grim in terms of that generation's dread of cancer, also divorce, abortion, dementia! More lightheartedly... who would you ... Hugh,Edward, Rupert, Rachel or Archie?

Thank you! Am listening to this now .

I read these when I was about 13 and they are still my go to!

another I enjoyed for similar reasons was Prep by Curtis Sittenfield. It’s not set at the same time or anything, just a lovely read.

Thanks very much, another suggestion to try!

I've listened to these books so much I practically know them by heart. Her writing is so perfectly spot on especially the kids dialogue. And the line: "she made love like someone who had to catch the 8.10 and knew she'd be standing the whole way" 😃

Lovely novels! And yes, defo read Kate Atkinson's Life after Life & God in Ruins - they're my favourite novels. I love that family. Also agree Sarah Waters WW2 novel is excellent BUT, straight after the Cazeletts? The MUST READ is EJH's biography! The crossover from fact to fiction is eye popping. Her life story is quite sad but also fascinating. I found The Long View quite hard going but perhaps I just wasn't in the head space for it.

How about The Forsyte Saga?

The Whiteoaks series by Mazo de la Roche are a great read, I remember reading every one many years ago!

Thanks for all these recommendations, lots to discover!

Or read her other books

The Long View was good and she wrote some excellent short stories

I thinks she wrote a more modern book before her death

@woodhill @ZenNudist thanks, great suggestion re. The Long View

Brilliant series and huge, chunky novels so they take time getting through.