Anyone else temporarily obsessed by the Cazalet Chronicles?

[Travellerintime]

Anyone else read these?

I read the first one in the summer, then have read the last 3 in one week. Dh relieved I've finished them now so I'll talk to him again!

I read them years ago but occasionally re read.
I love them,and I seem to remember devouring them in a week like you!
May be due a re read,actually....

Oh, good, so I'm not alone in this. One of those series of books that I can't quite accept I've read the last one - keep hoping I'd find that she'd written another one.

I've been going over it all in my head today (whilst taking ds to toddler group, picking up dd etc.). The character who seemed most 'damaged' was Louise. This was interesting as she was the only one of the younger generation not to lose a parent - but she seemed to be the one denied unconditional love by her parents. Clary & Polly eventually got over their losses, perhaps partly because they always felt loved.

Anyway, if anyone's looking for an unputdownable series of books, it's definitely fits the bill.

oh yes, loved them, read them all in one go. EJH's other books are good too - though I found if you read too many in a row she repeats a few phrases and they get a bit samey. But lots to go at.

{SPOILER ALERT} Long time now since I read them but Louise is the one whose father made a pass at her? In which case yes I agree most damaged. Clary & Polly seemed much more resilient and practical and to have a proper life plan.

Georgina - forgot to say, good idea to re-read. I read them so quickly that I probably missed loads.

Yes, Pot, Louise's father drunkenly tries to kiss her one night. But in a way, her r-ship with her mother is worse - her mother just seems to hate her, and I'm not sure it's really defined why. Unless her mother (Villy) suspected Louise's father of fancying his daughter, and subconsciously transferred her horror of this onto her daughter. Also like all women at the time, she gave up everything to get married.

The other thing that fascinated me about the books was the sexual innocence of women at the time. They mainly have very unsatisfactory sex lives with their husbands - sex essentially seems to be something that's 'done' to them, and that's the way the husbands seem to prefer it. Also, Rachel, the lesbian, doesn't realise for ages that she could actually go to bed with her lover.

I'll hunt out some more EJH books, but will probably take a break, as I don't have time for anything so involving, having neglected dh, kids etc for the last week!

I completely adored these books, and it's so great to hear others talk about them too. Just brilliant.

EJH's autobiography is well worth reading as she has so clearly made Louise, Polly and Clary out of different aspects of her character, and incorporated her own life events into theirs.

I've read couple of her other novels, but sadly none has grabbed me like the Cazalet books.

Agree re Louise.
So sad that her bitch of a MIL 'stole' her son.
Am not sure why Villy dislikes Louise so much,maybe it is jealousy?
The descriptions of wartime London are fantastic,as are the chapters centred on the Cazalet house.(must re read,can't remember its name!)

her autobiography

LittleCheesy - I wondered about any autobiographical links, given that Louise is born in the same year that EJH was.

And yes, Georgina, I kept thinking of the terrible guilt that will haunt Louise later on in life at her abandoning her son - and yet, in fact, it's a really brave choice. The only consolation with this is that MiL will probably adore her gs as much as she adored her own ds, so at least he'll be loved.

Yes, maybe it is jealousy that makes Villy hate Louise. After all, she didn't seem to hate her ds's - maybe because they're not the threat that Louise posed.

Home Place is the appropriate name of the Cazalet house. And yes, I enjoyed reading of wartime London - have read a lot in newspapers recently about 70 years since the Blitz - interesting to read about it from the perspective of characters living through it.

Thanks littlecheesy

Must get back to making tea for kids & stop obsessing over EJH!

Of course,Home Place!
I have a couple of shelves in a bookcase devoted to wartime fiction,tis a special favourite of mine...
Have just got Juliet Gardiner's 'The Blitz' from the library as well!

Norah Hoult's There Were No Windows is brilliant on WW2 London, as is Noel Streatfeild's Saplings, and Monica Baldwin's I Leap Over The Wall.

I have just re-read these for what seems to be the millionth time, and I never get tired of them. In fact when I was reading the bit about Rupert coming home, and meeting first the Duchy and then Zoe, I sobbed, and even though I knew exactly what was going on.

Someone else I feel is a bit of a sad'un is Neville - I often wonder what happened to him. And poor Richard, Nora's husband, who literally sacrifices himself into marriage to prevent his lover from having to care for him.

they are just fabulous books, in fact, I was planning on getting them for my best friend for Christmas as she has never read them.

Ace, ace characters and story, just brilliant

Yes, Sequin, the story of Rupert & his return is so moving. Like Clary, I always thought he would come back, but EJH managed to keep the suspense up so well.

I kind of felt by the end that Neville might be okay. He was a bit desperate whilst younger, but I think Archie's intervention in sending him to Stowe might have saved him. But yes, Richard's story is so sad - and made even worse by the knowledge that such things happened.

The other thing that made me wonder was why Edward seems so emasculated by the end of the series. Once Diana finally gets him, the tables seem turned, and she finally seems in control - although not happy, even though she's got what she wanted.

I'm thinking of writing EJH a fan letter (not something I've ever done before)!

Oh, also had a quick look at the biog on Amazon - definite links with her own experience and the girls in the story - will def try & read.

Oh thanks littlecheesy.
I will seek them out!

I read them all about 18-20 years ago and adored them, and re-read them a few times subsequently.

Littlecheesy - thanks for the other suggestions. I had no idea Noel Streatfeild wrote books for adults. Of course, I loved Ballet Shoes.

Saplings is quite harrowing; especially when your mind is in Ballet Shoes/ White Boots mode. She was very popular for her adult fiction at the time, I understand.

i think EJH is amazing and have read all her books. I believe the character of Louise is based on herself and she recently published her memoirs which made a great read.

felt sorry for Rachael in the Cazalet chronicles.

I wanted to start re-reading the CC two weeks ago but my local library didn't have the first one in stock. So I settled for another EJH - Love All. It is brilliant too!

I must reread these and her other books. I've recently bought all the EJH books from a remainder shop.

My favourite EJH though was The Beautiful Visit, another want to reread book.

I also enjoyed Saplings.

not read whole thread cos i anm just on number 3. loving them. read first 2 over the summer and having read a few things since then, now have the feeling that i cannot read anything else until i read at least once more.

had them on my shelf for about 10 years (my mum bought them for me) but only just got into them. adore adore adore.

incidentally i decided to read them after loving I capture the castle, and the art of keeping secrets!