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

[Radioundermypillow]

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!

jodi picot books are usually like this chapter per character

On this recommendation, have also just purchased it!(and saw an offer for the first three, so purchased them).

‘Gone to Soldiers’ rang a bell. Just looked at my bookshelf, and I have it! I read it in the late eighties as a student, possibly when it first came out. Time for a re-read methinks.

I haven't heard of Susan Howatch for about 40 years, used to love her books. I'll have to look out for them.
Another vote for Ken Follet and Maeve Binchey. I can count on one hand the number of books I've re-read and I'm 67 but I recently read a Maeve Binchey that I first read in my 20s and was bereft when it finished.

I loved this saga. I hope you will continue to as well

Out of interest which Maeve Binchy book was it that you read @Sortin? I haven’t read any MB for years but used to love her books. Quite fancy revisiting my youth!

Ken Follet - Start with Pillars of the Earth

Jassy - Norah Lofts. Just finished this on my holiday and loved it. The house at the old vine trilogy of hers is one of my all time favourite books. What you are after but based on a building not a family.

The Glassmaker - Tracey Chevalier. I started this on my way back from Devon yesterday. I will be finishing it tonight, one of the best books I’ve ever read.

I know it wasn't directed at me but I've just reread Light a Penny Candle for the first time in about 30 years and it stood up really well. I have a few of the later audiobooks read by Kate Binchy which are well done (I'm fond of Minding Frankie). There is a definite pattern to them, but they work all the same.

The Corrections - Jonathan Franzen
Girl Woman Other - Bernadine Evaristo

@deathlydull It was "light a penny candle" .
Didn't age at all, I just loved everything about it.

Wild swans - must have read it about ten times!

Oh yes Life After Life and A God in Ruins are brilliant - both about the same family, and Demon Copperhead is the best book I've read in ages, imo even better than The Bee Sting.

Yes Edward Rutherfurd's amazing books.

I loved Delderfield's to serve them all my Days, and re read it quite a lot. I was delighted last year to pick up many of his other books at a boot fair. Didn't like any of them - they arecnow fat too dated for me, and unpleasant in parts.

I don't know about gone to soldiers but virgin soldiers was pretty good 🤭

English Passengers by Matthew Kneale has 20 different character viewpoints (but isn’t confusing).
If tells the story of some passengers in late 1800s sailing from England to Tasmania because they believe that’s where the Garden of Eden was.

Penny Vincenzi, the Lytton family trilogy - I think it starts with No Angel.
It’s definitely a light read but quite gripping - I’d say ideal for a holiday!

I was obsessed with this as a teenager!

Another Marge Piercy fan here! Also loved Woman on the Edge of Time though that's not what you're looking for and some of it has aged badly.

Sharon Penman's Plantagenet books are fabulous as are her Welsh Princes books. Start with The Sunne in Splendour (it's actually the last chronologically but the first she wrote and imo the best). I also really liked James A Michener's books back in the day though again some of them may have aged badly.

So many amazing recommendations here. I have put every one that I havent read (except the virgin soldiers tbh 😁) into an Amazon list. Erring towards The Far Pavilions atm.

Another recommendation for the Starbridge Chronicles from me

🤣🤣

Yes!! Thought of these immediately when saw OP title. Also her Church of England series x

I loved and read Penmarric as a teen. Agree it would make a fantastic netflix series. I remember watching the tv show as well but preferred the book.

Brilliant book!

Shogun by James Clavell? Loved that in the 90s. Also enjoyed the recent TV series.