Anyone else reading The Golden Hours by Louisa Young?

[Sheeppig]

Is anyone else reading the Golden Hours written by Elizabeth Jane Howard's neice, Louisa Young? It's the sequel to the Cazelet Chronicles.
I am about a third in and loving it. I feel she captures the tone of her aunt's writing so well and it is wonderful to be reunited with so many much loved characters.

Me me me me! I'm listening to the audiobook. Obviously no one can match the mighty EJH but I adore Louisa as a writer am and loving hearing about the gang again. Louise in JEANS!

Not yet, I think I need a reread of the Cazalet chronicles first.

Yes! On the fence at the moment. Have just listened to all the previous volumes on audiobook and so far have found two continuity errors that are jarring.

Warning: contains spoilers if you haven’t already read.

Overall I thought it was a good continuation and I enjoyed it, but it doesn’t have the depth of description that the previous books contained: possibly this is because they were partly autobiographical and EJH was writing from experience of actual places in her childhood and family members. The main female characters were far more developed - Louise, Polly & Clary - although I felt this was done very well, but I would have liked more development or story about the older characters: Rachel, Villy and Edward in particular. I wanted to know how his 2nd marriage came to an end, what happened to Diana, how he’s managed financially considering the firm went under at the end of book 5, what happened to his children with Diana, how did he repair his relationship with Hugh which was so broken at the end of book 5. Very little story for Rachel other than she lived with Polly. Liked references to the 60s and the difficulties some of the older characters had in adapting to those societal changes.

Some lack of continuity with characters: Jem had always struck me as capable and practical but was reduced to some rather pathetic person who didn’t really figure and spent all her time worrying about her husband. Ditto Zoe - seemed to spend a lot of time in tears; she had become more confident and self-assured through the war but this had largely evaporated. Rupert seemed pretty lost but I liked the ending and the promise of some interesting revelations for the rest of the family in the next book. Pleased that there will be another one (I think Louisa Young has planned two more).

I've finished it, and really enjoyed it. The book ends on a cliffhanger, so I'm keen to read the next one.

Not yet. I am going to a presentation of the book in a couple of weeks' time and want to hear that first.

Sorry to derail OP but shall we have a separate finishers thread because I NEED to talk about it 😁😁

My copy is on its way! I am halfway through a reread of the first one - I had planned to reread them all before the new one but not sure I can wait that long!

Yes please!

Yes! I finished it this morning so would love to discuss it.

Here we go!

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/what_were_reading/5575776-the-golden-hours-finishers-thread

Treat yourself to the audiobooks. Jill Balcans acting is superb and she was a close friend of EJH

I think they have just recorded them but I agree Jill Balcan is amazing . I use them as comfort listens when the world has gone to shit!

hoping to finish this evening and will
be over !

I have the audiobooks already and agree they’re fab but I’m a much quicker reader than I am a listener so the audiobooks will take longer!

My copy of The Golden Hours has arrived now - very tempting to just dive right in!