Cazalet Chronicles

In the tradition of Evelyn Waugh and E. M. Forster, the first book in this critically acclaimed multigenerational saga about an upper-middle-class family in Britain before, during, and after World War II recreates a vanished world. As war clouds gather on the distant horizon, Hugh, Edward, and Rupert Cazalet, along with their wives, children, and loyal servants, prepare to leave London for their annual pilgrimage to the family's Sussex estate. There, they will join their parents, William and Kitty, and sister, Rachel, at Home Place, the sprawling retreat where the three brothers hope to spend an idyllic summer of years gone by. But the First World War has left indelible scars. Hugh, the eldest of his siblings, was wounded in France and is haunted both by recurring nightmares of battle and the prospect of another war. Edward adores his wife, Villy, a former dancer searching for meaning in life, yet he's incapable of remaining faithful to her. Rupert desires only to fulfill his potential as a painter, but finds that love and art cannot coexist. And devoted daughter Rachel discovers the joys-and limitations-of intimacy with another woman. A candid portrait of British life in the late 1930s and a sweeping depiction of a world on the brink of war, The Light Years is a must-read for fans of Downton Abbey. Three generations of the Cazalet family come to unforgettable dramatic life in this saga about England during the last century-and the long-held values and cherished traditions that would soon disappear forever.

For fans of Downton Abbey, the second volume of the critically acclaimed Cazalet saga takes readers into the lives of an extended British family and their devoted retinue It is 1939, and Hitler has just invaded Poland. The exigencies of wartime will force the Cazalets to make difficult choices as the older children are evacuated from London and settled in Home Place, their longtime Sussex summer estate. Narrated primarily through the voices of three Cazalet cousins-sixteen-year-old Louise and fourteen-year-old Polly and Clary-Marking Time details the continuing saga of their fathers. With the outbreak of war, Edward is determined to do his part for England. Hugh, crippled in World War I, must sit back and watch other men fight for their country, including his brother Rupert, who enlists and goes missing in action. The Cazalets' story plays out against the greater drama unfolding on the world stage. Three young girls yearn for the freedom they believe adulthood will confer upon them in this tale of struggle and sacrifice, love and loss, as a new generation of Cazalets makes itself heard. With strong female characters such as the stoic Kitty; her daughter, Rachel, who's in a relationship with another woman; and the loyal governess Miss Milliment, Marking Time explores the role of women during the war amid early stirrings of feminism.

World War II casts a long shadow over the lives of a British family in the third volume of Elizabeth Jane Howard's Cazalet Chronicles, a family saga perfect for fans of Downton Abbey In March 1942, as the world reels in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, the Cazalets are dealt another tragic blow. Eldest son Hugh's wife, Sybil, has just died. Determined to make a future away from memories of the past, Sybil's daughter, Polly, and Polly's cousin Clary, leave the security of Home Place, their Sussex summer estate. But in London, their close relationship is put to the test when they fall in love with the same man. Meanwhile, nineteen-year-old Louise, middle son Edward's eldest daughter, marries older, sought-after bachelor Michael Hadleigh, but life with the charming naval officer isn't what the young bride expects. And Zoe, youngest son Rupert's second wife, despairs of her MIA husband ever returning from war-even as she's drawn into an affair with a divorced American airman and photographer. The turbulence of their own lives mirroring the unrest throughout the world, the Cazalets will be faced with a looming question when Confusion concludes on VE Day in May 1945: Will the end of war bring peace and happiness to their family?

The fourth volume of the Cazalet Chronicles opens just as World War II has ended, continuing this critically acclaimed family saga perfect for fans of Downton Abbey The war is over, but for the Cazalets-and England-the challenges continue. Against the backdrop of a crumbling empire, the family soldiers on in the wake of disappointment, heartbreak, and tragedy. Returning home after five long years, Rupert Cazalet struggles to adapt to civilian life back in England. And his wife, Zoe, harbors a guilty secret. Young wife and mother Louise Cazalet, trapped in a loveless marriage to a famous portrait painter, searches for a way out. Cazalet cousins Polly and Clary must face life in a new world, their hopes and ideals changed forever by the ravages of war. And Rachel's self-sacrificing nature could cost her her relationship with Margot Sidney. But the family comes together again as three generations of Cazalets struggle to hold onto Home Place, the beloved Sussex estate that has been their refuge and their heart. Against the titanic sweep of history, as they are tested by infidelities, divorce, unimaginable loss, and the promise of renewed love, the Cazalets try to cast off the sins and sorrows of the past and sail bravely toward the future.

Written twenty years after the publication of Casting Off, the final volume of the Cazalet Chronicles begins in 1956 when the death of the family matriarch brings the scattered members of the extended clan back together The death of eighty-nine-year-old matriarch Kitty "the Duchy" Cazalet marks the end of an era-and the commencement of great change for the family. The long, difficult marriage of second son Edward to Villy has ended in divorce and Edward is contemplating wedlock with his longtime mistress, Diana. Hugh, the eldest son, wounded in the Great War and haunted by the death of his wife, Sybil, has finally found happiness with Jemima Leaf. Rupert, the youngest, who was missing-in-action during World War II, is now committed to rebuilding his relationship with his wife, Zoe. Rachel, who has spent a lifetime looking after others, has the chance to finally live for herself-even as she's faced with the loss of all she cherishes most. And Home Place, the beloved Sussex estate where the Cazalets have gathered for years, is now a beloved relic that, with its faded wallpaper and leaky roof, has aged along with its occupants, including faithful servants like Mrs. Cripps, Mr. Tonbridge, and former governess Miss Milliment, now steadfast companion to Villy. Elizabeth Jane Howard's critically acclaimed family saga comes to its conclusion as the Cazalets reflect on their past and begin the inexorable move forward.

The complete multigenerational saga of an upper-middle-class British family before, during, and after World War II. As war clouds gather on England's horizon, the Cazalet siblings, along with their wives, children, and servants, prepare to leave London and join their parents at their Sussex estate, Home Place. Thus begins the decades-spanning family saga that has engrossed millions of readers. * The Light Years: Hugh, the eldest of the Cazalet siblings, was wounded in France and is haunted by recurring nightmares and the prospect of another war. Edward adores his wife, a former dancer, yet he's incapable of remaining faithful. Rupert desires only to fulfill his potential as a painter, but finds that love and art cannot coexist. And devoted daughter Rachel discovers the joys-and limitations-of intimacy with another woman. * Marking Time: Narrated primarily through the voices of teenagers Louise, Polly, and Clary, the second novel details the continuing story of their fathers. With the outbreak of war, Edward is determined to do his bit for England. But Hugh, injured in World War I, must sit back and watch other men fight for their country, including his brother Rupert, who enlists and goes missing in action. * Confusion: As the world reels in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, the Cazalets are dealt a tragic blow, and a new generation struggles to find peace with each other, a peace that seems to prove as elusive as it is in the larger world. * Casting Off: The war is over, but for the Cazalets-and England-the challenges continue. Against the backdrop of a crumbling empire, the family soldiers on in the wake of disappointment, heartbreak, and tragedy. But the family comes together again as three generations of Cazalets struggle to hold onto Home Place, the beloved Sussex estate that has been their refuge and their heart. * All Change: In 1956, the death of eighty-nine-year-old matriarch Kitty 'the Duchy' Cazalet marks the end of an era-and the commencement of great change for the family. And Home Place, the beloved Sussex estate where the Cazalets have gathered for years, is now a beloved relic that, with its faded wallpaper and leaky roof, has aged along with its occupants. A rich historical read for those who love E. M. Forster, Evelyn Waugh, or Downton Abbey.