<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: The Cazalets Enter the Modern World
Review: I enjoyed these four novels about the Cazalet family. It was very interesting to be able to observe how England changed from the years before World War II to the period after it, going from a calm self-absorption and a reliance on live-in help to everyone listening to news bulletins and servants being almost impossible to get. Rather strange, though, I thought, that so many of the marriages were between young women and middle-aged men. And virtually everyone having an affair -- is this realism, or just overuse of a good technique for revealing character? And I thought Clary's choice of a husband implausible. But in general the books were very believable. I was interested in all the characters and moved by their experiences. They have been absorbed into my mind just as if they were real people. Major virtues of these books are the atmosphere of English culture of the time, and the subtle character development. An unfortunate minor distraction in this book, unlike the three other volumes, were editing errors, for instance characters starting the paragraph with the wrong name, or Christopher's pet Oliver being a cat for ages and then suddenly on p. 478 being a dog!
Rating: 
Summary: Casting Off
Review: I, too, have been left hanging and am eagerly awaiting this last book, as I know it too will receive a five star rating from me. I can recommend both the books and the tapes in this series to be among the best. Keep writing, Ms. Howard!
Rating:
Summary: The Satisfying Conclusion to the Cazalet Saga
Review: The fourth and final volume of "The Cazalet Chronicle" brings to a satisfying conclusion the story of this much-extended English family. Taking place in the aftermath of World War II, each family member grapples with the rationing, food and housing shortages, and other deprivations the English endured. Marriages break apart and new unions are formed, pregnancy shatters the life of one cousin while another eagerly anticipates motherhood, new careers are begun, family rifts pit brother against brother, and old loves are rekindled as the Cazalets head into the future. Elizabeth Jane Howard writes the intimate details of their lives with a warmth,humor, and passion that is almost magical.
Rating:
Summary: The Satisfying Conclusion to the Cazalet Saga
Review: The fourth and final volume of "The Cazalet Chronicle" brings to a satisfying conclusion the story of this much-extended English family. Taking place in the aftermath of World War II, each family member grapples with the rationing, food and housing shortages, and other deprivations the English endured. Marriages break apart and new unions are formed, pregnancy shatters the life of one cousin while another eagerly anticipates motherhood, new careers are begun, family rifts pit brother against brother, and old loves are rekindled as the Cazalets head into the future. Elizabeth Jane Howard writes the intimate details of their lives with a warmth,humor, and passion that is almost magical.
Rating: 
Summary: The Present Emerging
Review: The Second World War has ended, but "normal" eludes most of England and, in particular, the Cazalet family and assorted family retainers, servants, etc. Communication between family members reaches a new low, families break apart and regroup, and faith appears as a real issue. Teddy acquires an American bride of the worst type, Louise sheds a famous husband, Villy becomes the odd one out, Polly does not seek but still finds, Angela travels to the U.S. to marry, Christopher becomes his own man, and Neville is utterly charming in his hideously truthful way. Crawling into the covers of this book gives the reader a real sense of the present emerging. The recorded version sounds magnificent, the dialogue is so skillful that I'd love to listen to the books too. And, having read all four books, must we end it here?
Rating:
Summary: The Cazalets Enter the Modern World
Review: This was, I think, the most touching book of the Cazalet series. After the war their situations are not automatically better, but slowly things begin to improve for some of the Cazalets. Clary and Polly fall in love, Rupert and Zoe try to rediscover each other, and Louise makes peace with her past and takes control of her life. For those in the United States who are having a hard time finding this book (as I did) I suggest you try W. H. Smith On-line. I ordered it from them and it took about a month to arrive from England (cost was about 10 pounds).
Rating:
Summary: A great send-off to a great series!
Review: This was, I think, the most touching book of the Cazalet series. After the war their situations are not automatically better, but slowly things begin to improve for some of the Cazalets. Clary and Polly fall in love, Rupert and Zoe try to rediscover each other, and Louise makes peace with her past and takes control of her life. For those in the United States who are having a hard time finding this book (as I did) I suggest you try W. H. Smith On-line. I ordered it from them and it took about a month to arrive from England (cost was about 10 pounds).
<< 1 >>
|
