The Light Years

Some time ago, when this first of the Cazalet Chronicles by Elizabeth Jane Howard showed up on my library shelves, I borrowed the book because I liked the cover. I struck gold.

There are now four Cazalet novels and I've read them all. Gulped them down one-two-three-four to tell the truth. That was back in the late 90s. Then one day a month or so ago I was browsing among the books to be reshelved and there was The Light Years. So I borrowed it and read it again.

I am again amazed at how Elizabeth Jane Howard has been able to create five husband/wife pairs, a few odd female relatives, a handful of governesses, children's nurses, and other servants, and fifteen children ranging in age from 17 to newborn and make them memorable from the first page. There's a family tree and  a list of families, children, and servants at the beginning of each volume in this series, but I don't think I had to refer to these aids more than half a dozen times before I knew each character well.

This first book runs from summer of 1937 when the Cazalet family gathers at the home of the grandparents for a carefree vacation to the late summer of 1938 when the family is again gathered but is now listening nervously to the wireless to hear the news about Chamberlain's visit to Munich and the possibility of war.

A made-for-TV adaptation of The Cazalets is available from Netflix and I've added it to my queue. I want to re-read all four books before I watch it, but I'm now zipping through the second volume so it shouldn't be long.

Comments

[Barbara]

Aren't they a terrific read? EJH's autobiography shows how much of the series was based on her own, fascinating life.

[Mary Ronan Drew]

Barbara, I agree, the Cazalet books are terrific. I didn't realize Howard had written an autobiography. I have just ordered a copy from a bookstore in Devon - it is a cloth cover book and is actually cheaper by $5 than the cheapest paper copy in the US. Thanks for the tip!

md

[Tara]

These are favorites of mine as well. I think I also read them all back to back in the 90s. I'd like to re-read them one of these days.

[Mary Ronan Drew]

Tara, I'm so glad I happened onto this first book in the series. Re-reading it has been a delight.

I noted your comments on Adele Geras' books on your blog and requested the only adult novel our library has. You seem to really like her work.

md

[Karen]

I adore these books, Mary, and now you've sent me off to my bookshelves for a re-read! (Forget that I have a towering to-be-read pile not to mention a backlog on my Kindle!)