The book doesn't concentrate on any one person in particular, but switches perspective between all the characters, and - what I found particularly impressive - treats each one as seriously as the next. This includes children and servants. So when talking about one of the children for example, there's no sense that the problems they're facing are any less important than those of the grown-ups.

Because there's such a large cast, and because there are only three "chapters" in the book, it was initially a bit hard to work out what was going on - especially when a section about one character finishes and another begins with no audio equivalent of a row of asterisks to tell you that the scene is changing. The printed version of the book contains a family tree as well as a dramatis personae: once I had a copy of that it was easier. However, it wasn't long before I felt I got to know the characters well and didn't need it any more.

In noticeable contrast to Brideshead Revisited, which is set in a similar period and portrays a not dissimilar section of society, the characters here were easy to like and sympathise with. And they seem very real. About half way through the book there is a wonderful paragraph "Rupert remembered it as the summer in which... Polly remembered as the summer when...", and each of the memories described seems to fit just right, given what we know by then of the characters.

Because the book isn't about any one person in particular, it's hard to pick highlights, but a couple of the things that stick in my mind are the death of one of the pet cats, the story of Miss Milliment (sp?), who is the childens' governess, and the beginnings of something unpleasant in Edward's relationship with his eldest daughter. It will be interesting to see how these last two stories develop in subsequent volumes.

From a historical perspective, it's interesting to see how people reacted to the threat of war - especially since so many of them had been involved in the previous conflict. The book ends as Chamberlain delivers his "Peace for our Time" speech, and has the family in high spirits as they believe that there won't in fact be a war. There are three more books in the sequence though, so it'll be interesting to see how they get on as war becomes a reality.

Volume two is on order at the library, but unfortunately it hasn't arrived yet...

Re-read in 2018. These are the comments I made:

• "Darling, you know I don't want to move - terrible upheaval - anyway, you know I love this house." Now that he seemed to be accepting the idea of a move at last she was anxious that he should think she wanted it as little as he.
  "I think it will be rather exciting."
  This dual of consideration for one another that they had conducted for the last sixteen years involved shifting the truth about between them or withholding it altogether and was called good manners or affection, supposed to smooth the humdrum or prickly path of everyday married life. Its tyranny was apparent to neither.
• Dad had rung her up and he said he would bring Oscar. Today, Friday, the same great weight of doom lay on her heart, but at least, in ten hours at the most, Dad would come, and she could spent the morning arranging Oscar's food and make a bed for him to sleep in. She knew that he wouldn't sleep in it, but he would resent trouble not having been taken.
• Really convincing on the way that the children think/talk.
• Not going to be able to resist going straight into the next book
• Stuff about cats very moving and funny
• Poor miss milliment

Completed : 29-Sep-2003 (audiobook)

Completed : 21-Jan-2018 (audiobook)