House of Trelawney, Hannah Rothschild
House of Trelawney, Hannah Rothschild
3 Rating(s)
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House of Trelawney

Author: Hannah Rothschild

Narrator: Corrie James

Unabridged: 13 hr 57 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 02/11/2020

Categories: Fiction, Family Life


Synopsis

The seat of the Trelawney family for over 700 years, Trelawney Castle was once the jewel of the Cornish coast. Each successive Earl spent with abandon, turning the house and grounds into a sprawling, extravagant palimpsest of wings, turrets, and follies. But as the centuries passed the Earls of Trelawney, their ambition dulled by generations of pampered living, failed to develop other skills. Now in 2008 the house—its paintings and furniture sold off to pay death duties, its grounds diminished, the gardens choked with weeds—has begun to resemble its owners: faded, crumbling, and out-of-date.

Jane, the put-upon wife of the current Earl, Kitto, scraping a life for her children and in-laws in a few drafty rooms of the big house, is trapped by Trelawney Castle; while Blaze, Kitto's sister, has made a killing in the City—and a complete turkey of her personal life. Long-estranged, the two women are brought back together when a letter arrives; and soon after it, an unwelcome young guest. Grudgingly reunited, Blaze and Jane must band together to take charge of their new charge—and save the house of Trelawney.

With formidable sharpness, delicious irreverence, and a very wicked wit, House of Trelawney is a glorious send-up of recession Britain and its carnival of bastard bankers and down-at-heel toffs.

About Hannah Rothschild

Hannah Rothschild is the author of The Improbability of Love and The Baroness: The Search for Nica, the Rebellious Rothschild. She is also a film director whose documentaries have appeared at such festivals as Telluride and Tribeca. She has written for British Vanity Fair, Vogue, the Independent, and the Spectator, and is vice president of the Hay Literary Festival, a trustee of the Tate Gallery, and the first woman chair of the National Gallery in London. She lives in London.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Susan's Reviews on October 10, 2023

This was a very entertaining read right up until the last quarter of the novel. At that point I started to suspect that this would be part of a trilogy. More filler started appearing and there were a few "cliff hangers". I can't abide filler: my speed reading skills kick into autopilot and I am no l......more

Goodreads review by Amy on February 10, 2020

3.5/5 This isn’t my typical kind of read but there was something so intriguing to me about an aristocratic, dysfunctional family that I decided to take a chance on it. I’m really glad that I did because I found this one to be witty, quirky and entertaining. Sometimes it’s nice to step outside my comf......more

Goodreads review by Daniel on May 15, 2021

I really enjoyed this book! It had all the things I enjoy such as Country House, Family drama, slight romantic tones, revenge and the decline of the English Upper Classes! Well written with that lovely Nancy Mitford style of writing comedy with a hint of tragedy and filled with characters you hate an......more

Goodreads review by Sherry on December 02, 2021

"House of Trelawney" was advertised as similar to the TV show, "Downton Abbey." I don't see the comparison, personally, which disappoints me so much! Instead of "Downtown...," we have a literally decaying mansion, owned for 800+ years by the same aristocratic family. The house - and the family - are......more