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    Cavendon Hall: A Novel
    Cavendon Hall: A Novel
    Cavendon Hall: A Novel
    Audiobook13 hours

    Cavendon Hall: A Novel

    Written by Barbara Taylor Bradford

    Narrated by Anna Bentinck

    3/5

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    About this audiobook

    From the #1 New York Times bestselling author comes an epic saga of intrigue and mystique set in Edwardian England. Cavendon Hall is Barbara Taylor Bradford at her very best, and its sweeping story of secrets, love, honor, and betrayal will have readers riveted up to the very last word.

    Cavendon Hall is home to two families, the aristocratic Inghams and the Swanns who serve them. Charles Ingham, the sixth Earl of Mowbray, lives there with his wife Felicity and their six children. Walter Swann, the premier male of the Swann family, is valet to the earl. His wife Alice, a clever seamstress who is in charge of the countess's wardrobe, also makes clothes for the four daughters. For centuries, these two families have lived side-by-side, beneath the backdrop of the imposing Yorkshire manor. Lady Daphne, the most beautiful of the Earl's daughters, is about to be presented at court when a devastating event changes her life and threatens the Ingham name.

    With World War I looming, both families will find themselves tested in ways they never thought possible. Loyalties will be challenged and betrayals will be set into motion. In this time of uncertainty, one thing is sure: these two families will never be the same again.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Audio
    Release dateApr 1, 2014
    ISBN9781427236142
    Author

    Barbara Taylor Bradford

    Barbara Taylor Bradford was born and raised in Leeds, and worked as a journalist in London. Her first novel, A Woman of Substance, is one of the bestelling novels of all time and Barbara’s books have sold more than 90 million copies worldwide. In 2007, Barbara was appointed an OBE by the Queen for her services to literature. Ten miniseries and television movies have been made of her books. She currently lives in New York City.

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    Reviews for Cavendon Hall

    3/5

    53 ratings10 reviews

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    • 2/5
      I pride myself on giving honest reviews while trying to at least find one positive point in books that I otherwise didn't like. Sometimes this can be quite difficult. With that being said, Cavendon Hall by Barbara Taylor Bradford felt more like a chore than a fun exercise to me. This isn't because Bradford is a terrible writer. Some of her descriptive prose was absolutely beautiful. She's especially eloquent when it comes to scenery and clothes. For me, she didn't deliver when it came to the characters and the plot. This is the first book I've ever read by this author but I understand from her bio that she's quite prolific and is in fact a #1 New York Times bestselling author (if that means anything to you). She's even been awarded an OBE by Queen Elizabeth for her contributions to literature. Perhaps that is why I was doubly disappointed by this book. She's been lauded as being so fantastic but I found her characterization to be unbelievable and fake while the storyline was utterly predictable and boring. From the first few pages, I knew that the book would be a struggle for me. A few years back, I reviewed Below Stairs by Margaret Powell which was the inspiration for Downton Abbey. Cavendon Hall felt like a sub par ripoff of the show. That rankled. The story revolves around an aristocratic family called the Inghams and the family they've employed on the Cavendon estate for 170+ years, the Swanns. It's set during the Great War in the county of Yorkshire in Northern England. Something terrible happens at the start of the novel and the remainder is dealing with the aftermath.
    • 3/5
      Predictable historic novel along the lines of Downton Abbey. Easy summer read.
    • 2/5
      I truly wanted to love this book. Alas, the characters were too perfect and their relationships even more so. The setting was lovely, but I couldn't develop a strong enough relationship to anyone to pursue the series.
    • 3/5
      I enjoyed the audio book. The story was a bit too much like Downton Abby for me. Some very similar plot lines. All in all I liked it.
    • 5/5
      I'm a huge fan of Downton Abbey and I've just found a wonderful series to read !
    • 3/5
      I had high hopes for this book since I love period dramas, especially those that regard the "upstairs, downstairs" lifestyle found in England during the early 1900s. However, this book seemed hastily written. The characters did not seem to have real depth to them and so I never felt completely drawn to the story. I finished the book and liked it, but I think it had potential to be so much more. The description sounded really good. I will probably give book 2 a try and then decide if I will continue with the series, but I am not sure I would recommend this book to others. I received a complimentary copy from the Goodreads giveaway program in exchange for a review.
    • 2/5
      I was and am a huge Downton Abby fan and thought this sounded like something I’d love to read. That said, I found the story well written but I was still disappointed in it. For that I blame the characters that lacked warmth and substance.

      Or I might blame the never ending, and at times, inane dialogue between the two dimensional characters.

      But then again, it might be the pace of the story that affected my liking of it. The pace was all over the road. It starts of well, but then slows, then fast and then slow for a long time. At times, I almost gave up finishing it, but plowed through it.

      In all honesty, I can’t recommend it, but if you’re a fan of this author, you might want to give it a try. If you’ve never read her, please don’t start with this one.

      Melanie for b2b

      Complimentary copy provided by the publisher
    • 3/5
      An Edwardian England family saga that reminds me quite a bit of Downton Abbey. There's the upstairs, downstairs element and similar character types. I liked Daphne and Hugo, but many characters needed some more development. This novel was the first work by the popular author I have read and the story had lots of potential, although some parts were somewhat repetitive. The most detailed parts were the descriptions of the different clothing pieces.Net Galley Feedback
    • 2/5
      The only reason I finished this book was because I got it free for review. If I hadn’t, I’d have dropped it long ago! Filled with issues up the wazoo, it’s only saved from total horribleness by a few empathetic characters and good scene-setting skills. I’ve been given book two as well, so here’s definitely hoping that’s it done tons better…Hugo and at a certain point, Daphne, save this book from total destruction. I found Hugo very sympathetic, caring, and protective. I also found his rage at what happened to Daphne and how he dealt with it towards the end of the book credible and very human. After the devastating event mentioned in the description happens, I found Daphne at least somewhat three-dimensional in her emotional response and how she deals with it. I admired her courage, resourcefulness, and deep heart.The author is also talented at her writing skills when it comes to scene-setting. Edwardian England has never been more bucolic and beautiful. The grounds of the Cavendon estate and the house itself are lovingly described, and the gorgeous fashions of the times are vivid enough to be seen in my mind’s eye. So good job there.However, after those two points, this book goes downhill REAL fast. First off is the rest of the characterizations, and even at times, our leads. Every single character falls prey to a stereotype or two-dimensional characterization. Most of them never leave that level. Everyone is oh so beautiful, truthful, loyal, and good. Or they’re slimy, evil, raping bastards. Or they’re degenerate, weak-willed aristocrats who care nothing for others. Need I go on? Even Hugo and Daphne fall prey to stereotypes, but at least they show some development and leaving those behind.What really gets me is that most of the character stereotypes in this book are ripped right from Downton Abbey, even down to the phrasing of words! The overbearing, loud cook (“Guts for garters” my eye!!!), the timid kitchen maid, the smarmy footman, the self-absorbed, mean sister, the devoted valet…. The list goes on! I mean seriously, if you’re trying to evoke the world of Downton Abbey, fine, but it doesn’t have to be an alternate version of the same…The author also keeps harping on the whole Ingham/Swann family connection. Where this could have been a neat difference from Downton Abbey, two families devoted to each other over the centuries due to intense historical connection, the author makes this repetitive and boring. I lost count how many times the oath of “Loyalty binds us” was pulled out of the closet, dusted off, and stuffed into the narrative. This story aspect was just used so many times that it lost any individuality it could have contributed to the story and just became a droning cliché.Yet, the biggest problem this book has, to me, is its pacing and flow issues. The first two thirds of the book is dedicated to melodramatic crises in a pastoral English estate over roughly a year. Even the events that could be truly traumatic, like the devastating event that hits Daphne and what happens to Dulcie, read as easily solved and gotten over. Priorities are truly skewed in these instances as the different people involved focus on how to minimize damage rather than solve issues.Then once the author approaches the rumble of WWI and the devastating effects this could have on the characters and their relationships, roughly 5-6 years are crammed into 50-70 pages. I mean, really?!?! All that dramatic content tacked onto the end as if an epilogue or lost chapter? Everything is so crammed in that it reads like the author just wanted to hurriedly finish the book and get it to the publisher, pronto! I feel there was a huge missed opportunity here that could have risen this book so much in terms of storytelling and dramatic content.So while a few of the characters evidence some development and the scenes are very pretty, this book lacks big time in almost every area. From characterization to pacing issues to misguided story ideas, this book lacks any punch at all. Like I mentioned, if I hadn’t received it free from the publisher for review, I wouldn’t have finished. I’ve been given book two as well so I’ll give it a shot. But if stuff doesn’t improve a TON from book 1, that one might end up a DNF. Two stars is being very generous… Look elsewhere for reading material, I advise.Note: Book received for free from publisher in exchange for honest review (and I was VERY honest!).
    • 3/5
      This is a gentle family saga which encapsulates World War I and is set in Yorkshire. The aristocratic Inghams, otherwise known as the Earl and the Countess of Mowbray, live at Cavendon Hall. Their retainers, for want of a better word, the Swanns of Little Skell village, have sworn an oath to protect them since forever.It is a light-hearted, lively and easy read. I did find it a little repetitive and predictable at times. The reiterance over and over again of the Swann family's motto, "Loyalty binds us" and the restating of the special connection to the Ingrams, became somewhat irritating. It put me in mind of Alexandre Dumas' The Three Musketeers! I also thought the characters were quite one dimensional - the majority of them seemed too perfect. Nevertheless, it is an entertaining read, if a little bland. I read it for what it was - pure escapism!Many thanks to Lovereading.co.uk for giving me the opportunity to read and review Cavendon Hall. The sequel, The Cavendon Women, will be published on 26 March.