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All Change

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All Change

By: Elizabeth Jane Howard
Narrated by: Penelope Wilton
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About this listen

As the old world begins to fade from view and a new dawn emerges, All Change marks the fifth and final volume in Elizabeth Jane Howard's beloved and bestselling Cazalet Chronicles.

'Compelling, moving, unputdownable . . . Maybe my favourite books ever' - Marian Keyes, bestselling author of
My Favourite Mistake

It is the 1950s and as the Duchy, the Cazalets’ beloved matriarch, dies, she takes with her the last remnants of a disappearing world – houses with servants and cherished tradition – in which the Cazalets have thrived.

Louise, now divorced, becomes entangled in a painful affair, while Polly and Clary must balance marriage and motherhood with their own ideas and ambitions.

Hugh and Edward, now in their sixties, feel ill-equipped for this changing world, while Villy, long abandoned by her husband, must at last learn to live independently.

But it is Rachel, who has always lived for others, who will face her greatest challenges yet. And nothing will ever be the same again . . .

'She helps us to do the necessary thing – open our eyes and our hearts' – Hilary Mantel, bestselling author of The Mirror and the Light

All Change is the heartbreaking and heartwarming final instalment of Elizabeth Jane Howard's bestselling series.

©2013 Macmillan Digital Audio (P)2013 Pan Macmillan Publishers Ltd
20th Century Family Life Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Romance Marriage Emotionally Gripping Heartfelt

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Critic reviews

Like [Elena] Ferrante, Howard’s fictional sphere is domestic and yet reveals deeper truths about human nature (Elizabeth Day, bestselling author of Magpie)
Howard is a sharp observer of human drama and psychology, and writes about pain, loss and longing superbly well (Monica Ali, bestselling author of Love Marriage)
I don’t know how I’d managed to miss [The Cazalet Chronicles] until now, but they’re absolute heaven (Meg Mason, bestselling author of Sorrow and Bliss)
[N]o detail is too small to be included, so charged with significance is the material envelope of that lost world (Tessa Hadley, bestselling author of After the Funeral)
A dazzling historical reconstruction (Penelope Fitzgerald, Booker Prize-winning author of Offshore)
All stars
Most relevant  
I am bereft at having to say goodbye. Incomparable storytelling. Wish there was another instalment.

Superb close to The Cazalet Chronicles

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The author's style of writing, especially the children's voices, is charmingly amusing, and moving at the same time. A delight.

Mmmmm

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Have thoroughly enjoyed all of these books - such detail - I felt I was part of it -
I was actually surprised to see that they were written in the 90’s as I felt it really captured the era .
Finishing “ All Change” brought tears to my eyes - I would love another book- but I feel perhaps Elizabeth Jane Howard has finished the series at exactly the right time
If you like a “saga” as I do you will love this
I’m bereft without these characters in my life

A joy

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Following this family through talk the Cazalet books makes you completely know these characters.
Iv loved every minute of listening.

Elizabeth Jane Howard does it again

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I highly recommend listening to all 5 of the series, in order. I shall miss every single one of the Cazelet family

I loved every single one of the 5 books in this series

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What did you like most about All Change?

Narration excellent, as per the BBC radio 4 adaptations. I enjoyed meeting old characters such as Clary and Rachel from the previous books. Rachel and Diana's charactesr were very convincingly portrayed. Villy is redeemed from her self loathing and self pitying stance. Social history details in the background added interest.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

Most interesting: the relationship between Sid and Rachel, and the timber firm, Cazalet's progress. We were told more about the day to day running of a timber firm than in previous novels.

What about Penelope Wilton’s performance did you like?

It's crisp, pace does not lag, accent is suited to the characters

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Mainly I was bored, and annoyed at the way the plot kept jumping from one set of characters to another, with very short chapters. I was also amazed at the description of every single meal anyone ever ate. Too much of a good thing can be as dull as poached chicken.

Any additional comments?

There were far too many minor characters (grandchildren and great-granchildren) to care about them all. I had to keep referring to the printed family tree in the previous books.
Disturbing lack of continuity between this fifth volume and the previous four; for example, in the fourth volume, Simon seems set to become a doctor, but in the fifth book he seems to have no ambition or career ideas. There is also a glaring error about the identity of the twin who died earlier on in the quintet.The characters are, with notable exceptions, thinly drawn and seem more like stereotypes of upper class English people than real ones. Makes me wonder why EJH bothered to write this: low bank balance, perhaps?

Hard times, but not much left to care about

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When reading the reviews I was quite surprised by the derisive comments regarding the narration and almost didn't continue. However, I loved the first 4 books so much, I decided to proceed. I am so pleased I did. I loved the narration by Penelope Wilton. I thought she did an excellent job.

If you enjoyed the first four books then don't let the negative comments of others put you off reading this final book. It is just lovely. :)

Loved this book AND THE NARRATION!

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Elizabeth Jane Howard closes the final page on the Cazalet family with all the interest and attention to detail which her readers have come to expect. Sadly we say goodbye to those characters whose lives we have followed with fascination from their introduction in 1937, and are not disappointed in the somewhat unexpected dénouement.
Penelope Wilton reads beautifully apart from the occasional and unexplained confusion between Simon and Wills which does not occur in the written text.

Essential reading for Cazalet addicts.....

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I’m pleased I discovered this series. It’s a microcosm which reflects to perfection the time period it covers.

It covers a period that will never be recaptured; a perfect mix of upper class folk who show all the human frailties we know. Characters are well developed and the plot is complex and develops over 60 years. This rounds off the series well and is delightful escapist fiction.

A fitting end to the family saga

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Sadly I really struggled with this last volume. The writing and pace of all of them has been gentle and slow - but this one seemed to rather take the thing to extremes! I also really did not like the change of narrator and found her continual mis-pronunciation of quite simple words both sloppy and annoying. A shame!

Sadly, not the most enjoyable in the series.

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