This was an interesting book which covered some contemporary issues really well in a novel form e.g (rewilding, and the importance of legacy) However I did find the style quite ponderous and wordy and there seemed to be a lot of characters to remember.
Thank you to netgalley and Penguin Books for an advance copy of this book.

At first, as I launched myself into this novel, I thought it would be the familiar trope of a svengali type of patriarch, Phillip, and how his family re-positions after his death. It does, indeed, have this narrative as its spine, yet there are fascinating riffs in the family relationships and the "ancestral home". It is also a clever volte-face on English society and patrician wealth

We are in a Sussex country estate where father and eldest daughter have spent the past decade rewilding. The days surrounding the funeral revolve around legacy versus inheritance tax. Three siblings and the materfamilias duck and dive around each other with their "issues" which we learn about. Each troubled in a way that wealth can ameliorate but all sanctimonious about their perspective on the estate and family relationships.

The fire is stoked as a stranger, who could have been Phillip's illegitimate daughter, joins the funeral gathering. As an outsider she trumps the family dynamic and throws a huge spanner in the works.

I found the novel compelling and timely but, for me, the final part of the book tried too hard to be in the heads of all the players in an attempt to resolve individual and joint futures. I found layers of this part made the story lose its pace by being way too wordy and descriptive. As a reader I could intuit much of what was being spelled out.

However, this aside I found this an intelligent take on class, climate change, family, inheritance and human nature. I would have liked the threads to have trailed off rather than so much resolution, but that's just my opinion of "closure"!

With thanks to #NetGalley and #PenguinUK for the opportunity to read and review

Albion
By Anna Hope

I love when a novel permanently alters the way I think about a subject. This is quite an unusual story in that I'd be hard pressed to decide if it's character driven or plot driven.

In a way it's neither. The characters are all related through family, friendship or marriage to Philip Brooke, a descendant of the landed gentry, but despite each person's perspective being explored, we actually learn very little about them individually.

The novel takes place over the course of 5 days around Philip's funeral, but it's not propulsively plotty. It's a slow burn with revelations that really made me think about the concept of legacy.

What this book does is ask questions about where inherited wealth comes from. It looks at how the responsibility of stewardship of land throws up many challenges, and it reflects on the many people and communities on who's backs all this wealth and ownership was obtained.

The main character is the estate that the Brookes have called home for seven generations. Set in Sussex it is it's relationship to each character that defines them, and creates the backdrop to their family dynamics.

A family saga, with a bohemian undercurrent and a message that reparations are due, that one can't assume inheritance without accepting the blame for the original theft.

Thoughtful, atmospheric and highly astute.

Publication Date 1st May 2025

Thanks to #Netgalley and #penguingeneralUK for providing an eGalley for review purposes

There are echoes of Succession in this thought provoking family drama, which takes place over five days on a grand Sussex estate where three siblings are gathering after their father’s death.

Frannie has inherited the family estate and is keen to continue her rewilding project, but there are massive death duties to be funded. Milo wants to use part of the land to set up a luxurious psychedelic retreat. Isa is an unhappily married agent of chaos who is in love with the estate’s groundsman and has invited a woman that she suspects is their half sister to join them.

It’s one of those books that starts slowly but picks up as you get to know the characters and as revelations and secrets emerge. There are multiple characters and I have to say that none of them are terribly likeable, but I was still curious to see where the plot was going to take me.

This is the fourth book I’ve read by Anna Hope and they have all been so different from one another. While this isn’t as engaging as Expectation, it is cleverly written and asks some probing questions, particularly about the balance between acknowledging the past and doing what is right for the future.

Albion is out this week. Many thanks to @PenguinFigTree for the ARC via Net Galley.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

From the start I loved this book and thought I was on to a 5 star. The setting is a bit unusual, the characters, their complex interactions and family disfunction are believable and very well described. I think I fell a little in love with Ned.

I particularly loved the gorgeous description of the rewilded park. The bit early on when Jack is in the river was so vivid I felt I was there. I felt transported to the country parks of 30 or so years ago when you did see animals and birds and butterflies. I live near 2 country parks and sadly it is true that there seem to be fewer birds and insects and the natural world is in decline. The park sounds an idyllic place to visit and I tried to locate it, with little success on Google Earth.

This disadvantage of an advance copy is that sometimes you don't get the author's notes at the end. I think these notes might make very interesting reading and i would like to know exactly which John Dowland song Rani sings at the funeral. the funeral set piece is interesting but given that it was only family who were there, what was all the fuss about the eulogies? Everyone there knew the ghastly Phillip so why would they need to hear more about him?

I suspect that you could read this book as an allegory, Arcadia/Eden disrupted then saved then found to be perhaps a false Eden?

I was so disappointed when Clara arrives with her information about the ship Albion and so one of the obsessions of today's world is shoehorned into the story. The ending is filled with enough hope, however, to get me back on track and rise above the preaching.

Philip Brooke has died. He was the aging patriarch of a Sussex country estate, rather delinquent father of three adult children, experimental drug taker and unfaithful husband.

The novel explores the feelings of the family and various related people on the estate as the funeral preparations take place. What will happen to the estate now as the eldest daughter steps into the ownership of the land and inheritance tax bites? How will everyone come to terms with their historical and recent relationship with Philip?

A visitor from the USA arrives for the funeral and drops a bombshell - does everything now need to be re-evaluated?

An enjoyable read, recommended for lovers of character-led fiction.

This book is absolutely magnificent. Family relations are fraught after the death of their father, then a surprise visitor from overseas throws a spanner in the works. The book has many themes, including rewilding of the land and the responsibilities of inheriting a large estate. There are several strong characters over three generations; I think young Rowan was my favourite. It would provide many points for discussion at a bookclub. I strongly recommend this book.

Albion tells the story of the Brookes, a dispersed and fractured family, gathering at their large, rural home for the funeral of their patriarch, Phillip. Together, they must face their personal and familial struggles, whilst coming to terms with the past actions of their ancestors.

An Arcadian novel, Anna Hope describes idyllic scenery surrounded by the messiness of humanity. The peaceful tone of the setting is interrupted by the drama of the interactions, with each character’s positive intention marred by their flaws. I enjoyed seeing the characters’ relationships evolve within the short yet poignant five day period. A considered and beautiful book with engaging themes and characters.

Not an author I had encounted before, but one I will seek out again. Set in Kent on an impressive Country House estate. The house and land have been owned by the Brooke family for centuries.
The current owner Philip has just died and the family are to gather to give him an ecological burial on the estate. Philip had been unfaithful many times to his long suffering wife Grace. This included leaving the family for several years to live with a younger woman in New York.
The estate is being run on a planned tree planting and removal scheme, this will be continued by his eldest child Francesca ( Frannie ). Frannie is unmarried with a young daughter Rowan. Milo is the son with Isabella ( Isa ) the youngest. She is married to Hari and they have two children. Frannie is helped on the estate by Simon, Jack and Wren. Then there is Ned who arrived around fifty years ago in an old bus and never left. it is still parked in a remote part of the estate.
Frannie is soon aware that Milo and his friend Luca have plans for some of the estate and she does not agree with them. Tensions are raised for all those who come together and Isa who has invited Clara the daughter of Philip's American lover, has unwittingly set the scene for something which could destroy the estate and their plans.
Well written. I was caught up in the intricate story of the family. Emotions and sexual intrigue are just below the surface. Very well recommended.

Anna Hope's Albion had me intrigued from the start, with high expectations fuelled by the author's past works. However, despite its ambitious themes and richly atmospheric setting, the book fell short of fully engaging me in the way Hope’s previous novels have managed to.

The story tackles weighty topics like colonialism, inheritance, and family trauma, yet some of its explorations lacked the depth needed to resonate. While the discussion of colonial legacies is heartfelt, it doesn’t dig deep enough to leave a lasting impression. This is mirrored by the competing narratives: a father who inflicted considerable harm on his family in recent memory stands juxtaposed against the historical wrongs of an ancestor from generations ago. As one character, Jack, aptly summarises, “Go far back and every family has done terrible things.” Yet the book’s efforts to tie these threads together feel stretched.

At its core, Albion hinges on its characters, but they didn’t fully convince me. Some are depicted as too louche, others too earnest, leaving them feeling more like archetypes than real people. The overall tone and dialogue also seemed somewhat off, occasionally disconnecting me from the story. Additionally, the novel’s length began to strain the subject matter as I struggled to remain engaged.

While Albion has undeniable ambition and glimmers of Hope’s signature talent, it didn’t quite capture the balance needed to elevate its story and themes. For me, it lands as a thought-provoking but imperfect read,

A superb tale of grief and family dynamics. It takes the death of Philip, a larger than life character for the Brooke family to explore their wealth and in particular their spectacular ancestral home setting in Sussex. There is Frannie, the daughter who wants to rewild the land, Milo, her brother who still suffers from his childhood trauma of an English boarding school and Isa who has distanced herself from her father and siblings. A stranger, Clara arrives for the funeral from the US and throws the family into havoc. Albion is clever story where the wonders of nature are merged with the horrors of humans. Well crafted and engaging.

A contemporary reimagining of the English country house novel, this richly observed depiction of a fractious family also offers a sharp, nuanced exploration of rewilding, legacy, and the lingering shadows of colonialism.

Set in a large estate in Sussex, in South East England, we meet the family that are its present custodians. It’s land that’s been passed down the family line for decades. In truth, the responsibility for the management of the huge house and hundreds of acres of land fall to one person - Frannie, the eldest daughter. Sadly, her father has just died, and a private funeral is about to be held on the estate. Frannie’s mother, Grace, had had an up and down relationship with her husband. In fact, he’d disappeared for a decade to America, where he’d lived with another woman, before unexpectedly (and unannounced) he returned. Frannie’s siblings – Isa and Milo – have no role in the management of the estate and lead independent, complicated lives. But the family have gathered together for the funeral.

In addition to the family, a small number of others will be present. These include Jack, an employee who has worked the land for many years, and Luca, a long-time friend of Milo’s. There is also Ned, who has lived on the land for forty years or more. It’s a pretty tightly knit group. But then there is a surprise - Isa announces that another guest has been invited. This person, someone unknown to all of the family, is about to truly put the cat amongst the pigeons. In the words of Donald Trump, all hell will break loose.

There are a couple of themes here, aside from familial tensions and the distinct lack of available cash to cover the onward running costs of the estate. Frannie has already started the process of re-wilding the land, and she has ambitious plans in this regard, and Milo is keen to grab some of the land for a project he’s hoping to get off the ground with his monied buddy, Luca. There are issues with both of these ideas/plans, and this is a further cause of tension within the group.

It’s a really well written novel that starts rather calmly and slowly builds to a point of explosion. The issues covered are topical and seem to have been well researched. It’s a story that sucked me in, and by the end I was intrigued to see how it would all play out for all the various members of the cast, each with their own desires and needs. If I have a gripe, it’s that I found it hard to like pretty much all of the characters here (with the exception of Ned) and I found Frannie, in particular, to be annoyingly sanctimonious. But nonetheless, I found it to be an engrossing and thought-provoking story.

A very modern novel which explores the themes of inherited wealth in an English family . Phillip the patriarch has died and the family come together in the decaying country home for the funeral. Secrets are revealed and the past uncovered in surprising ways. This book explores the very roots of English landed society and the difficulties faced in the twenty first century . I found this to be an intelligent, well written and enjoyable read

Phillip Brooke, ex hippie, ex philanderer, abandoner of wife and family, scion of a dynasty, owner of a mansion set in 1000 Sussex acres, is dead. Perhaps regretting his behaviour, he had returned to his house, his land and his family; Grace, his browbeaten wife, Frannie, his elder daughter and a single mother, Milo, his mentally unstable alcoholic son, Isa, his estranged and traumatised younger daughter, and Rowan, Frannie’s ten year old daughter who has only known him in these latter years, only known him as a good person. In these last few years he has worked with Frannie on the Albion Project, rewilding the land, giving back to nature that which was destroyed, and maybe providing his own salvation. A small funeral is planned, just the family plus a few outsiders who have various, and not always equable, connections. Tensions between the individuals are evident and used to expose their collective histories. Central to the story is Frannie’s struggle to continue with the project, despite the huge Inheritance Tax bill which might be imposed if they can’t get a charitable exemption. And then Clara, the daughter of Phillip’s long term mistress, arrives from the USA – and rocks the family to their foundations.
I usually only read and review mystery stories and this does not fit that genre, although there are many secrets to unravel and, in that sense, to solve, and the plot is complex. A good book is a good book on its own merits, and an excellent book even more so – and this is an excellent book. For a start it is beautifully, poetically written, the characters solid and believable and the descriptions of the land are lyrical, expressive, even emotional. And, underlying it all, hugely important issues are explored as integral to the story. It was a pleasure to read this.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

A compelling family saga about the present day occupants of a crumbling country pile in Sussex who are contemplating the next phase in the estate’s future after the death of the patriarch, Phillip Brooke. It is a bit heavy going at times, but the story has interesting complex characters in Frankie, Milo, Isa and Grace and there is plenty of tension and intrigue to keep the reader engaged. The offspring of a 21st century Downton Abbey meets Succession.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this story.

After what I found to be a slow start, this beautifully written novel set in East Sussex really gripped my attention. The topical plot takes place over the course of about one week, and the writing style allows relevant back stories to emerge naturally as the story progresses.

The reader meets a diverse cast of characters, many of them not very pleasant, and most of them members of the same family, their friends, and hangers-on who come together for a funeral. It seems to me that both the natural and the built landscapes, which are vital elements of the novel, are characters in their own right as well.

I have to admit that I nearly gave up on this novel, but I am so pleased that I managed to get into it eventually.. Four and a half stars, rounded to five.

This is a beautifully written novel with some interesting characters. Set at the time of a family funeral, it explores issues of inheritance, family secrets and tensions and ecological issues. A slow paced, thought-provoking read.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Francesca, Milo and Isa are the adult children of the famous Phillip Brooke, 1960's heir and party animal turned noble steward of his family land, and cofounder of an impressive rewilding project called Albion. He and Franny have worked to ensure they're doing all they can for future generations with the land passed down to them, and now that Phillip has passed it is up to Franny to carry the torch.

This isn't easy for anyone, let alone her young daughter Rowan, who's peaceful cottage in the grounds is going to her granny Grace and she has to move into the scary big house. Milo, the only son, finds Franny's sudden inheritance jarring too, especially as he was under the impression Phillip was leaving him some of the land to found a controversial clinic that uses psychedelics as a healing treatment, open to the very rich and influential only. The youngest, Isa, hopes to seek out an old flame at the funeral, but also throws a spanner in the works by inviting a guest from overseas who has her own thoughts about Phillip and the estate.

I give such a long recap because the premise is just so good (Sucession in the English countryside?), but the book more than lives up to it. What I particularly loved is how each of the (several!) point of view characters have a very different relationship with not only the estate but with the natural world, and the sense of place in a wider historical context. I love how every character has a very different, but passionate, view of legacy, and a lot of the tension of the book comes from those opposing views of that legacy and what they should do about it - to look to future generations, or to not leave history behind, or to escape to another world.

There are so many layers to the relationships between the characters, as you can imagine in any family, and it so interesting to see all those relationships from so many sides and angles, and to examine how all of these characters try to live in the long shadow left behind by Phillip. I really did love it, and can't wait for others to read it when it comes out on 1st May from Penguin Fig Tree.

This is a brilliant book that skewers the hypocrisy of Liberals who think they're on the right side of everything.
Frannie has inherited her father's estate, and has a grand plan to rewild it, but she's just as wedded to the ruling class way of doing things, and just as committed to hiding the source of her family's ill-gotten wealth.
Her siblings are selfish and venal, but no one is innocent. Anna Hope has written a brilliantly moreish story about how hippies in the 1960's betrayed all their values and about how toxic families can be when money is involved.