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.

This book starts out like an old-fashioned story of the good old British family that inherited a pile in deepest darkest England (this time Sussex).
There were lots of little twists, mostly sexual as the patriarch was a sexual predator who was a huge man, and got his own way.
Upon his death his family are all broken and rudderless.
In recent years there has been some repenting and the 1000 acre estate has started to be rewilded for the benefit of humankind.
The book ends just after the wake, at which an accidentally invited American lets loose with the results of her PhD which sheds some light on the origins of the family ownership of the estate. A well-timed bombshell.
The characters were interesting, the storyline was well-developed.
I liked this book a lot. Perhaps it sheds light on mankind's way to save the future.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Philip Brooke has died, and his family are gathered at their ancestral home for his funeral. A tall and dominant figure, Philip’s reach is long and powerful, even in death. His oldest daughter Frannie has inherited everything and is trying to return the estate to nature and ecology. Clara arrives in their midst from America and tells a truth which will impact everyone. A superbly written and thought-provoking novel.

A beautifully written and fascinating insight into the dysfunctional family of an old estate. I thought the reveal about its shady past was well done, despite having already guessed the nature of it. I felt there was a little too much introspection afterwards, but a satisfying ending. It is an issue that needs to be addressed.

Right, this book tries to do a lot. And it mostly does, and it does them pretty well, but there are a few points reading this where it felt like it might be trying to do too much. The problem was that some of the threads felt a bit distant from each other, and that maybe it would be better to follow those thoughts in different books instead of putting them into one single story. The fact that Hope managed to actually connect everything up in the end was impressive and left me feeling a bit daft for my earlier doubts, but come together they do and it really does all fit together very nicely in the end. Just run with it all and have confidence.

And all that tells you nothing other than the story makes sense, which is probably the minimum we hope for and not very informative at all. So here's an attempt at a little more. The story takes place on an estate of many acres with woods, lakes, a church, holiday cottages, a stately home, and obviously, a clapped out bus from the 60s left over from a very 60s/70s sounding music festival and all that may imply. The family are gathering to bury the man who owned it all until a short while prior to the story commencing and his daughter is fretting about whether the inheritance tax will hamper their rewilding project. I know, I make that sound very exciting don't I? But it's all background really. That's the framework that brings the three children together with squabbles and angst over their roles in the family and the lingering baggage of childhood and all the drama and chaos of family life. Which is well written and, given many families, may at times feel a little too familiar for many of us, if not directly then at least through our closest relationships.

And that really is the story - baggage. It looks at how pervasive cruelty can be, and how important kindness and acceptance can be when we find it. It never yanks harshly on these threads, but there are constant light tugs throughout. They weave the whole thing together. And that is what to remember. Because at times you see Frannie worrying about plating oaks for future generations, Milo wanting to microdose future world leaders, and Clara bucking the trend with her history PhD that looks a little too closely at how many landed white English gentlemen made their money in the glory days of the British Empire with its many colonies.

Yeah, I warned you it looks at a lot of different things. And that's why, as good as each angle was, I found myself wondering why they were all there at once. Even very close to the end I felt the connection was a little weak. And then it fell into place. The final pages brought those thoughts of the past, present, and future, all together. If there can be such aa thing as a happy ending in a book about a funeral I might even suggest this managed it. Maybe not a full blown, smiles on faces happy ever after conclusion, but definitely a sense that the characters have a future. Not always the one they hoped or planned for, and not one that will run completely smoothly, but a future that will be better than where they are right now.

Still with me? Want the mini version I could've said at the start? Here goes. It's a god story. A little quirky at times, but it works. It broaches a bunch of heavy topics but manages to keep things relatively light considering. It's a good read and likely one many people should pick up even though I don't see it becoming a buzzy cool read that everyone recommends to each other and you start seeing multiple copies on the train or bus each day. It's a slow burner, which feels right. It's a book that feels like it will endure, a book that will be relevant and contemporary for years to come and something future generations will be able to benefit from being written. Kind of like an oak planted in the grounds. It's all rather apt when you think about it.

Grace and Philip Brooke inherited the eighteenth century family home and thousand acre estate and brought up their three children in the countryside = though in reality Grace did most of the parenting as Philip, a philanderer, took himself off to the USA and settled down with another woman for numerous years. He finally returned to Sussex where he eventually dies, leaving the burden of the estate to his eldest daughter, Frannie. She is very conscious of climate change and wants to do her best to re-wild as much of the land as possible, and take on eco projects, but her siblings, Milo and Isa are sceptical and Milo, in particular, has other grand ideas.

As the day of Phiip’s funeral approaches Isa drops a bombshell and tells Frannie that she has located the girl that she thinks was born of her husband’s Americam relationship, and has invited her t attend the funeral. Will her arrival cause more family friction and further problems?

An amazing read, bringing past and present problems together.

Despite high expectations this book was a miss for me. It felt over-structured and just way too long. The characters were unconvincing (perhaps as a result?) and the overall tone and dialogue somehow off. However there are so many strong reviews that I would encourage everyone to read and make up their own mind. Special thank you to Penguin Random House UK for a no obligation digital advance review copy.