Way back in December 2022, I interviewed author Andrew Tweeddale as I had just read his debut novel, “Of All Faiths And None”. This was an historical novel about the building of Castle Drogo and the beginning of World War I. You can read the book review and interview HERE.

Fast forward to December 2024, and the 2nd book in the Castle Drogo series has been released and, oh yes, it was just as riveting as book one! Here’s the summary of book 2, entitled “ A Remembrance Of Death”…

BOOK SUMMARY

Set in the final years of a declining British Empire, A Remembrance of Death is a beautifully crafted novel that deals with regret, loss, love, and hope. Spanning forty years, the story examines the relationship between Basil Drewe and Celia Lutyens, and how love like rain cannot choose the grass on which it falls.

As he arrives at Oxford in 1917, Basil Drewe is coming to terms with the recent death of his brother Adrian in the Great War. Meanwhile at Ojai in America, Celia Lutyens and her illegitimate son Robert struggle to find their place in a foreign country. On returning to England, Celia renews her acquaintance with Basil and finds she must deal with the mistakes of her past and the constraints placed upon her by society and its expectations. Their journey takes them to India, Vienna, London, Nuremberg and Kenya. Finally, they return to Castle Drogo, the place where they first met, however, the castle no longer represents the ideal it once did for Celia but is now a mausoleum.

A Remembrance of Death was short-listed for the Yeovil Literary Price and received a high commendation. It was described as, “prose with a classic sensibility … evoking a clear and present time and place, the characters lifting effortlessly from the page with authentic dialogue and engaging set pieces.”

MY THOUGHTS

I have been hoping that Andrew did a follow up to “Of All Faiths and None” and I wasn’t disappointed. Although I have read “Of All Faiths And None”, it wasn’t actually a requirement and you can read and enjoy “ A Remembrance Of Death” as a stand-alone novel. But why would you want to? I can’t think of anything better to do in dreary January than binge read and these two novels will certainly satisfy the most thirstiest reader!

So what can you find in this novel? Like in “Of All Faiths And None”, “A Remembrance of Death” has a few storylines that are expertly woven together in the most exquisite way. Let’s start with my favourite character, Celia…. she features in book one…. the daughter of Edwin Lutyen who built the Drewe family home, Castle Drogo. She was a nurse in World War One , who looked after the young Basil Drewe and who was besotted with Adrian Drewe, the elder brother. In “ A Remembrance Of Death” , Celia and her parents travel to America post World War I , where Celia leaves her parents in NYC and travels to Ojai in California, a commune, with her illegitimate son, Robert.

Storyline 2 …. Celia & Robert return to England and Celia reconnects with Basil Drewe, all grown up and a respected barrister in London. And there blossoms a relationship…

Storyline 3…. World War II looms….Where has Christian Drewe, Basil’s other brother who resided in Vienna, disappeared to?

Storyline 4…. A tour of India for Celia, an appearance of Lady Emily Lutyens (her mother) and a break in motherhood for Celia…

Storyline 5 …. Basil and his barrister career, the Nuremberg Trials and the job in Kenya to advise on the detainment and torture of the Kikuyu tribe in Kenya. A job that makes him question everything that he had believed in….

Oh yes, this novel has a many storylines and an ending that’s not predictable! There’s so much packed into this book – love, romance, scandal, gossip, heartbreak, depression, tragedy, laughter, friendship, forgiveness, thoughtfulness, hardship, sadness, happiness and most of all, hope. Can you tell I enjoyed it? 😊

”A Remembrance Of Death” can be found in most bookshops and online.

Linda x

My thanks to Andrew Tweeddale for a review copy of “A Remembrance Of Death” . All views are entirely my own.

All photographs have been published with the kind permission of Andrew Tweeddale, except where stated