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The Edge of the Fall

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The Edge of the Fall

By: Kate Williams
Narrated by: Katie Scarfe
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About this listen

 In the aftermath of the Great War, the de Witt family are struggling to piece together the shattered fragments of their lives.

Rudolf and his wife Verena, still reeling from the loss of their second son, don't know how to function in the post-war world. Stoneythorpe Hall has become an empty shell with no servants to ensure its upkeep.

Celia, the de Witt's youngest daughter, is still desperate to spread her wings and see more of the world. To escape Stoneythorpe and the painful secrets that lie there, she moves to London and embraces life and love in the Roaring Twenties.

Read by Katie Scarfe

(p) 2015 Orion Publishing Group©2015 Kate Williams Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction War

Critic reviews

a Downton Abbey-style drama about a grand family down on their luck in the Roaring Twenties.
Williams has a sharp eye for the contradictions and mysteries of human nature and a vivid turn of phrase . . . she uses her historian's knowledge to brilliant effect'
Williams draws expertly on mysterious, fawed characters coming of age in a displaced world in this gripping period novel . . . A haunting piece of historical fiction
TV historian Williams revisits the De Witts, the Anglo-German family introduced in her previous saga The Storms of War. Her insight into the aftermath of the First World War and shattered society shines out of every page, enriching a powerful family saga.
Gripping from the first page, I absolutely love this novel... It's a must-read.
An epic, romantic read set in the roaring '20s.
The de Witt family's struggles are a compelling, vibrant and poignant fictional reflection of living history and if the next chapter of their story unfolds with the same emotional power and extraordinary resonance, then we are in for another treat.
Williams has created a resonant evocation of life in the aftermath of the First World War in which the shadows of the conflict loom large, but also explores the psychological and emotional worlds of the individual.
This novel is rich in sumptuous detail and full of twists and turns. (Isabelle Broom)
Told in two distinct time frames - mid-20th century and Maude's contrasting experiences of the 1890s and early
1900s - and full of colour, detail, tension and adventure, it's a compelling read.
All stars
Most relevant
This is part 2 of a trilogy. Having listened to part one I was keen enough to find out what happened to the family to download part 2. However, I did find the lead character quite irritating. Very well researched by the author who is a great historian.

engaging

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This is the second book on the series of three. Like thee first book I wanted to throttle the main character Celia who annoyed me no
end with her utter naivety6 and stupidity, but I knew this would be the case if the first book in the series was anything to go by. I have bought the third book in the series so I’m committed to listening to it to follow the characters as they progress though the end of the 1920s and 30s but I can already guess what is going to happen
This book isn’t one of my most enjoyable listens but has a certain insight into the era in which it is written. Let’s hope Celia grows up a bit in the next in the series!!!

Rather slow

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