The House at Tyneford

By: Natasha Solomons

Narrated by: Justine Eyre

Length: 14 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

An irresistible World War II story of a forbidden upstairs-downstairs romance in a great English country house.

It’s the spring of 1938 and no longer safe to be a Jew in Vienna. Nineteen-year-old Elise Landau is forced to leave her glittering life of parties and champagne to become a parlor maid in England. She arrives at Tyneford, the great house on the bay, where servants polish silver and serve drinks on the lawn. But war is coming, and the world is changing. When Kit, the son of Tyneford’s master, returns home, he and Elise strike up an unlikely friendship that will transform Tyneford - and Elise - forever.

A pageturning tale of family, love, loss, and the power of the human spirit set against the perennially popular backdrop of World War II England, Natasha Solomons’ The House at Tyneford is upmarket romantic fiction at its best.

Natasha Solomons is a screenwriter and the internationally bestselling author of Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English and Mr. Rosenblum’s List. She lives with her husband in Dorset, England.

©2011 Natasha Solomons (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Natasha Solomons has written a lovely, atmospheric novel full of charming characters and good, oldfashioned storytelling.” (Kristin Hannah, New York Times best-selling author)

Not enough stars for this beautiful story...

One of the best Audible books I've ever listened to. In my top 5 of all time. Gorgeous storyline, perfect narration, not to be missed. Can't wait to listen to more by this writer.

Beautiful

A very touching and enjoyable work of historical fiction. I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a heartfelt read.

Excellent all around!

Wonderfully written historical novel highlighting the devastating impact of WWII and how families struggled for survival. It is difficult to write a review for a book that elicits every emotion possible from its readers - you will laugh, cry, find hope, fight off despair, and emotionally run the gauntlet with this novel - but in a good way.

Feisty and indulgent Elise migrates from Austria to England just before the war. As a Jew, her only way out of Vienna is to become a servant, when she is used to having her own. The novel is full of colorful writing, centering around her acclimation to life on a costal estate in England and the nearby village - owned by the same family for generations. As the country enters the war, she falls in love with Kit, who will someday inherit Tyneford.

There are many layers and nuances to this story. The author’s writing is rich and the history is enhancing vs technical. I found this is one of those reads you find yourself thinking of after you finish it. After reading the hard copy, I purchased the audiobook and felt the narration was excellent, both are highly recommended.

Not terrible but not great

I didn’t hate this book but did not love it, more often than not I just wanted the book to be done.

Worth the read

I will have to admit I first started this book because another reviewer said they couldn’t stand the narrator and I turned it on to see how bad it was. However I don’t know where the other review was from but I didn’t find it bad at all so I continued to listen. I think it was definitely worth listening to it. The narrator did a good job at giving each character a distinctive voice and it was well written. Just a warning it is a WWII story so have a tissue.

Exceptional

The narrator was exceptional. What a beautiful story, rich in detail and color. A beautiful journey so well told.

A feel good story

I couldn't stop reading this endearing story. Nice to have people that are good to each other and I loved the ending.

poor audio quality

audio quality was not good, but otherwise an okay plot and enjoyable to listen to.

Fun read, engaging

I liked the historical setting of WWII in England and was engaged by Elise's evolution, when forced to move from her beloved Austria and everyone she knew and loved.

Narrator's doing character voices is always tricky for me, though. I think overall she does a decent job, and eventually I was into the story enough to let go.

However, when she speaks as Elise, using an Austrian accent, the register she chose always sounded whiney & plaintive to me. It pulled me out of the story more often than I would have liked--so I deducted one star for this.

Beautiful story

Beautifully worded and recited! I was enchanted and gripped by the story and the readers voice.