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)

give it a chance

The narrator's voice was unbearable at first. Just not to my taste. But by chapter 3 her voice was faded behind the beautiful story.

Starts off slow..

Took me a little bit to get into the story. I'm glad I finished it. Set at the beginning of WWII, a young Jewish girl is sent away by her family. Will she find peace and happiness? Listen to find out.

WW11

Enjoyed this different presentation of of the events of World War too. A very good book

Lots of questions

In general, I liked this book. It was an easy read and held my attention.
However, there were too many questions at the end which I wish the author would have addressed before ending the book.
The narrator was inconsistent in her accents.

This book shook me

This book shook me an a great way. I would highly recommend, especially if you are looking for an insightful and nuanced story on the effects of World War II. I absolutely bawled at the end; it was definitely an emotional book.

Wonderfully done

I didn’t want to put this book down. It was a wonderful story, and it was beautifully told. The feelings that you retain while listening to the book, makes it feel like you’re right there with them.

Liked it

aka The Novel in the Viola - I enjoyed the story. If you think about that time, it could have happened like this. In WW II anything was possible. Beeing sent from Vienna to Tynefordhouse in England, young Elise Landau is forced to become a parlour-maid.She knows nothing about England, except that she won't like it. Always expecting to be called off to the USA by her parents, Elise has some difficulties to stick to the english rules. Falling in Love with the son of the House, Kit, she and him expierence all the difficulties and changes in life which an upperclass boy and a jewish 'housemaid' go through.
Still longing to reunite with her parents, she invests her mothers pearls and keeps the newest novel of her father in the hidingplace of the Viola. Life takes it's unordinary way in those times and as sad and not unexpected, if not to say weird turns Elise/Alice's life may take - I was hooked from start right to the end.

Great performance, slow listen.

This book lost me a lot. It has beautiful descriptions and the reader was great but the middle I was bored.

Loved it all !

Beautiful, insightful story with characters who become dear to ones heart! Narration was perfect as she brought together all the warmth, sadness, longing, sterness, caring, support and love of each of them to the story. This was the second time I listened to this book and I was as enthralled and transforted in the magic of of the period and beauty of the house and area once again!

An unusual look at WW II from the point of view of a young well born girl from Vienna who is forced to flee to England

There are so many layers to this story and I enjoyed them all. We see how the war transforms lives in the English countryside, destroying the centuries old system. We also see how a high born girl from Vienna, forced to flee Hitler, goes to England as a servant and ends up loving the squires’ son whom she loses at Dunkirk. Still young, she falls in love again. Excellent character development from the most minor characters to the major characters. I loved it!