I have tried to get into this book but I can't. It is flitting all over the place on its timeline and there is a lot of 'everything I know about Georgian England' information instead of facts and info about the Byrons.

This is an interesting and well-researched book that details the lives of the Byron family that came before its most famous member.
The family was certainly full of characters with their own extraordinary lives and it is no surprise that a man like George Gordon Byron was a descendant. I was disappointed that there wasn't more about the poets life but it was still an entertaining read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

An intriguing Historical non-fiction book about "The Bad Boy of The Georgian Era" and all the intriguing adventures / misadventures, trials and tribulations of his predecessors who were just, if not more so, as notorious than him. Very well researched, written and presented. A definite read for Georgian history lovers.

More narrative than non-fiction. Its style lends itself to an implausibility (primarily because of the liberties that it takes to form a constantly-flowing narrative) that means that the reader assumes the facts to be fiction, even when they are told otherwise.

Fascinating story of the Byron family,the forebears of the famous poet.I knew a fair amount about him but had heard nothing about his family.They were a very colourful lot!Probably the most interesting was Lord Byron's grandfather,John,a naval hero nicknamed 'Foul Weather Jack',whose life and adventures would merit a whole book to himself.The book is full of interesting details about life in Georgian Britain,and is very well researched.One to recommend for anyone interested in the Georgians .

I learnt an awful lot from this book, and I applaud the author for a valiant attempt to distinguish between George, George, Sophy and Sophia etc. At times I did get confused between different Byrons, but soon found the storyline again. I was disappointed with such little treatment of the famous poet Byron, almost added as an afterthought at the end. I know there are autobiographies of Byron but I felt a little more of his life in this book would have been interesting to finish the story line.

This story was a lot to take in- I loved the richly researched depiction of Georgian era, however this was not a novel to settle into at the end of a tiring day or in a hangover, I just didn’t have the patience! It was slightly confusing at times, possibly too extravagant in detail but there were also passages of the story which were almost poetically written and just divine. Perhaps too far from my usual taste but so great to explore something new.

This is a fascinating insight into the lives of Byron's ancestors and the family feuds, and finances, that had such an impact on his own life and character. Some of the ancestors could quite easily have had a book to themselves and the author is careful not to let one story dominate over the others. I particularly enjoyed the story of Vice-Admiral John Byron, who fortunately left a written record of his own experiences circumnavigating the globe. The author uses various sources, like the Vice-Admiral's 'Narrative', to bring the stories to life and this could easily have led to the book being skewed in favour of the male family members who were more likely to feature in official records. However, family letters and other writings also bring the female ancestors to life. Byron's own observations on his ancestors are interwoven with their stories, and Newstead Abbey looms like a character in its own right. Recommended for anyone with an interest in the literature or social history of this period.

A fascinating insight into a Georgian family, beset by greed and tittle-tattle. The writing is clear and entertaining and I thoroughly enjoyed the ride. Very glad I don't live in Georgian times though!

This book concerns the Byron family and its history. I found it very easy to read and enjoyable though I would have liked more detail sometimes.

I didn't connect with this book. I, like many, am intrigued by the "mad. bad and dangerous to know" life of Byron but there actually wasn't that much time devoted to him. He was kind of a charcater on the periphery. The narrative was more about the history of the family for about 100 years before Byron and of his siblings and mother. I found the writing style difficult to engage with. It didn't flow. At times it felt like a dull, factual, textbook retelling of family ties and events and at others a vague "fictionalised" account of the family. It was a real slog for me.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in e change for an honest review. I requested it as I'm interested in the Georgian period and the Byron family are fascinating!

This is clearly a very well researched book - it gallops along at a really significant pace moving from one incident to the next and considers all of the Byron family, not just! Lord Byron... they are a really fascinating family that due to their diversity offers a significant insight into the Georgian period both in England and abroad. In many ways it is surprisingly easy to read. The pace is good - speedy - with historical quotes and illustrations which helpfully reinforce the points made by the author. The book includes Lord Byron and his antics but also other members of his family so we get some insight into the lives of the very wealthy, but also women and the sons further down the line who have to go into work, so we get to see Georgian life in many different situations and circumstances. However, in other ways it is a difficult book to read. There is a lot of death - children especially. Also illness, disease and hunger. John's story in particular gives insight into life at sea which was so exceptionally hard. It's a miracle anyone survived. His story also gives insight into the slave trade at the time.

I think anyone interested in the Byron Family or Georgian Period generally would enjoy this book. It offers a very comprehensive window into the past which is both interesting and sad. The style of writing is excellent - it's very readable. It definately makes you think about how much easier life is today!

This was an interesting review on the history of the House of Byron. I have read Byron before but didn't know much of anything about his past or his family and so this was was an interesting read.

A meticulously researched, compelling account which demystifies the life of 'mad, bad and dangerous to know' poet, Lord George Gordon Byron. This book gave me a fascinating insight into the privileged lifestyles of upper class Georgian aristocrats. Byron's life is defined by such an overwhelming sense of hedonism and excess that at times his exploits read like the most thrilling fictional tales. Thank you for providing me with an advance review copy.

The Fall of the House of Byron provides us, through the lives of the Lords Byron and their extended families, a detailed picture of upper class Georgian life. You have images of arrange marriages, largely for status and wealth,. large families with premature deaths of many infants and young mothers. There is closeness to a King, participation and dilatoriness with House of Lords duties. Bravery and leadership on the high seas alongside dissolute living, fornication and much else. All of this leads up to George Gordon Byron, the 6th Baron at the age of six, perhaps best know to us for his poetry and friendship with the likes of Shelley. But he was much more; with many lovers, a feeling of responsibility to uphold the honour of his forebears, an unfilled commitment to restore their crumbling and bare seat, Newstead Abbey and finally death fighting for Greek independence. Maybe nature rather than nurture had the bigger influence on his all too short life.
Newstead Abbey's sad decline with the sale of its artifacts mirrors the Family's with George's predecessor, William the 5th Baron, perhaps primarily responsible for this. His income and lifestyle were incompatible to say the least.
This is an important historical text, well written and well researched. I hope it receives the acclaim it deserves..



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I want to begin by saying I got this book for free through Netgalley, but all thoughts are my own. So this book is about the family of the Lord Byron we all know, the poet. But before him came other Lords and there were quite a few scandals which this book covers, as well as their lives. I wasn’t too keen on how this was written, some parts made it appear as if it was fictional, and it sometimes felt like the time in which the author is talking about skips around a bit, so because the Byron family had multiple members called, George, William etc, it felt very confusing to read. I really wanted to enjoy this more, as I want to learn more about Lord Byron and his family, and although I learnt a little from it, I felt as if it didn’t offer me as much as it could have due to this writing style. Some parts felt a little repetitive and it was difficult to follow, this is the rare time I haven’t fully enjoyed a non-fiction book. I am grateful for the amount of research done and the amount of information provided but it did feel difficult to read. Overall an informative book, but a difficult to follow writing style, which is why I have given it a rating of 3.

A fascinating and engaging account of the predecessors of the 'mad, bad and dangerous to know' poet. Who all in turn added as much colour and notoriety to the name Byron.

Using the changing fortunes of Newstead Abbey to reflect the changing fortunes of the Byron family. It provides the narrative thread that bound the generations together for better, for worse through murder, incest and debt.

A fascinating historical book for anyone interested in the 'mad, bad and dangerous to know' poet and his upbringing and contemporaries.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A fascinating account the decline and ruin of a noble English family. We all know that the famous poet was, "mad, bad, and dangerous to know"and have been delighted by accounts of his flamboyance, colour, and genius. The fact that he was the heir of two generations who had burned their way through property, wealth and privilege helps to explain and enrich the background to his extraordinary talent. Throughout history it has been the nightmare of every noble family that a single dissolute heir can ruin the fortune assiduously built up by generations before. The Byrons had been a leading family since the Conquest and their glorious country home, Newsted Abbey was acquired in 1540 after Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries. Nearly a hundred years later in 1643, after exemplary service to the Crown the Byron barony was created. All went well until the succession of William, the fifth baron who, as this fine book describes, comprehensively ruined the wealth and reputation of the family not just through dissolution and stupidity, but also it would appear through arrogance, bitterness and malice.
In addition to the sad decline of the owners of Newstead this also details the constant struggle by the privileged and entitled members of the family to scrounge money to support their lifestyles. They nearly all seemed to be in debt and borrowing from each other. Despite this the family were capable of producing some of the old flair that created their prominence in the first place. In contrast to the character of William the fifth baron his brother John Byron was the famous "Foul Weather Jack" the intrepid explorer and admiral. As the book makes clear, in each generation their was usually one good brother and one bad. Unfortunately it was usually the wrong brother who inherited the title. Dissolution and idleness are the bane of families from generation to generation. We think of the Georgian period as a time of energetic achievement but as this excellent book makes clear, even in the greatest families fortunes are made by the good ones and lost by the useless and entitled.

It took me almost a month to read this book because it’s a lot to take in and maybe wasn’t for me.
The research for this book is obviously one of the best and went to a great length but many times I had to stop reading because I felt like reading a history book from my school years and not an actual fiction story with moments from real life.
It’s interesting and compelling and I’m sure many people will enjoy it but unfortunately it wasn’t for me.

Many thanks to the publisher for my review copy.