‘Albion’ shares some powerfully evocative writing by someone who obviously loves the land and concerned about its history and preservation. Whether or not you agree with some of the theories and philosophies posited, it is difficult not to be drawn into the passions and lives of the Brookes – and an unexpected visitor. There is a simply beautiful passage about an oak tree – its past, present and future – and reasons for preserving such a heritage. The characters are convincing, regardless of their viewpoint, and the dynamics of a fractured family absorbing. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and will be on the look out for other titles by this writer.

DNF, sadly. I've never read any Anna Hope before but I just had a feeling I wasn't going to enjoy the writing style. It's a personal thing, ultimately, and it just wasn't what I wanted to read right now. I might go back to it eventually, but I found myself getting bored after a few perspective jumps, so it's just not going to be for me.

have been a fan of Anna Hope since reading expectation a few years ago and so I was very excited for this book and it really did not disappoint. I was hooked from the first few pages and already knew that these characters and this story was going to be special. It follows 3 siblings whose father has just passed away and the eldest daughter Frannie has inherited the 1000 acre estate. It mixes familial drama with current world affairs so well and it feels like these issues are handled carefully and expertly. The characters are flawed and are dealing with a lot of issues in their past but I was so invested and didn’t want the story to end. I’m thrilled than Anna hope is back with a bang and I can’t wait to see what she does next.

I have a lot of mixed feelings about this one. On one hand I enjoyed the writing for the most part. There were some well written thoughts and reflections on things like grief, nature, family, and privilege. Moments where I connected with some characters in the beginning, like Frannie as a fellow eldest daughter. I loathed Milo and wanted to punch him in the face. And other characters felt so underdeveloped. I also enjoyed the discussions on privilege considering this family owning an old British estate, and the threat of nature due to climate change.

But as the book went on I became increasingly confused where everything was headed. The book has a slow start that was difficult to get into especially given 8 different character POVs. It was hard to connect fully with any one character and with most books that have more than 3-4 POVs, too much is going on and ends up rushed or unresolved.

As for writing, there could occasionally be too much telling over showing and repetitive writing especially in Rowan’s and Ned’s chapters.

The middle of the book had my interest but towards the last little bit it was lost again. The twist that happens you can see from a mile away and from there we only have 10% left which leaves things rushed and too quickly resolved in a perfect way.

Also very minor things: 1- why was Clara, our American, using British terms? unlikely she would do that considering her parents were American and hasn’t spent any time in England at all before this trip?! And 2- Grace compares the land to that of her childhood stories (LOTR, Alice in Wonderland, Narnia) but then when thinking of herself and her husband refers to one another as pairings from Alice, Narnia….and CAMELOT?! Anna Hope girl get your references in order

Overall it was a book with so much clear potential but Hope was adding too much, with too many character POVs, and important messages to make for a satisfying execution.

Rating: 3.5 stars

I’m conflicted about this book because a lot of the writing is beautiful, and there are moments of real reflection on nature and on the minute movements of our living ecosystem which you can tell are filled with a real sense of honouring. But at other times it was quite contrived and I felt that what was supposed to be the big twist in this novel fell flat. It took too long in its exposition which left everything else feeling rushed, the books conclusion falling into place too simply. The revealing exposure of historic ties to British slavery and imperialism felt like a regurgitated textbook from Clara’s character and I didn’t enjoy the black saviour aspect of her, coming from a white author. Everything felt a bit cop-outy at the end, which left the feeling that the author had an idea that she couldn’t fully execute. This could have been a really honest and interesting book about British Imperial history and its reconning, but everything was a bit of a mess, and even unrelated stories of this family were left incomplete and unsatisfying.

What starts as an excellently crafted generational family saga ends as a thought-provoking examination of class and colonial legacies. Can we truly atone for the sins of our forefathers? In addition, there is plenty of narrative about the current state of our planet. Anna Hope has cleverly woven serious topics into a very readable tale of three siblings and their mother, as they arrive at the family pile in Sussex for their father Philip's funeral.

Philip was a cad, leaving his wife with three young children for many years, whilst he partied his way around America. The estate has been inherited by eldest sibling Frannie, who dreams of rewilding the estate. Brother Milo, an alcoholic, dreams of creating a luxury tree-top retreat for the super-rich using psychedelic drugs as a treatment. Frannie and Milo each believe Philip has given carte blanche for their own scheme. The inevitable clash is not long in coming. Youngest sibling Isa has been estranged for many years, her return is her opportunity to discover whether the feelings she still has for her first love is the reason she is unhappy in her marriage.

The vivid descriptions of the landscape help bring this engrossing, multi-layered novel to life. The siblings are most definitely a product of their upbringing and not particularly likeable. I had very little empathy for any of them (maybe that is the author's intention), however it didn't detract from my enjoyment,

With thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK for my advanced reader copy in return for my honest and unbiased review.

The description sounded promising, but the more I read, the anticipation of being drawn in didn’t happened until towards the end. A family’s history is laid bare, within the large Sussex estate: old man Phillip has just died, his widow Grace swops homes with her daughter Frannie into a smaller cottage on the estate; the three dysfunctional siblings gather for Philip’s funeral along with their immediate family and estate workers. Secrets unfold over a five day period, along with a surprise visitor. A strange mix of characters, none that I found particularly likeable, have different plans for the future, which are finally pulled into perspective when these are thwarted by the visitor.

An interesting concept but too far fetched to make it believable, but perhaps I am being naive. A slow-burner, but worth persevering for the conclusion.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have read two books so far this year from Penguin imprint Fig Tree and have rated them both five stars. Following on from the excellent “Cloudless” by Rupert Dastur published in February come this, the 5th novel by Anna Hope, an author I have not read before.
Albion is the name given to a rewilding project on the Sussex estate of the Brooke family, initiated by ex-eco warrior Frannie and the hard-living, unreliable landowner, her father Philip. At the beginning of the novel the family are assembling for Philip’s funeral. Frannie, who has inherited the estate, is doing all the work and her brother and sister both have their agendas clearly set on their return home. Their mother yearns for an escape from the house she has felt imprisoned by for the duration of her married life about to swap residences with Frannie and her daughter Rowan, who is freaked by the main house and obsessed with her grandfather’s decomposition.
This novel feels so contemporary and captures a mood I’ve been searching for in my reading recently. The rewilding offers some small reparation towards climate change but the preoccupations of family members and the legacy of the estate pose a serious threat to this. It is a strong tale of family dynamics; of twisted motives; of a battle of survival for individuals, the family and estate workers; of traditional ways of life and the need to embrace change and recognise the past. It might not provide much in terms of answers but it certainly asks the questions.
The characters are well-rounded and convincing, the stress certain family members are under is palpable and the author places them in situations which lead them deeper into the mire but it is written in such a way that the end of the era of Philip Brooke offers hope for all the characters if they can find the right paths. The author is very good at dialogue, creating tense situations that had me holding my breath.
The issues are complex yet beautifully enmeshed in the days before, during and after a family funeral. These characters will stay with me a long time and there are aspects of the plot which will give me much to consider. I would not be surprised to see this book being picked up for shortlisting by the top literary awards judges.
Albion was published by Fig Tree on 1st May 2025. Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the advance review copy.

Happy Families - or Not in a potently titled novel about legacies

Although I inched away from the immediate 5 star in this novel, only because it didn’t quite reach the perfection of an earlier novel by her , The Ballroom, this evocatively titled novel has all the layers of meaning, and densely woven character driven plot I would expect from this fine writer.

In many ways, Hope reminds me of another surefire writer for me – Tessa Hadley

There’s nothing ostentatious about either writer. Though the writing is beautiful, it seems without effort – I’m sure it isn’t, but the hard and attentive work doesn’t show. What hooks, in both writers, from the start is the sure deepening immersion into character, and the tangled web of family dynamics.

Here, we have a study of generational dysfunction, sibling rivalries, privilege – and where it has come from – and the deep pull of belonging which landscape, exerts.

Philip Brooke, scion of a powerful land owning family, has recently died. Charismatic, a philanderer, very much a wild child counter culture denizen of the 60’s, he famously created a festival on his land, a kind of ‘English Woodstock’ At that time, he met an innocent and beautiful young woman, Grace.

The Boomer generation is of course now aging and elderly. Grace and Philip’s marriage was not happy, but was certainly a ‘stay together for the children’ one. There was estrangement between some of the three children, and both rebellion and longing for a better relationship between parents and each child.

Now, that death, and the reading of a will has unearthed all the old tensions between the now middle aged children, Frannie, who has inherited the bulk of the estate, Milo and rebellious Isa. Indeed, some of that tension seems to have also manifest within Rowan, Frannie’s early adolescent daughter, and Isa’s slightly younger children.

Into the mix comes the discovery that perhaps Philip’s philandering – he lived for some years with another woman in the States – produced another child, now an academic, a PhD student with a particularly pertinent PhD project which links to the complicated Brooke family legacy.

The working in of that project, though beautifully done, and the tying up of all the threads to produce some kind of possibility of positive closure, just seemed fractionally contrived, hence my 4.5 rated downwards rather than to the final star.

Nonetheless, this is one I’m recommending and is likely to be making its way to various birthday and Christmas presents for certain friends

A very British country house novel, blending traditional themes with modern concerns—family tensions, inheritance disputes (including the dreaded inheritance tax—been there, though on a far less affluent scale!), and the increasingly popular theme of rewilding. It’s great to see rewilding appear in more novels—spreading the message is so important.

In classic Anna Hope style, the characters are well-developed and compelling. The narrative maintains just the right level of tension, drawing the reader in and leading to a gradual, satisfying conclusion.

I went into Albion expecting a family drama about inheritance but actually it isn’t that at all, and is far more complex and interesting. The family dynamics, regardless of the setting of a grand estate, are much as any family would recognise. Put upon eldest daughter, neglected son and spoilt youngest. The catalyst that brings them together the death of their father, an over entitled man who was casually unfaithful and little concerned about the estate he has inherited until the later years of his life.
As the funeral draws near and we learn more about the. Family and their trusted staff, Clara arrives. She is the daughter of their father’s long term mistress, and she’s been investigating the history of the family in quite some detail.
Albion is a fascinating mixture of family drama, climate science and historical insight. I loved it though maybe some character arcs weren’t fully finished so the ending was a little unsatisfactory at the end.

This was an interesting book which covered some contemporary issues really well in a novel form e.g (rewilding, and the importance of legacy) However I did find the style quite ponderous and wordy and there seemed to be a lot of characters to remember.
Thank you to netgalley and Penguin Books for an advance copy of this book.

At first, as I launched myself into this novel, I thought it would be the familiar trope of a svengali type of patriarch, Phillip, and how his family re-positions after his death. It does, indeed, have this narrative as its spine, yet there are fascinating riffs in the family relationships and the "ancestral home". It is also a clever volte-face on English society and patrician wealth

We are in a Sussex country estate where father and eldest daughter have spent the past decade rewilding. The days surrounding the funeral revolve around legacy versus inheritance tax. Three siblings and the materfamilias duck and dive around each other with their "issues" which we learn about. Each troubled in a way that wealth can ameliorate but all sanctimonious about their perspective on the estate and family relationships.

The fire is stoked as a stranger, who could have been Phillip's illegitimate daughter, joins the funeral gathering. As an outsider she trumps the family dynamic and throws a huge spanner in the works.

I found the novel compelling and timely but, for me, the final part of the book tried too hard to be in the heads of all the players in an attempt to resolve individual and joint futures. I found layers of this part made the story lose its pace by being way too wordy and descriptive. As a reader I could intuit much of what was being spelled out.

However, this aside I found this an intelligent take on class, climate change, family, inheritance and human nature. I would have liked the threads to have trailed off rather than so much resolution, but that's just my opinion of "closure"!

With thanks to #NetGalley and #PenguinUK for the opportunity to read and review

Albion
By Anna Hope

I love when a novel permanently alters the way I think about a subject. This is quite an unusual story in that I'd be hard pressed to decide if it's character driven or plot driven.

In a way it's neither. The characters are all related through family, friendship or marriage to Philip Brooke, a descendant of the landed gentry, but despite each person's perspective being explored, we actually learn very little about them individually.

The novel takes place over the course of 5 days around Philip's funeral, but it's not propulsively plotty. It's a slow burn with revelations that really made me think about the concept of legacy.

What this book does is ask questions about where inherited wealth comes from. It looks at how the responsibility of stewardship of land throws up many challenges, and it reflects on the many people and communities on who's backs all this wealth and ownership was obtained.

The main character is the estate that the Brookes have called home for seven generations. Set in Sussex it is it's relationship to each character that defines them, and creates the backdrop to their family dynamics.

A family saga, with a bohemian undercurrent and a message that reparations are due, that one can't assume inheritance without accepting the blame for the original theft.

Thoughtful, atmospheric and highly astute.

Publication Date 1st May 2025

Thanks to #Netgalley and #penguingeneralUK for providing an eGalley for review purposes

There are echoes of Succession in this thought provoking family drama, which takes place over five days on a grand Sussex estate where three siblings are gathering after their father’s death.

Frannie has inherited the family estate and is keen to continue her rewilding project, but there are massive death duties to be funded. Milo wants to use part of the land to set up a luxurious psychedelic retreat. Isa is an unhappily married agent of chaos who is in love with the estate’s groundsman and has invited a woman that she suspects is their half sister to join them.

It’s one of those books that starts slowly but picks up as you get to know the characters and as revelations and secrets emerge. There are multiple characters and I have to say that none of them are terribly likeable, but I was still curious to see where the plot was going to take me.

This is the fourth book I’ve read by Anna Hope and they have all been so different from one another. While this isn’t as engaging as Expectation, it is cleverly written and asks some probing questions, particularly about the balance between acknowledging the past and doing what is right for the future.

Albion is out this week. Many thanks to @PenguinFigTree for the ARC via Net Galley.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

From the start I loved this book and thought I was on to a 5 star. The setting is a bit unusual, the characters, their complex interactions and family disfunction are believable and very well described. I think I fell a little in love with Ned.

I particularly loved the gorgeous description of the rewilded park. The bit early on when Jack is in the river was so vivid I felt I was there. I felt transported to the country parks of 30 or so years ago when you did see animals and birds and butterflies. I live near 2 country parks and sadly it is true that there seem to be fewer birds and insects and the natural world is in decline. The park sounds an idyllic place to visit and I tried to locate it, with little success on Google Earth.

This disadvantage of an advance copy is that sometimes you don't get the author's notes at the end. I think these notes might make very interesting reading and i would like to know exactly which John Dowland song Rani sings at the funeral. the funeral set piece is interesting but given that it was only family who were there, what was all the fuss about the eulogies? Everyone there knew the ghastly Phillip so why would they need to hear more about him?

I suspect that you could read this book as an allegory, Arcadia/Eden disrupted then saved then found to be perhaps a false Eden?

I was so disappointed when Clara arrives with her information about the ship Albion and so one of the obsessions of today's world is shoehorned into the story. The ending is filled with enough hope, however, to get me back on track and rise above the preaching.

Philip Brooke has died. He was the aging patriarch of a Sussex country estate, rather delinquent father of three adult children, experimental drug taker and unfaithful husband.

The novel explores the feelings of the family and various related people on the estate as the funeral preparations take place. What will happen to the estate now as the eldest daughter steps into the ownership of the land and inheritance tax bites? How will everyone come to terms with their historical and recent relationship with Philip?

A visitor from the USA arrives for the funeral and drops a bombshell - does everything now need to be re-evaluated?

An enjoyable read, recommended for lovers of character-led fiction.

This book is absolutely magnificent. Family relations are fraught after the death of their father, then a surprise visitor from overseas throws a spanner in the works. The book has many themes, including rewilding of the land and the responsibilities of inheriting a large estate. There are several strong characters over three generations; I think young Rowan was my favourite. It would provide many points for discussion at a bookclub. I strongly recommend this book.

Albion tells the story of the Brookes, a dispersed and fractured family, gathering at their large, rural home for the funeral of their patriarch, Phillip. Together, they must face their personal and familial struggles, whilst coming to terms with the past actions of their ancestors.

An Arcadian novel, Anna Hope describes idyllic scenery surrounded by the messiness of humanity. The peaceful tone of the setting is interrupted by the drama of the interactions, with each character’s positive intention marred by their flaws. I enjoyed seeing the characters’ relationships evolve within the short yet poignant five day period. A considered and beautiful book with engaging themes and characters.

Not an author I had encounted before, but one I will seek out again. Set in Kent on an impressive Country House estate. The house and land have been owned by the Brooke family for centuries.
The current owner Philip has just died and the family are to gather to give him an ecological burial on the estate. Philip had been unfaithful many times to his long suffering wife Grace. This included leaving the family for several years to live with a younger woman in New York.
The estate is being run on a planned tree planting and removal scheme, this will be continued by his eldest child Francesca ( Frannie ). Frannie is unmarried with a young daughter Rowan. Milo is the son with Isabella ( Isa ) the youngest. She is married to Hari and they have two children. Frannie is helped on the estate by Simon, Jack and Wren. Then there is Ned who arrived around fifty years ago in an old bus and never left. it is still parked in a remote part of the estate.
Frannie is soon aware that Milo and his friend Luca have plans for some of the estate and she does not agree with them. Tensions are raised for all those who come together and Isa who has invited Clara the daughter of Philip's American lover, has unwittingly set the scene for something which could destroy the estate and their plans.
Well written. I was caught up in the intricate story of the family. Emotions and sexual intrigue are just below the surface. Very well recommended.