Casting Off

By Elizabeth Jane Howard

Book Overview

In the fourth "marvelous, magical and mesmerizing" (Publishing News, London) novel in the beloved Cazalet family saga, the cousins are now in their twenties, trying to piece together their lives in the aftermath of World War II.

The excitement of Victory in Europe Day has come and gone, and England remains locked in the drab grip of privation. Polly and Clary Cazalet, now twenty and sharing a London flat, question whether life will ever get easier. Against the backdrop of a crumbling empire, the Cazalets and their family, friends, and lovers watch a number of startling events unfold: deaths, weddings, a shattering pregnancy, divorces.

With deep insight, imagination, and passion, Elizabeth Jane Howard shapes the destinies of these characters who have become like our own dear family and friends. For some, the future holds only uncertainty--for others, unexpected happiness. And for fans of the Cazalet Chronicles, new and old, Casting Off presents a true gem of absolute, unforgettable storytelling pleasure.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0671534297
• ISBN13: 9780671534295
• Release Date: August 1997
• Publisher: Atria Books
• Length: 496 Pages
• Weight: 0.99 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Fantastic Author

I loved this book and have read all the installments. This is the last Volume.- I wish she had written more about this family. If you enjoy stories about Britian during WWII, with a terrific cast of characters you won't be able to put this down. But start with the first Volume "The Light Years" and read them in order. All of her books are really good.

The Satisfying Conclusion to the Cazalet Saga

The fourth and final volume of "The Cazalet Chronicle" brings to a satisfying conclusion the story of this much-extended English family. Taking place in the aftermath of World War II, each family member grapples with the rationing, food and housing shortages, and other deprivations the English endured. Marriages break apart and new unions are formed, pregnancy shatters the life of one cousin while another eagerly anticipates motherhood, new careers are begun, family rifts pit brother against brother, and old loves are rekindled as the Cazalets head into the future. Elizabeth Jane Howard writes the intimate details of their lives with a warmth,humor, and passion that is almost magical.

Casting Off

I, too, have been left hanging and am eagerly awaiting this last book, as I know it too will receive a five star rating from me. I can recommend both the books and the tapes in this series to be among the best. Keep writing, Ms. Howard!

Please Ms. Howard, give us more!

Superb, superb, superb! I can't praise the four volumes in this series highly enough. They are beautifully written, emotionally intense books that you will enjoy if you are interested in history, family sagas, English novels, or psychological portraits. I'll never forget the section where Polly cleans out her mother's room. Heartrending and written with great insight. Please, Ms. Howard, don't let "Casting Off" be the last!