Penmarric

By Susan Howatch,

Book cover of Penmarric

Book description

From the acclaimed author of Cashelmara: the “grippingly readable” New York Times–bestselling saga of a noble English family torn apart (The Sunday Times).

Overlooking the bleak cliffs of Cornwall is Penmarric, the ancestral home of Mark Castallack. The stunning gothic manor is the picture of English nobility, wealth, and comfort.…

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Why read it?

2 authors picked Penmarric as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Susan Howatch walked away from her career as a highly successful novelist some years ago, but she’s well worth a read. Penmarric is the name of another Cornish mansion that is the fixed point in a swirling family saga. She took as her template the lives of the Plantagenet King Henry II and his powerful wife Eleanor of Aquitaine, plus their warring sons, with the house Penmarric standing in for the throne they fought over. You don’t need to know medieval history to enjoy the yarn.

Divided into five sections, each is narrated by a different family member. The action…

I adore family sagas. This is a wonderful recreation of the story of the loves and rivalry of the 12th century Plantagenet king Henry II, his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine, and their sons. The book is set in the late 19th century and follows the Castallack family who live in a vast Gothic mansion, Penmarric, on the North Cornish coast overlooking the sea. You don't need to know your English history to enjoy the novel but if you finish it wanting more, as I did, you will be delighted to know there are two further books following the story of…

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