The Lindens

by Barney Jeffries

The Lindens spans 150 years in the life of a house in the English countryside, weaving together the tales of its inhabitants over the decades. The dairymaid with big dreams, the lonely evacuee, the damaged army veteran and the ageing hippies. The loved-up teenagers partying on midsummer’s eve, the grown-up kids coming home for Christmas, the bored Slovakian housewife receiving some unexpected visitors.

Richly textured, funny and moving, this is an epic novel about home and family, love and loss. About birds and trees, vengeful goats, mushroom trips and anarcho-syndicalist rabbits. About the passage of time, the circling of the seasons and the forks in the paths of our lives.

452 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 25, 2024

About the author

Barney lives on the south coast of England. As a freelance writer, he spends most of his time writing about conservation, climate change and sustainability for some of the world's leading environmental charities. He's also a dad to three daughters, three cats and a dog. His books are written almost exclusively between the hours of 10.30pm and midnight.

You can find him on Instagram and Facebook @BarneyJeffriesAuthor

Reviews

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I read in 2024. The wonderfully fascinating story of a house over the course of more than a century, the people who lived and fought and loved and moved there and back again. Great writing, lots of bits about birdwatching, the land, and nicely set into history.

[Mrs Janet Desborough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read. About to read another book by this author.

[Lauren Littler · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow what a glorious read

So comforting, I savoured this book. Devoured it. Beautifully written. I loved each story. I’ve recommended it to others it’s so good. It makes me feel mushy inside.

[Bookishdays · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a historic novel about a house and the families who lived there, since the begining until present day. We follow the journey since 1885, when the house was build by a rich man and we meet the most memorable characters like Tessa who was a very smart and a force of nature who influenced the various members of the family.

My favourite part, was the period during the Second World War, when the story is told by a child who lived there because of the London blitz. Through the years families lived differently, some were richer and happier, but some lived very tragic and traumatic relashionships, but all have in common the love for the esplendid house.

This was a nice reading, the chapters are short and was easy to understand the family ties during the different periods of the history. It was a curious portrait of the twenty century.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Grove · Rating 5 out of 5]

It might be an understatement to describe this as a magnificent work. I began thinking this was going to be a long read - would it hold my attention? The first short chapter had me hooked. From then on the story just keeps rolling. Each chapter - some of which are perhaps a little long by current expectations. Their brilliance though lies in the fact that they are almost stand-alone stories. As a historian, this book is also well-researched giving glimpses of rural and social life across three centuries - with some detail, like the implications of the 1925 Law of Property Act!

Simply, it is a well-written and engaging story.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve recently finished reading this charming book, and just loved it.
It’s the story of a house and its inhabitants over the span of 150 years, from late Victorian times, right through the 20th century and almost up to date. It’s written in 12 sections, plus prologue/epilogue, all set in different periods but linked together by the house itself.
The characters are wonderfully engaging and credible, the storylines are interesting, and the whole book is warm and uplifting, and really well-written.
It’s a definite 5-stars from me.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book about the different families that move into a house over a 150 year period for their home. So many unanswered questions that I write like to know about what happened to the people once they left the house, for example the little boy who was evacuated there during the war and then returned. I felt the ending was a little twee with the story being 'rounded off' and connections being made. having said that the thread running through connected the chapter and it's with a read.

[Loretta Miles Tollefson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lindens is a charming book which is beautifully written and filled with engaging characters. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Our book group all enjoyed this book which was an essentially a series of shorter stories set in one house through several generations which linked. Well written and very readable.

[Ellie Bransden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book, the characters and stories were beautiful and the author tied them all together in a really heartwarming way. A very uplifting and warm read

[Tracey Harriman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glorious read!
Looking forward to introducing The Lindens to our customers soon!

[Rebecca Hemphill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this! Great story telling!

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A wonderful story of a house in the English countryside, The Lindens, over a 150 year period. At first I thought it to be a book about generations of a single family living in the home, but soon realized it was more realistic than expected. Over the 150 years, many families called The Lindens their home, but none were loved by me more than the son and daughter- in-law of the original owners.

Each chapter in the book is also a new chapter for the home: a new era in the life of characters, new owners, and the final chapters were so heart-warming!

[Olivia Gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely, comforting, easy read set in one home, which is inhabited by multiple individuals and their experiences living there. Yes, it is a little predictable and almost unrealistic at points, but that's the whole point. It was beautifully written, and the notes about birds throughout I loved.