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Farewell to Eden
Not yet published
Expected 17 Sep 26Philip Deval, a soldier recently returned from the beaches of Normandy, arrives in Palestine on a peace-keeping mission in the final days of the British Mandate. The Sea of Galilee glitters in the distance as war-weary troops marvel at the novelty of oranges and sun – a paradise that belies a fierce new conflict about to erupt.
Some years later, Philip begins work teaching at a school in the English countryside and meets the enigmatic music mistress, Frances Darwood. Over long evenings spent listening to records in her music room, they grow close. But Philip is a changed man, and must confront the secrets and scars of all he has lived through – which threaten, even now, to upend his future.
Farewell to Eden is a sweeping and profound novel about faith in all its forms, and a rich portrait of an embattled post-war Britain. It asks the how, after great suffering, do we retain our humanity, learn to love again, and believe in the promise of a better life?
Some years later, Philip begins work teaching at a school in the English countryside and meets the enigmatic music mistress, Frances Darwood. Over long evenings spent listening to records in her music room, they grow close. But Philip is a changed man, and must confront the secrets and scars of all he has lived through – which threaten, even now, to upend his future.
Farewell to Eden is a sweeping and profound novel about faith in all its forms, and a rich portrait of an embattled post-war Britain. It asks the how, after great suffering, do we retain our humanity, learn to love again, and believe in the promise of a better life?
Kindle Edition
Expected publication September 17, 2026
About the author
Sebastian Faulks
67 books2,656 followersSebastian Faulks is a British novelist, journalist, and broadcaster best known for his acclaimed historical novels set in France, including The Girl at the Lion d'Or, Birdsong, and Charlotte Gray. Alongside these, he has written contemporary fiction, a James Bond continuation novel (Devil May Care), and a Jeeves homage (Jeeves and the Wedding Bells). A former literary editor and journalist, Faulks gained widespread recognition with Birdsong, which solidified his literary reputation. He has also appeared regularly on British media, notably as a team captain on BBC Radio 4's The Write Stuff, and authored the TV tie-in Faulks on Fiction. Honored as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and appointed CBE for his services to literature, Faulks continues to publish widely, with The Seventh Son released in 2023.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Philip Deval, recently returned from a British peace-keeping mission in Palestine after the Second World War, finds himself in dreary post-war England where interesting jobs are few and far between and he can’t imagine himself ever feeling content again. After retraining as a teacher, Philip settles down to teaching French in a girls’ boarding school. In contrast to his soldiering, he leads a very quiet life in a very dull school where the most ‘exciting’ moment is the unexpected death of the school’s handyman.
Over the course of the first term, Philip forms a friendship with Frances, the music teacher. Mutual trust develops and they begin to share the stories of their war. For the most part, Frances focuses on her incarceration in Ravensbrück concentration camp and Philip remembers his time in Palestine. It is clear that Philip and Frances are damaged people despite their mutual desire that no one notice this. There are moments when Faulks’ use of embedded narrative feels a little forced even though it is fascinating to learn of the British role in a place where chaos bubbles under the surface and unrest is palpable. The reader cannot help but think of the current death and destruction whilst reading about the land’s history.
But ‘Farewell to Eden’ isn’t just a history lesson. Faulks also poses plenty of questions about faith and belief. As a philosophy graduate, Philip is curious about this subject and there are plenty of discussions with his Anglican priest friend, Matthew. The ways in which music influences our thoughts and moods is also a refrain throughout the novel, not just in the appreciation sessions that Philip and Frances share at the boarding school.
This is a good read, not least because of what Faulks does with the final chapters of the novel. He makes us look at what has been happening in a new light. It is to the author’s credit that the narrative remains entirely credible and the ending very satisfying in the just the right sort of way.
My thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
Over the course of the first term, Philip forms a friendship with Frances, the music teacher. Mutual trust develops and they begin to share the stories of their war. For the most part, Frances focuses on her incarceration in Ravensbrück concentration camp and Philip remembers his time in Palestine. It is clear that Philip and Frances are damaged people despite their mutual desire that no one notice this. There are moments when Faulks’ use of embedded narrative feels a little forced even though it is fascinating to learn of the British role in a place where chaos bubbles under the surface and unrest is palpable. The reader cannot help but think of the current death and destruction whilst reading about the land’s history.
But ‘Farewell to Eden’ isn’t just a history lesson. Faulks also poses plenty of questions about faith and belief. As a philosophy graduate, Philip is curious about this subject and there are plenty of discussions with his Anglican priest friend, Matthew. The ways in which music influences our thoughts and moods is also a refrain throughout the novel, not just in the appreciation sessions that Philip and Frances share at the boarding school.
This is a good read, not least because of what Faulks does with the final chapters of the novel. He makes us look at what has been happening in a new light. It is to the author’s credit that the narrative remains entirely credible and the ending very satisfying in the just the right sort of way.
My thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I very much enjoyed this book. The writing style is easy and the story of Philip Deval carried me along. It would seem nothing much happens in his life yet we are told he survived the beaches of Normandy physically unscathed and after the war is sent to Palestine to ‘police’ the Arabs and Jews. He realises, despite enjoying the posting, that it’s the calm before the storm. Promises made after the first world war which could not be fulfilled and of course we know even today, what is happening there. Despite this Philip seems to go about his life unscathed, unruffled despite the mounting violence.
Some years later he procures a job as a teacher of French, in a girl’s school where he meets the enigmatic Frances Darwood, the school’s music teacher. Gradually she reveals her shocking story to Philip and they both find comfort in each other’s company through music. But Philip is suffering from the sights and sounds of the battlefield, of the death and horror (never described) of war and conflict.
The story twists and turns to follow Philip’s path through life which in its own quiet way is quite remarkable until near the end when there is a huge and unexpected twist in the tale. Everything is turned on its head! However, it is also a study in faith, or lack of it. It questions what violence does to a person and the stupidity and futility of war. It asks some profound questions yet never preaches. There is a vicar who also never preaches and questions his own faith in the face of such violence.
Faulks has a very light touch yet I feel that his writing is multi-layered, whilst never talking down to his readers.
I recommend this book to readers who like a well written story with real fully developed characters.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC for my kindle. This is my honest opinion after a full read of the book.
Some years later he procures a job as a teacher of French, in a girl’s school where he meets the enigmatic Frances Darwood, the school’s music teacher. Gradually she reveals her shocking story to Philip and they both find comfort in each other’s company through music. But Philip is suffering from the sights and sounds of the battlefield, of the death and horror (never described) of war and conflict.
The story twists and turns to follow Philip’s path through life which in its own quiet way is quite remarkable until near the end when there is a huge and unexpected twist in the tale. Everything is turned on its head! However, it is also a study in faith, or lack of it. It questions what violence does to a person and the stupidity and futility of war. It asks some profound questions yet never preaches. There is a vicar who also never preaches and questions his own faith in the face of such violence.
Faulks has a very light touch yet I feel that his writing is multi-layered, whilst never talking down to his readers.
I recommend this book to readers who like a well written story with real fully developed characters.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC for my kindle. This is my honest opinion after a full read of the book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is very good indeed, a story that has stayed in my head since I finished it, so that I intend to return and re-read it at some point.
Set shortly after the second world war has ended the plot focuses on Philip, who ended his military service in the middle east, at the point when displaced Jews were arriving to claim a homeland and the British were flailing about trying to balance the needs of the Jews and the Arab inhabitants and making a hash of it. Philip is rather lost on returning to the UK and ends up teaching at a girls' school in the north of England where he recounts this part of his life to a music teacher he has grown close to.
I learned a lot about the immediate run up to the creation of Israel and the role of the British, but this never felt didactic. Equally the novel is about faith, and different ways of coming to faith, but this did not feel forced but rather was a seamless part of the plot.
Like other novels from Sebastian Faulks the action covers a large part of Philip's life and ends with him over 60, so that we see the span and trajectory of his whole life which leads to an unexpected point in the last chapters which nonetheless feels inevitable with hindsight. This is extremely well done and it's impressive that Faulks achieves this so apparently smoothly despite it being unexpected.
I very much recommend this novel and want to thank the publishers and Netgalley for a review copy.
Set shortly after the second world war has ended the plot focuses on Philip, who ended his military service in the middle east, at the point when displaced Jews were arriving to claim a homeland and the British were flailing about trying to balance the needs of the Jews and the Arab inhabitants and making a hash of it. Philip is rather lost on returning to the UK and ends up teaching at a girls' school in the north of England where he recounts this part of his life to a music teacher he has grown close to.
I learned a lot about the immediate run up to the creation of Israel and the role of the British, but this never felt didactic. Equally the novel is about faith, and different ways of coming to faith, but this did not feel forced but rather was a seamless part of the plot.
Like other novels from Sebastian Faulks the action covers a large part of Philip's life and ends with him over 60, so that we see the span and trajectory of his whole life which leads to an unexpected point in the last chapters which nonetheless feels inevitable with hindsight. This is extremely well done and it's impressive that Faulks achieves this so apparently smoothly despite it being unexpected.
I very much recommend this novel and want to thank the publishers and Netgalley for a review copy.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Very thought provoking, as Sebastian Faulks books often are. There are books about life before WW11, and a plethora of books set during and after the war, but this one shows how very much the war affected the generation who lost such a big chunk of their lives for longer than the length of the war itself, and often at a young age. If you are just about to start a career, perhaps having left uni, what really is the point of going ahead if the country is poised with expectations of going to war. And then there is the trauma of the actual war followed by coming to terms with the aftermath – a dearth of jobs available, and even worse, of places to live.
Sebastian Faulks does this justice in his own inimitable way, the writing is superb and takes you on a journey through the captivating storyline. The twist towards the end which could have been written with much drama and flourish is instead dealt with calmly with finesse, and is much the better for it, giving it more credence. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Many thanks to Sebastian Faulks, Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy, it is much appreciated.
Sebastian Faulks does this justice in his own inimitable way, the writing is superb and takes you on a journey through the captivating storyline. The twist towards the end which could have been written with much drama and flourish is instead dealt with calmly with finesse, and is much the better for it, giving it more credence. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Many thanks to Sebastian Faulks, Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy, it is much appreciated.
May 9, 2026
The story of Philip Deval told in a series of flashbacks and flashforwards encompassing his life as a pre Second World War student , then soldier and teacher along with the friends, enemies and lovers he encounters along the way. It is at times poignant, heartwarming, even tragic but throughout there are hints of positivity and ultimately it is, I think, propounding an optimistic view. Perhaps even a religious one as there are various characters who have faith and practice or express it in diverse ways with an ultimate impact on the principal character. Perhaps that’s why I did find resonances with Evelyn Waugh in that Deval put me in mind both of Guy Crouchback from the Sword of Honour trilogy and Charles Ryder from Brideshead Revisited. But I certainly don’t think resonance with Evelyn Waugh is anything other than a compliment. It’s not often that I finish a novel and think that I’d like to reread it immediately. This is one.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for this review copy.
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for this review copy.
April 25, 2026
There is one thing about this author’s novels - “expect the unexpected”.
The book starts with the main character, Philip, getting a job teaching at an all-girl school but reading on we discover that his earlier years were far from settled. The main part of the novel concentrates on Philip’s time in the Forces in Palestine on peacekeeping operations as an officer in the Armed Forces. Flipping between the different time frames was at times distracting, but the author’s ability to provide a seamless transition is admirable. It’s compulsive reading, at times distressing and sad, as the truth of the political situation emerges, in a similar fashion Philip’s personal life experiences seem to suggest he was happy with life but never content.
This was an interesting and informative semi-fictional novel, and my thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to learn more about the period and review.
The book starts with the main character, Philip, getting a job teaching at an all-girl school but reading on we discover that his earlier years were far from settled. The main part of the novel concentrates on Philip’s time in the Forces in Palestine on peacekeeping operations as an officer in the Armed Forces. Flipping between the different time frames was at times distracting, but the author’s ability to provide a seamless transition is admirable. It’s compulsive reading, at times distressing and sad, as the truth of the political situation emerges, in a similar fashion Philip’s personal life experiences seem to suggest he was happy with life but never content.
This was an interesting and informative semi-fictional novel, and my thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to learn more about the period and review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was a lovely thought provoking book which gently takes the reader through the stumbling career of former soldier Philip Deval and how he finds himself after serving in a febrile Palestine by teaching in a girls’ school in the country.
His relationship with the music teacher stutters and stumbles and the book seems to be drifting to a fairly satisfactory conclusion when suddenly everything is turned on its head and Philip’s life is taken in a quite unexpected direction.
The ending is satisfying and demonstrates how his faith is to be rewarded with happiness.
Beautifully written and a stimulating read from a wonderful author at the top of his game.
His relationship with the music teacher stutters and stumbles and the book seems to be drifting to a fairly satisfactory conclusion when suddenly everything is turned on its head and Philip’s life is taken in a quite unexpected direction.
The ending is satisfying and demonstrates how his faith is to be rewarded with happiness.
Beautifully written and a stimulating read from a wonderful author at the top of his game.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Philip and Frances are both teachers at a school post-war. Through the stories they tell each other while listening to music in the evenings, you find out what has happened to them during this time. Frances’s story is a sad recount of the worst of Nazi concentration camps. Philip has been in Palestine and the history of this time is very interesting. Alongside this, another teacher dies and a student has a crush on Philip. I found this more interesting than emotional as I always felt that I was being kept at a distance by the narrators who tell their tales dispassionately. The ending was unexpected but really added to the book. Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 ⭐
I quite enjoyed this one.
How we go from quiet girls school to much further afield in the war.
We get to know our characters better with each story revealing more about who they are now, and what they've been through to get here.
I quite enjoyed this one.
How we go from quiet girls school to much further afield in the war.
We get to know our characters better with each story revealing more about who they are now, and what they've been through to get here.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I absolutely adored Sebastian Faulks Bird song. It’s probably one of my favourite reads ever so when this book came up on NetGalley UK I delighted to be accepted and it went straight to the top of my to be read list.
This is such a topical work with the Israeli Hamas conflict seemingly never ending. It was very interesting to read about the origins of some of the issues.
The story looks at the life of Philip who after World War II is finished is posted with the army to Palestine on a peacekeeping mission we meet him initially years later when he has been employed as an English teacher in an English girls boarding school. In the school we also meet other teachers and the hot job man who ends up dying suddenly.
I did spend quite a lot of time wondering what the link was between his initial job and where he ends up working this is explained quite nicely in the novel
I have to admit to having a bit of trouble actually liking the lead character and I think this is my major issue with the novel I didn’t care about him enough to be fully committed to what happens to him
There are lots of smaller characters in this book and I admit that were times and I found myself a little lost
I didn’t predict the plot twist
I loved the ending
The author is well known he writes beautifully and the book was an enjoyable read
I read an early copy of the novel on NetGalley UK. The book is published in the UK on the 17th of September 2026 by random house UK, Cornerstone/Hutchinson Hyman.
This review will appear on NetGalley UK, Goodreads, StoryGraph, and my book blog bionicSarahSbooks.wordpress.com
After publication, it will also appear on Amazon UK and Waterstones online
This is such a topical work with the Israeli Hamas conflict seemingly never ending. It was very interesting to read about the origins of some of the issues.
The story looks at the life of Philip who after World War II is finished is posted with the army to Palestine on a peacekeeping mission we meet him initially years later when he has been employed as an English teacher in an English girls boarding school. In the school we also meet other teachers and the hot job man who ends up dying suddenly.
I did spend quite a lot of time wondering what the link was between his initial job and where he ends up working this is explained quite nicely in the novel
I have to admit to having a bit of trouble actually liking the lead character and I think this is my major issue with the novel I didn’t care about him enough to be fully committed to what happens to him
There are lots of smaller characters in this book and I admit that were times and I found myself a little lost
I didn’t predict the plot twist
I loved the ending
The author is well known he writes beautifully and the book was an enjoyable read
I read an early copy of the novel on NetGalley UK. The book is published in the UK on the 17th of September 2026 by random house UK, Cornerstone/Hutchinson Hyman.
This review will appear on NetGalley UK, Goodreads, StoryGraph, and my book blog bionicSarahSbooks.wordpress.com
After publication, it will also appear on Amazon UK and Waterstones online
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews