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The Wheel of Fortune
Welsh heir Robert Godwin knows everything about his powerful family's interests, but what does he know of his own heart?
Tucked in the hills of South Wales is Oxmoon, the ancestral estate of the Godwin family. In the summers before 1914, music streams through the family home as the Godwins, at the height of their prosperity, dance in the ballroom with their guests. But despite the remarkable talents of heir-apparent Robert Godwin, the fates have a rough, tough ride planned for him and those he loves. Fortunes shift during two world wars, disastrous love affairs leave the family battered, and finally jealousy threatens to destroy Oxmoon and all it symbolizes. Based on a true story that has been updated to modern times, "The Wheel of Fortune" is a timeless tale of love, hatred, revenge, redemption, and forgiveness. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Susan Howatch including rare photos and never-before-seen documents from the author's personal collection.
Tucked in the hills of South Wales is Oxmoon, the ancestral estate of the Godwin family. In the summers before 1914, music streams through the family home as the Godwins, at the height of their prosperity, dance in the ballroom with their guests. But despite the remarkable talents of heir-apparent Robert Godwin, the fates have a rough, tough ride planned for him and those he loves. Fortunes shift during two world wars, disastrous love affairs leave the family battered, and finally jealousy threatens to destroy Oxmoon and all it symbolizes. Based on a true story that has been updated to modern times, "The Wheel of Fortune" is a timeless tale of love, hatred, revenge, redemption, and forgiveness. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Susan Howatch including rare photos and never-before-seen documents from the author's personal collection.
992 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1984
1238 people are currently reading
3289 people want to read
About the author
Susan Howatch
94 books559 followersSusan Howatch (b. 1940) is a British novelist who has penned bestselling mysteries, family sagas, and other novels. Howatch was born in Surrey, England. She began writing as a teen and published her first book when she moved to the United States in 1964. Howatch found global success first with her five sagas and then with her novels about the Church of England in the twentieth century. She has now returned to live in Surrey.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 288 reviews
September 3, 2021
The Wheel of Fortune by Susan Howatch is a 2012 Open Road Media publication- (Originally published in 1985 by Fawcett)
This ENORMOUS tome is a generational family saga centered around the Godwin family and their manor home Oxmoor.
The story begins in 1913- and carries the reader all the up to 1970. The first narrator is Robert Godwin – a man obsessed with both winning and bringing the Oxmoor estate back from the brink of ruin- which was a result of his grandmother’s scandalous affair.
Yet Robert is not without his own grand passions- he is also obsessed with his cousin, Ginverva. Through shocking revelations, he eventually wins Ginerva over his mother’s stringent objections and the couple marry- and eventually start a family of their own.
From here the story is told in parts by various members of the family- all in a first person narrative- throughout the coming years, and decades- as they engage in scandal, obsession, competition, classism, and even murder- all while holding fast to the imposing Oxmoor mansion…
Whew! Okay, this story is quasi-based, on- or is a retelling of- the history of John of Gault, Richard II, and the Bolingbrokes. This could be fun to research someday- but after completing a 1000 pages on the Godwin’s, that will have to be a project for another day.
If you like a long- and I do mean- LOOONNNGGG- family saga packed with every kind of scandal you can think of, filled with incredibly flawed characters, grand passions, heartbreaks, bitterness, guilt, adultery, cover-ups, and a possible murder mystery- then you’ve come to the right place!!
Unfortunately, as action packed as all this sounds the novel truly dragged on, especially in the midsection and I think it could have been trimmed down significantly, or it should, at the very least, have been broken up into segments, perhaps like a trilogy, instead of one, huge, doorstop- sized tome.
At times the saga was incredibly absorbing, and at other times, I had to put the book aside for long periods because I lost interest.
The last portion of the book was interesting- but I thought it got a bit weird- with all the psychoanalysis- but the mystery was compelling, if a big convoluted.
I often associate Susan Howatch with Gothic novels popular in the 70s, but she wrote more books like this one, which I’d categorize as European literature, historical fiction, and Family Saga- rather than anything Gothic. The big old Oxmoor estate is the only thing ‘Gothic’ about this one, in my opinion. I loved 'Cashelmara', but this one was a real struggle for me, at times. I liked it, overall, but I can’t say I loved it.
That said, I was fortunate enough to come across three hardcover books by Howatch recently, to add to my scant collection of her books, and am looking forward to reading more of her work in the future…
When I can clear my schedule for one of her marathons, that is.
3.25 stars
This ENORMOUS tome is a generational family saga centered around the Godwin family and their manor home Oxmoor.
The story begins in 1913- and carries the reader all the up to 1970. The first narrator is Robert Godwin – a man obsessed with both winning and bringing the Oxmoor estate back from the brink of ruin- which was a result of his grandmother’s scandalous affair.
Yet Robert is not without his own grand passions- he is also obsessed with his cousin, Ginverva. Through shocking revelations, he eventually wins Ginerva over his mother’s stringent objections and the couple marry- and eventually start a family of their own.
From here the story is told in parts by various members of the family- all in a first person narrative- throughout the coming years, and decades- as they engage in scandal, obsession, competition, classism, and even murder- all while holding fast to the imposing Oxmoor mansion…
Whew! Okay, this story is quasi-based, on- or is a retelling of- the history of John of Gault, Richard II, and the Bolingbrokes. This could be fun to research someday- but after completing a 1000 pages on the Godwin’s, that will have to be a project for another day.
If you like a long- and I do mean- LOOONNNGGG- family saga packed with every kind of scandal you can think of, filled with incredibly flawed characters, grand passions, heartbreaks, bitterness, guilt, adultery, cover-ups, and a possible murder mystery- then you’ve come to the right place!!
Unfortunately, as action packed as all this sounds the novel truly dragged on, especially in the midsection and I think it could have been trimmed down significantly, or it should, at the very least, have been broken up into segments, perhaps like a trilogy, instead of one, huge, doorstop- sized tome.
At times the saga was incredibly absorbing, and at other times, I had to put the book aside for long periods because I lost interest.
The last portion of the book was interesting- but I thought it got a bit weird- with all the psychoanalysis- but the mystery was compelling, if a big convoluted.
I often associate Susan Howatch with Gothic novels popular in the 70s, but she wrote more books like this one, which I’d categorize as European literature, historical fiction, and Family Saga- rather than anything Gothic. The big old Oxmoor estate is the only thing ‘Gothic’ about this one, in my opinion. I loved 'Cashelmara', but this one was a real struggle for me, at times. I liked it, overall, but I can’t say I loved it.
That said, I was fortunate enough to come across three hardcover books by Howatch recently, to add to my scant collection of her books, and am looking forward to reading more of her work in the future…
When I can clear my schedule for one of her marathons, that is.
3.25 stars
January 19, 2010
Murder, madness and mayhem - oh my. The Godwins have lived at Oxmoon for generations. The story begins in 1913, and is narrated by Robert the younger (all the first born sons of the first born sons are named Robert). Robert senior struggles to bring the estate back to financial health after it was run into the ground by his mother's notorious lover, Owain Bryn-Davies. Robert is raised with distant cousin Ginevra (Ginette) and the two maintain a strong bond of friendship that eventually blossoms into love - at least for Robert although he must wait until he's old enough to declare his feelings – but *something* happens that sends his plans spiraling and Ginette suddenly elopes with another man. The pair eventually meet again years later when Ginette is widowed, but can their love and friendship overcome the horrible secret that caused Ginette to flee Oxmoon in the first place?
The story continues with that of Robert's younger brother John, the stalwart of the family who always does the "done" thing - that is until the just-barely-widowed John meets the very married and terribly unsuitable (common!) Bronwen and falls head over heels in love. Even when she is free Bronwen is not a suitable wife for John and he marries another heiress instead. Will he make a choice for true happiness or continue doing the "done thing”? The last third of the book carries to the next generation with the conflicts between cousins Christopher (Kester) and Harry. Kester is Robert's son and heir to Oxmoon, but John's son Harry thinks John should have been the heir and the battle between the two cousins eventually ignites with deadly consequences. The very last section is Hal's story (Harry's son) as he returns to Oxmoon to try to find out what really happened between the two at their final confrontation on The Worm's Head (do Google that and look at the photos - awesome).
Of course there's a whole lot more to the story than that but I am not into book reports. I found this to be a grand ride taking me from the early 1900s on through the 1960s, and Howatch's method of using alternating narratives of the main characters is awesome (PG and Weir you should take lessons from her). I loved seeing the relationship between Robert and Ginette from both perspectives, and I adored John's story as he struggles to do the right thing even when his heart is pulled into another direction. As for the stormy love-hate relationship between Kester and Harry - wow, just wow. The very last with Hal I didn't care for as much and I almost wished Howatch had left off after Harry's story, but she ended up pulling a couple of excellent twists that I was not expecting.
One final note and that is the twist on this book, is that the Godwin's story parallels that of England's Plantagenets - Edward III, Edward The Black Prince, Joan the Fair Maid of Kent, John of Gaunt (yes, there is a Katherine), Richard II, Henry Bolingbroke (Henry IV) and Henry V. For readers who like bit fat meaty sagas with a healthy dose of soap opera angst and anguish this just might be the book for you. 5/5 stars and highly recommended along with her two books that precede this, Penmarric and Cashelmara.
The story continues with that of Robert's younger brother John, the stalwart of the family who always does the "done" thing - that is until the just-barely-widowed John meets the very married and terribly unsuitable (common!) Bronwen and falls head over heels in love. Even when she is free Bronwen is not a suitable wife for John and he marries another heiress instead. Will he make a choice for true happiness or continue doing the "done thing”? The last third of the book carries to the next generation with the conflicts between cousins Christopher (Kester) and Harry. Kester is Robert's son and heir to Oxmoon, but John's son Harry thinks John should have been the heir and the battle between the two cousins eventually ignites with deadly consequences. The very last section is Hal's story (Harry's son) as he returns to Oxmoon to try to find out what really happened between the two at their final confrontation on The Worm's Head (do Google that and look at the photos - awesome).
Of course there's a whole lot more to the story than that but I am not into book reports. I found this to be a grand ride taking me from the early 1900s on through the 1960s, and Howatch's method of using alternating narratives of the main characters is awesome (PG and Weir you should take lessons from her). I loved seeing the relationship between Robert and Ginette from both perspectives, and I adored John's story as he struggles to do the right thing even when his heart is pulled into another direction. As for the stormy love-hate relationship between Kester and Harry - wow, just wow. The very last with Hal I didn't care for as much and I almost wished Howatch had left off after Harry's story, but she ended up pulling a couple of excellent twists that I was not expecting.
One final note and that is the twist on this book, is that the Godwin's story parallels that of England's Plantagenets - Edward III, Edward The Black Prince, Joan the Fair Maid of Kent, John of Gaunt (yes, there is a Katherine), Richard II, Henry Bolingbroke (Henry IV) and Henry V. For readers who like bit fat meaty sagas with a healthy dose of soap opera angst and anguish this just might be the book for you. 5/5 stars and highly recommended along with her two books that precede this, Penmarric and Cashelmara.
August 5, 2015
This novel is a little over a 1000 pages but don’t let that put you off. If you love great English historical fiction this really is the best. I’ve read Cashelmara and Penmarric and loved them but this novel is my favorite. Loosely based on the last of the Plantatgenets, it begins with a new cast where Cashelmara ends. The very detailed novel concentrates on the Godwin’s beloved family home of Oxmoon in Gower, South Wales and focuses on the class structure of England in the early 1900s. There are six narrations from the 1920s to the 1970s. Ms. Howatch uses this unique style to give the reader multiple views of each character. Just as you have one strong opinion about a character the story shifts and the reader has a deeper view of personalities and perspectives, making the storyline extremely interesting.
I nearly abandoned this during the first section which is about the very unlikable Robert Godwin who is the character that the rest of the saga surrounds. Robert appeared to be a boring, full of himself, pathetic creature. Through the novel he still remains peculiar, however, as you get to know him and understand his personality he becomes fascinating, if not likable. Then, there is his cousin who is two years older than him. Robert’s obsession with the sensual Ginevra becomes his downfall as he throws himself into a disastrous marriage with her. The reader captures the real Ginevra, aside from Robert’s viewpoint, in the next narration. The thought provoking story evolves into a dark Gothic tale and takes off at very high speed. The turbulent theme is primarily based on competitive cousins, the burden of guilt, mayhem and madness. At this point my control was taken away from me as the pages seemed to turn themselves and the novel will stay with me for a very long time!
I nearly abandoned this during the first section which is about the very unlikable Robert Godwin who is the character that the rest of the saga surrounds. Robert appeared to be a boring, full of himself, pathetic creature. Through the novel he still remains peculiar, however, as you get to know him and understand his personality he becomes fascinating, if not likable. Then, there is his cousin who is two years older than him. Robert’s obsession with the sensual Ginevra becomes his downfall as he throws himself into a disastrous marriage with her. The reader captures the real Ginevra, aside from Robert’s viewpoint, in the next narration. The thought provoking story evolves into a dark Gothic tale and takes off at very high speed. The turbulent theme is primarily based on competitive cousins, the burden of guilt, mayhem and madness. At this point my control was taken away from me as the pages seemed to turn themselves and the novel will stay with me for a very long time!
July 29, 2014
Ah, how to rate a 1000+ page family saga that attempts to retell 14th century Plantagenet drama as a 20th century story . . . . All this royal eccentric behavior sure seems outrageous compared to Victorian and Edwardian standards!
The story is split into sections told by different members of the Godwin family to move it through the generations. We begin with Robert Godwin (one of many), who is our Edwardian Black Prince to Ginette, his Fair Maid of Kent. I especially enjoyed how Howatch creatively gave these characters personalities that suited the historical person they represented but fit into the more modern times and gave a modern twist to historical events. Instead of the kingdom of England, the Godwin's are masters of the estate of Oxmoon.
Once the story moved to Ginevra's point of view, I realized that Howatch also has a skill for creating a real person, who is one person inside and another to each person they encounter. As Ginette herself says, there's so much we don't know about those who are closest to us. Though the characters talk A LOT about sex, we also see that a marriage can be based on so many other things.
John, Robert's brother - yes there are also brothers Lionel, Edmund, and Thomas - is our next narrator. He struggles to be upstanding, to "do the done thing", and makes himself miserable in the process. The past creeps up to mess with poor John en force. Lion and Edmund fight in WWI, side by side with their French allies rather than against them like their historical counterparts.
You are seeing the pattern now.... Kester is the 20th century, ill-fated and eccentric Richard II. This character is cleverly written to sometimes gain the reader's sympathy and at other times make one want to kill him as much as half his family wanted to. Somehow both bold but never the perfect Godwin that he wishes to be, Kester is a mystery wrapped in an enigma, even years after his death.
When Harry takes over, the narration and Oxmoon, he and Kester have a battle royal. Through it all, each generation struggles with their desires versus what is expected, scandalous family history, and that sneaky insanity that tries to creep up on each of them.
Hal's story is the only part I could have done without. In his attempt to solve his family's mysteries, Hal becomes repetitive and a little bit of a bore. (Or maybe it was the more modern setting, 1966 and beyond, that I just wasn't as interested in.) I did enjoy the final twists and turns, but could have done without several recaps of what I had just read.
Overall, a unique take on my dear Plantagenets that had me captivated, made me laugh, and made me look at people a little bit differently. Themes of the Oxmoon estate, "The Blue Danube", and doing the done thing carry this story forth and unite the characters through beautiful prose and realistic characters. "You can't divide these unfortunate people neatly into heroes and villains - it's simply not that kind of story!" Don't be afraid of the number of pages. This novel is worth it.
The story is split into sections told by different members of the Godwin family to move it through the generations. We begin with Robert Godwin (one of many), who is our Edwardian Black Prince to Ginette, his Fair Maid of Kent. I especially enjoyed how Howatch creatively gave these characters personalities that suited the historical person they represented but fit into the more modern times and gave a modern twist to historical events. Instead of the kingdom of England, the Godwin's are masters of the estate of Oxmoon.
Once the story moved to Ginevra's point of view, I realized that Howatch also has a skill for creating a real person, who is one person inside and another to each person they encounter. As Ginette herself says, there's so much we don't know about those who are closest to us. Though the characters talk A LOT about sex, we also see that a marriage can be based on so many other things.
John, Robert's brother - yes there are also brothers Lionel, Edmund, and Thomas - is our next narrator. He struggles to be upstanding, to "do the done thing", and makes himself miserable in the process. The past creeps up to mess with poor John en force. Lion and Edmund fight in WWI, side by side with their French allies rather than against them like their historical counterparts.
You are seeing the pattern now.... Kester is the 20th century, ill-fated and eccentric Richard II. This character is cleverly written to sometimes gain the reader's sympathy and at other times make one want to kill him as much as half his family wanted to. Somehow both bold but never the perfect Godwin that he wishes to be, Kester is a mystery wrapped in an enigma, even years after his death.
When Harry takes over, the narration and Oxmoon, he and Kester have a battle royal. Through it all, each generation struggles with their desires versus what is expected, scandalous family history, and that sneaky insanity that tries to creep up on each of them.
Hal's story is the only part I could have done without. In his attempt to solve his family's mysteries, Hal becomes repetitive and a little bit of a bore. (Or maybe it was the more modern setting, 1966 and beyond, that I just wasn't as interested in.) I did enjoy the final twists and turns, but could have done without several recaps of what I had just read.
Overall, a unique take on my dear Plantagenets that had me captivated, made me laugh, and made me look at people a little bit differently. Themes of the Oxmoon estate, "The Blue Danube", and doing the done thing carry this story forth and unite the characters through beautiful prose and realistic characters. "You can't divide these unfortunate people neatly into heroes and villains - it's simply not that kind of story!" Don't be afraid of the number of pages. This novel is worth it.
July 8, 2016
Wohoo! I'm done! I read all of it! Of course, it was a total drag from about half way through so I'm not sure this is such a marvellous achievement. I did not like this at all as much as some of the other books I've read by Susan Howatch. However, I read those when I was in my twenties and far more easily impressed than I am now.
The book tells the story of the grand old estate of Oxmoon, and the people on it. It is a family saga spanning several generations, starting at the end of the 20th century, and told through several first-person voices. They are quite different and by the end of each I was glad there was another to move on to. It is a story of failed love, failed grandeur and most of all, men failing to draw the line.
This line is a returning theme. I don't know how many times one of the characters exclaimed "here I draw the line!" and thus attempting to do the done thing again. There is plenty of sibling rivalry, mostly in regards to who would get to inherit Oxmoon.
My biggest problem with this book is how I didn't really understand what the author was trying to say. It was just a very, very long book getting at very little. It's well-written and all, but there's no great mystery to solve (just several smaller ones) and little forward tension. It took me almost two weeks to finish, and normally I would have read twice as many pages in the same time. I'm glad it's not sitting on my shelf whispering "read me" anymore. It won't be kept as a friend either though, will be relegated to the back-row of a shelf and quietly forgotten.
The book tells the story of the grand old estate of Oxmoon, and the people on it. It is a family saga spanning several generations, starting at the end of the 20th century, and told through several first-person voices. They are quite different and by the end of each I was glad there was another to move on to. It is a story of failed love, failed grandeur and most of all, men failing to draw the line.
This line is a returning theme. I don't know how many times one of the characters exclaimed "here I draw the line!" and thus attempting to do the done thing again. There is plenty of sibling rivalry, mostly in regards to who would get to inherit Oxmoon.
My biggest problem with this book is how I didn't really understand what the author was trying to say. It was just a very, very long book getting at very little. It's well-written and all, but there's no great mystery to solve (just several smaller ones) and little forward tension. It took me almost two weeks to finish, and normally I would have read twice as many pages in the same time. I'm glad it's not sitting on my shelf whispering "read me" anymore. It won't be kept as a friend either though, will be relegated to the back-row of a shelf and quietly forgotten.
January 10, 2015
Sodomy, adultery, murder, robbery, madness, lust. That's how one of the characters describes his family's antics, and he ain't wrong.
Set in the first half of the 20th century, but beautifully paralleling the lives of Edward III, the Black Prince, John of Gaunt, Richard II, Henry IV and Henry V, this is the story of the Godwins, masters of Oxmoon. Each generation is haunted by the sins of the fathers, each of them clinging to the mantra of 'I draw the line' in a desperate attempt to ward off their heavy ghosts.
The book is split into six sections each narrated by a different character battling their own set of inner demons, but at its cataclysmic heart are Kester and Harry. Their bitter lifelong rivalry turns to obsession, twisting ever more sinister until their chilling games of cat-and-mouse finally become a horrifying reality where even victory can't bring release.
A dark, destructive, delicious tale; I loved it!
Thanks Jemidar for another crazy doorstopper of a buddy read :-)
Set in the first half of the 20th century, but beautifully paralleling the lives of Edward III, the Black Prince, John of Gaunt, Richard II, Henry IV and Henry V, this is the story of the Godwins, masters of Oxmoon. Each generation is haunted by the sins of the fathers, each of them clinging to the mantra of 'I draw the line' in a desperate attempt to ward off their heavy ghosts.
The book is split into six sections each narrated by a different character battling their own set of inner demons, but at its cataclysmic heart are Kester and Harry. Their bitter lifelong rivalry turns to obsession, twisting ever more sinister until their chilling games of cat-and-mouse finally become a horrifying reality where even victory can't bring release.
A dark, destructive, delicious tale; I loved it!
Thanks Jemidar for another crazy doorstopper of a buddy read :-)
September 24, 2009
Best book I've ever read. I plan to read it again in 5-10 years.
May 11, 2010
Susan Howatch writes this multi-generational book with a very deliberate gimmick, and yet it's such a clever one that I loved every minute of it. The novel is enjoyable enough on its own merits as the story of several generations of an English family, told in succession by a tortured adrenaline junkie, his flamboyant wife, his repressed younger brother, his artistic son, his ambitious nephew, and finally a grand-nephew determined to raise the family status again to glory. But what if you know your English history, and figure out that this is really the re-told story of the Black Prince of Wales, his wife Joan of Kent, his brother John of Gaunt, the deposed Richard II, the usurper Henry IV, and the triumphant Henry V? Point for point, medieval history is transposed cleverly into the 20th century. A great many painful moments wrap around this family, but in the end they will triumph - just as Henry V triumphed at Agincourt.
August 21, 2013
More like 4.5 stars.
Very clever and detailed 'modern' interpretation of the lives of the English historical figures Edward (AKA The Black Prince), Joan (AKA The Fair Maid of Kent), John of Gaunt, Richard II, Henry IV and Henry V. The cast come alive in this multi-generational saga that encompasses everything from scandal, lust, murder, sodomy, drunkenness, abuse, illegitimacy, jealously, madness and extortion spanning the years 1913 to 1966.
I seriously loved how the author wove the historical facts into a riveting story which gave a great psychological and sympathetic insight into the characters. There were no heros or villains just people doing the best they could as the actions of earlier generations echoed down the years. Wonderfully salacious, and satisfyingly dark & dysfunctional.
Another great chunkster buddy read with my good friend Anna :-).
July 1, 2011
This book is a family saga on the Godwin's family told over a period of fifty years in their Welsh estate, Oxmoon. I must agree with Misfit, this book is without any doubt the best book written by Susan Howatch, even if I did loved Cashelmara and Penmarric. The parallel with the real historical characters is fabulous. As in any book by SH, is hard to tell which is my favorite character but I'm still divided between Kester and Hal.
December 12, 2015
Don't let the slow start put you off, this book plunges into a complex and complicated family and morphs into a book that can't be put down. Knowing it is based on actual royalty and the line of the Black Prince makes it all the more fascinating. There isn't a two dimensional character in the book, including those who have minor roles. I cannot believe Horwatch escaped my attention or so long, but I am looking forward to reading her entire canon of work.
January 13, 2013
This book is one of those books you can read and re-read countless times and still find the story interesting. I myself didn't see the connection between some of the characters and real life historical people or time periods, but I'm not all that well versed in European history.
In fact, if I'd read a review of the book stating that the characters and time were based on the Plantagenests (sp???), I probably would have run away screaming because it would have made me think Wheel of Fortune sounded suspiciously like something that would be required reading in one of my lierature classes, and back when I first discovered this book I was in college looking for fun and interesting books to take my mind off the books that were required reading in the many literature classes I took. As a college student, I was inherently suspicious of any book I "had" to read. Of course that's ridiculous and closeminded, and now some of my most favorite books and authors are ones I scorned as a student.
[By the way, please DON'T take my reference to the more scholarly/well-informed reviews as criticism of the readers who wrote those reviews or as criticism of their review, because I most definitely didn't mean it that way.]
Back to my own thoughts about the book. Although extremely long, I read this book in record time because the the plot drew me in and the characters were so multidimensional. I love how the same event is many times written about from the perspective of several characters, who of course look at the event very differently.
I've read this book many times since I first read it as a way to help get through my exams as a college freshman, when I used it as a reward (if you learn two chapters of microeconomics well enough to do well if anything from those chapters shows up on the exam, you can read two chapters of Wheel of Fortune). When exams were finally over I finished the whole book.
Since then I haven't re-read the whole book start to finish. Its the kind of book you can pick up and read in any section, and enjoy it and be able to follow the story, although that might not be true unless you've read it start to finish at least once.
My favorite section of the book is where John is having baby after baby with his true love, Bronwen, who he wanted to marry before he became bogged down in the English class system of the time. He marries the daughter of his boss...a suitable choice as far as the system goes and tries to convince them both that they are happy...until he reunites with Bronwen. That whole section and how it affects virtually all the characters, fascinates me.
Also interesting is how an event that most of the characters are too young to have first hand knowledge of shadows over almost all, to varying degrees. I'm talking about the affair between Bobby's mother and the Oxmoon groundskeeper and the possibility that she, or they, caused the death or murder of her husband.
This book is written so well, I found the story of each character interesting, and some riveting. This book is a must read.
In fact, if I'd read a review of the book stating that the characters and time were based on the Plantagenests (sp???), I probably would have run away screaming because it would have made me think Wheel of Fortune sounded suspiciously like something that would be required reading in one of my lierature classes, and back when I first discovered this book I was in college looking for fun and interesting books to take my mind off the books that were required reading in the many literature classes I took. As a college student, I was inherently suspicious of any book I "had" to read. Of course that's ridiculous and closeminded, and now some of my most favorite books and authors are ones I scorned as a student.
[By the way, please DON'T take my reference to the more scholarly/well-informed reviews as criticism of the readers who wrote those reviews or as criticism of their review, because I most definitely didn't mean it that way.]
Back to my own thoughts about the book. Although extremely long, I read this book in record time because the the plot drew me in and the characters were so multidimensional. I love how the same event is many times written about from the perspective of several characters, who of course look at the event very differently.
I've read this book many times since I first read it as a way to help get through my exams as a college freshman, when I used it as a reward (if you learn two chapters of microeconomics well enough to do well if anything from those chapters shows up on the exam, you can read two chapters of Wheel of Fortune). When exams were finally over I finished the whole book.
Since then I haven't re-read the whole book start to finish. Its the kind of book you can pick up and read in any section, and enjoy it and be able to follow the story, although that might not be true unless you've read it start to finish at least once.
My favorite section of the book is where John is having baby after baby with his true love, Bronwen, who he wanted to marry before he became bogged down in the English class system of the time. He marries the daughter of his boss...a suitable choice as far as the system goes and tries to convince them both that they are happy...until he reunites with Bronwen. That whole section and how it affects virtually all the characters, fascinates me.
Also interesting is how an event that most of the characters are too young to have first hand knowledge of shadows over almost all, to varying degrees. I'm talking about the affair between Bobby's mother and the Oxmoon groundskeeper and the possibility that she, or they, caused the death or murder of her husband.
This book is written so well, I found the story of each character interesting, and some riveting. This book is a must read.
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April 13, 2025Susan Howatch is a favorite author so I was looking forward to this family saga. However, my heart wasn't in it and it couldn't hold my attention. I truly wanted it to work. I made it to page 427.
June 30, 2021
Whilst there are parts that are enjoyable, the novel is rather terrible. Aimless, with no driving force, no objective, and no other purpose in sight that repeating the Plantagenets in a modern setting, which may be a fine exercise in character study, but as a story lacks in focus and cohesiveness.
Plus, the characters aren't multilayered but rather one-note and repetitive, not to mention they behave like automatons and follow the plot rather than drive it. The real Plantagenets were complex people, saints and sinners, bad and good, but in this novel they are all unlikable and so profoundly dysfunctional as a result of plot requirements rather than natural characterisation, which makes them annoying instead of interesting. Even the Plantagenets that were decent, like Queen Philippa, are made to be horrid people (just look at what Margaret does to cover up and justify away the crimes of her husband), and the rationale doesn't work so well when the historical context that drove their behaviour back in the 14th century is taken away.
These are no real people, and don't feel like real people either; they are sitcom carton mouthpieces trying to live out other people's stories.
Plus, the characters aren't multilayered but rather one-note and repetitive, not to mention they behave like automatons and follow the plot rather than drive it. The real Plantagenets were complex people, saints and sinners, bad and good, but in this novel they are all unlikable and so profoundly dysfunctional as a result of plot requirements rather than natural characterisation, which makes them annoying instead of interesting. Even the Plantagenets that were decent, like Queen Philippa, are made to be horrid people (just look at what Margaret does to cover up and justify away the crimes of her husband), and the rationale doesn't work so well when the historical context that drove their behaviour back in the 14th century is taken away.
These are no real people, and don't feel like real people either; they are sitcom carton mouthpieces trying to live out other people's stories.
January 14, 2019
Who doesn’t love a family saga? As Susan Howatch wrote a 20th-century tale based on the medieval Plantagenet story, I loved this one especially well. I became as obsessive as its characters, returning to the stories of the family members who cherished and coveted the grand Oxmoon estate, and who were as complicit in glossing over the sins of the past as in perpetuating the stifling class idealism that would ensure those mistakes would get repeated in the future. Brothers fight with brothers over Oxmoon’s inheritance, while women, regarded as a mere accessory, serve as the backbone that holds Oxmoon, and its men, together. As a woman, I wanted more of the women’s stories—but THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE is, at its heart, a tale of toxic masculinity and a commentary on the damage that patriarchy does to men while professing to exalt them. The writing is fantastic, Susan Howatch’s command of voice is superb, and the plotting is ingenious. And now, I’m off to track the author down so I can tell her so!
February 4, 2017
This huge, dramatic, glorious, complex family saga reeled me in page by page (ok, screen by screen...I confess). Each lengthy chapter is told from a different character's point of view, so the reader gets both intimate insights into each complex personality as well as a more balanced perspective. It can be a challenge to keep it all straight, but the drama continues at a fast pace so I never got bored.
There were times when the overuse of "doing the done thing" and "drawing the line" got on my nerves, but that motif is central to the story. The author develops several other themes through the generations of characters as we see the effects of jealousy, lust, obsession, and madness (and the fear of it). The spinning wheel of fortune ensures that no one remains on top forever. It was impossible to love or even like the narrators, but I could develop sympathy for them. The final theme is redemption and that always satisfies my soul.
There were times when the overuse of "doing the done thing" and "drawing the line" got on my nerves, but that motif is central to the story. The author develops several other themes through the generations of characters as we see the effects of jealousy, lust, obsession, and madness (and the fear of it). The spinning wheel of fortune ensures that no one remains on top forever. It was impossible to love or even like the narrators, but I could develop sympathy for them. The final theme is redemption and that always satisfies my soul.
December 20, 2014
Absolutely terrible. A promising premise, a twentieth-century aristocratic approach to one of the most famous royal families in history (Plantagenets), and one of my favorite periods, disastrously lost itself in irritating, one dimensional characters with no plot, flow or redeeming qualities. The characters were irritating, the dialogue impossible to follow and page after page of self absorbed ramblings. The only thing remotely enjoyable was matching the modern characters to their historic counterparts; which, in that case, I'd prefer just reading the original story.
September 19, 2010
This is definitely my all-time favorite book. It has everything I like, multi-generations, historical parallels, a story told from the viewpoint of many intriguing characters. It's a long book, but it caught my interest from the beginning, and I have gone back and read it two or three times again. I have loved all of Susan Howatch's family sagas, but this one is the best!
September 27, 2021
*3.5 stars - FINALLY FINISHED THIS BEAST!
October 14, 2024
Dazzling. (reread)
March 30, 2011
This is my favourate book of all time. I loved the style of writing, the drama, everything! I read this book when i was still in university (10 years ago!) and i own a copy that has seen better days. i still cannot resist reading it once in a while; it's the only book i've re-read over and over
January 13, 2012
4.5 Stars.
Wheel of fortune is a modern telling of the lives of the Plantagenets: Edward The Black Prince through Henry V, taking place between 1913 and the 1970's. While the book itself is quite hefty at almost 1200 pages, it was very quick read; mostly because I had to force myself to put it down. I have to say that Harry was my favorite character even though nothing ever really seemed to work out for him. The book is separated into six different parts each reading like a diary entry in the 1st person. I loved seeing the different characters from so many different view points. What made the book the most interesting was how the author gave each character their own voice, even the ones who weren't the six major characters all had their own distinct personalities.
I would definitely put The Wheel of Fortune on par with any of the best Historical Fiction I've ever read, and I would compare it with Penman's Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine Trilogy, which I loved.
Wheel of fortune is a modern telling of the lives of the Plantagenets: Edward The Black Prince through Henry V, taking place between 1913 and the 1970's. While the book itself is quite hefty at almost 1200 pages, it was very quick read; mostly because I had to force myself to put it down. I have to say that Harry was my favorite character even though nothing ever really seemed to work out for him. The book is separated into six different parts each reading like a diary entry in the 1st person. I loved seeing the different characters from so many different view points. What made the book the most interesting was how the author gave each character their own voice, even the ones who weren't the six major characters all had their own distinct personalities.
I would definitely put The Wheel of Fortune on par with any of the best Historical Fiction I've ever read, and I would compare it with Penman's Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine Trilogy, which I loved.
August 21, 2013
My copy is quite literally a brick with 977 pages and tiny, microscopic font. Eye strain here I come!!
September 4, 2023
I’m not sure who was part of the demographic that gave this book high reviews, and no shade at all, but I’m just curious : What about this book deserves a high rating?
I have plenty of criticisms about this book but I will only speak of the top 3. The first is the characters and their development. The majority of the characters in this book are hedonists. Every character is motivated by lust — I can understand one or two characters of this novel having conflicts with their hedonistic tendencies but it seems that it’s a trait passed on through genes. This made the plot tiresome and honestly, really weird. The second criticism is how many times “the lost Oxmoon of our childhood” or “I draw the line is said”. I felt brain cells die every time Uncle John said “I draw the line.” Okay? It’s not the power move that he thinks it is. And the fact that when the other characters hear him say this they immediately stop what they are doing is unrealistic. Think of it like when your mom tells you you have to clean your room; suddenly, you can’t be paid any amount of money to clean your room. It’s overused in this novel. Third, Hal’s POV at the end was 🥱 the most useless and boring part of the story. I am not going to lie, I started skipping sentences because I’d forced myself through 1030 pages of this nightmare novel that I thought I could at least do myself the smallest mercy and finish it as soon as possible.
I hope that the amount of second hand embarrassment that I will have for this book now being on my “read” shelf will be offset by my one star rating of disapproval.
I have plenty of criticisms about this book but I will only speak of the top 3. The first is the characters and their development. The majority of the characters in this book are hedonists. Every character is motivated by lust — I can understand one or two characters of this novel having conflicts with their hedonistic tendencies but it seems that it’s a trait passed on through genes. This made the plot tiresome and honestly, really weird. The second criticism is how many times “the lost Oxmoon of our childhood” or “I draw the line is said”. I felt brain cells die every time Uncle John said “I draw the line.” Okay? It’s not the power move that he thinks it is. And the fact that when the other characters hear him say this they immediately stop what they are doing is unrealistic. Think of it like when your mom tells you you have to clean your room; suddenly, you can’t be paid any amount of money to clean your room. It’s overused in this novel. Third, Hal’s POV at the end was 🥱 the most useless and boring part of the story. I am not going to lie, I started skipping sentences because I’d forced myself through 1030 pages of this nightmare novel that I thought I could at least do myself the smallest mercy and finish it as soon as possible.
I hope that the amount of second hand embarrassment that I will have for this book now being on my “read” shelf will be offset by my one star rating of disapproval.
April 26, 2025
Good story, and well written, but quite slow I thought.
Maybe it’s just a comparison to the Starbridge series. I read that whole series in the time it took to read this book.
But I’m glad I did.
I’d like to be a Howatch completist.
Maybe it’s just a comparison to the Starbridge series. I read that whole series in the time it took to read this book.
But I’m glad I did.
I’d like to be a Howatch completist.
December 22, 2020
A great story, but a bit too long and drawn-out for me.
March 23, 2011
This is a sprawling family saga, following a Welsh family from the Gower Peninsua from the late 19th century through to the 1970s. It's also a retelling of the history of the Plantagenets - Edward III, Richard II, Henry IV and Henry V. It's very well-written, and it's quite an interesting experience, reading a modern retelling of history. You know what will happen, sort of - which characters will die, which will be murdered, but not the circumstances or the context. And it's about how every action has effects which can linger on in time - the actions of Bobby's (Edward III) mother and lover in the 19th century linger on to affect Bobby's sons, Robert (the Black Prince) and John (John of Gaunt), Robert's son Kester (Richard II) and John's son Harry (Henry IV) and eventually Harry's son Hal (Henry V) in the 1970s. A very good book.
December 18, 2025
Now THAT’s an epic! I read this as a teen, forgot what it was called but thought about it for thirty years, and then found it again this year and let it become my entire personality for six weeks. It’s just the right amount of melodrama and magical thinking filtered through a really, really talented writer, and I loooooved it. If you like thousand-page multigenerational stories about the landed class being psychologically messy in their country manors, don’t miss this one.
One of the most delightful parts of this reread was finding out it takes place in a tiny beachside community in Wales that I accidentally spent a day in six years ago. (Rhossili Beach! One of the best days ever? Probably.) All the mentions of landmarks I’ve actually seen with my own eyes! Such a cool experience to have with book that had lived so long like a ghost in my brain.
One of the most delightful parts of this reread was finding out it takes place in a tiny beachside community in Wales that I accidentally spent a day in six years ago. (Rhossili Beach! One of the best days ever? Probably.) All the mentions of landmarks I’ve actually seen with my own eyes! Such a cool experience to have with book that had lived so long like a ghost in my brain.
April 3, 2011
This massive book by Susan Howatch retells the story of Edward III of England's dynasty in a 20th century setting told in five first person narratives through the century. I absolutely loved this book and thought it was brilliantly done through John's story, but it began to weaken in its appeal through the final third of the book -- Henry and Hal's stories. However, the strength of the beginning far outweighed the weakness of the resolution for me. Note: Read this book after reading Anya Seton's Katherine to fully appreciate the John's story.
January 21, 2021
TERRIBLE!!!! TERRIBLE!!!! TERRIBLE!!!! I tried so hard to read this book but there was no story, plot or anything. All the characters kept on about was how they could not live without each out and jumping in and out of bed. I think this is one of if not the worst book i have ever read. Mind you i didn't read all of the book. Got to page 134 and couldn't read any more. This author i wouldn't bother reading any other of her books. So boring.
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