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Erringby
Kit is waiting expectantly for life to begin. Orphaned as a young child, he recoils from his adoptive parents’ mundane existence, drawn instead to the bohemian world of his Uncle Col and Col’s charismatic wife Marianne. After Kit’s adoptive mother suffers a breakdown, he is sent to stay at Erringby, Marianne’s rambling family mansion, where, immersed in her hedonistic lifestyle, he becomes increasingly obsessed with his aunt.
One particularly debauched summer in 1986, the eighteen-year-old Kit wakes to find himself in bed with Marianne. But what happened? And who is his sudden mysterious benefactor? As Kit grapples with the ramifications of that night and questions his own identity, he, Marianne and Col find their lives spiralling out of control.
Unfolding against the changing cultural landscape of the seventies, eighties and nineties, ‘Erringby’ is a captivating coming-of-age novel with echoes of ‘Great Expectations’.
One particularly debauched summer in 1986, the eighteen-year-old Kit wakes to find himself in bed with Marianne. But what happened? And who is his sudden mysterious benefactor? As Kit grapples with the ramifications of that night and questions his own identity, he, Marianne and Col find their lives spiralling out of control.
Unfolding against the changing cultural landscape of the seventies, eighties and nineties, ‘Erringby’ is a captivating coming-of-age novel with echoes of ‘Great Expectations’.
384 pages, Paperback
Published June 17, 2021
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151 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
May 15, 2021
I absolutely adored this book!
The journey through the 70s, 80s and 90s was so fun! And we really went on a journey with Kit, Marianne and Col.
These characters grow and change a lot, and this is ultimately a coming of age tale, and a story about people with lots of dreams. Yet we see that sometimes dreams don't always work out, and you will face many obstacles along the way.
You both love and hate the characters all at once. Like one chapter you love them and the next they've done something and you are just really disappointed in them, like they are actually a member of your own family.
This book does touch on some tougher subjects I think primarily drug abuse. Although I think it was very hand in hand with the setting and the party boy lifestyle Kit leads, I'm glad we got to see the downsides to his lifestyle choices aswell as the cool guy model parts, as I was a bit afraid it would glamorise substance abuse, but in fact we got a great insight into it ruining Kits life and his realisation he needed to turn his life around.
This is a great book with loads of twists and drama. I had a great time reading it and would definitely recommend it!
The journey through the 70s, 80s and 90s was so fun! And we really went on a journey with Kit, Marianne and Col.
These characters grow and change a lot, and this is ultimately a coming of age tale, and a story about people with lots of dreams. Yet we see that sometimes dreams don't always work out, and you will face many obstacles along the way.
You both love and hate the characters all at once. Like one chapter you love them and the next they've done something and you are just really disappointed in them, like they are actually a member of your own family.
This book does touch on some tougher subjects I think primarily drug abuse. Although I think it was very hand in hand with the setting and the party boy lifestyle Kit leads, I'm glad we got to see the downsides to his lifestyle choices aswell as the cool guy model parts, as I was a bit afraid it would glamorise substance abuse, but in fact we got a great insight into it ruining Kits life and his realisation he needed to turn his life around.
This is a great book with loads of twists and drama. I had a great time reading it and would definitely recommend it!
December 12, 2021
I can’t review this book until after our book group have finished reading it. But it’s very good
April 24, 2021
A highly enjoyable and intoxicating novel about the tempestuous bonds of a family
bound together by Erringby Hall, a sprawling mansion bequeathed to Marianne, a bohemian young adult, as a result of a misconception.
Marianne and her husband Col have a volatile relationship, although they have a habit of kissing and making up in scenes that are at times reminiscent of Monique Roffey's The Tryst.
Col has hopes of turning Erringby into a family home, but when they fail to conceive and remain childless, they welcome Col's troubled nephew Christopher, who later transforms himself into a fashion model named Kit Dashwood, with open arms.
Col and Kit, both bewitched by Marianne's charms, don't realise, however, that she's been pulling the wool over their eyes, while they continue to put her and Errinby at the centre of their lives.
But when Erringby's walls slowly but surely begin to crumble around them, Marianne's deceit is exposed.
It's too late for Col to recover from her, but can Kit heal himself and make a new start?
I thoroughly recommend this novel, which plays out over three decades, as it truly is exquisitely written and an unforgettable read.
bound together by Erringby Hall, a sprawling mansion bequeathed to Marianne, a bohemian young adult, as a result of a misconception.
Marianne and her husband Col have a volatile relationship, although they have a habit of kissing and making up in scenes that are at times reminiscent of Monique Roffey's The Tryst.
Col has hopes of turning Erringby into a family home, but when they fail to conceive and remain childless, they welcome Col's troubled nephew Christopher, who later transforms himself into a fashion model named Kit Dashwood, with open arms.
Col and Kit, both bewitched by Marianne's charms, don't realise, however, that she's been pulling the wool over their eyes, while they continue to put her and Errinby at the centre of their lives.
But when Erringby's walls slowly but surely begin to crumble around them, Marianne's deceit is exposed.
It's too late for Col to recover from her, but can Kit heal himself and make a new start?
I thoroughly recommend this novel, which plays out over three decades, as it truly is exquisitely written and an unforgettable read.
June 21, 2021
Thank you so much to Fairlight Books for sending me this #gifted proof copy. It’s out NOW so please go get yourself a copy if you can 😍 I absolutely adored this book and I cannot put into words just how much I love it. The writing was elegant and easy to read, and after reading just the synopsis, I knew this would quickly become a favourite of mine. When it comes to the characters, I feel as though I have a love-hate relationship with them because each of them have MAJOR flaws however, I am completely invested in their life and their story. I wanted to scream and throw the book across the room simply because of how stupid and idiotic and childish some of the characters were being, but I couldn’t help but fall in love with their story as they grow and develop.
It’s interesting to see the story unfold through the 70s, 80s and 90s, so you get a good glimpse into everyone’s lives as they get older and mature more. This book is captivating, heartbreaking and incredibly intense. I could probably go on and on in great detail about the individual characters but for now I’ll just leave you with this. If you want to cry and laugh, and at times feel a bit cringe and awkward (but for all the right reasons), then definitely read this book. I was compelled from the very first page right until the last line. I didn’t want it to end. Plus can we just take a moment to show our appreciation for how absolutely beautiful the cover is? It’s the first book in a long time that I haven’t cracked the spine and I’m feeling very pleased with myself right now. I cannot wait to see what Gill Darling writes next.
“𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚜 𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚙𝚎𝚍”
November 30, 2021
I was hooked on this book. So much so I just finished it while walking down Carnaby Street in heeled boots. A full William Boyd meets Rebecca style mash-up following the hedonism and troubles of the protagonist, as well as his relationship with his aunt who rattles around her decaying stately home.
June 14, 2021
Wowowow what a book! I was immediately drawn by the author's writing style which was straightforward and lush. I was then captivated by the estate of Erringby and it's grandeur, it's intriguing mistress, Marianne. The pacing was excellent, keeping you engaged throughout and I had a love/hate relationship with Kit, as is the author's intent, I believe.
Spanning decades and following the rise and fall of our main character, Kit, I think Erringby is a true feat. I could not put it down. Drug addiction, alcoholism, toxic relationships, family dramas, fame, fortune, this book literally has it all. I loved this coming-of-age novel and I think anyone who enjoyed Great Expectations and other classics will love this one too!
Spanning decades and following the rise and fall of our main character, Kit, I think Erringby is a true feat. I could not put it down. Drug addiction, alcoholism, toxic relationships, family dramas, fame, fortune, this book literally has it all. I loved this coming-of-age novel and I think anyone who enjoyed Great Expectations and other classics will love this one too!
June 13, 2021
This novel is absorbing, compelling, emotional, and sensual, with great period details (60s to 2000s), a fascinating central protagonist who has great, unusual relationships with some other believable but outrageous characters.
I don’t know much about Great Expectations, which this is loosely based on, apart from that there is a big, decaying house and a misattributed inheritance. These things are present in Erringby, but in an interestingly twisted way. There are good reveals and twists at the satisfying end, but that’s not primarily what this novel is about.
It is an evocation of the first part of a young man’s life. He moves through the late 60s to early 2000s and those periods are conjured in a natural and reminiscent way. By the last half I was stopping occasionally to remember where I’d been and what I’d been doing in parallel to Kit’s life. The story is told from the points of view of all of the main characters, moving smoothly and comfortably between them.
I don’t want to give too much away, but I found the turns which Kit’s (and his relatives’) life takes both unexpected and believable. What’s more I cared about all of them, even when they were behaving badly, self-sabotaging and creating drama. The house itself, Erringby Hall, is one of the central characters. I felt I got to know it and care about it as much as anyone else.
All in all, I highly recommend this absorbing, exciting, emotional read.
I don’t know much about Great Expectations, which this is loosely based on, apart from that there is a big, decaying house and a misattributed inheritance. These things are present in Erringby, but in an interestingly twisted way. There are good reveals and twists at the satisfying end, but that’s not primarily what this novel is about.
It is an evocation of the first part of a young man’s life. He moves through the late 60s to early 2000s and those periods are conjured in a natural and reminiscent way. By the last half I was stopping occasionally to remember where I’d been and what I’d been doing in parallel to Kit’s life. The story is told from the points of view of all of the main characters, moving smoothly and comfortably between them.
I don’t want to give too much away, but I found the turns which Kit’s (and his relatives’) life takes both unexpected and believable. What’s more I cared about all of them, even when they were behaving badly, self-sabotaging and creating drama. The house itself, Erringby Hall, is one of the central characters. I felt I got to know it and care about it as much as anyone else.
All in all, I highly recommend this absorbing, exciting, emotional read.
May 2, 2021
An excellent, maddening, character-driven novel.
Everyone in this book is grasping for control-- lying and manipulating those around them to get it. The lack of tangible love in this book is underscored by the overabundance of physical relationships almost completely devoid of real emotion. The contrast of lust and love couldn't be more apparent, each of these characters is addicted to a wickedness that is slowly consuming them, and those around them. It's dark and twisted, but I couldn't put it down. You know these characters only make horrible choices, but you can't help but want to watch it all unfold and hope they finally get it right.
This book pushes the boundaries of what some people may be comfortable reading, but that made me love it even more. You're left wondering who is really at fault for it all, and to what extent you get to blame others for the way your own life turned out. The plot twist at the end sealed my admiration for this book and all it accomplishes in character development and story-telling. Exceptionally well written.
Thank you so much to Fairlight Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Everyone in this book is grasping for control-- lying and manipulating those around them to get it. The lack of tangible love in this book is underscored by the overabundance of physical relationships almost completely devoid of real emotion. The contrast of lust and love couldn't be more apparent, each of these characters is addicted to a wickedness that is slowly consuming them, and those around them. It's dark and twisted, but I couldn't put it down. You know these characters only make horrible choices, but you can't help but want to watch it all unfold and hope they finally get it right.
This book pushes the boundaries of what some people may be comfortable reading, but that made me love it even more. You're left wondering who is really at fault for it all, and to what extent you get to blame others for the way your own life turned out. The plot twist at the end sealed my admiration for this book and all it accomplishes in character development and story-telling. Exceptionally well written.
Thank you so much to Fairlight Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 19, 2023
As this was reccomended by a friend I really really wanted to love this book but it was insufferable!
All the characters I hated to my core and we're badly written .. Not much happens in the story and when Mariannes, Cols and Kits lives are thrown into chaos like.. I did not care one bit! Also the book implies that Kit, the nephew of Mariannes and Col SLEEPS WITH his aunt! He may not be related by blood but it's still fucked up.
Whilst it was a easy bingable read (read in 1 day) it was such a dissapoint!
All the characters I hated to my core and we're badly written .. Not much happens in the story and when Mariannes, Cols and Kits lives are thrown into chaos like.. I did not care one bit! Also the book implies that Kit, the nephew of Mariannes and Col SLEEPS WITH his aunt! He may not be related by blood but it's still fucked up.
Whilst it was a easy bingable read (read in 1 day) it was such a dissapoint!
October 3, 2021
I really enjoyed this. To begin with, Christopher (the main character) reminded me of Leo in the Go-between; later it was clear that he reflected Pip from Great Expectations. In terms of the house itself, there were times where Angela Carter’s Wise Childrwn spam rang to mind.
The characters are well-drawn, the plot is engaging and the description of the various settings is evocative.
The only point is that there are a couple of implausible leaps in time/events, but that may just be me being picky.
I’d like to see this on film or a tv drama of any producers are reading this!
The characters are well-drawn, the plot is engaging and the description of the various settings is evocative.
The only point is that there are a couple of implausible leaps in time/events, but that may just be me being picky.
I’d like to see this on film or a tv drama of any producers are reading this!
September 13, 2021
This is one of those which I wasn’t necessarily as excited about picking up as say, the latest thriller, but from the minute I started I was completely hooked and wondering why I didn’t read it sooner! It’s absolutely captivating 🙌
With echoes of Great Expectations, which I must shamefully admit I’ve never read, this is primarily the story of Kit, a boy who was adopted at a young age and who finds himself obsessed with the new wife of his uncle Col. His life is changed irrevocably at the age of 18 when he receives a large sum of money in a trust fund, which he believes to be from his aunt Marianne, who owns the rambling mansion Erringby and is the only person he knows of any wealth. But receiving such a sum of money at a young age sends Kit on a path of drugs and debauchery which may cost him everything…and what is Marianne’s motive in all this?
There is something so darkly glamorous about this novel, from the crumbling Erringby, to Kit’s extravagant style and lifestyle when he receives his unexpected trust fund. Rather than pursue the art career which he has such a talent for, Kit falls into a London life of drugs, modelling and clubs, rarely going to bed before 4am - but of course that kind of lifestyle comes with a price, and we watch as Kit slowly loses sight of himself and all that he holds dear.
The author has just written the most sublime set of characters in this novel - whilst Kit is the star of the show, we also see a lot of Marianne and Col’s volatile relationship, which seems filled with as much hatred as passion. None of the characters are prim and perfect - in fact, far from it, and that’s what makes this so addictive! There’s also so much that’s unclear in the relationship between Kit and his aunt Marianne, and I think many readers are in for a surprise at the end when everything we believed is turned upside down.
Family drama and tragedies, passionate relationships and all the glamour of 70s, 80s and 90s London when people would wear Vivienne Westwood to clubs - this is an utterly compelling read which had me wishing for another time.
With echoes of Great Expectations, which I must shamefully admit I’ve never read, this is primarily the story of Kit, a boy who was adopted at a young age and who finds himself obsessed with the new wife of his uncle Col. His life is changed irrevocably at the age of 18 when he receives a large sum of money in a trust fund, which he believes to be from his aunt Marianne, who owns the rambling mansion Erringby and is the only person he knows of any wealth. But receiving such a sum of money at a young age sends Kit on a path of drugs and debauchery which may cost him everything…and what is Marianne’s motive in all this?
There is something so darkly glamorous about this novel, from the crumbling Erringby, to Kit’s extravagant style and lifestyle when he receives his unexpected trust fund. Rather than pursue the art career which he has such a talent for, Kit falls into a London life of drugs, modelling and clubs, rarely going to bed before 4am - but of course that kind of lifestyle comes with a price, and we watch as Kit slowly loses sight of himself and all that he holds dear.
The author has just written the most sublime set of characters in this novel - whilst Kit is the star of the show, we also see a lot of Marianne and Col’s volatile relationship, which seems filled with as much hatred as passion. None of the characters are prim and perfect - in fact, far from it, and that’s what makes this so addictive! There’s also so much that’s unclear in the relationship between Kit and his aunt Marianne, and I think many readers are in for a surprise at the end when everything we believed is turned upside down.
Family drama and tragedies, passionate relationships and all the glamour of 70s, 80s and 90s London when people would wear Vivienne Westwood to clubs - this is an utterly compelling read which had me wishing for another time.
December 16, 2024
Erringby is a coming-of-age story featuring Kit, who spends part of his adolescence growing up with his adoptive aunt and uncle in the formerly grand country pile of Erringby. Loosely inspired by Great Expectations this is a compulsively readable and salacious view into the life of a boy growing up without a sense of truly belonging, searching for family and self amongst the mystery and romance of Erringby.
The book follows some of the same themes of Great Expectations in that it has a similar moral dilemma in the corruptive power of money and its ability to make one forget their roots, but it also adds fame into the equation and the intoxicating power of admiration. The lure of the upper class lifestyle that Erringby represents devolves into squalor and dysfunction and Kit’s aunt Marianne is at the centre of it all with her allure, sexuality and unattainability.
I loved the contrast between the pastoral, crumbling setting of Erringby and the 1980s club kid scene in London; with the difference in pace between the two settings, they almost feel like they’re in different worlds.
I really enjoyed this book with its unique settings, a nod to a great classic book and its gritty themes of addiction, obsession, seduction, identity and fame - I highly recommend it!
The book follows some of the same themes of Great Expectations in that it has a similar moral dilemma in the corruptive power of money and its ability to make one forget their roots, but it also adds fame into the equation and the intoxicating power of admiration. The lure of the upper class lifestyle that Erringby represents devolves into squalor and dysfunction and Kit’s aunt Marianne is at the centre of it all with her allure, sexuality and unattainability.
I loved the contrast between the pastoral, crumbling setting of Erringby and the 1980s club kid scene in London; with the difference in pace between the two settings, they almost feel like they’re in different worlds.
I really enjoyed this book with its unique settings, a nod to a great classic book and its gritty themes of addiction, obsession, seduction, identity and fame - I highly recommend it!
June 20, 2021
Well this is good fun! A bunch of largely unpleasant characters undergo various rites of passage from Slade to Pulp and beyond, all set against the lurking presence of a tumbledown mansion and a sorta foundling child.
Lots of drugs and booze and sex and madcap adventuring and disintegrations and general adult irresponsibility written at a jolly breezy pace. If there's such a thing as a swinging 80's book I guess this is it.
This is Gill's first book and smashing effort it is. I'd say if was a good holiday read if you manage to get a holiday, but what the hell, you should probably read it anyway.
Lots of drugs and booze and sex and madcap adventuring and disintegrations and general adult irresponsibility written at a jolly breezy pace. If there's such a thing as a swinging 80's book I guess this is it.
This is Gill's first book and smashing effort it is. I'd say if was a good holiday read if you manage to get a holiday, but what the hell, you should probably read it anyway.
May 28, 2021
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC! There was more to this story than met the eye. For the first third, I wasn't much invested in the characters, and the English manor draw of the plot had dried up a little. But the latter half of the book gave me more to think about, focusing as it did on the character of Kit and his intersection with Marianne and Col.
September 7, 2022
This was given by my reading group. None of us liked it and only a couple of people finished it. Apparently it improved towards the end. I thought the dialogues were well written, but I couldn’t relate to any of the characters. The conclusion in my book group was that none of the characters had any redeeming features and it was hard to care about what happened to them.
October 2, 2021
An entertaining story. It’s slow in some parts but the tales of the family dynamics are engaging. It reads like they’ve pulled back the curtain behind that glam shots of society magazines.
November 19, 2021
Very readable & surprising!
August 8, 2022
Utter Rubbish. A Wannabe Manderley. Characters not developed enough. Very poor.
August 3, 2024
Very good. A retelling of Great Expectations.
July 20, 2022
Ok, well, I chose this book completely because of the cover. I mean, it looks good, right? I was in a bookstore in New York waiting to meet up with a friend and saw this on display. There was no staff recommendation card or anything, but I had never seen it before, and it was obviously an import from the UK, so I thought, hey, this must be worth a shot.
And it was! Part 1, when Christopher is little and Marianne and Col are first dating and married, is the best and most convincing. The author moves more quickly through events after this initial setup, and the plot began to feel rushed. I found myself not understanding things the main characters were doing or the reasons for the changes in their personalities. The flip side of this is that the book does not drag. I was always interested enough to keep going, even if I was somewhat scratching my head.
This is pitched as a loose retelling of Great Expectations, but I wouldn't think of it that way. It's its own thing--juicy and compelling, not an all-time classic, but good.
And it was! Part 1, when Christopher is little and Marianne and Col are first dating and married, is the best and most convincing. The author moves more quickly through events after this initial setup, and the plot began to feel rushed. I found myself not understanding things the main characters were doing or the reasons for the changes in their personalities. The flip side of this is that the book does not drag. I was always interested enough to keep going, even if I was somewhat scratching my head.
This is pitched as a loose retelling of Great Expectations, but I wouldn't think of it that way. It's its own thing--juicy and compelling, not an all-time classic, but good.
June 14, 2021
This book takes you on a multiple decade journey following the fabulous and flamboyant life of Kit and is a very compelling and extravagant book! This book is loosely based off Great Expectations which isn’t the style of book I would choose to read, however I did find myself enjoying the ups and downs of Kit and Erringby Manor. I felt as though some parts of the book were a little far fetched and didn’t find myself completely gripped to the storyline which is why I would only give this book 3 stars, but I have to say it was wonderfully written. Not my usual type of book but if you’re into the classics and the Great Gatsby style books then I think this book would definitely be for you!
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews