Phillip Brooke, ex hippie, ex philanderer, abandoner of wife and family, scion of a dynasty, owner of a mansion set in 1000 Sussex acres, is dead. Perhaps regretting his behaviour, he had returned to his house, his land and his family; Grace, his browbeaten wife, Frannie, his elder daughter and a single mother, Milo, his mentally unstable alcoholic son, Isa, his estranged and traumatised younger daughter, and Rowan, Frannie’s ten year old daughter who has only known him in these latter years, only known him as a good person. In these last few years he has worked with Frannie on the Albion Project, rewilding the land, giving back to nature that which was destroyed, and maybe providing his own salvation. A small funeral is planned, just the family plus a few outsiders who have various, and not always equable, connections. Tensions between the individuals are evident and used to expose their collective histories. Central to the story is Frannie’s struggle to continue with the project, despite the huge Inheritance Tax bill which might be imposed if they can’t get a charitable exemption. And then Clara, the daughter of Phillip’s long term mistress, arrives from the USA – and rocks the family to their foundations.
I usually only read and review mystery stories and this does not fit that genre, although there are many secrets to unravel and, in that sense, to solve, and the plot is complex. A good book is a good book on its own merits, and an excellent book even more so – and this is an excellent book. For a start it is beautifully, poetically written, the characters solid and believable and the descriptions of the land are lyrical, expressive, even emotional. And, underlying it all, hugely important issues are explored as integral to the story. It was a pleasure to read this.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

A compelling family saga about the present day occupants of a crumbling country pile in Sussex who are contemplating the next phase in the estate’s future after the death of the patriarch, Phillip Brooke. It is a bit heavy going at times, but the story has interesting complex characters in Frankie, Milo, Isa and Grace and there is plenty of tension and intrigue to keep the reader engaged. The offspring of a 21st century Downton Abbey meets Succession.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this story.

After what I found to be a slow start, this beautifully written novel set in East Sussex really gripped my attention. The topical plot takes place over the course of about one week, and the writing style allows relevant back stories to emerge naturally as the story progresses.

The reader meets a diverse cast of characters, many of them not very pleasant, and most of them members of the same family, their friends, and hangers-on who come together for a funeral. It seems to me that both the natural and the built landscapes, which are vital elements of the novel, are characters in their own right as well.

I have to admit that I nearly gave up on this novel, but I am so pleased that I managed to get into it eventually.. Four and a half stars, rounded to five.

This is a beautifully written novel with some interesting characters. Set at the time of a family funeral, it explores issues of inheritance, family secrets and tensions and ecological issues. A slow paced, thought-provoking read.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Francesca, Milo and Isa are the adult children of the famous Phillip Brooke, 1960's heir and party animal turned noble steward of his family land, and cofounder of an impressive rewilding project called Albion. He and Franny have worked to ensure they're doing all they can for future generations with the land passed down to them, and now that Phillip has passed it is up to Franny to carry the torch.

This isn't easy for anyone, let alone her young daughter Rowan, who's peaceful cottage in the grounds is going to her granny Grace and she has to move into the scary big house. Milo, the only son, finds Franny's sudden inheritance jarring too, especially as he was under the impression Phillip was leaving him some of the land to found a controversial clinic that uses psychedelics as a healing treatment, open to the very rich and influential only. The youngest, Isa, hopes to seek out an old flame at the funeral, but also throws a spanner in the works by inviting a guest from overseas who has her own thoughts about Phillip and the estate.

I give such a long recap because the premise is just so good (Sucession in the English countryside?), but the book more than lives up to it. What I particularly loved is how each of the (several!) point of view characters have a very different relationship with not only the estate but with the natural world, and the sense of place in a wider historical context. I love how every character has a very different, but passionate, view of legacy, and a lot of the tension of the book comes from those opposing views of that legacy and what they should do about it - to look to future generations, or to not leave history behind, or to escape to another world.

There are so many layers to the relationships between the characters, as you can imagine in any family, and it so interesting to see all those relationships from so many sides and angles, and to examine how all of these characters try to live in the long shadow left behind by Phillip. I really did love it, and can't wait for others to read it when it comes out on 1st May from Penguin Fig Tree.

This is a brilliant book that skewers the hypocrisy of Liberals who think they're on the right side of everything.
Frannie has inherited her father's estate, and has a grand plan to rewild it, but she's just as wedded to the ruling class way of doing things, and just as committed to hiding the source of her family's ill-gotten wealth.
Her siblings are selfish and venal, but no one is innocent. Anna Hope has written a brilliantly moreish story about how hippies in the 1960's betrayed all their values and about how toxic families can be when money is involved.

This book starts out like an old-fashioned story of the good old British family that inherited a pile in deepest darkest England (this time Sussex).
There were lots of little twists, mostly sexual as the patriarch was a sexual predator who was a huge man, and got his own way.
Upon his death his family are all broken and rudderless.
In recent years there has been some repenting and the 1000 acre estate has started to be rewilded for the benefit of humankind.
The book ends just after the wake, at which an accidentally invited American lets loose with the results of her PhD which sheds some light on the origins of the family ownership of the estate. A well-timed bombshell.
The characters were interesting, the storyline was well-developed.
I liked this book a lot. Perhaps it sheds light on mankind's way to save the future.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Philip Brooke has died, and his family are gathered at their ancestral home for his funeral. A tall and dominant figure, Philip’s reach is long and powerful, even in death. His oldest daughter Frannie has inherited everything and is trying to return the estate to nature and ecology. Clara arrives in their midst from America and tells a truth which will impact everyone. A superbly written and thought-provoking novel.

A beautifully written and fascinating insight into the dysfunctional family of an old estate. I thought the reveal about its shady past was well done, despite having already guessed the nature of it. I felt there was a little too much introspection afterwards, but a satisfying ending. It is an issue that needs to be addressed.

Right, this book tries to do a lot. And it mostly does, and it does them pretty well, but there are a few points reading this where it felt like it might be trying to do too much. The problem was that some of the threads felt a bit distant from each other, and that maybe it would be better to follow those thoughts in different books instead of putting them into one single story. The fact that Hope managed to actually connect everything up in the end was impressive and left me feeling a bit daft for my earlier doubts, but come together they do and it really does all fit together very nicely in the end. Just run with it all and have confidence.

And all that tells you nothing other than the story makes sense, which is probably the minimum we hope for and not very informative at all. So here's an attempt at a little more. The story takes place on an estate of many acres with woods, lakes, a church, holiday cottages, a stately home, and obviously, a clapped out bus from the 60s left over from a very 60s/70s sounding music festival and all that may imply. The family are gathering to bury the man who owned it all until a short while prior to the story commencing and his daughter is fretting about whether the inheritance tax will hamper their rewilding project. I know, I make that sound very exciting don't I? But it's all background really. That's the framework that brings the three children together with squabbles and angst over their roles in the family and the lingering baggage of childhood and all the drama and chaos of family life. Which is well written and, given many families, may at times feel a little too familiar for many of us, if not directly then at least through our closest relationships.

And that really is the story - baggage. It looks at how pervasive cruelty can be, and how important kindness and acceptance can be when we find it. It never yanks harshly on these threads, but there are constant light tugs throughout. They weave the whole thing together. And that is what to remember. Because at times you see Frannie worrying about plating oaks for future generations, Milo wanting to microdose future world leaders, and Clara bucking the trend with her history PhD that looks a little too closely at how many landed white English gentlemen made their money in the glory days of the British Empire with its many colonies.

Yeah, I warned you it looks at a lot of different things. And that's why, as good as each angle was, I found myself wondering why they were all there at once. Even very close to the end I felt the connection was a little weak. And then it fell into place. The final pages brought those thoughts of the past, present, and future, all together. If there can be such aa thing as a happy ending in a book about a funeral I might even suggest this managed it. Maybe not a full blown, smiles on faces happy ever after conclusion, but definitely a sense that the characters have a future. Not always the one they hoped or planned for, and not one that will run completely smoothly, but a future that will be better than where they are right now.

Still with me? Want the mini version I could've said at the start? Here goes. It's a god story. A little quirky at times, but it works. It broaches a bunch of heavy topics but manages to keep things relatively light considering. It's a good read and likely one many people should pick up even though I don't see it becoming a buzzy cool read that everyone recommends to each other and you start seeing multiple copies on the train or bus each day. It's a slow burner, which feels right. It's a book that feels like it will endure, a book that will be relevant and contemporary for years to come and something future generations will be able to benefit from being written. Kind of like an oak planted in the grounds. It's all rather apt when you think about it.

Grace and Philip Brooke inherited the eighteenth century family home and thousand acre estate and brought up their three children in the countryside = though in reality Grace did most of the parenting as Philip, a philanderer, took himself off to the USA and settled down with another woman for numerous years. He finally returned to Sussex where he eventually dies, leaving the burden of the estate to his eldest daughter, Frannie. She is very conscious of climate change and wants to do her best to re-wild as much of the land as possible, and take on eco projects, but her siblings, Milo and Isa are sceptical and Milo, in particular, has other grand ideas.

As the day of Phiip’s funeral approaches Isa drops a bombshell and tells Frannie that she has located the girl that she thinks was born of her husband’s Americam relationship, and has invited her t attend the funeral. Will her arrival cause more family friction and further problems?

An amazing read, bringing past and present problems together.

Despite high expectations this book was a miss for me. It felt over-structured and just way too long. The characters were unconvincing (perhaps as a result?) and the overall tone and dialogue somehow off. However there are so many strong reviews that I would encourage everyone to read and make up their own mind. Special thank you to Penguin Random House UK for a no obligation digital advance review copy.

A Funeral. ... A Family Reunion .... Unresolved Issues. .... A Sussex Manor House ..... and a family secret yet to be revealed .

Albion by Anna Hope could have been a "routine" novel about regret, desires and animosities between siblings gathering for their father's funeral - but this is a novel that digs deeper and darker into a family that has lived under the shadow of the patriarchal and egoistical (damaged) Philip Brooke - inheritor of a family estate going back several generations and self confessed party man- as well as privileged background.

After abandoning his wife ( still living alone on the estate ) and children and going to America, the estate/land goes into disarray until Frannie- the eldest of the children returns home after a self imposed exile and begins the job of turning the land into "Albion " a place of rewilding- returning the land to nature. Philip finally returns home to spend his final years on the estate - a state of atonement for past actions and works alongside Frannie.

Frannie's brother Milo has visions of making a fortune by using part of the land for a millionaire's retreat while young sister Isa has her own personal reasons to return to the estate as she struggles in her marriage.

This is a book set over five days exploring the fallout of a father's death; acknowledging hidden truths ;the expectations of the privileged and the impact of an unexpected guest Clara.

Anna Hope has written a superb novel that explores wider issues within society- legacy being at the forefront - what we leave behind ( the environment /natural world- climate change) but also the unspoken factors of the past and the need for benefactors from past wealth to acknowledge the roots of their entitlement and good fortune.

The novel moves from the perspective and voice of each of the main characters- each damaged by the actions of Philip. The tensions, greed, aspirations between the characters are palpable. The voice of Rowan- Frannie's daughter - is the one that curiously shines through as she observes the actions of the adults.

Gripping, moving , thought-provoking.

A highly recommended read for 2025 .

Growing up in Sussex - much of the landscape resonated with me

Expectation by the same author is a book that I really enjoyed so I went into this book with high hopes.
The plot is intriguing and the twist was unexpected but the pace was a little too slow for me and the characters were all unlikeable.
A talented writer and a good story but I needed a bit more oomph.

This isn't my usual type of read. I'm more of a thriller/mystery reader but I really enjoyed this one. Excellent prose and a beautiful story

Bit outside my normal reading habits but thought give it a try. Sadly. couldn't get into the characters and the book did seem to drag. I am sure many will enjoy this, particularly as it looms as how the landed gentry could evolve in the near future.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of Albion!

The book follows the story of a family and their ancestral home in the wake of the patriarch's death. I enjoyed the cast of characters created by Anna Hope in this book - I think every reader will probably have their favourites, but I reckon they might be different for everyone. Each character felt distinctly human with plenty of flaws to keep the story alive. I loved the injection of wildlife and nature descriptions, and the personality of the daughter, Rowan, was perfect. I was worried that the book might rely too heavily on 'shock value' to develop its storyline, but was satisfied by how it evolved. My main criticism is that I saw the 'twist' coming from about 100 pages out, so it didn't feel as satisfying as the stories where it creeps up on you.

Having previously DNF'd 'Expectation' by the same author a couple of years ago, I was really pleased with the quality of this book - 4/5 and I'd recommend it to others!

I assumed this would be the usual novel about privilege and country houses but there were a few tangents. The family are meeting at the family home for the funeral of the father. Someone who had, until the last couple of years of his life, had let everyone down and each of the family had conflicting emotions. The eldest daughter, who was to inherit, has started the process of rewilding the estate. Other members of the family had their own plans too. The issues of legacy and colonialism are also addressed. I found it an interesting read although a little long.

Thank you very much to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

It is the end of an era for the family of Philip Brooke, as they prepare for his funeral. Inheritor of a large estate, which he has been slowly rewilding with the help and support of his oldest daughter, Frannie. He has had a profound impact on each character in the story. Each individual plays a vital role as the action develops and the truth of the situation reveals itself. There is a recognition that things really will have to change in the future, both to acknowledge the past lives that formed the estate and to recognise the change that it ahead of all of us as a result if climate change.

'We're all going to have to relinquish a hell of a lot if we're going to fit together into a future where we can thrive,' is a central message here. We have to recognise that what formed us is as much of a challenge as the future.

Beautifully written, as is to be expected from Anna Hope, with a marvellous sense of place and the environment of the estate. Well described, challenging yet sympathetic characters and an ultimate message of hope for the future.

A great piece of writing and a great read, which really helps the reader to recognise that there are no easy answers.

Thank you again for a wonderful story.

Albion by Anna Hope, published 2025

The Brookes are burying their patriarch, Phillip, a complicated figurehead who cheated on his wife and was absent for much of his three children’s childhoods - Frannie, Milo and Isa. Their large Sussex ancestral home and thousand acres of English countryside has passed to Frannie, who had reconciled with her father and was working with him to rewild much of the estate, living in a cottage on the land with her daughter Rowan. Milo wants a parcel of the land to establish a retreat for the super rich to take psychedelic drugs and reconnect with nature. Isa isn’t that wild about being home but jumps at the chance to reconnect with her first love, Jack, who works on the estate. And their mother Grace, defeated after fifty years with an absent spouse in a house she hates, is wondering whether fresh starts are possible late in life.

This is a proper English country house novel but for the modern age, grappling with modern problems. Climate change, colonial legacies and class & privilege all come up as the characters consider their place in the world, their legacy and the impacts of their actions and decisions.

This is character-led modern fiction, written by a historical fiction author, and it really shows in the setting which was stunning, really visceral. Despite being a slow burn, it builds to a compelling end, a real page turner. There was maybe a few too many characters, as Hope also explores a few of the residents of the estate, and the interloper Clara who shows up to attend Phillip’s funeral, but that’s a minor quibble.

I really enjoyed this novel - it was beautifully written and I keep thinking about it.

ALBION will be published in NZ on June 1, 2025 so if this sounds like you, pre-order or add it to your library list. In the meantime, if you love books about female friendship, check out Hope’s 2019 novel, EXPECTATION, which was a five star read for me. I haven’t read any of her historical fiction, but I will definitely be delving into her backlist.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

👏🏼 This book is for you if you: are into historical fiction but love a modern read too - this is a perfect blend.

🙅🏼‍♀️ This book is not for you if you: like a fast paced read. This is a slow burn.