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The House at Tyneford

3.77 of 5 stars 3.77 · rating details · 6,003 ratings · 1,104 reviews

It's the spring of 1938 and no longer safe to be a Jew in Vienna. Nineteen-year-old Elise Landau is forced to leave her glittering life of parties and champagne to become a parlor maid in England. She arrives at Tyneford, the great house on the bay, where servants polish silver and serve drinks on the lawn. But war is coming, and the world is changing. When the master of T...more

Paperback, 368 pages

Published December 27th 2011 by Plume

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Sep 16, 2012 Maia B. rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, horrible-ending

Like Downton Abbey? Sweepingly romantic? Beautifully written? None of the above.

First, the only reason this has been compared to Downton Abbey is that it takes place in a country house in England and characters from upstairs and downstairs are big. That part of the premise is similar - the same. But there's none of DA's biting humor, or quick-sharp plots, or characters you love or love to hate or just hate. "The House at Tyneford" is...well...boring.

It gets off to a sssslllloooowwww start, and t...more

24 likes · like · see review

Apr 10, 2012 Amanda Z rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

18 likes · like · see review

Jun 04, 2012 Emilie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 12, fiction, historical, puppies

"viennese jewess, 19, seeks position as domestic servant. speaks fluid english. i will cook your goose." it's 1938, mr rivers of tyneford has a sense of humor (and so does his chain-smoking son), and elise lives as an exile in england.

i think this is pretty predictable book, in part because it's so heavily informed by Rebecca and Jane Eyre. at the same time, this is in no way a direct retelling of those books. it's more that this is an atmospheric book that takes it's mood and many plot cues fro...more

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Jan 24, 2012 Tracy rated it 4 of 5 stars

As I'm currently watching the second season of "Downton Abbey" on PBS, this novel fit quite well with my current mind set.
The story begins in Vienna, where our main character Elise Landau is living the good life with her family. Her mother is a singer and her father is an author and they decide to send Elise, who is 19, to England to escape the occupation of Austria by the Nazis. The family is Jewish and they plan to eventually meet up in America when the rest of the family can secure visas.
Eli...more

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Jul 09, 2012 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: well-worth-the-read

Book Review: The House at Tyneford by Natasha Solomon

Confession: I was in one of my favorite bookstores, Denver’s The Tattered Cover (AKA: A piece of heaven!). One of the things that I like about the Tattered Cover is that it always has interesting displays that pique my interest—even if the display is on a subject that is not usually of interest to me. So, when I saw the display of books that said, “If you loved Downton Abbey, you’ll love these” (or something like that), I was there. I loved Do...more Book Review: The House at Tyneford by Natasha Solomon

Confession: I was in one of my favorite bookstores, Denver’s The Tattered Cover (AKA: A piece of heaven!). One of the things that I like about the Tattered Cover is that it always has interesting displays that pique my interest—even if the display is on a subject that is not usually of interest to me. So, when I saw the display of books that said, “If you loved Downton Abbey, you’ll love these” (or something like that), I was there. I loved Downton Abbey, despite the fact that my brother and sister-in-law accuse it of being boring. That doesn’t hurt me. My brother rarely likes what he calls “good books." His denigration actually makes me want to read or watch something more than I otherwise would have. Maybe I’m just contrary. Probably.
Anyway, I was ready to devour Natasha Solomon’s novel about a Jewish girl from the Austrian bourgeoisie set who takes a job as a maid in 1938. She makes her way across the sea to a remote part of England and tries to make herself at home in the “downstairs” section of an English country manor. She finds this difficult, having ordered around servants herself at one time. I don’t want to give away too many details, but I did enjoy this world. It literally portrays the fall of the minor English aristocracy. The book is full of dark shadows, juxtaposed with the last pulse of light from an era that has been slowly expiring for the last three decades.
I love Solomon’s characters. Elise is likable, even when she pouts. Kit is intense in his boyish playfulness, but has an unwavering dedication to duty. The Landaus were the most interesting couple of the story; she an opera singer, he a novelist. I would have liked to have spent more time with them in Austria. I liked the novel very much, but for me it was not like “Downton Abbey." If I were to compare this to a novel, I would say that in some ways, it reminded me of Daphne DuMaurier’s “Rebecca," but only nominally. This is not a mystery, but it is a memoir; both books open with a dream of a grand old manor.
There is not that strict delineation between aristocracy and the house that is usually seen. Not because of the way they relate to each other, but because of the way Solomon tells her story. This is a grand house, but even in the beginning, the staff seems very small. The story focuses on just three people, and the thing that I liked about "Downton Abbey" is the nature of it ensemble cast. That said, I would recommend this story to anyone interested in the beginning of WWII and the plight of the Jewish refugees at that time. The story took me in and wrapped around me. The families surrounded me and I became a part of them. Solomon’s talent in doing that is tremendous indeed.(less)

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Apr 07, 2013 Mafi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: pt, a-devolver, 2013

A autora também soube ambientar o leitor à beleza de Tyneford, onde nos são detalhadas as tarefas e o ambiente da casa e da relação entre os donos e os empregados. Adorei ler estes pormenores e vivenciar um pouco a atmosfera desta família inglesa!

opinião aqui: http://algodaodoceparaocerebro.blogsp...

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May 14, 2013 Maureen rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm not sure why this book is recommended for people who enjoy Downton Abbey - while it takes place in England during the start of WWII, that's about where the similarity ends. However, I did enjoy the book and would probably give it 3.5 stars. It's not truly four stars in that there are a few things that happen during the story that I didn't think were all that believable, but I think it rated a bit more than 3 stars, which for my personal rating system, is just average and I thought it was bet...more

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Jan 13, 2013 Jonna Rubin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I very much enjoyed this. It's imperfect, sure -- the author is a little obsessed with foreshadowing to such a degree that almost nothing is a surprise -- but it has the most beautiful sense of place. Tyneford is lovely, and it's not just the description of the town, but the characters within it. I see a lot of people complaining that this is NOT Downton Abbey-esque as the jacket/marketing promised, and I guess it isn't in the upstairs/downstairs sense, but I thought this did a beautiful job of...more

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May 08, 2012 Julie Barrett rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: finished-2012

This book is one of the ones where I can't decide whether to rush through the book to find out what happens vs. wanting to read slowly so the book and the fictional world inside it never end. Set in Europe in the days leading up to & during WWII, the book follows Elise, the teenage daughter of upper middle class cosmopolitan Jews living in Vienna.(Oh no, Jews in Austria -you know it can't end well)Elise manages to get a work visa to Britain, where she works as a servant. The majority of the...more

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Nov 25, 2011 Jennifer Peterson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: review-books

I am very interested in World War II-era stories, especially stores of those affected by the Holocaust. This book starts at the beginning of WW2 in Vienna. Elise and her family have a good life in Austria . Her father is a novelist, her mother is a musician. The problem is that they are Jewish. The family is trying to get everyone out of the country, but they are having problems getting visas. Elise is able to leave the country because she is being sponsored by an English family to come and work...more I am very interested in World War II-era stories, especially stores of those affected by the Holocaust. This book starts at the beginning of WW2 in Vienna. Elise and her family have a good life in Austria . Her father is a novelist, her mother is a musician. The problem is that they are Jewish. The family is trying to get everyone out of the country, but they are having problems getting visas. Elise is able to leave the country because she is being sponsored by an English family to come and work as a house servant. Being the youngest in the family, it's hard for her to leave, but she does so with the understanding that her family will send for her when they get to America.

Elise has never truly worked. Everything has always been done for her, so when she arrives in England at Tyneford, she is in for a rude awakening. Housemaids work from before dawn to after dark. There is never a moment's peace. And it's even harder when you don't speak very good English. Luckily, the squire (Mr. Rivers) is a kind man and has read Elise's father's books. Kit Rivers, the squire's son, is not around much, but when he is, it brings life to the house.

Elise has to work through a number of things - learning English, being away from her family, seeking information on her family, as well as just adjusting to a different way of life. She is a source of suspicion from those who visit the house, a source of frustration to the head butler and housekeeper, and a curiosity of sorts for the villagers, Mr. Rivers, and Kit Rivers.

The novel follows Elise's life throughout her time in England. I found it interesting to read about what her life was like as a Jew in England and how much faith it took to continue to exist while her family was in such dire straits. Her relationships with the Rivers men are interesting, if unsurprising. My heart ached for her - wanting to know what was going on with her family, trying to find her way in England, and yet dreading the information that could come at any time. But each day, she got up and continued on with her duties and responsibilities, knowing that she is trying to make her parents proud.

One thing I found a little distracting was the fact that Elise doesn't refer to her parents as Mom and Dad, it's Anna and Julian. Maybe that's because they were such public persons and she didn't relate to them as Mom and Dad. But it was something to get used to.

I really liked this book and would definitely recommend it.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own. This review was originally posted on my blog: http://wp.me/pZ0RP-8m (less)

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Feb 02, 2012 Chloe Rattray rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've just turned the last page, and I am buzzing with the particular ache that you get when you finish a great book and you suddenly wish the whole world had read it so they'd understand. The Novel in the Viola is, in short, spectacular. The language, the intricate characters that grow and grow and grow, and the story itself that says what it has to say and says it simply and elegantly - it is a masterpiece. At its core, The Novel in the Viola is just a story about a girl that loves and loses an...more

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Mar 22, 2013 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was not a typical book from a Jewish person's viewpoint of WWII. This young woman manages to make it out of Austria before the war begins--to become a servant in a large English estate. Up until this time, Elise had enjoyed a spoiled existence where she had been the one waited upon. Now she has to learn a new language, customs, servant roles, and work ethic. This was an interesting twist as "riches to rags."
Elise's anxiety over her and her family's fate was believable. It was certainly a t...more

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Mar 09, 2013 Deborah rated it 1 of 5 stars

Why would I give this seemingly well written novel only 1 star? The heroine deserved to be written correctly for her time...

I love reading CLEAN and HIGH STANDARD moral novels. I ENJOYED the over-all story, but was so disgusted in the eventual trashiness of the heroine. When this AUTHOR took the key heroine of the story and had her SCREAM aloud every filthy word she could express during a low point of her life...I thought, WHAT in the world is this author thinking? The heroine was reared with a...more

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Feb 11, 2013 Cristine Eastin rated it 3 of 5 stars

"The House at Tyneford" was on a "Downton Abbey Read-Alike" list, so I snapped it off the library shelf. As advertised, it had many similarities to "Downton Abbey": English country setting, class consciousness, romance, tragedy, and memorable characters.

What really intrigued me is that I know the area where it's set: the Dorset coast in the south of England. Furthermore, it's a fictional account of real events. The village of Tyneham was evacuated for military training during World War II, and t...more

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Nov 17, 2012 Donna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, audiobooks

I just loved this historical novel... well written and also beautifully narrated by Justine Eyre. The story was, in a way, a typical upstairs/downstairs romance, but the author made much more of it by introducing some unique variations on the theme. Our "downstairs" heroine is a Jewish girl from Vienna who has escaped the Nazis by going into service in England. Elise refers to herself as an "assimilated Jew." Her bourgeois parents, an opera singer and a novelist were well-accepted among Viennese...more

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Nov 03, 2012 Annie June rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, ugh

Skipping the summary of the novel itself, I found The House at Tyneford while browsing Amazon and finding that it was highly rated, was similar to Downton Abbey, and an interesting premise. I can tell why the book would be recommended to those who enjoy the show Downton Abbey, and for the first half of the novel the story was interesting. Elise's life from Viennese bourgeois to maid was interesting enough to keep me reading, and Solomon's descriptive writing never overshadowed the plot. That bei...more Skipping the summary of the novel itself, I found The House at Tyneford while browsing Amazon and finding that it was highly rated, was similar to Downton Abbey, and an interesting premise. I can tell why the book would be recommended to those who enjoy the show Downton Abbey, and for the first half of the novel the story was interesting. Elise's life from Viennese bourgeois to maid was interesting enough to keep me reading, and Solomon's descriptive writing never overshadowed the plot. That being said, I actually didn't finish reading this book in its entirety. I got to a point in the novel that turned me away from it completely and decided to skim the rest, which is why I'm giving it only 2 stars.

Spoilers ahead.

The romance between Elise and Kit, the son of Tyneford's owner, doesn't quite seem to make sense in hindsight. Elise is maturing and learning that she can't live the way she used to (a sacrifice she makes for security), while Kit is young, irresponsible, and slightly selfish. But he's genuine, and his charm worked on me as a reader as it did on Elise. After being sold on this romance, I was rooting for the two to be together, yet at the start of the third act of the novel, Kit dies. This is where the novel started to really lose me. While drastic changes in the story are necessary as the plot unfolds, the loss of Kit this late in the novel made me almost stop reading altogether. After his death, the writing is very dark, depressing, and Elise is going through all this grief. It's hard to get through because there never seems to be a break from the main character's depression, which is understandable, but just not what I like to read. I began skimming, and lo and behold, it ends up that Elise has a romantic relationship with Kit's father. A good 20 years her senior, and FATHER of her late fiancé. This romantic plot doesn't have enough backing in this story, seeing as that Elise's relationship with Mr. Rivers since the beginning was one of obligation. She spends so much of the novel feeling indebted to Mr. Rivers that he initially comes across as a father figure instead of the potential romantic one. Yes, the novel featured more than its romantic plots, like how World War II effected the characters, but it felt like the international and political issues of these events were put on the back-burner of the novel from the beginning (the most notable presence of the war was through the description of the blackout shades, which were constantly mentioned). As a character-driven novel, I felt like while the characters were likable and fleshed out, the plot takes a turn for the worse and can potentially leave readers uninterested in the ending.(less)

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Aug 26, 2012 Verena rated it 4 of 5 stars

A novel about an English country manor in need of an heir, an upstairs-downstairs social structure firmly in place, and a world war looming on the horizon would suggest a clone of Downton Abbey. The House of Tyneford is anything but that. It is 1938 and Hitler is on the move. An affluent Jewish family is trying to escape from Vienna. They have more hope than most Jews because the father is a successful author, the mother has achieved musical acclaim, and the older daughter has musical promise. E...more

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Aug 23, 2012 Jacqie rated it 4 of 5 stars

This period novel did draw me in and keep me hooked. I hadn't really heard of the premise: many middle-class Jewish Austrian or German girls escaped prior to WWII by going into service in Britain. Our protagonist, Elise, has never done housework in her life and is woefully unsuited to the hard labors of a housemaid in an old English manor. I think the setting of the book is what did it for me. Tyneford is a rural estate dating back to the 1600's, and I loved reading the descriptions of the count...more

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Aug 19, 2012 Cindy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: roman

"Als die Liebe zu Elise kam" ist ein wunderbarer Roman.
Elise Landau, ihre Eltern Julian und Anna Landau, ihre 3 Tanten, ihre Schwester Margot + Mann, Mr. River, Kit, einige Küchenhilfen, ein Diener, dessen Bruder, und noch ein paar mehr spielen in diesem wunderbaren Buch eine Rolle.
Elise Landau ist ein jüdisches Mädchen von 19 Jahren, welches im schönen Wien aufwächst. Aufgrund des nahenden Krieges versucht die Familie nach Amerika zu flüchten, da man aber kein Visum für Elise erhält, geht sie...more "Als die Liebe zu Elise kam" ist ein wunderbarer Roman.
Elise Landau, ihre Eltern Julian und Anna Landau, ihre 3 Tanten, ihre Schwester Margot + Mann, Mr. River, Kit, einige Küchenhilfen, ein Diener, dessen Bruder, und noch ein paar mehr spielen in diesem wunderbaren Buch eine Rolle.
Elise Landau ist ein jüdisches Mädchen von 19 Jahren, welches im schönen Wien aufwächst. Aufgrund des nahenden Krieges versucht die Familie nach Amerika zu flüchten, da man aber kein Visum für Elise erhält, geht sie nach England um als Dienstmädchen im Tyneford House zu arbeiten, und so sicher zu sein. Elise wurde immer umhegt und umpflegt, sie war das Nesthäckchen von Julian und Anna Landau, und sie wurde immer bedient, und nun muss sie ihr ganzes Leben komplett ändern. Sie muss eine neue Sprache lernen, sie muss sich mit der Situation arrangieren, und fortan muss sie nur noch Befehle ausführen, etwas was sie so gar nicht gewohnt war. Anna Landau ist eine berühmte Sängerin, und Schwester Margot ist auch mit der Musik gross geworden, und sie spielt selbst Viola. Julian Landau schreibt Romane, welche leider nicht mehr gedruckt werden aufgrund der aktuellen Geschehnisse. Elise ist eher ein Wildfang, den es nun gilt zu zähmen. Es wird ein Abschlussessen für sie gegeben, und am nächsten Tag muss sie abreisen Richtung London, wo sie von einer Agentur weiter geleitet wird. Am übernächsten Tag erreicht sie Tyneford House, welches total abgelegen von Bahn und öffentlichen Verkehrsmittel liegt. Es wird eindringlich beschrieben wie wunderschön es dort in der Gegend ist, und es ist ein Genuss diese Seiten mit zu verfolgen.
Sie lebt sich ein, aber man merkt ihr an wie sehr sie es hasst in England zu sein, es fällt ihr nicht leicht von ihrer Familie getrennt zu sein. Noch am ersten Abend lernt sie den Besitzer des Gutes Mr. Rivers kennen, und nach etwa zwei Wochen den Sohn des Hauses und Erben Kit Rivers.
Wie der Roman weiter geht verrate ich an dieser Stelle nicht, aber ich kann versprechen das man nicht mehr aufhören kann zu lesen, dass es sehr spannend ist mitzuleben in dem Roman. Man hat die Bilder immer wieder vor sich, und man kann sich total hinein versetzen. Natasha Solomons ist meiner Meinung nach ein wahres Meisterwerk gelungen, welches ich nie wieder hergeben möchte, ein Buch das man unbedingt haben möchte, und es ist eines von diesen, welches man immer wieder lesen kann. Sie schafft es dem Leser komplett das Gefühl der einzelnen Personen zu vermitteln, und man freut und leidet mit ihnen.
Einzig zu bemängeln habe ich die Übersetzung, die aus meiner Sicht ein wenig zu "platt" übersetzt wurde, aber in unserer Leserunde bot dieses Thema auch Diskussionsstoff, so dass sich da die Geister scheiden, ob es gut, oder schlecht ist. Ich blieb immer wieder hängen wenn kein Hochdeutsch geschrieben wurde. Aber insgesamt fällt es viel weniger ins Gewicht als ich noch zu Anfang dachte, und so gebe ich trotz dieser kleinen Einschränkung von mir 5/5 Punkten, halbe kann man ja nicht abziehen.
Viel Spass beim Lesen und Genießen!(less)

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Jul 31, 2012 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"Als die Liebe zu Elise kam" von Natasha Solomons ist ein sehr gefühlvoller Roman, der in den Zeiten des zweiten Weltkriegs spielt.

Inhalt: Elise Landau ist 19 Jahre alt und stammt aus einer angesehenen jüdischen Familie in Wien. Bisher war sie das gut behütete Nesthäkchen ihre Eltern, die Mutter eine erfolgreiche Sängerin, der Vater Schriftsteller. Doch der Nationalsozialismus bedroht das sichere Leben der Familie in Wien und so planen die Eltern und die ältere Schwester in die USA auszuwandern....more "Als die Liebe zu Elise kam" von Natasha Solomons ist ein sehr gefühlvoller Roman, der in den Zeiten des zweiten Weltkriegs spielt.

Inhalt: Elise Landau ist 19 Jahre alt und stammt aus einer angesehenen jüdischen Familie in Wien. Bisher war sie das gut behütete Nesthäkchen ihre Eltern, die Mutter eine erfolgreiche Sängerin, der Vater Schriftsteller. Doch der Nationalsozialismus bedroht das sichere Leben der Familie in Wien und so planen die Eltern und die ältere Schwester in die USA auszuwandern. Elise soll solange als Hausmädchen nach England gehen und dort warten, bis ihre Familie auch für sie ein Visum bekommen können.
Elise findet Anstellung im Tyneford House im ländlichen Dorset an der Südküste Englands. Während sich Elise in ihrer neuen Rolle als Hausangestellte noch einfinden muss, lernt sie den Sohn des Hausherrn kennen und lieben. Doch irgendwann holt der Krieg auch das beschauliche Fischerörtchen ein und Elises Leben wird erneut auf den Kopf gestellt...

Der Roman ist einfach zauberhaft. Der Schreibstil ist sehr detailverliebt, aber nicht langatmig. Stattdessen konnte ich mich als Leser in dieser romantisch-traurig-schönen Liebes- und Lebensgeschichte vollständig verlieren. Auch die Zeit, in welcher der Roman spielt, wird durch die Sprache eingefangen und widergespiegelt, was ihm einen sehr authentischen Touch verleit.

Die Ich-Erzählerin Elise erlebt ein wahres Auf- und Ab der Gefühle und ich als Leserin wurde von ihr mitgerissen. Am Anfang ist sie ein stures, kleines Mädchen, manchmal so verhätschelt und bockig, dass man sie schütteln möchte, doch mit der Zeit wird sie erwachsen, übernimmt Verantwortung und findet den Mut, gegen alle Konventionen ihren Weg zu gehen. Nicht alles läuft nach Plan, die Ausreisepläne der Eltern in die USA verzögern sich und mit der Zeit verliert Elise nicht nur den Kontakt, sondern auch die letzten wertvollen Erinnerungsstücke. Nur der letzte Roman ihres Vaters, den sie in ihrer alten Viola versteckt nach England schmuggelte, bleibt als Verbindungsstück bestehen. Daher rührt auch der englische Titel des Romans, "The Novel in the Viola", wobei ich den deutschen allerdings mindestens ebenso treffend finde.

In erster Linie ist es nämlich eine Liebesgeschichte. Eine sehr berührende, wunderschöne Liebesgeschichte, die mich immer wieder zu Tränen rührte, vor allem auch durch die wirklich traurigen Momente und die Nähe zum Krieg. Auch die Werte und Normen dieser Zeit spielen eine große Rolle. "Als die Liebe zu Elise kam" ist sicherlich kein Roman zum schnell runterlesen, sondern einer, für den man sich Zeit nehmen sollte, denn er hat sehr viel Tiefgang.

Fazit: Ein zauberhafter Liebesroman in den Zeiten des zweiten Weltkriegs. Gefühlvoll, romantisch, traurig. Wenn einem bei dieser Geschichte keine Tränen in die Augen schießen, dann weiß ich auch nicht weiter. Mich hat es sehr berührt und ich empfehle es jedem, der Interesse an einer schönen Liebesgeschichte mit Tiefgang hat, gerne weiter. 5 Sterne(less)

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Jul 12, 2012 Nancy Brisson rated it 3 of 5 stars

I guess World War II is such fertile ground for stories not only because the events were so momentous but because it took fairly rigid social structures and shook the stuffiness out of them. In the case of the Jews who lived comfortably in Europe for centuries, who felt productive, assimilated, and respected, we know that Hitler changed all of this by pathological decree. He segregated the Jews, forced non-Jews in their communities to abandon them, and eventually robbed them of their humanity an...more I guess World War II is such fertile ground for stories not only because the events were so momentous but because it took fairly rigid social structures and shook the stuffiness out of them. In the case of the Jews who lived comfortably in Europe for centuries, who felt productive, assimilated, and respected, we know that Hitler changed all of this by pathological decree. He segregated the Jews, forced non-Jews in their communities to abandon them, and eventually robbed them of their humanity and their very lives.

In England, where Hitler never held sway, the common goal of winning a war against a “monster” blew holes in the barriers between the aristocracy and the “middle class”. Wartime necessities which led to relaxation of social mores lend believability to Ms. Solomons’ story, The House at Tyneford.

Elise Landau is a Jewish girl growing up in Vienna, Austria in a family of artists. Her mother Anna is a great opera singer; her father, Julian, is a published author. Even her sister plays the viola beautifully. Elise is the only member of the family without an artistic talent. When it becomes clear that Vienna will not remain safe for Jews, Elise is sent to England where she had applied for and received a job on a grand English estate. Her sister, Margot, married to Robert, leaves Vienna when her husband is hired at a university in California. Anna and Julian are left alone in Vienna waiting for their visas.

Elise is the family member we follow on the boat and the train and eventually on the horse-drawn wagon as she travels through the seventeen farm gates that must be opened and closed before reaching the drive lined with limes that leads to the House at Tyneford. Although it is difficult to be a servant after her cosseted upbringing in Vienna, she eventually adjusts to her duties and come to feel at home in this beautiful estate by the sea.

The house at Tyneford is owned by Mr. Christopher Rivers whose wife died when their only son Kit was four. Kit is at Cambridge when Elise arrives, but arrives home to Tyneford at the school holidays. All the main characters are gathered now and there are a number of quite likeable characters who I have not introduced you to. The staff at the estate is as much a part of this story as they people they serve, but the war also changes the relationship between these two groups.

Now we are ready to watch the changes the war will bring to the House at Tyneford and to England. We are ready to learn the fate of Elise, Anna, Julian, and Margot and of the Rivers family and their estate on the seacoast. I cannot finish the story for you, of course, because that would ruin everything but there is plenty of romance, quite a bit of sorrow, and some social “meanness”.
(less)

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Jul 02, 2012 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

The blurb on the front of the book says something along the lines of you'll like this if you like Downton Abbey and House at Riverton. That helped seal the deal and I bought this at National Airport because I finished the book I was reading (Churchill's Secretary) and needed another actual book for those pesky times they won't let you use your Kindle. I did enjoy it, and it has a little of everything - WWII, British country homes, upstairs/downstairs drama, romance, Vienna, music, the English co...more

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May 02, 2012 Agatha rated it 3 of 5 stars

Historical fiction about a wealthy Austrian Jewish family who arranges for their two daughters to escape to the US (older sis Margot, with her husband Robert) and England (younger, unmarried sis Elise) before the start-up of the worst persecutions of Jews during WWII. Story then follows Elise in England; though wealthy and upper-class (and mostly a-religious) in Vienna, she is forced to accept a job as a housemaid in a manor home in Dorset. She falls in love with the son and heir of the master (...more

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Apr 15, 2012 Viviane Crystal rated it 4 of 5 stars

Elise Landau, a 19 year-old Viennese-born young lady, is forced to leave Austria due to the Nazi occupation. A life of luxury, with a famous writer father and opera singer mother, is transformed into a world where Elise is now a servant in an upper class English country family. Tyneford is a magical, fairy-tale land of beauty on land and the sea. Grievously homesick and missing the rest of her family, she waits for word from them while adapting to this new, difficult change in social status!

It t...more Elise Landau, a 19 year-old Viennese-born young lady, is forced to leave Austria due to the Nazi occupation. A life of luxury, with a famous writer father and opera singer mother, is transformed into a world where Elise is now a servant in an upper class English country family. Tyneford is a magical, fairy-tale land of beauty on land and the sea. Grievously homesick and missing the rest of her family, she waits for word from them while adapting to this new, difficult change in social status!

It turns out her sister and husband have made it to America but Julian and Anna have been unable to obtain a visa to leave Austria, but Elise doesn't know that. So at least Elise can hold onto hope while learning to adapt to the life of a maidservant. The novel fluctuates between her struggles to fit into this very different life and her finding peace as she gradually explores the beautiful land around her new home. Little by little, a normalcy develops until the son of her employer, Kit Rivers. They become friends who love the land and also love an occasional bout of unacceptable behavior that is quite harmless but shocks the daylights of both Mr. Rivers and Mr. Wrexham and Mrs. Ellsworth, the two who trained her in her hob duties. Wild and fun, these actions become the tie that draws them into a deeper closeness.

War changes everything and it's no different for Kit, Else, Mr. Rivers, the rest of the household staff, and the remaining fishers, farmers, and shepherds of Tyneford. The Germans begin to bomb Britain and the residents of Tyneford have their own secret defense force, helpless in a way to prevent the carnage of war but strong in a belief in their power to protect, a belief that ennobles all of Tyneford. Kit joins the military but quickly returns in a wounded state. Soon he will recover and leave, and from here the unbelievable happens. Relationships change in a way never anticipated by the reader and keep him or her rapidly turning pages to determine the possible, anticipated outcome.

The House of Tyneford is a lovely book, soft and fierce in all the right places, and a tale that tells the wartime tale in so many different points of view, adding several subplots of care and love to warm the heart and elicit intrigue in all involved. Nicely done, Ms. Solomons!(less)

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Feb 20, 2012 Charla Wilson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: british, historical-fiction, ww-ii

I tend to like a book that evokes strong emotions within me and this one certainly did just that! This is a beautifully written story about loss, love and survival. If you are a Downton Abbey fan, then you will love this book. It is the story of Elise who is a member of the Austrian Bourgeoisie during WWII. Elises' mother Anna is a well known opera singer and her father is a well known author. Her sister, Margot is also a a musician. Elise is the only family member that does not seem to have any...more

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Feb 17, 2012 Dlhmoore rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: novel, very-good

The was a surprise novel. It was an impulse buy because it advertised it was like "Downton Abbey", a Masterpiece Theatre program we love. It's a period novel beginning in 1838 just before the start of the 2nd World War. A 19 year old Jewish girl from an aristrocratic family in Vienna who is sent to England to serve as a main in a mansion. This was to get her out of Austria before Hitler started killing all the Jews.

She didn't make a very good maid but she fell in love with the son of the owner....more

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Feb 11, 2012 Jacqueline rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

Another great book recommended by EW (the statement being that if you like the show, Downton Abbey, then you would enjoy this book). Though relationships between the servants and the family in this book are somewhat similar to Downton Abbey, the characters here are experiencing the travesty of WWII, instead of WWI, and it is told through the eyes of Elise Landau, a young Austrian Jew of good birth who is sent to England as a servant to escape the rising Nazi powers. Elise deeply cares for her fa...more

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Jan 23, 2012 HerbieGrandma rated it 4 of 5 stars

In 1938 Elise is 19 and living in Vienna, Austria with her professional singer mother, Anna, and her father Julian, who is a successful writer. Life has always been easy and pleasant for Elise and her sister Margot, who is now married to Robert, but things are become dangerous. The Landaus are Jewish and the Nazi take over is changing their lives. Margot's Robert accepts a position at a university in California and Elise is hired as a maid by Christopher Rivers of Tyneford, in England. There da...more

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Jan 13, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction-setpost-1900

I picked up this book in an airport on my way back to school. The first thing that caught my eye was something about the cover. It made me stop and take a second look. Once I picked up the book and read the blurb I was hooked. I had not read much fiction from this time period, usually preferring books set pre-1920. Now though i find myself fascinated by the time period.

The House at Tyneford is a story set before and during WWII, mainly in England. The book follows Elise a Vienna Jewess who esca...more

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Jan 11, 2012 Gaby rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, must-read, amazon-vine

There's that sense of surprise, delight and unjustified accomplishment in finding a gem of a debut novel. I read Natasha Solomons' Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English a the start of 2010 and loved it. At the end of the year, I was not surprised to find that it was still one of my favorite books of the year.

When her second book came out, I was excited and slightly apprehensive that my expectations might be too high. The House at Tyneford offers a grand out house, echoes of Downton Abbey...it is a sto...more There's that sense of surprise, delight and unjustified accomplishment in finding a gem of a debut novel. I read Natasha Solomons' Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English a the start of 2010 and loved it. At the end of the year, I was not surprised to find that it was still one of my favorite books of the year.

When her second book came out, I was excited and slightly apprehensive that my expectations might be too high. The House at Tyneford offers a grand out house, echoes of Downton Abbey...it is a story of young Elise - the cosseted daughter of Viennese Jewish intellectual elite. Her mother is a renowned beauty and opera singer - in a country where her skill is celebrated. Her father is equally well respected as the strikingly handsome and internationally respected novelist. Her younger sister is a famous musician in her own right. At the rise of National Socialism, their family prepares to leave Austria. Her parents, sister and brother-in-law are headed for the United States. Since Elise doesn't have the necessary sponsors for America, she takes a different route and applies to work as a servant in a big house in England.

Elise wasn't prepared for life as a servant in England, but there is little that she could have done to prepare. She had packed a copy of Mrs. Beaton's famous book, sewed jewelry into her clothing, and carried a duplicate of her father's latest novel hidden in her sister's viola. She had her education, her sharp intellect, her determination to be reunited with her family, and her sense of humor. She was fortunate to come to the Rivers family and Tyneford.

The book opens with Elise's recollections of Tyneford the first time she saw it. We learn the story of her life there, of her family's experience during the Nazi occupation of Austria and of how World War II destroyed the life that they knew. I loved The House at Tyneford and couldn't put it down. It is an engrossing read. If you read Natasha Solomons' earlier novel or if you love Downton Abbey, you must read The House at Tyneford.

ISBN-10: 0452297648 - Paperback $15
Publisher: Plume; Original edition (December 27, 2011), 236 pages.
Review copy courtesy of the Amazon Vine Program and the publisher.(less)

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About Natasha Solomons

Natasha Solomons is a writer who lives with her husband in rural Dorset. Her first novel, Mr Rosenblum's List or Friendly Guidance for the Aspiring Englishman (titled in the US Mr Rosenblum Dreams in English) was published in 2010. According to her website, she is currently trying to finish a PhD on eighteenth-century poetry.

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“It is the storyteller's prerogative to try to write, every now and then, the ending she might wish for. Even if it exists only on the white page.” — 9 people liked it

“I took a deep breath and filled my lungs with summer.” — 3 people liked it

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