Of All Faiths & None

by Andrew G. Tweeddale

In the autumn of 1910 Edwin Lutyens, the renowned architect, receives a letter from Sir Julius Drewe for the commission of a castle on Dartmoor – Castle Drogo. Lutyens’ design for the castle focusses on both the past and the present and reflects Britain, which at that moment is in a state of flux. His daughter, Celia, becomes enamoured with the project dreaming of chivalry and heroism. The following year Edwin Lutyens and his family are invited to a stone laying ceremony at CastleDrogo. Celia meets Sir Julius’ children: Adrian, Christian and Basil.

The novel moves to 1914, and the start of the Great War. Christian Drewe is returning from Austria where he has been working as an artist. Adrian enlists on the day war is declared driven by his sense of duty. Chrisian has reservations as to joining up unconvinced that the war was either necessary or right.

The story moves from the battlefields of France and Flanders and back to London and to Castle Drogo, where the characters are reunited for brief periods. Faith and love are stretched to their limits as each character is affected by the relentless brutality of the war. Of All Faiths & None is the story of a lost generation. It is a novel that focuses on the relationships of the characters until those relationships are shattered. It is a coming-of-age tale and a social commentary on the tragedy of a needless war.

Genres: Historical Fiction

351 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 2022

About the author

Andrew's has written three novels 'Of All Faiths & None', 'A Remembrance of Death' and 'Only Breath & Shadow', which is due for release on 1 April 2026. Only Breath & Shadow tells the story of a blind Englishman and an American singer, who help four Jewish children escape from Vienna in 1939.

Reviews

[Wendy Hart]

This is the first book in the series. I read the second one first but that didn’t change my enjoyment of either. The story was great and the characters cleverly conceived. I was engaged from beginning to end . I adore this author’s satirical style

[Vivek Joshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book as my first on OnlineBookClubdotOrg. I am very glad I chose this book.

This book set in times of WW-I revolves mainly around families of architect Edward Lutyens and businessman Julius Drew.

Amazing storyline, very well woven characters in time and relationships. Good portrayal of individual emotions and opinions.

I feel it must be adapted as a movie/series.

[Stephi Von · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really took me by surprise. It’s not a genre that I am normally drawn to, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The character development is phenomenal and you get a sense of walking alongside each character as they grapple with the changing world around them. I particularly loved the way in which the characters lives intersected throughout the story, if even just for very brief moment at times. The book paints an interesting and heartfelt picture of how everyday peoples lives changed as war broke out across Europe, and how in turn people themselves were also changed.

[Literary Reviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of All Faiths & None by Andrew Tweeddale is a historical fiction novel set during the Great War between 1910 and 1918. This compelling novel begins with Julius Drewe, who hires a famous architect, Edwin Luytens, to design a castle. Drewe’s goal is to establish and preserve his legacy with the construction of Castle Drogo, which later symbolizes the nature of the war, and how the younger generation of the Drewes and Luytens become entangled in the war, which breaks out in 1914. The plot quickly develops when the setting shifts from the families’ residence in London to the various battlefields and their connections to each other and Castle Drogo.

The author explores many essential topics during the early 1900s, including the age of enlightenment, the suffragette movement, and the impact of war. It’s an emotional rendition of the history of western society and how significant changes in the world challenge different religions and belief systems. Tweeddale does a great job developing each character and evolving them throughout the book in well-structured chapters and well-written descriptions of their individual experiences.

Throughout the book, Tweeddale explores the themes of duty, vanity, romance, and spirituality and how they evolve during the war. Readers get a glimpse into the political system of this era, and the consequences of war on all levels of society, from the ordinary people to the elites. The author brilliantly showcases the horrors of war and how it capitalizes on the arrogance and vanity of humans while humanizing war casualties so that they are not merely seen as numbers or statistics but as soldiers who are also brothers, sons, and spouses.

I profoundly enjoyed Of All Faiths & None by Andrew Tweeddale. I recommend this impassioned historical romance novel for the author’s ability to highlight the tragedies of war and how it is the ultimate equalizer, impacting everyone regardless of faith or lack of it. It is a well-told tale of love, faith, and war, and is perfect for fans of historical fiction.

[Books Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

While most books centered around Britain are written against the backdrop of the second world war, this one has the first one. The story begins in 1910. We are introduced to Edwin Lutyens, who has just been commissioned to design a castle on Dartmoor - this is a grand one. The castle, once built, will be a reflection of Britain. To get on with the job, Lutyens, along with his family, moves to a farm next to where the construction of the castle will take place. Sir Julius Drewe, who put out the commission, has three children named Adrian, Christian, and Basil. They have an important part to play.

The story moves on to the outbreak of the great war, and we see how the siblings are different from each other. Adrian, driven by a sense of duty, enlists as soon as he could. It was this characteristic of his that made Celia, Lutyen's daughter, fall for him in the first place, all those years back. Christian is an artist on his way back home from Austria. He considers the war a waste of resources and does not enlist. No one wants to hear his views. Being a man, if you do not get involved in the war when it needs you, you are a coward! He is labeled as one.

The enormous castle finds its inhabitants telling their story, sometimes away from its walls, sometimes within it. The perspective is an interesting one. War scatters families for the sake of making a country stronger. Irony at its best. The story takes the readers from battlefields across countries at war to the castle. They always find their way back home irrespective of the brevity of the periods for which they visit. War does that to you, but the question remains, "was it really necessary?"

[Ecaterina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book describes English life and lifestyle previous and during the first world war. The lives of two families intertwine when Sir Julius Drewe asks Edwin Lutyens to design a castle to honor his family name. We are introduced slowly to the family's life and get to know Celia, a teenager who falls in love with the eldest son of Sir Julius, Adrian. This love will grow with every encounter between the two of them. Celia will evolve gracefully from an enamored adolescent to a war nurse while struggling to replace his mother's absence from her life and her siblings. We will witness Christians' transformation from a bully adolescent to a young man with moral struggles and then to a frustrated war veteran who doubts the necessity of the war. And we will follow Adrian's struggles in adapting to society's rules and trying to do what is expected of him.

I have loved everything about the book, from the well-developed and pluridimensional characters to the vivid description of the scenery. This is the kind of book I enjoy reading the most. I understand that there will be a kind of follow-up of the book, as the authors' next novel will deal further with some of the characters from this book and I can't wait to read it!

[Ms V · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those exceptional books that you won’t want to put down! Andrew Tweeddale takes us on an all encompassing journey beginning in 1910, through the lives of various characters in British society from the privileged to the searchers of truth, the horrors of the first world war, love & heartbreaking loss. Written with rare sensitivity & empathy, this book is perfect for the big screen and I truly hope it will be made into a film one day!

[Mr. Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I realy enjoyed this novel from Andrew Tweeddale. I heartily recommend it to those who enjoy historical events interwoven with fiction that follows the central protagonists emotional, physical, spiritual journeys.

[Louise Witt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderfully written novel, following the lives and love interests of two families during the Great War. The book explores love and betrayal, bringing the characters to life through the beautiful use of language. Highly recommend.

[Keith Allan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A couple of weeks ago I met a great grand-daughter of Julius Drewe, who told me about holidays she spent with her relatives at Castle Drogo, before it was relinquished to the National Trust. Ten days ago I then had the chance to return to the Castle, so my interest for this novel was well and truly piqued.

I must confess to more than a passing interest here in that I am a member of the Lutyens Trust and so know quite a bit about the man and his family. I have also been to the castle many times, including two thorough visits from cellars to rooftops with a member of the family as a guide.

There’s a lot in this novel that rings true, a lot that makes me smile and a lot that I know is sheer speculation. Does it matter? No! It is all very readable and it kept my interest throughout, even though I knew the main ending.

The set-up for another novel is clear and I am sufficiently intrigued to say that I am looking forward to seeing how Mr Tweeddale once again blends fact and fiction with both the true and the fictional characters.

Other reviewers say they have turned to the Internet to find out more – can I recommend the Lutyens Trust (the original or the American site)? Ideally a visit to the castle too, as it is looking particularly smart after the recent repairs to the roof and windows – in fact it looks brand new. Then there are the portraits on the walls of the main (true) characters…..

[Jaffareadstoo · Rating 5 out of 5]

n 1910, Edward Lutyens is commissioned by Sir Julius Drewe to design a castle on Dartmoor and right from the start of the novel we are there with Lutyens as he creates his design for what will, eventually, become Castle Drogo. However, even as the ideas for Castle Drogo start to take shape war clouds in Europe loom on the horizon and the eventual devastating effects of the Great War will reverberate for both the Luytens and the Drewe families.

The author writes with such passion and conviction that it is obvious that a great deal of research has gone into the creation of such a complex story. Of All Faiths and None is a wonderfully evocative piece of historical fiction and as time and place blend together perfectly so the story becomes charged with emotion and atmosphere. Written with huge compassion and spanning the momentous years between 1910 and 1918 this story will stay with me for a long time.

I have to admit to knowing nothing at all about Castle Drogo before the start of this well written and empathetic novel. I did, however, do a little bit of internet searching to discover more, and to see images, of the finished 20th century castle for myself.

[Brigid Spillane · Rating 5 out of 5]

For anyone wishing to read more books and use their phone less, Of All Faiths & None is the perfect tool. From the moment I picked it up to read the preface I was itching to get started. The reader is completely engrossed in the intertwining story of the two families – the Lutyens and the Drewes. There have been many books and films about the First World War, and a prospective reader might be put off by what could be described as a ‘well ploughed field’. But this is a different field altogether. The horrors of war are there, the complete uselessness of it also. I was completely engrossed from start to finish and am ready to begin the sequel – A Remembrance of Death.

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was a great start to the Castle Drogo Trilogy series, it was a beautifully done historical novel. I enjoyed how good it was written and getting to go on this journey. The characters were what I expected and they felt like real people. Andrew G Tweeddale does a great job in telling the story and it was written well.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Stephen Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent in patches. The general theme is that war is horrific. The fact that this horror is recounted indirectly worked well, IMO.
When the author gets going, he writes very well indeed, but any drama that arises soon dissipates as we move on to the next scene. It was readable enough, but could have been so much better given the basic material.

[Hazel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't wait to read the sequel of this book. I want to follow through with Celia, Emily, Krishnamurti, and the rest of the characters. The Castle Drogo and the war shaped the exciting story of the book. It was a worthwhile read for me.

[Omneya Shakeep · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best historical fiction novels I have read. It made me laugh, cry, feel hopeful, angry and frustrated all at the same time. The characters were well-developed and the change in perspective made me appreciate each one of them.

[Lucy Kamau · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved the fact that the end was not what i expected

[Elsie Hickman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unfortunately, I read the 2nd book before I read this one, but it stands out on its own. I really felt engaged with these characters in both books. Fabulous reads.

[Katie Daniels · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this novel! It is the first novel in the Castle Drogo trilogy. It has those Downtown Abbey vibes as it’s about 2 families, the Drewes’ and the Lutyens’ navigating love, class and ambition in the years pre World War 1, crossed with Sebastian Faulkes’ Birdsong. The impact World War 1 had on the characters made me reflect on the human cost of war, resonating deeply with the uncertainties and tragedies unfolding from today’s conflicts such as the Iran war. It’s beautifully written. Can’t wait to read the next novel in the series, A Remembrance of Death.

[Andrew Tweeddale · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1910 the architect, Edwin Lutyens, receives a letter from Sir Julius Drewe for the commission of a castle on Dartmoor – Castle Drogo. As the world rushes towards the Great War, Lutyens designs for the wealthy tea baron a castle that is singularly out of step with its time. Over the next seven years the Drewe family and the Lutyens family are drawn to castle where their fates are inseparably linked. The novel provides a vivid portrait of two families on the precipice of a changing world. For Celia Lutyens, the architect’s daughter, the castle represents an ideal. However, her expectations of love are torn apart one by one by an unrelenting war. Through the novel Celia grows from a headstrong girl into an independent and determined woman who looks after the maimed soldiers sent back from the front lines. In love with Sir Julius’ eldest son, Adrian, and nursing the injured Christian Drewe, the story twists perilously from duty, to love, to betrayal and forgiveness … in this haunting, utterly unforgettable novel.
Booklife Reviews

“It’s not the size of the castle but what others think of it,” architect Edwin Lutyens muses early in Tweeddale’s assured debut, a historical saga that, for all its sprawling cast and changing-times thoughtfulness, proves unusually fleet in its storytelling. Lutyens’ observation concerns the act of hubris/genius that serves as the story’s foundation, shipping magnate Lord Julius Drewe’s desire to build an English castle circa 1910, as Europe seems destined for a war. The narrative expands outward from there, as the government requests Drewe’s business move into uniforms and weapons, the castle project faces delays and cutbacks, and—most crucially—the two men’s children grow up and find their way in an inconstant world, facing romances, cultural shifts, their elders’ expectations, and the storm looming over the world.

Tweeddale writes with crisp clarity, efficiently introducing characters, conflicts, and leaps forward in time, with a welcome focus on scenecraft and sharp dialogue. Though it covers years and many lives while unobtrusively offering readers crucial historical and social context, Of All Faiths & None is a novel of memorably dramatized moments: a father sputtering “You idiot, you damned idiot!” when a son enlists in 1914; a young woman humoring her brother and mother by attending a lecture on “Patriotism & Theosophy,” as a black sheep son considers the question of whether any war can be moral; a nurse rashly married to a soldier realizing, from his letters, that they have little to say to each other.

Of course, that castle—the real Castle Drogo, in England’s Devon county—casts a shadow over all this. Tweeddale follows it from design to founding stone to the burying of family dead there. Tweeddale deftly blends fact and fiction in a story that moves fast yet still makes clear, with each chapter, how time and tragedy change us all. The ending is bittersweet yet satisfying, sure to please lovers of historical epics.

Takeaway: This historical saga of building an English castle at the start of WWI is swift and moving.

Great for fans of: Elizabeth Jeffrey’s Meadowlands, P.S. Duffy’s The Cartographer of No Man’s Land.

[John Parnham · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating historical novel

I very much enjoyed this book in so many ways. The characters are interesting but it's not just the characters. It's a portrayal of an era told through a group of people. It takes place on a series of stages. If you enjoy historical fiction, this is the book for you.