Ashenden is a stately English country home built in 1775. This novel runs from 1775 through 2010 and tells the stories of the various families who owned the house. The house itself is also a character as it fluctuates from use as a single-family home to a World War I hospital to a pop star's private retreat. Since the people range from Lords and Ladies to servants, the reader gets a strong sense of English country life through two centuries. This book is the Willa Cather Book Club selection for February 2016.

A story of a manor house from the point of view of each of the owners and saviors. As each section moves forward you find out more of how the house has survived and sometimes thrived as well as some of the stories of the owners. People come and go, bu places go on. A lovely sweeping epic. This novel reminds of some of my favorite books by Norah Lofts like A Wayside Tavern and Pargeters.

I really wanted to like this, but it was so slow I didn't finish it!

If you are a Downy Abbey fan,you will enjoy this book.

really this sounds just like Downton Abbey, I know i will be disappointed because I'll compare this book to that series. She needs to come up with something more original.

Disappointing, though an okay time-killer. Some of these characters are really annoying. Why should we care for some of these characters? Also, there should have been endpaper drawings of Ashenden.