The Light Years Summary
Told with exceptional grace and read beatifully by Indira Varma, The Light Years is a modern classic of twentieth-century English life and is the first novel in Elizabeth Jane Howard’s extraordinary, bestselling family saga, The Cazalet Chronicles.
Includes a new introduction, written and read by Elizabeth Day.
'Compelling, moving, unputdownable . . . Maybe my favourite books ever' - Marian Keyes, bestselling author of My Favourite Mistake
1937. Every summer, the Cazalet brothers – Hugh, Edward and Rupert – return to the family home in the heart of the Sussex countryside with their wives and children. There, they are joined by their formidable parents and unmarried sister Rachel to enjoy two glorious months of picnics, games and sun-drenched excursions to the coast. But not even this idyllic setting can soothe the siblings’ fears and heartache.
Hugh, haunted by memories of the Great War, is terrified at the looming prospect of a second. Edward, charming and handsome, is torn between his wife and his latest infidelity. Rupert, a talented painter, is in turmoil over his inability to please his demanding new wife. Meanwhile, Rachel’s unflinching loyalty to the family means risking her one chance at happiness . . .
'She helps us to do the necessary thing – open our eyes and our hearts' – Hilary Mantel, bestselling author of The Mirror and the Light
The Light Years is the first volume in the extraordinary Cazalet Chronicles. Continue the dazzling historical series with Marking Time.
©2026 Elizabeth Day
The Light Years
The Beloved First Instalment in The Cazalet Chronicles
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The Light Years
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Marking Time
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Marking Time
The Beloved Second Instalment in The Cazalet Chronicles
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Confusion
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Confusion
The Beloved Third Instalment in The Cazalet Chronicles
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Casting Off
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Casting Off
The Beloved Fourth Instalment in The Cazalet Chronicles
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All Change
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All Change
ANZ Edition
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All Change
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The Golden Hours
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The Golden Hours
'I'm overjoyed to have this' - Nina Stibbe
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Move On Up
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Similar series
Book 1 in other series
