I have to say I have not come across this author but boy can he write.

Bournville conjours up Cadburys factory in the Garden, working at Ashby Biscuit factory when we had work experience from Cadburys young up and coming family guys ( with fond memories) early Cadbury Word where I loved the medical room the most - amazing what you remember.

The book encompasses generations od a Birmingham family during post war Britian - well researched history and the later was concerning the Sars Covid 19 pandemic and "lockdown" ( I worked so never felt I was in so called lockdown) and my goodness is this now really history?

Although this is not my favourite novel by Coe, I still enjoyed it. He depicts the English in all the glory and faults with a gentle love for his characters and place. This follows the life of Mary and her family over 75 years from VE Day until her death in 2020. The reader sees historic events during her lifetime through her eyes. Bournville is a community outside of Birmingham, known for its chocolate factory.

Bournville has a unique concept in theory, but the premise lots its allure on paper. The execution of the novel was just not for me. The majority of the time, I struggled to keep my attention on the text and often found myself skimming lines or entire blocks of text. Another factor in my reading of the book is that I don't have a particular fondness of the royal family or British monarchy, and Bournville revolves around historical events with the monarchy acting as the main glue holding it together. I don't believe this is due to ignorance, as I am fairly knowledgeable about the royal family - especially Princess Diana - so I am not quite sure where or why the book lost me. All I know is that Bournville was not my cuppa.

Regardless, thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a complimentary electronic copy of Bournville by Jonathan Coe in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own and are in no way influenced by any third parties.

Using one family's story to explore Britain's history over the last 75 years, this book focuses on Mary, only 11 as World War II comes to an end, as she grows up, gets married, has children, and then grandchildren -- and her experiences and perspectives, and those of her offspring, at critical moments in British history. Through this personal lens, the author explores how Britain has changed as a country and the political and social forces contributing to those changes.

This was a well-written, creative, and highly engaging story, full of strong characters and perceptive insights about recent history.

Highly recommended.

Cozy, immersive, and engaging. A recommended purchase for collections where British litfit is popular.

Lovely historical intergenerational family saga. Would recommend to my viewers when discussing multi generation stories. Thank you for my copy.

I loved this book! Starting and ending in the COVID era, it skillfully wrapped in fantastic historical events from the 40s through the death of Princess Di. The family members' stories were interwoven in unique and thought-provoking ways. It hit on many political hot buttons with svelte ease, never hitting you over the head with preachy prose, yet presenting relevant topics with humility and taste. Oh, and all set against the Cadbury chocolate factory and the "chocolate wars" between English and French chocolate makers -- definitely another winning but not kitschy novel aspect of Coe's book.

This book is a nice sweeping story. There is plenty of local detail and Interesting characters. It would have been better with a bit more depth to each character.

You know those movies that have such a huge cast that it's really hard to keep track of all the characters? "Bournville" is like that, only it was even harder here because the characters aren't so much characters as vehicles for Making a Statement. And they all zoom back and forth in time a lot.

(And I really, REALLY could have done without the sex scene juxtaposed with the Bible reading.)

I feel bad for being harsh because I really liked Jonathan Coe's previous novel "Mr. Wilder and Me." But this one didn't come anywhere close to it, I'm afraid.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Mild, predictable, repetitive, Coe’s long novel tries to span much about Britain then and now but lacks the depth and emotional intensity for the job. Its regurgitation of key moments of history seems rote and the research is not worn lightly. Nothing here surprises or jolts. It’s as modulated as the chocolate it extols.

What a great wallow of a book - set in Bournville in Birmingham where the famous Cadbury's factory produced some of the nation's favorite chocolate bars. It follows four generations of a family in seven sections which cover some of the most famous events of the last 75 years including the coronation, a royal wedding and funeral, the 1966 World Cup and the covid pandemic. Somewhat less complicated than other of Coe's novels, it is an accessible family drama. Highly recommended.

The second I met Dolly and her family in Bournville, I fell in love. This book is a story held together by vignettes of times of importance to the people of Britain as a whole. The love story between Mary and her suitors sets us up to understand the nature of politics within England, and her family helps us to understand the different aspects of British Culture. As an American, I gained an understanding of how the Royal Family is part of the traditions that continue to keep British Society together and cohesive, despite the diametrically opposed political parties. I found this calming in the face of American Politics that feels as if one side of the lot is trying to pitch the other out all together and into jail. This book also referenced The Man From U.N.C.L.E and I was reading it the day that David McCallum passed, it felt a fitting activity to be doing in his honor. All in all, a delightful romp through British History told by way of a family in which you're ready to claim as your own.

This was an absolute saga. The characters were all so unique and complete. It’s a hard book to describe but overall it is about family and how they related to and were involved in historical events over a number of years. A scathing commentary on the pandemic as well. I loved it.

Another must-read for fans of Jonathan Coe. A novel spanning multiple generations of a Bournville based family. Covering lots of formative British moments including post-war, the royal wedding, and then Brexit and covid. Great characters are beautifully drawn creating a real family saga of a novel.

I

This is a delightful look through British life in over the last seventy years as seen through the life of one village. I found it insightful and a departure from my usual reading.

Set near Birmingham, England, over the period 1945 to 2020, this book follows a middle-class family with ties to the Cadbury chocolate factory. It begins with Mary, daughter of Sam and Doll, living in Bournville, where they are celebrating the end of World War II in Europe. The narrative follows Mary’s life over the course of seventy-five years, set against the backdrop of many major events in British history. It records the changes over time in culture, politics, technology, and more. The ending captures the experience of the pandemic.

I found it easy to get caught up in revisiting milestones, including the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, the World Cup Final between England and West Germany, Investiture of Prince Charles, wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer, Diana’s funeral, Brexit, and the 75th Anniversary of VE Day. The family marks these events by gathering together. Over time, we watch the ups and downs of family life. Mary’s three sons grow up, get married, and two of them have kids of their own. Some lose touch, others fall out over racial or political issues. I particularly enjoyed the satirical chapter about the “chocolate wars.” Coe’s views on recent history come across pointedly. It is written with subtle humor and great insight into human nature. It will appeal to those interested in British history and how it has evolved over the years.

Thanks to Europa Editions and NetGalley for sharing this advance copy of Jonathan Coe's 'Bournville' with me.

This the story of the various strands of a middle-class English family from middle-England told using various key historical moments as hooks to hang it from - WW2, the coronation of Elizabeth II, the 1966 World Cup, the investiture of the Prince of Wales, his wedding to Princess Diana and then her death, Brexit, the Covid lockdowns.

We're introduced to the matriarch, Mary, early in the novel and her presences is woven throughout the remainder of the book and the characters' history - her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, in-laws, friends, and erstwhile romantic partners.

We see the transition from the 'blitz' spirit of the war years to the more fractured years to come and the development of more tolerance in the country and in the characters. Themes of family, racism, homophobia, politics, and nationalism are the strongest ones among others.

There were some great juxtapositions of historic speeches with contemporary experiences such as the call for ongoing sacrifice in Winston Churchill's speech at the end of WW2 being replayed during Covid.

It's really well done throughout.

The characters in the present time frame are hard to connect with, as are the ones in the past. I love a good British cosy as much as the next person, but I just couldn't get into the story or feel a strong connection to the characters. Sorry.

Bournville is a very interesting read full of British history and a fine cast of characters.
I would have enjoyed it much more if the aforementioned cast of characters were more to the forefront of the story. I felt like the family were almost second players to the history which I thought was a shame. I enjoyed the book but some parts went on, like the trip to Brussels and the lengthy discussion of chocolate politics.
I liked that the characters were all intertwined and I wish there was more emphasis on this part of the story.

I've enjoyed Jonathan Coe's comic novels for two decades, but white this was perfectly readable, it is not one of my favorites. Coe revisits multiple generations of a Birmingham family at crucial moments in postwar British history: V-E Day, Queen Elizabeth's coronation, the 1966 World Cup, Prince Charles' investiture, Charles & Diana's royal wedding, Diana's funeral, the Covid lockdowns.

Instead of the clever wit and irony that leavened his previous State-of-the-Nation novels like <i>The Rotters' Club</i>, Coe's satirical vision here is motivated here by anger and preachiness, and his sociological observations felt obvious and on-the-nose. I share Coe's utter antipathy for Boris Johnson's mendacious clownishness, and horrified disbelief about the self-destructiveness of Brexit, but these elements didn't add up to an emotionally satisfying novel.

Thanks to Europa Editions and Netgalley for an advance copy, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.