The Cazalets: The epic full-cast BBC Radio dramatisation Audio CD – CD, 18 Sept. 2014

I wasn't sure whether to give this 3 or 4 stars. I enjoyed it very much, but, as a fan of the original books, it was also quite disappointing.I will start by saying that I read the books first and I loved them all. The stories, characters, plot development, setting and the wonderfully compassionate writing make them absolute classics. So I was a little wary of listening to these CDs having enjoyed the books so much.I certainly enjoyed the CDs, the dramatisation was mostly well done and the acting likewise with a few minor exceptions. I listened to it all while driving and actually enjoyed my awful commutes in heavy traffic for a couple of weeks! If you have not read the books I would recommend the CDs if the story appeals to you. My caveats are all for fans of the books.So, there are a couple of negatives. Firstly the story is very much abridged. One of the great joys of the books is the slow plot development, the detail and the huge range of characters. It's inevitable that 5 chunky books would have to be condensed somewhat for even a long radio series. But for anyone who knows the books I think you'll miss the detail and many of the characters who have been left out altogether including Simon, Teddy, Lydia, Villy's sister and her family (apart from Christopher who appears as an unexplained cousin), and a few others are just mentioned occasionally, including the Brig, the Duchy & her sisters, Zoe's mother, and all of the servants/staff. Mostly the story still hangs together, though there are a few odd moments, and the sense of a huge extended family living together in rambling Home Place is rather diminished by so many missing children! The plot also seems to rush along too quickly with (I felt) too many things unexplained and a less satisfactory sense of the characters changing and developing as the years go by.Another reviewer has said that the family seem to be little affected by the war, which I can see you might feel after listening to the CDs, but one thing I loved about the novels is the way they portray the nitty gritty of everyday life (albeit for a wealthy family), overshadowed for 6 years by sacrifice, anxiety about the future, shortages of food & clothing, air raids, constantly having to make do. Howard portrays so well what life was like on the Home Front for millions of women and children but this is rushed through in the CDs - because, I suppose, a bunch of women sitting around mending worn out clothes or Clary's lengthy diary written for her missing father are maybe not exciting enough for radio! I also felt that the CDs didn't really have Home Place at their centre, whereas in the books the house is almost a character in itself - I felt I could have walked through the door and found my way around the house and garden without a problem!My final niggle is that the narrator switches from third person to first person at the end of the 4th novel - so the Clary/Archie relationship is suddenly told from Clary's point of view. To me this diminished it, because part of the brilliance of the novels is the fact that we know each character from their relationships with so many other people - we see them as fully rounded humans. Elizabeth Jane Howard also talked about how there is not a single character in the novel which is autobiographical in a straightforward way - in particular I think Louise also has elements of Howard's own life, so it just seemed unnecessary to suddenly decide that this is Clary's story, and to limit the perspective for this section to just Clary's.So, in conclusion, I did enjoy these CDs and would recommend them with a few caveats, but much more than that I would recommend the books! So if you enjoy the CDs please read the books, and if you've read the books, you will probably get a lot of enjoyment from the CDs but they are by no means perfect!

I have been wanting to get this radio version for so long. Well worth the wait. Loved listening to it. Actors are all superb.

Having read the five books I really enjoyed this. My only criticism was the actors' voices. Very few were distinctive which, if you'd not read the books, would make it difficult knowing who was speaking. Not an asset for an audio book. But a good listen when doing other things.

Having first heard only a few of the Cazalets series on Radio 4 some time ago I wanted to hear more so was delighted to be able to obtain the complete series on cd. I did not want to hear it read but wanted it with the full cast as they acted their parts so well. It is a touching story of the trials and tribulations of a well to do English family just pre the second world war. It is both amusing at times and also very moving and sad in others. I would thoroughly recommend this series.

The story has been edited a great deal, but that is to be expected I suppose as it covers many books.Unless you have read the books, I think it would be quite difficult to follow the story.The strange music used all the way through is rather annoying - I would much prefer no music.

Played them repeatedly, such a fantastic radio play and such a great compliment to her books which are also amazing, buy both you will not regret it!

I love listening to radio dramatisations and this did not disappoint. Beautifully narrated and fantastic acting to bring an excellent story to life. Absorbing and well worth it.

I have only just attempted to listen to this boxed set and am disappointed. Every now and again the sound cut out completely. I thought this was due to my CD player or the batteries but having played the discs on my computer I realise that some of the discs are faulty. I would like to send this back and have it replaced but cannot find the facility to do this.