The Dream Kingdom

By Cynthia Harrod-Eagles

Book Overview

Edwardian England is a country at the peak of its power; a kingdom of peace, prosperity and progress. As Jessie and Violet enjoy their coming-out in the glittering Season of 1908, their thoughts are of pleasure, dancing and falling in love.

For the Morlands things seem set fair: new business ventures expand their influence and wealth; there are weddings, babies in the nursery, careers for the boys now reaching manhood. It is an exciting age, with new technologies - motor cars, telephones, radio, aeroplanes - extending man's control over the natural world.

But under the appearance of permanence, a different reality is stirring. Socialism, the suffrage movement, the constitutional crisis, all call forth ever more dissent and anger. Increasingly violent protests and strikes disturb the peace; war with Germany looms ever closer. With the King's death, it begins to seem that the safe Edwardian world was only a dream, from which the wakening will be hard indeed.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0751533432
• ISBN13: 9780751533439
• Release Date: November 2004
• Publisher: Sphere
• Length: 632 Pages
• Weight: 0.77 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.6" x 4.3" x 7.0"

Customer Reviews

Fantastic book in the Morland Place family saga!

A great book in the Morland Place saga. It's the early 1900's and there are several great story lines in this book. There is a debut of two of the Morland Place young girls in London. Morland Place, in York, is brought back to its previous glory. Edwardian England is at its finest. Read the Morland Place books in sequence and you'll enjoy a fine family saga and learn the history of England while you're at it. Highly recommended!

Not entirely a stand-alone read

Cynthia Harrod-Eagles' DREAM KINGDOM is the 26th book in 'The Morland Dynasty', so be forewarned: it's not entirely a stand-alone read: not if you want the complete rich tapestry of her Edwardian England setting. The social season of 1908 brings romance and pleasure to the Morlands as wealth and new technology come to life. But the war with Germany looms over all, and even new technologies and romance can't keep back the undercurrent of strife which will reach into the Morland family and change its course.