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Farewell to Eden
- Author
- Sebastian Faulks
- Narrator
- Toby Jones
- Publisher
- Cornerstone
- Publish Date
- 17 September 2026
- Run Time
- 12 hours 35 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
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What to expect
The epic and profound new historical novel set in post-World War Two Britain, from the Sunday Times bestselling author of BIRDSONG, Sebastian Faulks.
Philip Deval, a soldier recently returned from the beaches of Normandy, arrives in Palestine on a peace-keeping mission in the final days of the British Mandate. The Sea of Galilee glitters in the distance as war-weary troops marvel at the novelty of oranges and sun – a paradise that belies a fierce new conflict about to erupt.
Some years later, Philip begins work teaching at a school in the English countryside and meets the enigmatic music mistress, Frances Darwood. Over long evenings spent listening to records in her music room, they grow close.
But Philip is a changed man, and must confront the secrets and scars of all he has lived through – which threaten, even now, to upend his future.
Farewell to Eden is a sweeping and profound novel about faith in all its forms, and a rich portrait of an embattled post-war Britain. It asks the question: how, after great suffering, do we retain our humanity, learn to love again, and believe in the promise of a better life?
'A fascinating, timely and densely pleasurable novel, written with measured and impressive intelligence and tremendous narrative aplomb' WILLIAM BOYD
‘Beautifully written and deceptively deep novel of moral choice set in the aftermath of the Second World War. The characters are as utterly convincing as the story’ ANTONY BEEVOR
© Sebastian Faulks 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026
Critics Review
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A fascinating, timely and densely pleasurable novel, written with measured and impressive intelligence and tremendous narrative aplomb.
WILLIAM BOYD
-
Beautifully written and deceptively deep novel of moral choice set in the aftermath of the Second World War. The characters are as utterly convincing as the story.
ANTONY BEEVOR
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A richly researched and deeply humane meditation on love, faith and the long afterlife of war, set amid the final years of the British Mandate in Palestine and post-war England. Faulks has an extraordinary gift for showing how the sweep of history is lived through the quiet complexities of individual lives.
Hannah Rothschild, author of the Women's Prize shortlisted novel THE IMPROBABILITY OF LOVE
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Faulks is one of the titans of historical fiction ... [and] has this gift for really bringing to life the minutiae of the suffering of war and violence. ... It's a really arresting book and important work of storytelling. A must-read.
Afua Hirsch
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An evocative story
Times Literary Supplement
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A magnificent, sprawling novel full of humane detail - you won't want it to end. It's a powerful reminder, too, of our greatest privilege to be reading in a time and place of relative peace.
Evening Standard
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A timely masterpiece; a riveting story of war and love across two scarred terrains. A profound meditation on morality, faith and music [...] with wonderful moments of lightness and wit. A novel that both entertains and educates. You finish it smarter, wiser and more compassionate towards our postlapsarian world.
The Spectator
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A sweeping saga that intertwines historical events and deeply human experiences. A perfect balance of history faith and humanity with a delicious twist.
Press Association
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Feels as fresh as ever.
Belfast Telegraph
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A sweeping saga that seamlessly intertwines historical events and deeply human experiences It's a perfect balance of history faith and a little humanity.
Yorkshire Post
User Reviews
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Details
- Author
- Sebastian Faulks
- Narrator
- Toby Jones
- Duration
- 12 hours 35 minutes
- Release Date
- 17 September 2026
- ISBN
- 9781804943359
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Cornerstone
- Genre
- Modern and contemporary fiction: literary and general, Historical fiction, Narrative theme: interior life / psychological fiction, Narrative theme: war and conflict
Synopsis
The epic and profound new historical novel set in post-World War Two Britain, from the Sunday Times bestselling author of BIRDSONG, Sebastian Faulks.Philip Deval, a soldier recently returned from the beaches of Normandy, arrives in Palestine on a peace-keeping mission in the final days of the British Mandate. The Sea of Galilee glitters in the distance as war-weary troops marvel at the novelty of oranges and sun – a paradise that belies a fierce new conflict about to erupt.Some years later, Philip begins work teaching at a school in the English countryside and meets the enigmatic music mistress, Frances Darwood. Over long evenings spent listening to records in her music room, they grow close.But Philip is a changed man, and must confront the secrets and scars of all he has lived through – which threaten, even now, to upend his future.Farewell to Eden is a sweeping and profound novel about faith in all its forms, and a rich portrait of an embattled post-war Britain. It asks the question: how, after great suffering, do we retain our humanity, learn to love again, and believe in the promise of a better life?'A fascinating, timely and densely pleasurable novel, written with measured and impressive intelligence and tremendous narrative aplomb' WILLIAM BOYD‘Beautifully written and deceptively deep novel of moral choice set in the aftermath of the Second World War. The characters are as utterly convincing as the story’ ANTONY BEEVOR© Sebastian Faulks 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026
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