Summary and Reviews of Habits of the House by Fay Weldon

Media Reviews

The Washington Post Good fun from start to finish, thanks to breezy storytelling and witty social observations.

The Scotsman I predict a happy success for the trilogy, in print and on the screen. Julian Fellowes must look to his laurels, and Downton Abbey may find itself running second to 17 Belgrave Square.

Booklist Always a ripe target for mockery and disdain, the British aristocracy comes in for a thorough drubbing in Weldon's snarky send-up.

Kirkus Reviews Prolific Weldon borrows heavily from both Downton Abbey and Upstairs Downstairs in her first in a series of three novels about Edwardian Britain, all to come out within the next year...If this all sounds more than a little familiar, it is.

Library Journal [Weldon] travels well-worn territory here, but she does so effortlessly and adroitly. Fans of Downton Abbey and similar sagas will enjoy exploring the twists and turns of life in the extended Dilberne household.

Publishers Weekly [The] whole book feels expository because it lacks high-stakes drama. However, it succeeds as an opening to a new series and should entice enough to make it worth checking out the subsequent installments.