To Let (Vol. 3 of The Forsyte Saga)

Galsworthy’s writing is elegant and evocative, drawing readers into the world of the Forsytes with his rich descriptions and vivid characterizations. The complexities of the characters and their interactions make for a compelling and engrossing read, as the family grapples with personal and moral dilemmas.

The themes of love and money are central to the novel, as the characters navigate the conflicts between their desires and responsibilities. Galsworthy expertly weaves these themes together, offering a nuanced exploration of human nature and societal norms.

Overall, To Let is a captivating continuation of The Forsyte Saga, offering readers a glimpse into the lives of a wealthy English family and the tensions that arise within it. Galsworthy’s prose is both sophisticated and accessible, making this novel a must-read for fans of classic literature and family sagas.

Book Description:

‘The Forsyte Saga’ is the story of a wealthy London family stretching from the eighteen-eighties until the nineteen-twenties.

To Let is the third and final book in the saga (although Galsworthy later published two further trilogies which extend the story). We are now in 1920, about twenty years since Irene married Young Jolyon and gave birth to John and since Soames married Annette, who gave him a daughter, Fleur. The two sides of the family have not met since those times and John and Fleur do not even know of each other’s existence.

All the old Forsytes are dead except for Timothy. Val and Holly have returned from South Africa and Val is training racehorses in Sussex. June has opened her gallery near Cork Street.

Soames arranges to meet Fleur at June’s gallery and while there, and again later in a patisserie, they see Irene and John. Soames ignores them but Fleur and John are attracted to one another at a distance. As they leave, Fleur drops her handkerchief…