House of Gold

By: Natasha Solomons

Narrated by: Marisa Calin

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER

From the New York Times bestselling author of The House at Tyneford, an epic family saga about a headstrong Austrian heiress who will be forced to choose between the family she's made and the family that made her at the outbreak of World War I.

The start of a marriage. The end of a dynasty.

It's 1911 and Greta Goldbaum is forced to move from glittering Vienna to damp England to wed Albert, a distant cousin. The Goldbaum family are one of the wealthiest in the world, with palaces across Europe, but as Jews and perpetual outsiders they know that strength lies in family. At first defiant and lonely, slowly Greta softens toward Albert, and as the wild paths and untamed beauty of Greta's new English garden begin to take shape, so too does their love begin to blossom. But World War I looms and even the influential Goldbaums cannot alter its course. For the first time in two hundred years, the family will find itself on opposing sides, and Greta will have to choose: the family she's created, or the one she left behind.

Critic reviews

“A delicious family saga.” —New York Post

“Sweeping....Filled with rich period detail, vivid characterization, and heartfelt emotion, this meticulously researched novel is highly recommended for fans of historical fiction.”—Library Journal (starred review)

“The past comes alive in this beautifully written novel. . . A dazzling saga rich in detail and drama.” —Woman’s World

“Once again, Natasha Solomons brings the past alive with vivid immediacy. House of Gold is a sweeping, heartbreaking story of love, war, and duty. I will long remember the poetry of its evocative details and the striking complexity of its characters.”—Lauren Belfer, New York Times bestselling author of And After the Fire, recipient of the National Jewish Book Award

“Solomons is one of the best writers of historical fiction working today. Family dynasties, European politics, old war estates, love affairs, worlds on the brink of change: Solomons knows how to draw readers into a particular place and time. And once you’re there, you just don’t want to leave.” —Goop

“A sweeping epic.” —Refinery29

“A beautifully told narrative . . . A poignant, heartbreaking tale of love [and] duty.” —Gulf Coast Today

"Engrossing...In Solomons’s skillful hands, the plot winds around Europe and blossoms into a poignant portrait of characters stuck in an unavoidable paroxysm of global change."—Publishers Weekly

“Sweeping and intimate....A poignant, beautifully written story of love and duty.”—Booklist

“An achingly detailed yet sweeping narrative....A rewarding look into the fragility of power and the complexities of Jewish identity in the early 20th century. An absorbing saga.”—Kirkus Reviews

"An absorbing family saga...The characters are rounded and well-developed, and Greta Goldbaum is a spirited and appealing creation.”—Historical Novels Review

great filled with suspense

It is a superb read. And I was so sad when it ended.

Thank you for this novel for bringing us an account so accurately portrayed

great read

really enjoyed this book. lots of historical facts added to the pleasure for me. I particularly liked the fact that it was about a Jewish family. very relevant for me at this time.

Much Better Than I Anticipated

An interesting amalgam of wealth, privilege, nations, and the power of World War to destroy it all. Superb character development. Well worth reading. Entertaining and instructive.

emotional, engaging, historical fiction

I listened rather than read this book. The narrator was a bit of a woman with childlike voice that could be cringe in the beginning. I became too caught up in the story to notice it after a while. War tears families apart and although the wealthy may be better financed to endure some war time situations, they aren't necessarily suited to the hard grind reality of living with little comfort. I think the author did ac great job of telling a story about a large family that lived in a variety of places across the world and showed a slice of how each location dealt with war depending on where you were and who you were.

Good Story. Some Petty Misgivings.

This is the fourth book by Natasha Solomons I have listened to on Audible. So far this is my least favorite.
The story did not feel as uninhibited as the others, and seems to follow the Rothschild family story that it felt off-kilter.
There may have been to many characters as none of them felt as “alive” and developed as Ms Solomons older works.
I realize this review seems very negative; so I want to state clearly that Natasha Solomons is so gifted that where she may not have shown as brightly as in “The House at Tyneford”, this is a better read than many other author’s best work.
Finally, I have heard this narrator read other Solomons books, but the highly nasal sound of Greta’s voice made her a less sympathetic character. A production issue rather than a fault in writing. I wish I had read the book rather than listened.