London (Edward Rutherfurd, 1997)

I've just finished the epic 1,299 page doorstop of a novel London by Edward Rutherford. In some respects it does exactly what it says on the cover - it tells you a story about London, but it does so over 21 chapters that go from Roman era Londinium, through the centuries right up to 1997, following the families and descendants of a core group of Londoners.

The book is essential 21 short stories, linked via location and familial ties, and it's also a rather good history of England and London, featuring real life figures from history such as Julius Caesar, Kings and Queens from Henry VIII to Victoria, Shakespeare, Pepys... Not only is it an enjoyable work of fiction, London is also an immensely readable and relatable piece of historical prose. Seeing the different time periods through the eyes of the various characters makes the past come alive (cliché but true) and I learnt a lot about the Civil War, the role religion played in England's history, and what theatre was really like in the Elizabethan era. 

I didn't have a problem with the length of the book (it took me 2 months to get through), but there were some niggles - for example it was often tough to keep up with who was descended from whom, especially as names and titles changed. That's not a major issue, as Rutherford helpfully provides a family tree and a number of essential maps, which I thumbed back to regularly for reference and to place events in context. Some of the stories weren't as interesting as others, but the historical detail made up for it. The author also seemed to take liberties with the longevity of some characters, who by necessity had to live to their 80's and 90's in order to span significant events - it's hard to swallow such old age in days when average lifespans were much lower. Keeping the same characters was useful for continuity though. I enjoyed London and I'd recommend it to anyone interested in English history. I liked it so much I even went out and bought Russka, which does the same thing with Russia. I may leave it a while before I decide to tackle its admittedly slimmer 1,000 pages though.