Fall of Giants (The Century Trilogy, 1)

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Also contemplate Ethel and Maud's work as women's rights advocates. Were there aspects of each woman's personal life that seemed at odds with her commitment to advancing the cause of women? Throughout the novel, several chapters are devoted to the rise of women's rights in Britain and role of the Labour Party in promoting issues affecting worker safety following a mining accident in Wales. A boy races into the shop, chased by his mother. The boy runs into Bea, who slaps him in the face. Dewar is disgusted by Bea’s behavior. Major characters introduced after the party include Grigori and Lev Peshkov, two Russian orphans who work in a locomotive factory and have personal reasons to hold a grudge against Princess Bea and the rest of the Russian royal family. Grigori and Lev's father was executed by Bea's aristocratic family for alleged improper grazing of cattle on Bea's family's land. Is it significant that Fall of Giants begins with the stories of Billy and Ethel Williams? Would the novel have been different if other characters' stories opened the book, such as those of Grigori and Lev Peshkov, or Gus Dewar?

Fitz and Ethel consummate their affair, careful to avoid pregnancy. Ethel shudders to think of what her father would say. She persuades Fitz to feed the children of the striking miners and learns that all the striking miners have been evicted. Mr. Vyalov makes Lev his chauffeur/bodyguard. Lev is attracted to Olga even though she is the daughter of his employer. Gus persuades his mother to invite Mrs. Vyalov to tea so that his relationship with Olga may become more formal and more serious. Three years later, the main story begins. Edward "Fitz" Fitzherbert, Earl Fitzherbert, who maintains a country estate in Aberowen and licenses the land on which the coal mine is built, hosts a party for many powerful people around the world. His guests include: Gus and Rosa both go with Wilson on his whistle-stop campaign around the country. After three weeks of incessant speaking, Wilson’s health breaks down and the tour is cancelled. The use of “Da” and “Dai” is the extent of the Welsh idioms employed by the Williams family. It is the extent of the use of any idioms, really. Every character, whether English or Welsh or Russian or American or German speaks in the exact same way: unconvincingly. That is, they converse in robotic monotones meant to deliver historical exposition to keep us moving down the timeline toward the sequel. There is never a moment when two characters share original thoughts, insights, or profundities. I found no evidence, on the basis of the many interactions and conversations that occur, that anyone in this novel is a human being.Walter’s troops reach the River Marne. Gus’s division also arrives there to hold the defense. In the fighting, Gus proves he has the makings of a useful officer. My favorite portions were before and after the war. There is quite a bit of battlefield sections in the middle. They are well written, but I am more interested in the people than military tactics. In December 1916, Fitz works at the Admiralty after suffering a major injury in the battle at Somme. He translates German communications, but cannot decode them himself. When the prime minister resigns, the ing asked Bonar Law who declined thinking it should go to Lloyd George instead. Fitz wants someone with aggression, but Maud wants peace. He meets with Bea and demands that she do her duty and produce more heirs, though Fitz feels bad about the encounter after he leaves to meet with the wive’s of soldiers. Once there, he is surprised to see Ethel, and the two talks about all that has happened. He asks her to meet him the next day. She does and he offers her a luxurious house and all she could want to live as his mistress. Ethel agonizes over the decision as Maud meets Gus at a Gallery. Gus says there is a divide in Germany and the war faction convinced the kaiser to invade Romania.

From November to December 1918, Ethel decides to mend her marriage by offering to help with Bernie’s campaign. They learn that Lloyd George is keeping his coalition government, and the Labour party leads to campaign against it. Meanwhile, Maud writes to Walter while the peace treaty is being discussed. Many people believe the Germans must pay for the war. Wilson arrives in France with a large group of people, including Rosa who thinks he should have brought a Republican representative. Throughout May and June 1917, Lev runs a nightclub in Buffalo while cheating on his wife with Marga. Josef catches him and gives Lev a new job at the foundry to keep him away from women. However, the workers go on strike over low wages and Gus is sent to stop it. When Lev fails to end it himself, Gus meets with the Union Leader, Lev, and Josef. He demands a 50 cent increase in wages or they will lose the factory to the army. Josef agrees to the deal. Later, Lev is caught again with Marga and Josef forces him to join the army. Gus later announces that he, too, has volunteered. Maud is fined one guinea for disturbing the peace, and she and Ethel plan the next campaign in their fight for women’s rights. Billy is surprised (and infuriated) to find that Fitz is the new commander of the Aberowen division. In London, Maud is awakened by the sounds of artillery in distant France as the Battle of the Somme begins. Fitz worries about what Ethel will do, fearing that she will tell his wife and cause her to have another miscarriage. Perceval Jones tells him that the tensions in Ireland are reaching a breaking point: Ireland has been promised independence, but the Protestants fear the control of the Catholic majority.The newspapers contain more information about the unrest in Ireland than the troubles in the Balkans. Walter meets his cousin Robert, who is intimate with the Austrian court. Robert tells Walter that the assassins were supplied by Serbian military intelligence. He also says that the Austrian emperor has written to Kaiser Wilhelm, stating his resolve that Serbia must be eliminated. This audiobook is worth every cent and every second. I would very happily recommend this book to family and friends.A masterful piece.