Farewell to Eden – Sebastian Faulks

Published By: Hutchinson Heinemann
Pages: 368
Released On: 17/09/2026

Philip Deval, a soldier recently returned from the beaches of Normandy, arrives in Palestine on a peace-keeping mission in the final days of the British Mandate. The Sea of Galilee glitters in the distance as war-weary troops marvel at the novelty of oranges and sun – a paradise that belies a fierce new conflict about to erupt.

Some years later, Philip begins work teaching at a school in the English countryside and meets the enigmatic music mistress, Frances Darwood. Over long evenings spent listening to records in her music room, they grow close. But Philip is a changed man, and must confront the secrets and scars of all he has lived through – which threaten, even now, to upend his future.

*****

Thanks to NetGalley and Hutchinson Heinemann for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.

I love Sebastian’s books so much. I don’t usually keep books I’ve read but he’s got his own dedicated shelf.

From the very first sentence I’m reminded just why I like him as an author. He has a rare talent for making the most mundane description and event into the most beautiful prose that you’re immediately swept up into this journey.

The chapters are very long, more like sections rather than chapters and I wasn’t a huge fan. I much prefer short, snappy chapters, but these go on for a very long time and I did end up flicking through trying to find out how long was left.

It is full on. Not in terms of action as such, but description, explanation, characters, text – you need to concentrate. I don’t necessarily mind this as long as the writing is good and the writing is definitely good, but I was expecting slightly more ‘stuff’ to happen and because of that, there are passages that slow the pace down a lot, focussing more on philosophy or introspection rather than narrative to push the story along.

Some of it is based on a true story I believe, a part of history I knew nothing about so I found that interesting.

It ended in a way I wasn’t expecting either which was a little jarring but overall a nice surprise.

Seventh Son is still my favourite of his books I’ve read (Birdsong is a very close second), and this doesn’t quite reach the same heights. But it’s still a bloody good book and I wouldn’t expect anything else from him.