The Storms Of War: A Novel

A sweeping and gloriously moving novel of the First World War and its aftermath from a brilliant young storyteller recognized on both sides of the Atlantic as “an outstanding new talent” who ranks among the “queens of contemporary fiction.” Kate Williams’s The Storms of War is the first book in a groundbreaking, cinematic trilogy that tells the story of the de Witt family from 1914 to 1939: perfect for fans of Downton Abbey, Birdsong, and Somewhere in France.

In the idyllic early summer of 1914, life is good for the de Witt family. Rudolf and Verena are planning the wedding of their daughter Emmeline, while their eldest son, Arthur, is studying in Paris and Michael is just back from his first term at Cambridge. Celia, the youngest of the de Witt children, is on the brink of adulthood, and secretly dreams of escaping her carefully mapped-out future and exploring the world.

But the onslaught of war changes everything and soon the de Witts find themselves sidelined and in danger of losing everything they hold dear. As Celia struggles to make sense of the changing world around her, she lies about her age to join the war effort and finds herself embroiled in a complex plot that puts not only her but those she loves in danger.

With gripping, pitch-perfect detail, cinematic scope and heart-rending empathy, Kate Williams tells the story of Celia and her family as they are shunned by a society that previously embraced them, torn apart by sorrow, and buffeted and changed by the storms of war.

“A beautifully conjured family saga. Fans of Downton Abbey will love it, as did I.” —ALISON WEIR, AUTHOR OF THE LADY ELIZABETH AND THE CAPTIVE QUEEN