What to Read Next If You Love Downton Abbey
An Edwardian family faces a changing world in this British drama of manners that’s a little bit Austen, a little bit soap opera, and entirely satisfying. Get your Downton fix with historical fiction featuring rich details and nuanced character development.
The Age of Innocence
Edith Wharton’s The Buccaneers may have been an inspiration for Downton Abbey, but it’s Wharton’s The Age of Innocence that really channels the wistful privilege of Edwardian life, right down to the not- entirely-happy ending. (High School)
The Davenports
In 1910 Chicago, the four Davenport daughters are among the wealthiest Black families in the United States. This novel, like Downton Abbey, is definitely lighter on the history than the romance (even though it’s based on the real-life Patterson family, who are totally rabbit trail-worthy, if you are so inclined), but it’s still really cool what it was like to be part of the Black one-percent during the early 20th century. And yay for historical fiction about Black joy and Black success, which I always personally love to see. (High School)
The Remains of the Day
In The Remains of the Day, Kazuo Ishiguro explores the slow decline of the aristocracy in the early 20th century from the perspective of a faithful — perhaps, ultimately, too faithful — butler. (High School)
Sense and Sensibility
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen is set in an earlier time, but its story of two very different sisters, an entailed inheritance, and the problems of class and wealth will resonate with any Downton fan. (High School)
Jeeves and the Wedding Bells
Sebastian Faulks brings back Bertie Wooster in Jeeves and the Wedding Bells, a lighthearted peek at the Edwardian aristocracy featuring a perpetually befuddled young gentleman and his unflappable valet. (High School)
Hetty Feather
Hetty Feather is set at the end of the Victorian era, but Jacqueline Wilson’s novel about a girl who escapes from the Foundling Hospital to find her family is full of as many dramatic twists and turns as the best Downton episodes. (Middle Grades)
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