64 pages 2 hours read

Ford Madox Ford

Parade's End

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1928

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Before You Read

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Super Short Summary

Parade’s End by Ford Madox Ford follows Christopher Tietjens, a conservative English gentleman, and his tumultuous relationships with his unfaithful wife Sylvia and suffragette Valentine Wannop amidst the upheaval of World War I. The tetralogy explores themes of love, honor, and societal change through modernist narrative techniques, emphasizing characters' psychological experiences rather than traditional plot progression. The novels include traumatic war experiences, infidelity, and mental illness.

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

Ford Madox Ford's Parade's End has been praised for its complex psychological depth and masterful depiction of a changing society during World War I. Reviewers commend Ford's intricate narrative and realistic portrayal of characters. However, some find the prose dense and challenging, affecting readability. Overall, it remains a significant, if demanding, modernist work.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Parade's End?

Fans of Parade's End by Ford Madox Ford typically enjoy complex narratives, historical settings, and themes of war and social change. This reader likely appreciates the nuanced exploration of human relationships and psychological depth, similar to those found in works like War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy or A Dance to the Music of Time by Anthony Powell.

RecommendedReading Age

18+years

Book Details

Genre

Historical Fiction

British Literature

Period

WWI / World War I

Topics

History: European

Themes

Society: Class

Identity: Gender