review by Ro Bennett on show 24th March
I read this book because it was recommended by one of the guests on the recent Ann
Robinson programme My Life in Books. I was ambivalent about watching the programme as I’m not keen on Ms Robinson and equally ambivalent about reading the book as I knew that Nancy Mitford’s mother was a fascist, her sister Diana was married to Oswald Mosley and was a fascist, her sister Pamela was a rabid anti-semite, her sister Unity was so distraught about the declaration of war against Hitler that she attempted suicide and ended up brain damaged and her brother Tom was so fascist he refused to fight Germany but volunteered to fight Imperial Japan. He was killed in action... So I thought the book would at the very least irritate me and would probably enrage me. I was proved wrong on both counts. Ann Robinson was much softer than when she hosts The Weakest Link and I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I found it witty, entertaining and it was a real page turner.
The book is semi-autobiographical and Linda in the novel is obviously based on Nancy herself and Uncle Matthew probably depicts her father. He is absolutely outrageous in his behaviour and attitude and says the most awful things which are so totally xenophobic and racist that I found myself laughing with horror and disbelief! I loved the language and phrases used and laughed out loud several times. It gives a glimpse into aristocratic life and the changing attitudes of what was expected of young men and women. For instance Uncle Matthew was totally opposed to formal education for women. As far as he was concerned, all they had to do was marry well and no husband would be interested in a know it all female.
The book inspired me to look further into the Mitford family story on the internet.
According to Wikepedia, the well known "Mitford sisters"— the six daughters of David Freeman-Mitford, 2nd Baron Redesdale — became celebrated, and at times scandalous, figures caricatured as "Diana the Fascist, Jessica the Communist, Unity the Hitler-lover; Nancy, the Novelist; Deborah the Duchess and Pamela the unobtrusive poultry connoisseur". Nancy herself was a moderate socialist. Many aspects of their actual lives are included in the novel and I found it so entertaining I shall certainly read more of them.
Fortunately I got my book in paperback because one reviewer wrote:
This brilliant book has been so carelessly converted to e text that the Kindle version is full of errors and will make you weep with frustration as you try to discern Mitford's prose through a haze of typos. This ebook is not of marketable quality and is definitely not worth paying £6.99 for. I suggest we should stick to old-fashioned paper books for now, until this has been sorted out.
review by 'Guru' Ro
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment