Reviews

Kobo offered me an omnibus volume of Nancy Mitford's novels at almost half price - an offer too good to resist. This first one was light and good fun. I'm looking forward to the rest of the books, but plan to spread them out in and between others in order to savour them.

quietjenn's review against another edition

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4.0

3 1/2 - It's definitely a lighter, slighter Mitford take on things that I think she did more successfully in later books. But taken on a level of, say, a less-funny Wodehouse sort of romp, it's rather good fun. Alas, I find the bits that take place in London (the bookends) far more entertaining than the major middle bit that takes place in the country.

noraf's review against another edition

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4.0

I think the only reason people don’t seem to like this one so much is because Mitford’s other work has spoiled them. This story is short and light, with many funny conflicts between the older and younger generation. It’s accessible and the young people are very sympathetic even though they’re a bit ridiculous. I laughed out loud a few times and loved the highlands setting.

wordnerdy's review against another edition

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3.0

http://wordnerdy.blogspot.com/2015/10/2015-book-236.html

I have no idea why Duke recently added this to their e-book collection, but I am never gonna complain about access to Nancy Mitford! This is her first novel, so not really as compelling as some of her later work, but entertaining for sure. It's mostly all set at a house party in Scotland, where some Bright Young Things have a bit of a generation gap with the older attendees. There are shenanigans, a romance, and a lot of silliness. This definitely has Mitford's trademark humor, but is also a lot sweeter than some of her better-known works. Warnings for period-accurate racism and anti-Semitism, otherwise nothing to complain about. B+.

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