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karelle's review against another edition
3.0
Vraiment plus un 3 étoiles et demi que ce 3 étoiles qui me semble manquer de générosité, car même si c'était plus inégal que "Christmas Pudding" et que le début était assez long, il y a des passages qui m'ont vraiment, vraiment beaucoup fait rire (comme ce picnic et les péripéties qui s'en sont suivies; j'ai ri aux larmes pendant pratiquement tout le chapitre. Aussi, les deux fois où j'ai lu un roman de Nancy Mitford, je me suis sentie comme si le meurtre allait arriver d'une minute à l'autre, car ça se passe toujours dans des maisons de campagne avec un groupe réduit de personnes, généralement "witty" et sarcastiques, ayant des problèmes d'argent, des clash générationnels ou de classes sociales, parfois des désaccords ou des haines; mais il n'y a jamais de meurtre, ça finit simplement toujours par des situations rocambolesques et absurdes... au fond, j'écris tout ça maintenant, et je me rends compte que le style de Nancy Mitford me fait beaucoup penser à celui Georgette Heyer, surtout "Footsteps in the Dark" - il y avait même un "fantôme" dans "Highland Fling"!
P.-S: Ce n'est pas cette édition que j'ai lu, j'ai un gros volume avec tous les romans de Mitford.
P.-S: Ce n'est pas cette édition que j'ai lu, j'ai un gros volume avec tous les romans de Mitford.
garbo2garbo's review
3.0
I adore Nancy Mitford, and so naturally I wanted to read some of her earlier work. This being her first novel, it has that familiar Mitford satirical style, but where her celebrated wit is so cutting, focused and hilarious in her later work, it is clearly in the early, undefined stages here. If this was by any other author, this would be a most acceptable inoffensive novel, but knowing her later capabilities, it is not up to par with her later work.
Worth a read, particularly if a fan of Mitford. Generally enjoyable, and a goodfirst novel for such a celebrated novelist (I have read far far worse first novels from celebrated authors - comparatively, this is a treat!).
Edit: I also learnt lots of scottish vernacular!! Fun!
Worth a read, particularly if a fan of Mitford. Generally enjoyable, and a goodfirst novel for such a celebrated novelist (I have read far far worse first novels from celebrated authors - comparatively, this is a treat!).
Edit: I also learnt lots of scottish vernacular!! Fun!
beckyemma's review
3.0
It was a decent novel with an alright storyline however it didn't really have an ending which was a bit baffling but over all an enjoyable read.
aemsea26's review
4.0
Oh, Nancy. I long to be a character out of one of your books, even if it is one of your earlier efforts.
Walter and Sally Monteath are madly in love but very poor (though, of course, Sally's engagement ring comes from Cartier and the couple celebrates their engagement with a champagne-fueled night at the Ritz). Sally's aunt and uncle ask her to housesit their castle in Scotland, which, to Sally's mind, is a perfect way to economize. They invite the flamboyant writer Albert, late from Paris, and Jane, who is sort of a mix between the lovelorn Linda Radlett and sensible Fanny (or Fanny from Don't Tell Alfred). The old friends of Sally's aunt and uncle are also staying at the castle, and are utterly shocked and appalled by the young people, particularly Albert, who wears an array of spectacularly terrible outfits. Of course, because this is Nancy Mitford, hilarity ensues: Sally, Jane, Walter, and Albert go on shocking the older guests, mostly by laying in bed until lunchtime, scoffing hunting and fishing, talking about art, and frowning upon WWI. And of course, also in true Mitford-form, two of the young people fall madly in love but act completely stupid about it.
Really, there is no better author for a comic view of the interwar love affairs of the idle rich. That sentence pretty much sums up everything I love in life.
Walter and Sally Monteath are madly in love but very poor (though, of course, Sally's engagement ring comes from Cartier and the couple celebrates their engagement with a champagne-fueled night at the Ritz). Sally's aunt and uncle ask her to housesit their castle in Scotland, which, to Sally's mind, is a perfect way to economize. They invite the flamboyant writer Albert, late from Paris, and Jane, who is sort of a mix between the lovelorn Linda Radlett and sensible Fanny (or Fanny from Don't Tell Alfred). The old friends of Sally's aunt and uncle are also staying at the castle, and are utterly shocked and appalled by the young people, particularly Albert, who wears an array of spectacularly terrible outfits. Of course, because this is Nancy Mitford, hilarity ensues: Sally, Jane, Walter, and Albert go on shocking the older guests, mostly by laying in bed until lunchtime, scoffing hunting and fishing, talking about art, and frowning upon WWI. And of course, also in true Mitford-form, two of the young people fall madly in love but act completely stupid about it.
Really, there is no better author for a comic view of the interwar love affairs of the idle rich. That sentence pretty much sums up everything I love in life.
sumit's review
2.0
Primordial chicklit; incoherent, unfunny and not so much full of Bright Young Things as Unsympathetic Workshy Fops. Some historical interest - the Victorian period was to the characters in this book as the 1960s are to us - but that doesn't overcome the stilted narrative and dislikeable protagonists. Time may not have been kind to this book - Mitford's first and probably worst - but I suspect it was never much good. A pity, because I originally intended to read one of her later books but I'm not sure whether to make the effort now.
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