Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"It’s rather sad,” she said one day, “to belong, as we do, to a lost generation. I’m sure in history the two wars will count as one war and that we shall be squashed out of it altogether, and people will forget that we ever existed. We might just as well never have lived at all, I do think it’s a shame."
"I don’t want to be a literary curiosity,” said Linda. “I should like to have been a living part of a really great generation. I think it’s too dismal to have been born in 1911."
This book was such a delightful surprise. I thought the writing was stellar--clever and funny and heartfelt and true. Mitford created such interesting characters who were caricatures and stereotypes but they were somehow still lovable and had the capacity to surprise you. I thought the choice to make Linda the protagonist in the story but have it narrated by her cousin Fanny was an interesting perspective and added something special instead of having an objective narrator or writing it in first person from Linda's POV. As a final note on the writing, it was absolutely hilarious in the most British way possible, and any book that makes me laugh so hard I have to put down my kindle is a winner.
I’m always saying to Christian how much I wish his buddies would either brighten up their parties a bit or else stop giving them, because I don’t see the point of sad parties, do you? And Left-wing people are always sad because they mind dreadfully about their causes, and the causes are always going so badly.
Besides just being a good book, I think this book is really interesting for cultural reasons, reflected in the quotes opening this review. It was fascinating to read about, as Linda says in her own self-centered way, essentially a lost generation of people growing up between the two World Wars. It was also a fascinating (satirical) look at the changing ways of the aristocracy in early 20th-century England, and how they gradually became more and more irrelevant, especially as their children (like Linda and Jassy and Matt) became modernized and broke with their parent's traditions.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Pretty charming read. Nancy Mitford is good at writing prose & is good at applying her observations on the nature of these characters throughout the book.
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This book was nothing like I thought it would be. I found it to be a funny book with quirky characters. The narrator is Fanny and the story is about her cousin Linda pursuing love. It begins when they are children and describes what life was like at the family home Alconleigh. Uncle Matthew who believes that hunting is the way of life; and even hunts for his children to give the hounds something to look for; Aunt Sadie who puts up with Uncle Matthew; the seven Radlett children - including Linda; Linda jealous of Fanny for having wicked parents that left her to be raised by Aunt Emily. As children Linda was in love with the Prince of Wales and Fanny with a farmer. Eventually Fanny and Linda both marry, but only Fanny stays with her husband. Linda's missteps at love is the focus of the story. I found myself very fond of Linda. Growing up she wasn't taught to cook or clean, but to hunt and ride horses. I found the book very funny. It shows a lot of British society around WWII. Linda fit in with certain groups that liked to chat, but in others she fell flat and was a disappointment.
funny
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Oh to be a posh english person in the 1920s.
Or maybe not given how vacuous and bizarre most of them seem to be.
I enjoyed reading this, it's very witty in places. I ultimately felt quite sorry for Linda. With her upbringing, she didn't really have a chance and her vacuous life with no education or curiosity ended with a whimper. At least she seemed quite oblivious and happy most of the time.
Or maybe not given how vacuous and bizarre most of them seem to be.
I enjoyed reading this, it's very witty in places. I ultimately felt quite sorry for Linda. With her upbringing, she didn't really have a chance and her vacuous life with no education or curiosity ended with a whimper. At least she seemed quite oblivious and happy most of the time.
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced