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rebeccatc's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
4.75
wrentheblurry's review
4.0
DISCLAIMER: I received this book for free from a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.
4.5 stars!
What a joy this was to read! I feel like I came to know Mollie, similar to if she was my grandmother (or a friend) and sat me down to tell me the story of her youth. Mollie's tone is comforting and familiar, making for a lovely book. Her personality shines through on every page.
All of it captivated me, from getting to know what Mollie was like as a child, to her many adventures (and hard work!) as a teenager to a young adult in service, to the Afterword, where she beautifully wraps everything up and catches up the reader to her current life, at age 97. I am a fan of Downton Abbey, and while that probably increased my enjoyment, I think the appeal of a well-written memoir by a very cheeky and sharp lady can be appreciated by many.
As a bonus, many photographs are included, which helped to deepen my involvement in the story. Each chapter also ends with a recipe from the times, and while I didn't try any, I liked reading them, as well as the household tips. What a blast from the past!
Thank you, Mollie, for telling your tale, and doing it in such a wonderful way.
4.5 stars!
What a joy this was to read! I feel like I came to know Mollie, similar to if she was my grandmother (or a friend) and sat me down to tell me the story of her youth. Mollie's tone is comforting and familiar, making for a lovely book. Her personality shines through on every page.
All of it captivated me, from getting to know what Mollie was like as a child, to her many adventures (and hard work!) as a teenager to a young adult in service, to the Afterword, where she beautifully wraps everything up and catches up the reader to her current life, at age 97. I am a fan of Downton Abbey, and while that probably increased my enjoyment, I think the appeal of a well-written memoir by a very cheeky and sharp lady can be appreciated by many.
As a bonus, many photographs are included, which helped to deepen my involvement in the story. Each chapter also ends with a recipe from the times, and while I didn't try any, I liked reading them, as well as the household tips. What a blast from the past!
Thank you, Mollie, for telling your tale, and doing it in such a wonderful way.
stevenyenzer's review
3.0
Way better than I expected! Moran’s blunt and unsparing recollections are very entertaining.
tessisreading2's review
4.0
Relentlessly cheerful and definitely aimed at the Downton Abbey crowd, but full of so many fun domestic details.
teaguemeyer's review
4.0
Enjoyable look at 1930s England through the eyes of the help. Mollie Moran does a great job showing how various historical events shaped society and effected her daily work.
simplymary's review
5.0
Mollie lacks no self-confidence, that's for sure! This is an absolutely delightful read peeking into the real downstairs life of a scullery maid/cook in the 1930's. Her observation really struck me that the experience and ability to work hard gained in this line of work prepared her so much better for the war than the gentry class. Great read.
mcsangel2's review
3.0
I read this book for the first person look at the real upstairs/downstairs perspective, and for the glimpse of how the 20th century working class wound up in domestic service. For me, it was worth it for that, but I don't think this was a well written book.
There are three 'voices' in this story; the recollections that sound like first person reminisces of a working class woman (complete with grammar/dialect), the lion's share of the story which is a fictionalized/dramatized version of Mollie's story, and bits of historical facts that are awkwardly inserted throughout.
The first voice, which is clearly Mollie's, is mostly present only in the beginning and has completely disappeared by midway. The rest of the book is obviously ghostwritten (maybe by a family member?) and it's these parts that sound really unprofessional - overly descriptive, overly dramatized and unpolished.
Only recommend if you're really interested in true stories of domestic service.
There are three 'voices' in this story; the recollections that sound like first person reminisces of a working class woman (complete with grammar/dialect), the lion's share of the story which is a fictionalized/dramatized version of Mollie's story, and bits of historical facts that are awkwardly inserted throughout.
The first voice, which is clearly Mollie's, is mostly present only in the beginning and has completely disappeared by midway. The rest of the book is obviously ghostwritten (maybe by a family member?) and it's these parts that sound really unprofessional - overly descriptive, overly dramatized and unpolished.
Only recommend if you're really interested in true stories of domestic service.
bethreadsandnaps's review
4.0
This is a memoir written by an almost 100 year old that was prompted by the hit <i>Downton Abbey</i>. Our author Mollie worked as an English kitchen maid back in the 1930s, when she was 14 until she got married. She started watching the show, and you could see her mind going (or perhaps her child's or grandchild's) - I can sell my memoir! I'm so happy she wrote it because this was a fun read.
Much of the memoir is her shenanigans when she starts out. Mollie is perpetually boy crazy and impetuous and the type of person you would have a lot of fun with. We know early on in the memoir that she ends up married, so every male character she introduces (without last names, to keep the reader guessing) piques my interest.
Mollie is a woman of her time, so you have to forgive the stereotypes she grew up with, particularly that you had to find a man to support you.
I thought this was a really interesting memoir, and actual recipes and cleaning tips are included in breaks between chapters.
Much of the memoir is her shenanigans when she starts out. Mollie is perpetually boy crazy and impetuous and the type of person you would have a lot of fun with. We know early on in the memoir that she ends up married, so every male character she introduces (without last names, to keep the reader guessing) piques my interest.
Mollie is a woman of her time, so you have to forgive the stereotypes she grew up with, particularly that you had to find a man to support you.
I thought this was a really interesting memoir, and actual recipes and cleaning tips are included in breaks between chapters.