Reviews tagging 'War'

The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford

6 reviews

artificial_whipper_tears's review against another edition

funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 To me, "The Pursuit of Love" is a story about the lost generation. How the first world war affected not only the generation who fought, but their children's perception of war, going into WW2. As well as highlighting the dysfunctional human nature, which I think many of us can recognize our own experiences in. The emotionally stunted men who's only emotion is anger and pride in the violence they could cause. The women who, taught from a young age, blame themselves for the failures of both themselves and others. Who are brought up into a role they deep down don't want to play, but are dictated to by societal norms. And the desperation in seeking perfection, which only leads to more misery.

The Pursuit of Love is an interesting story, but Nancy Mitford's writing is what really brings it to life. She has a way with words that transport you vividly to a scene. Unlike many upper-class authors, Nancy does not assume anything about the reader, and so writes in a way we can all understand. It's why I love her so. My only complaint with the book is that Nancy writes French dialogue for small parts of the book and there is no translation to go along with it. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Racism, Animal cruelty, War, Infidelity, Pregnancy, and Classism

Minor: Eating disorder, Death of parent, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Emotional abuse, and Domestic abuse

death from pregnancy complications

milesjmoran's review against another edition

I wasn’t finding it as light hearted and delightful as everyone else seemed to. I really liked Uncle Matthew as a character, I enjoyed him the most, and I liked the beginning of this book but it really wasn’t what I was expecting and in a way that I didn’t enjoy. There was also a lot of racism in this book that made me uncomfortable but I decided to put this book down at the line: 

“Foreigners are greatly given, I believe, to rape”. 

I understand this is most likely satire on just how delusional the middle and upper classes were at the time but it didn’t work for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Classism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Xenophobia, and Racism

Moderate: War

kell_xavi's review

emotional lighthearted medium-paced

2.5

This is a book where not much happens, and even less if you choose not to consider infatuation an event. I liked Davey, Emily, Fanny, and Merlin, but not really anyone else, and even those four were of a petit bourgeois set that is so heteronormative and naïvely selfish most of the time. Linda is entertaining only as a sensitive, vulgar child surrounded by animals to nurture and hunt; Fabrice is an entitled creep from the start, and his encouragement of her submissive vapidity makes her even less interesting. The main aspect that’s worthwhile in Mitford’s writing is the setting, as it filled in a gap in my awareness of upper class British life in the early 20th century. And it’s funny, though the classism of much of the joviality drains its humour. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, War, and Pregnancy

Minor: Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Eating disorder, and Classism

michellebuch's review against another edition

Upon seeing a racial slur in the book, I looked up the date of publication, and found that the book was the author's sanitized version of her own large aristocratic, fascist family. One Mitford sister moved to Germany to stalked Hitler and worship him. One sister shot herself (but survived) when England entered into war with Germany. One left her husband for the leader fascist in England. The brother fought in Japan because he couldn't bring himself to fight against Germany. They were all Jew haters.
This book absolves Mitford's family and, as an extension, the British aristocracy of their part in Germany's ability to be as successful in the attempted conquest of Europe and eradication of Jews.
I couldn't continue reading it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs

Moderate: Antisemitism and War

leanneymu's review against another edition

dark lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

A fascinating glimpse into the lives of posh folk in the 1930s and 1940s - with a very abrupt ending that somehow fits the character perfectly. Bit of a content warning for xenophobic attitudes, but an interesting read. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racial slurs, War, and Xenophobia

Minor: Domestic abuse

saurahsaurus's review

funny hopeful lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism, Abandonment, and Racial slurs

Moderate: Racism, War, Sexism, Xenophobia, Pregnancy, Infidelity, and Death

Minor: Animal cruelty, Slavery, Sexual content, and Animal death

Regarding the note on racial slurs:

There is one racial slur against Black people in the book, and it is the n-word. There are other slurs against Europeans. In addition, there are various crude and racist references to POCs as well as Europeans.