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rosemaryandrue's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
In the late 1800s, high society phenomena on both sides of the Atlantic led to an unprecedented wave of marriages between European aristocrats and American heiresses with varying results.
This is a short and straightforward history of 'the husband hunters,' a number of young American women who traded their wealth for social cachet by marrying impoverished European aristocrats. The author tells us this story by relaying the individual episodes of different women's lives and allowing them to make up the big picture. I hadn't known how severe the culture shock they faced would be, and was fascinated to learn about the aftermath of these apparently fortunate marriages.
However, I was surprised to find that we spent more time in the States than in Europe, discussing how the families clawed their way up the ladder, with an aristocratic marriage only serving as the crowning achievement. They were interesting stories, to be sure, but I ended up feeling that how the women affected British society and their lives as they settled down were accorded less attention.
This is a short and straightforward history of 'the husband hunters,' a number of young American women who traded their wealth for social cachet by marrying impoverished European aristocrats. The author tells us this story by relaying the individual episodes of different women's lives and allowing them to make up the big picture. I hadn't known how severe the culture shock they faced would be, and was fascinated to learn about the aftermath of these apparently fortunate marriages.
However, I was surprised to find that we spent more time in the States than in Europe, discussing how the families clawed their way up the ladder, with an aristocratic marriage only serving as the crowning achievement. They were interesting stories, to be sure, but I ended up feeling that how the women affected British society and their lives as they settled down were accorded less attention.
rachelellyn's review against another edition
4.0
Fascinating look into a time when a woman’s place was so completely different depending on whether she lived in the US or the U.K.
livvylulu's review against another edition
2.75
Could have been way shorter. Repeated itself basically every chapter.
brinysea's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. I’m fascinated by the Gilded Age. Nothing earth-shattering but it was a solid, enjoyable read.