Reviews with content warning for Racial slurs - The Pursuit of Love

Reviews tagging 'Racial slurs'

The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford

9 reviews

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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sianami's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted fast-paced

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

3.75

A very witty, entertaining read - like listening to a really great storyteller at a party. It's of early-20th-century upper-class England and shows it in gender roles, Mitford occasionally randomly dropping racial slurs, and all the social norms Mitford skewers and satirises. The ending really does let it down. Overall: pacey, funny, characterful, flawed.

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cthornhill's review against another edition

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funny informative lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

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michellebuch's review against another edition

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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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leanneymu's review against another edition

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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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