Scan barcode
literarycrushes's review
4.0
The Pursuit of Love & Love in a Cold Climate by Nancy Mitford are two novels loosely based on the lives of her own infamous family. She writes about their various exploits, scandals, and affairs with a perfect balance between satire and genuine affection. Set in the interim between world wars, their lives have a charmingly surface fluffiness (everything is always superlatively amazing or horrible) to them that often serves as a mask for more deeply felt traumas like abandonment and emotional abuse. Even so, she nails the dry humor - a tough thing to do on the page - and the novel is often laugh-out-loud hilarious while still feeling light-handed.
Linda is the true star of The Pursuit of Love, though we learn of her through the narration of her doting cousin Fanny. She is said to be beautiful, charismatic, and “suitably uneducated” enough to make the perfect bride. She’s a romantic who falls in love hard and easily, yet her attachments are often so poorly suited that she can drift in and out of them effortlessly (I was truly impressed by how amicably all her divorces turned out to be). Uncle Matthew runs a close second, and I’m looking forward to watching Dominic West’s portrayal of the nutty, tyrannical man in the BBC/Prime adaptation!
Linda is the true star of The Pursuit of Love, though we learn of her through the narration of her doting cousin Fanny. She is said to be beautiful, charismatic, and “suitably uneducated” enough to make the perfect bride. She’s a romantic who falls in love hard and easily, yet her attachments are often so poorly suited that she can drift in and out of them effortlessly (I was truly impressed by how amicably all her divorces turned out to be). Uncle Matthew runs a close second, and I’m looking forward to watching Dominic West’s portrayal of the nutty, tyrannical man in the BBC/Prime adaptation!
shareen17's review
3.0
There are some very funny characters in these books. I laughed quite a bit. However, some of the characters also either live such pointless lives or have such unforgivable character flaws (I have a small list in my head that can't be violated without losing all my sympathy) that my overall feeling after reading these is emptiness.
laila4343's review
3.0
I'd give it 3 and a half stars if I could.
It was charming,funny, and surprisingly edgy for the time in which it was written. I'd recommend it for people who enjoy Jane Austen or Barbara Pym.
It was charming,funny, and surprisingly edgy for the time in which it was written. I'd recommend it for people who enjoy Jane Austen or Barbara Pym.
lizwisniewski's review
3.0
Almost done and enjoying quite a bit. She has a wonderful voice and a great ability of creating atmosphere. I read it, or all but the last chapter, which I scanned because I wanted to get on with it and it was pretty much more of the same. But it was enjoyable, the middle part about the main character's first awful marriage was the best.
misajane79's review
3.0
I really expected to adore these books. Perhaps it was all the comments over the years on the List. At any rate, I only liked them.
Though humorous, I rarely did more than chuckle. The ending of Pursuit of Love really startled me, and I couldn't quite get over the ickiness of the central romance in Cold Climate. A nice slice of upper crust life in England between the wars, with some memorable characters. Glad I read it, but won't be picking it up again. My favorite Mitford book is actually by Jessica--The American Way of Death, which is really a must-read.
Though humorous, I rarely did more than chuckle. The ending of Pursuit of Love really startled me, and I couldn't quite get over the ickiness of the central romance in Cold Climate. A nice slice of upper crust life in England between the wars, with some memorable characters. Glad I read it, but won't be picking it up again. My favorite Mitford book is actually by Jessica--The American Way of Death, which is really a must-read.
juliana_aldous's review
4.0
This was two books in one--Nancy Mitford's loosely autobiographical novels about the upper class in England. The humor was not quite Wodehouse but the tone was more humorous than Downton Abbey but touches a bit on some of the same themes.
My favorite quote from the book:
“But I think she would have been happy with Fabrice,' I said. 'He was the great love of her life, you know.'
Oh, dulling,' said my mother, sadly. 'One always thinks that. Every, every time.”
My favorite quote from the book:
“But I think she would have been happy with Fabrice,' I said. 'He was the great love of her life, you know.'
Oh, dulling,' said my mother, sadly. 'One always thinks that. Every, every time.”
kittykornerlibrarian's review
5.0
Nancy Mitford captures English upper-class girls' and women's voices of this era perfectly... the unforgettable and eccentric Radlett family, the cold and aristocratic Montdore family are both preserved for the ages. These related novels are narrated by Fanny, who is a distant relation with visiting privileges at both houses, especially the country estates. The novels are filled with girlish speculation about the future, lavish debut dances, and what happens when the girls become women and head out into the world. The characters and dialogue are fantastic. I will read these again and again.