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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
3.5
The (in)famous Mitford sisters - specifically Nancy, Diana, and Unity - get the historical fiction treatment from Marie Benedict. It's almost difficult to write a synopsis because I feel like if you know about the Mitford family....then you know.
You know that both Diana and Unity were associates of Hitler. Diana was married to the leader of the fascist party in Great Britain, and Unity moved within Hitler's inner circle and was sympathetic to the Nazi cause.
You know that Nancy was a prolific writer whose family was often thinly veiled within the pages of her work. She did not support her sisters' views and even reported on them during the height of the war.
If you hadn't previously heard of the Mitfords, I'd say these small tidbits are enough to raise eyebrows.
Personally, I had previously heard of the Mitfords. Not enough, however, to verify where the lines between truth and fiction cross here.
For me, this was not an easy read just for the fact that I honestly didn't like any of the characters that much. Diana and Unity's starch support of Hitler was chilling given that he was so evil, and knowing all that we know happened during this time period and its after effects. And even though Nancy was not supportive of her sisters' views, she watched from the sidelines. In fact, a lot of Mitfords watched from the sidelines either abhorring what Diana and Unity stood for, or actually supporting it.
I think that this book really showcases the division between families when they have different ideals, but also the fact that they are your family and you want to protect that regardless of what they may be involved in. I think that's why, as I said, Nancy is shown on the sidelines a lot of the time. Despite everything, she cares about her family and her sisters. And you can similarly see this in Diana and Unity. There's an underlining loyalty to their family. However, as they continue to delve deeper and deeper into their beliefs we see what they're willing to give up. I struggled to understand, probably because I do not share their viewpoints, what the endgame of everything was supposed to be. What did they think would happen if everyone gave in to Hitler and his regime? Maybe it was the fanaticism of being so rooted to a cause that there is no reason, the reason is lost.
The book is pretty slowly paced. It covers about a ten year period of time when things were heating up between Germany and Britain before the start of the War, and then just a few years into the start of the War itself. There were definitely some moments where you are left wanting. Mainly, I kept waiting for Nancy to make some kind of stand, and while she definitely gets there, it does take quite a bit.
Honestly, Nancy and Unity and Diana may be three of the more notorious Mitfords, but there's also Pamela, Jessica, Deborah, and brother Tom. I would gladly take a part two that features the other siblings. If you truly give them a good lookup, you'll see that they were all - for better or worse - noted for something throughout their lifetimes.
The (in)famous Mitford sisters - specifically Nancy, Diana, and Unity - get the historical fiction treatment from Marie Benedict. It's almost difficult to write a synopsis because I feel like if you know about the Mitford family....then you know.
You know that both Diana and Unity were associates of Hitler. Diana was married to the leader of the fascist party in Great Britain, and Unity moved within Hitler's inner circle and was sympathetic to the Nazi cause.
You know that Nancy was a prolific writer whose family was often thinly veiled within the pages of her work. She did not support her sisters' views and even reported on them during the height of the war.
If you hadn't previously heard of the Mitfords, I'd say these small tidbits are enough to raise eyebrows.
Personally, I had previously heard of the Mitfords. Not enough, however, to verify where the lines between truth and fiction cross here.
For me, this was not an easy read just for the fact that I honestly didn't like any of the characters that much. Diana and Unity's starch support of Hitler was chilling given that he was so evil, and knowing all that we know happened during this time period and its after effects. And even though Nancy was not supportive of her sisters' views, she watched from the sidelines. In fact, a lot of Mitfords watched from the sidelines either abhorring what Diana and Unity stood for, or actually supporting it.
I think that this book really showcases the division between families when they have different ideals, but also the fact that they are your family and you want to protect that regardless of what they may be involved in. I think that's why, as I said, Nancy is shown on the sidelines a lot of the time. Despite everything, she cares about her family and her sisters. And you can similarly see this in Diana and Unity. There's an underlining loyalty to their family. However, as they continue to delve deeper and deeper into their beliefs we see what they're willing to give up. I struggled to understand, probably because I do not share their viewpoints, what the endgame of everything was supposed to be. What did they think would happen if everyone gave in to Hitler and his regime? Maybe it was the fanaticism of being so rooted to a cause that there is no reason, the reason is lost.
The book is pretty slowly paced. It covers about a ten year period of time when things were heating up between Germany and Britain before the start of the War, and then just a few years into the start of the War itself. There were definitely some moments where you are left wanting. Mainly, I kept waiting for Nancy to make some kind of stand, and while she definitely gets there, it does take quite a bit.
Honestly, Nancy and Unity and Diana may be three of the more notorious Mitfords, but there's also Pamela, Jessica, Deborah, and brother Tom. I would gladly take a part two that features the other siblings. If you truly give them a good lookup, you'll see that they were all - for better or worse - noted for something throughout their lifetimes.
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
informative
medium-paced
dark
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I had never heard of the Mitford sisters before reading The Mitford Affair. I found their stories fascinating. However, this was a hard read as most of them held distasteful beliefs and made dreadful decisions.
3.5 Stars.
3.5 Stars.
challenging
informative
fast-paced
challenging
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Just a hard no from me. There wasn’t a single sympathetic or redeemable character in the whole thing.
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
This is definitely in my top books read for 2022! Marie Benedict never disappoints. I first heard about the Mitford sisters when watching Peaky Blinders on Netflix, so I had some idea of who one of the sisters was and their political affiliations. In addition to getting more into the personal life of Diana, the reader also gets to know Nancy, Unity, and Deborah. Even after reading this book I still can't comprehend how both Unity and Diana were so infatuated with Hitler and the Nazi party. I can't imagine writing this book and trying to paint Hitler in a glowing light from Unity's eyes knowing the horrible things he's done to other human beings. Nonetheless, I couldn't put this book down. I also now have plans to read some of Nancy Mitford's novels that are loosely based on her family and her conflicting opinions on their political affiliations. If you haven't read any of Marie Benedict's books yet, start with this one and you'll be hooked!