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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Marie Benedict is well known for her historical fiction novels. Often she writes about people on the periphery of a famous person's world: Carnegie's maid, the "other" Einstein (Albert Einstein's wife, Mitza Maric), or the personal librarian to JP Morgan. In The Mitford Affair, all of the central characters were noteworthy in their own right. Three brilliant women form the heart of this book. Born into the Mitford family, members of aristocratic, privileged British society, two of the daughters find themselves drawn towards fascism as Hitler and Mussolini rise to power. The third daughter rejects fascism, which causes a rift in the family. I was unfamiliar with this story from a historical perspective, but it was big news, especially in Great Britain, in the day. I was fascinated, especially in light of the worldwide rise again of an attraction to an authoritarian type of government, by how easily beliefs can be influenced, and objections silenced, stifled, or overcome, to obvious evils (anti-Semitism in particular, in this book time in history). I think it's important to try to understand where this draw comes from, however incomprehensible it seems to me.
What I love about good historical fiction is how it leads to google deep dives into the actual lives of the main characters. This book was a fascinating look at the Mitford Sisters and the roles that they played as Hitler rose to power in the 1930's. Tragic is an understatement.
Another great historical fiction book from Marie Benedict in which she focuses on three of the Mitford sisters. I read a few other books that were about Nancy, but this was interesting seeing just how VERY different she, Diana and Unity were (the later two very involved in with the Nazis during the 30s and 40s), whereas Nancy was a self-supporting writer and involved in British espionage during the war. Great on audio and told in alternating POVs. This book was truly full of sister drama, heartbreak (infertility and infant loss) and adventure. If you like stories based on incredibly true events/people this is one not to miss!
informative
medium-paced
I enjoy historical fiction but I can’t say I particularly like Marie Benedict. Her reimaginings of characters just feel flat and not terribly insightful. This book was a little better than others I’ve read, simply because the Mitford story is so wild it’s impossible to make it boring. But the descriptions of characters and background info that Benedict want us to know sometimes feel like a book report, esp if already know about the Mitford sisters.
I just had read the Mitford books so was intrigued by this historical fiction take on the author and her family. Hard to read anyone admiring Hitler but it was a reality.
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I’ll start by saying while this isn’t the first time I’ve read Marie Benedict, I still went in blind and what a ride. With a topic so relatable to todays climate of family members facing tension due to strong political divides, it definitely walked an eerie line of present day issues.
Told from three separate views of the sisters, it took a bit for me to find the footing and really connecting to the characters. The nonchalance of supporting the Nazis and even encouraging the beliefs was an uncomfortable part to read but really makes the reader stop to think.
Told from three separate views of the sisters, it took a bit for me to find the footing and really connecting to the characters. The nonchalance of supporting the Nazis and even encouraging the beliefs was an uncomfortable part to read but really makes the reader stop to think.
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Most people have probably heard of the aristocratic Mitford family, the six sisters being the It girls of the 20’s and 30’s, but few may know of their political role in history. The Mitford Affair focuses on three of the sisters, novelist Nancy, glamorous Diana, and odd Unity, in the years leading up to World War II. The family is mortified when Diana divorces her husband to be the mistress of a man with ambitions of being a fascist leader. Unity follows her sister’s lead in her devotion to fascism, moving to Germany and becoming a special friend of Hitler. Nancy has her own problems with infertility and an alcoholic husband, but manages to satirize her sisters’ fanaticism in a best selling book.
The story alternates between the three sisters, with only Nancy’s being told in the first person, an understandable literary device since Nancy is the only relatable character. The story is more plot than character driven, so the reader never gets a sense of why Diana and Unity were so attracted to fascism. Despite this, the lives of these fascinating sisters and their role in history makes for a compelling read.
The story alternates between the three sisters, with only Nancy’s being told in the first person, an understandable literary device since Nancy is the only relatable character. The story is more plot than character driven, so the reader never gets a sense of why Diana and Unity were so attracted to fascism. Despite this, the lives of these fascinating sisters and their role in history makes for a compelling read.