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A review by mishale1
The Mitford Affair by Marie Benedict
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book was well written and I always appreciate how in depth this author’s books feel. If I were to give this book a rating based on how well it’s written, my review would be higher. But I generally base my reviews on how much I enjoyed a book. Honestly, it was hard to read sometimes. Im sitting here reading the author’s note at the end of the novel and I realize that the author herself has perfectly hit the mail on the head as far as why I didn’t enjoy this book more.
This book was historical fiction based on the Mitford family before the war fully started in Great Britain. The Mitford sisters were the It girls of the time. They ran in the right social circles, they were beautiful and intelligent. The oldest sister Nancy became an author but a couple of her sisters were very heavily involved with the Nazis.
To quote the author, “I found it very difficult to look at the monstrous Adolf Hitler in a positive light through the eyes of Diana and Unity”. Yes, yes, agreed 100%! Diana and Unity were so unlikable and seeing them worship (and possibly fall in love with Hitler) was just really hard to read.
Nancy is the only one that’s lovable.
It’s really bizarre to see Nancy’s mother giving her a hard time for fighting with her sisters about their politics when her sisters were Nazis for goodness sakes.
Nancy carried so much weight trying to be loyal to her country and her beliefs and still love her sisters. And ultimately, in the book atleast, she’d had to pick a side.
This book was historical fiction based on the Mitford family before the war fully started in Great Britain. The Mitford sisters were the It girls of the time. They ran in the right social circles, they were beautiful and intelligent. The oldest sister Nancy became an author but a couple of her sisters were very heavily involved with the Nazis.
To quote the author, “I found it very difficult to look at the monstrous Adolf Hitler in a positive light through the eyes of Diana and Unity”. Yes, yes, agreed 100%! Diana and Unity were so unlikable and seeing them worship (and possibly fall in love with Hitler) was just really hard to read.
Nancy is the only one that’s lovable.
It’s really bizarre to see Nancy’s mother giving her a hard time for fighting with her sisters about their politics when her sisters were Nazis for goodness sakes.
Nancy carried so much weight trying to be loyal to her country and her beliefs and still love her sisters. And ultimately, in the book atleast, she’d had to pick a side.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Antisemitism
Moderate: Infidelity
Minor: War