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A review by ohnoflora
Hons and Rebels by Jessica Mitford
3.0
Demoted to three stars on re-read because, while the first half (basically [b:The Pursuit of Love|835458|The Pursuit of Love (Radlett & Montdore, #1)|Nancy Mitford|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1178768641l/835458._SY75_.jpg|821072] but with real names) is delightful in its retelling of the eccentric Mitford upbringing, the second half in which Decca runs away with Esmond Romilly gradually runs out of steam. By the end I was skimming whole chapters --and then it just stopped.
It is obviously written by someone who was still traumatised by that brief, intense, relationship, and by the desperately sad death of their daughter. Esmond is idealised in the eyes of the author (and why not) but to the reader, he comes across as coldly judgemental, rash and irresponsible. There is a disconnect here that cannot be reconciled.
Perhaps this might have changed, had Jessica returned to the story a few decades later with more hindsight. As it is, we are left with something imperfect, caught in time, but still with flashes of brilliance.
It is obviously written by someone who was still traumatised by that brief, intense, relationship, and by the desperately sad death of their daughter. Esmond is idealised in the eyes of the author (and why not) but to the reader, he comes across as coldly judgemental, rash and irresponsible. There is a disconnect here that cannot be reconciled.
Perhaps this might have changed, had Jessica returned to the story a few decades later with more hindsight. As it is, we are left with something imperfect, caught in time, but still with flashes of brilliance.