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debbiesummers's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
mes91's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
Fascinating family, who lived through so much change. Laura Thompson has a satisfying writing style I very much enjoyed. Will definitely be picking up more than of her work.
nisreen's review
2.0
A bio of the intriguing Mitford sisters, British socialites who were active participants in many social and political movements that shaped the UK, Europe and the world during the 20th century.
However, despite the immensely interesting subject, the book has serious shortcomings.
First of all, in addition to the Mitford sisters, the author attempts to cover the lives and views of their parents, their brother, their spouses, and several of their friends. Yet, she opts to jump from one POV to the other and one character to the other without a clear chronological or thematic order, which makes it almost impossible to actually understand and appreciate the characters and their ideologies and choices.
The second, and more insidious problem with the book is that though its subject matter is to a large extent the political views and activities of four of the Mitford sisters, the author insists on downplaying and depoliticising the choices of her personal hero, Diana, the wife and life-time supporter of Oswald Mosley founder of the UK fascist movement. Thompson downplays over and over the consequences of Diana political choices and views. Further, and despite stating repeatedly that Diana was a strong independent woman of her own mind, Thompson blames her political views on her husband.
Thompson also downplays the role played by Diana and her politics in introducing her younger sister Unity to fascism and later on Nazism and Hitler himself, insisting that Unity downfall was unavoidable due to her unbridled passion and the Mitford sisters’ rivalry. While Diana has stated more than once she was anti-Semitic, Thompson insists that did not mean anything since Diana “had Jewish friends.” Thus, uncoupling the individual, their political choices and activism from politics and its real-life consequences (in this case concentration camps and millions of victims across Europe).
Thompson adoration of Diana led her to bring down Jessica and Nancy, the sisters who were fierce in their opposition to Diana's politics. While she downplayed and made several excuses for Diana’s and Unity’s politics, the author kept reminding the readers that they should blame Jessica of the crimes of the USSR since she was a member of the communist party, even though Jessica resigned in 1958 following her disillusionment by the revelations of Stalin crimes; something neither Diana nor Unity did. In fact, Diana insisted to her last days that the Holocaust was manufactured propaganda. When Nancy informs the authorities of her sister insidious activities while the whole country is under attack from Hitler regime, the decision is presented as being due to her jealousy of Diana’s happy marriage (ignoring Oswald's infidelity), and her fertility (Nancy had several miscarriages and was unable to bear children.)
Add to all of that the flowery language, the random quotes, the over-reliance on Nancy Mitford's fiction - presented by the author as the definitive source of the Mitford’s history.
Thus, rather than presenting the readers with a discerning look at the historical, social and personal dynamics that led to the radicalisation and politicisation of the Mitfords and others of their social and economic class, Thompson work is nothing more than rambling, unqualified personal views, and incoherent and inherently contradictory defence of Diana Mitford by an oblivious fan girl.
However, despite the immensely interesting subject, the book has serious shortcomings.
First of all, in addition to the Mitford sisters, the author attempts to cover the lives and views of their parents, their brother, their spouses, and several of their friends. Yet, she opts to jump from one POV to the other and one character to the other without a clear chronological or thematic order, which makes it almost impossible to actually understand and appreciate the characters and their ideologies and choices.
The second, and more insidious problem with the book is that though its subject matter is to a large extent the political views and activities of four of the Mitford sisters, the author insists on downplaying and depoliticising the choices of her personal hero, Diana, the wife and life-time supporter of Oswald Mosley founder of the UK fascist movement. Thompson downplays over and over the consequences of Diana political choices and views. Further, and despite stating repeatedly that Diana was a strong independent woman of her own mind, Thompson blames her political views on her husband.
Thompson also downplays the role played by Diana and her politics in introducing her younger sister Unity to fascism and later on Nazism and Hitler himself, insisting that Unity downfall was unavoidable due to her unbridled passion and the Mitford sisters’ rivalry. While Diana has stated more than once she was anti-Semitic, Thompson insists that did not mean anything since Diana “had Jewish friends.” Thus, uncoupling the individual, their political choices and activism from politics and its real-life consequences (in this case concentration camps and millions of victims across Europe).
Thompson adoration of Diana led her to bring down Jessica and Nancy, the sisters who were fierce in their opposition to Diana's politics. While she downplayed and made several excuses for Diana’s and Unity’s politics, the author kept reminding the readers that they should blame Jessica of the crimes of the USSR since she was a member of the communist party, even though Jessica resigned in 1958 following her disillusionment by the revelations of Stalin crimes; something neither Diana nor Unity did. In fact, Diana insisted to her last days that the Holocaust was manufactured propaganda. When Nancy informs the authorities of her sister insidious activities while the whole country is under attack from Hitler regime, the decision is presented as being due to her jealousy of Diana’s happy marriage (ignoring Oswald's infidelity), and her fertility (Nancy had several miscarriages and was unable to bear children.)
Add to all of that the flowery language, the random quotes, the over-reliance on Nancy Mitford's fiction - presented by the author as the definitive source of the Mitford’s history.
Thus, rather than presenting the readers with a discerning look at the historical, social and personal dynamics that led to the radicalisation and politicisation of the Mitfords and others of their social and economic class, Thompson work is nothing more than rambling, unqualified personal views, and incoherent and inherently contradictory defence of Diana Mitford by an oblivious fan girl.