Wait For Me!

Continuing on the Mitford theme, I'm pretty chuffed that Debo's memoir has finally made into my collection! Review to follow shortly, no doubt. 

Nancy Mitford, Highland Fling & First Book Review of 2014

I am utterly devoted to the divine Nancy Mitford, although I've only read her post-War novels The Pursuit of Love, Love in a Cold Climate and The Blessing. I'd never read any of her earlier novels, and I suppose I had come to accept the general consensus which seems to do the rounds which is that they're just not that good. How has this come to be accepted when Highland Fling turned out to be an utter delight?! I thought maybe the earlier novels focused more on plot and characters and lacked substance. Whereas there is definitely a focus on the Bright Young Things of the 20s and 30s, there are still some beautiful little snippets of Mitford gold which cannot help but shine through. I've laughed out loud continuously, and who wouldn't when faced with passages like this: 

'He was doomed to immediate disappointment, finding that besides being an unusually stupid woman she had less sex appeal than the average cauliflower; and when, in the course of conversation, he learnt that her two children were called Wendy and Christopher Robin, his last hope of being charmed vanished for ever.' 

Comic genius.  

 

The Pursuit of Love.

   "Louisa said to me, her eyes as big as saucers: 'He rushes into her  room before tea and lives with her.' Louisa always describes the act of love as living with. 'Before tea, Fanny, can you imagine it?'"

I have meant to read The Pursuit of Love for so very long. Ever since I read The Mitford Girls by Mary S. Lovell which kept me hooked on the antics of Nancy, Pamela, Diana, Unity, Decca and Debo for the entirety of the Christmas break. The whole family, quite frankly, rock my socks.  I'm still toying with the idea of writing my dissertation on the novels of Nancy Mitford and Jane Austen, but we will see. I am glad to report that this novel was entirely heavenly. Uncle Matthew (thinly masquerading as Mitford's father Lord Redesdale) is a joy: 'This violent, uncontrolled man, like his children, knew no middle course, he either loved or he hated, and generally, it must be said, he hated.' Probably my favourite character in the book to be honest. Although I am glad that I only met this particular tyrant in the pages of a book; I fear I would have been denounced as a 'sewer' and roundly loathed. The sanity of the narrator, Fanny, perfectly acts as a conduit for the madness of the Radlett family and our heroine Linda. Being a terribly awkward being myself, I could not help but marvel at the carefree, self-assured confidence of Linda. Unfortunately I felt the ending was a little rushed. Or perhaps I was more disappointed with the unexpectedly sad conclusion from an otherwise sparkling read. Certainly more bittter-sweet than I had anticipated, but no less enjoyable.