The Mitfords!

 The Mitford Affair: A Novel by Marie Benedict    

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The Mitford Affair captures the big lives these women lived. In a time of disruption they erupted all over the place. They were debutants who hobnobbed with the highest stratas of society, and they advanced their causes. They were eccentric in their choices. Like slightly in-bred, cavalier Afghan Hounds they caused major disruptions wherever they went, whatever they turned their mind too. How could six sisters be so different?

I’ve totally fascinated by the “Mitfords” and their pursuits of extremes—from communism to fascism. Benedict has written an illuminating book looking at the family from mainly four points of view. Diana who divorced her husband and married Oswald Mosley, Unity who was enamoured with Hitler, who idolised him, to Diana the communist, and Nancy who may have been a spy for MI5, but at the very least was shocked by the various positions her family took. Unity and Diana were obsessed. And then there’s the high society interactions where most in the top escheolon are married to each other, so Winston Churchill is also a relative. Their positions in society were stepping stones. Well Diana’s was. Unity wanted someone to adore exclusively, and she found him. The life, the competitiveness inside the family is rather interesting. Each knows how to push the others buttons.

A very readable, insightful dare I say, exploration of what made these women particularly act in the way they did, follow their guiding star, whether disillusioned or not. 

Ideas of racism, loyalty to a cause, entitlement, all that, and more are raised.

A Sourcebooks ARC via NetGalley.                                              

Many thanks to the author and publisher.