What the book did convey that while we can look back with the advantage of time, it's not always so easy to see clearly when you are up close against a problem.Between the World Wars, the six Mitford sisters―each more beautiful, brilliant, and eccentric than the next―dominate the English political, literary, and social scenes. I also have the problem of tying my enjoyment of a book to my sympathy with the characters and, with the exception of Nancy, found it tough coming up with much to like about the others. But closer in, I think each one of us could have fallen prey to some of the same sirens' calls that lured sisters Diana and Unity. In the Mitford case, we have the luxury of 90 years of hindsight to look at the actions of some of the Mitfords and scoff at their foolishness. This was hauntingly similar to what I experienced with some of our more recent political turmoil. "The Mitford Affair" probably piqued my interest more than the others with the dilemma it poses when a family finds itself in the midst of social upheaval with family members landing on differing sides of the situation. Looking back it's interesting that I have enjoyed but have never been "over the moon" about any of her books. I have read several books by Marie Benedict and she seems to have made a niche for herself in mining compelling stories from historical female characters. We are seeing it time and again in present days. It is however, important to read this book and know that it is not merely the uneducated who can fall under the spell of a charismatic leader. That anyone thought this was acceptable is horrifying and depressing. He saw them beaten, stomped and trampled. He watched as the residents, unionists and others tried to fight back against these people who wanted them "gone". He and his friends rolled marbles into the road to trip the horses on which the police sat. The adulation of Mosley was horrifying to me, my father-in-law was present in his home on Cable Street watching as Mosley's fascists, protected by the police, marched through the streets of the East End.
I do not understand why anyone of means and education would think fascism would serve them -most of them would lose their wealth and power - no dictator would allow those Lords any real voice! I was shocked at how easily the aristocrats were able to be swayed to the lure of fascism, how easily they could ignore the danger of Hitler and his evil plans. This book was easy to read, informative and well researched. I love historical fiction and I love Marie Benedict's work.
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