The horrible hole in my literary education regarding Nancy Mitford and her family was partly filled when I read Eliza Knight’s biographical fiction novel, The Mayfair Bookshop last year. Obviously, that wasn’t enough for me. Not only did I rush to get the ARC of this novel, but I actually purchased one of Nancy’s books on my last trip to the UK (no, I haven’t read it yet). Now, unlike the two divergent books about Alice Diamond (Forty Elephants and Queen of Thieves), I’m pleased to say that both Knight and Benedict seem to have done similar paths of research, and I could find nothing in either book which contradicted the other. Mind you, Benedict doesn’t get involved in Nancy’s bookshop, while Knight played down (partially) Nancy’s sisters’ political penchants. This means we have two very different novels, despite the similar source materials.

While Knight’s book is really all about Nancy, the bookshop, and her love life, as noted above, Benedict focuses on Nancy together with two of her sisters – Diana and Unity. Yes, the other siblings do get mentioned in the book, together with other family members (like Winston Churchill, for example), but these three are the meat of this story, and Benedict tells them through chapters which scroll through their three points of view. Interestingly enough, only Nancy gets a first-person voice here, while both Diana’s and Unity’s stories are both told in third person. I’m guessing that Benedict did this to help the reader feel closer to Nancy and distance themselves from Diana and Unity. I think that worked quite well, but I often worry that a first-person voice can lead to suspicions of their being an unreliable narrator. But I don’t think this happened here, and… in real life, I don’t think I’d ever want to meet up with either Diana or Unity, but what I wouldn’t give to sit down to an afternoon tea (well, coffee for me) with that amazing Nancy!

Another thing I noticed with this book is how Benedict was very careful to use the King’s English (oops, I almost wrote Queen’s here - RIP) throughout this novel. Not that it made it feel stiff or staid, but rather that it felt quite proper and elegant. This worked to perfection with her subject matter, since these are all women of class – both figuratively and literally. I mean, the descriptions of Diana and how she dressed and held herself with such sophistication alone gave me a truly vivid picture of her. As for Unity, although I know she was very tall, I’m not sure why I got the idea that she was kind of dumpy looking, and not terribly attractive. So, I looked for pictures of her, and although she wasn’t totally unappealing, she did look quite dull compared to Nancy and Diana. This proves that Benedict did a superlative job of giving me the right images for her main characters.

Obviously, aside from the relationship between these three, there’s an “affair” going on, as the title of this novel hints. Actually, if you ask me, maybe the book should have been called “The Mitfords’ Affairs” since all three of them were involved in one type of sticky situation or another, and sometimes a couple at the same time. This is what makes Benedict’s latest book a real page-turner, even if you already know much about the history of these women (which I do from Knight’s novel). The bottom line is, while I had a hard time feeling much sympathy for Diana and Unity (pity would be a better word), I’m not sure I was able to fall in love with Nancy either (no, I didn’t cry). That said, this novel reinforced my caring and admiration for Nancy, as well as my incredulity regarding her sisters. Because of this, I’m very warmly recommending this novel, and for me I can rate it 4.75 stars out of five! In fact, I think people should read both these novels; they don’t contradict each other, and together they give us a picture of Nancy Mitford that fully complex and multifaceted!

There have been so many books written regarding the 6 Mitford sisters, it seems as if the public simply cannot get enough.
I commend Benedict, who writes about who writes about women in history, for tackling three of the sisters’ stories beset in the critical era of the 1930s.
Benedict handles her difficult characters with class and tolerance, more than I could. Diana and Unity were loathsome creatures and Unity was a perfect tool, illustrated by the author’s depiction.
I don’t have much regard for their indifferent parents who reared them with benign neglect.
The only Mitford sister in the book who is palatable is Nancy.
It’s a well written book that handles very prickly issues and personalities.

I’m fascinated by biographical/historical fiction. What interests me most about these novels is the complicated challenges they present. They have to meet all the usual requirements for successful historical fiction: an intriguing story peopled with engaging characters and supported by true-to-period details of settings, dress, food, slang, and lifestyle. But biographical/historical fiction has the additional responsibility of being true, more or less, to the lives of its real-life people. This usually means a major research commitment, especially if the real people are well known. Hence (to my mind) the additional challenges, especially when the real people are central characters in the fiction. I’m always interested in these questions: Does the writer choose to work within the life-limits of her characters’ experiences and personality? Or does she change people and circumstance to fit the story outline she has in mind?

Which brings me to Marie Benedict’s latest novel, The Mitford Affair. The book tells the story of four Mitford sisters: the famous and infamous Nancy, Diana, Unity, and Jessica, daughters of a declining aristocratic family who vie for places in British political, literary, and social circles in the two decades between the World Wars. Nancy, a successful novelist, is unhappily unmarried, then unhappily married. Diana, to her family’s dismay, becomes involved in a scandalous and adulterous love affair with the leader of the British Union of Fascists, Sir Oswald Mosely. Unity creates even greater scandal through her quite public and unrestrained admiration for the Nazi cult in Germany and her passionate obsession with Adolph Hitler—even rumored to be his mistress. Younger sister Decca commits herself to the communist cause, but it is Diana and Unity who demand most of our attention. As war looms and these two sisters become deeply involved in dangerous fascist and Nazi activities, Nancy becomes more and more uncomfortable with their choices, until she is finally faced with a brutal choice. Should she share what she knows with Winston Churchill, First Lord of the Admiralty and a cousin-by-marriage? Can she really “steer the course of the world’s future,” as Churchill tells her? At what cost to her sisters?

Benedict has chosen to portray a difficult assortment of characters, allegiances, and alliances in a difficult period. Diana’s and Unity’s self-destructive fascination with and need for powerful men makes it hard to sympathize with the two women. Nancy’s smug, “uppity” skepticism and her failure to actively intervene with her sisters while at the same time satirizing them in her fiction is understandable but unattractive. The tumult and chaos of the political environment may be hard for some to sort out. It takes a reader with a certain amount of historical knowledge and interest to work through these unpleasant people and their complicated stories to a conclusion that is fraught with personal and political ambiguities. The book ends, literally, with a question mark.

I enjoyed this novel. The physical settings are detailed, interesting, and accurate. The costumes tell us exactly what we need to know about the wearers. The use of first-person narration for Nancy helps to anchor the story’s moral center for us, such as it is. The dialogue sparkles and the events have a compelling logic from beginning to end. Most of all, I admire the novelist for tackling such a difficult subject, for living with its challenges long enough to fashion a story that is fundamentally true to the real people she’s writing about. Benedict does confess to inventing Nancy’s spying episode (the machinery that precipitates the final action), but as she says in “A Conversation with the Author,” she has refused to stray far from the historical record. Writers of fiction can find this kind of self-imposed discipline either difficult or impossible. Benedict manages it here with style and grace.

The Mitford Affair illuminates the labyrinthine social and political milieu of pre-WW2 England and Germany and the lives of people whose loyalties were tested by competing political ideas. As well, it asks us to think hard about the rifts in our families in an era when our own divisive politics threaten to pull us apart. Recommended for readers who enjoy a reading challenge and want to learn more about England and Europe between the wars.

The Mitford Affair, based on the aristocratic Mitford family living in England, is set in the 30s and early 40s. Nancy, Diana, and Unity were the most noteworthy of the Mitford daughters during this time. All were unique in their way with their dreams and aspirations. Nancy was the novelist and peacemaker, Diana and Unity were the Fascists. This character-driven novel shows how far someone will go for their convictions, no matter the cost.

This novel has what all of Marie Benedict's novels have, a strong female character, in this case, three strong female characters who are not afraid to go outside what society expects of them. What I particularly enjoyed about this book was the pacing, the book covers roughly 12 years, but the story never seems slow. The writing is excellent and well-researched. If you had no prior knowledge of the family, this would be a great introduction as it's easy to read and follow but interesting enough for a history buff to enjoy.

I first became aware of the Mitford sisters several years ago when I read the wonderful biography about them by Mary S. Lovell which I thoroughly enjoyed. So when I saw they were the subject of Marie Benedict’s new novel I was intrigued. Set during the years leading up to WWII, Benedict puts the focus on three of the six sisters. Nancy, the oldest who became a renowned novelist, Diana, the beauty who married the heir to the Guiness fortune only to leave him for Oswald Mosley, head of the British Fascist Union and Unity who moves to Germany and becomes a believer in Nazism and one of Hitler’s inner circle. Clearly this combination can only lead to discord and scandal.

Benedict is one of the best writer’s of historical fiction around and in her examination of a family embroiled in scandal and political intrigue she has outdone herself. Nancy portrays the voice of reason and is the most relatable character as she tries to maintain relationships with her scorned sisters but must eventually choose between her loyalty to her family or her country. This is a tough book in the regard that the characters are hard to like, especially Diana. But in spite of her coldness and selfishness, Benedict manages to impart a spark of humanity in Diana so that the reader can retain a kernel of hope for her. Unity, ever the outcast, finds the acceptance she has always craved but at what cost. Naive and headstrong she is her own worst enemy.

Benedict has carved out a niche for herself in writing novels that focus on strong and complicated women that have been ignored by history. I love that in this book she examines a family full of such women. I love reading about sisters- they can harbor such strong and complex relationships. The Mitford sisters are a clear example of these often fierce yet fragile bonds and when the extreme political ideologies and atrocities are added into the mix it makes for a powder keg that can only explode and shatter those ties. It also makes for an incredible read. Thank you to NetGalley and Source Books for an advanced copy.

The six. Mitford sisters and their brother Tom were prominent names in British society. As Hitler rose to power in Germany Oswald Mosley, founder of the British Union of Fascists, caught the eye of Diana Mitford. Although they were both married, she filed for divorce and entered into a scandalous affair with him. Her younger sister Unity also became an ardent fascist. She went to school in Munich, where she befriended Hitler and became a member of his inner circle of friends. Marie Benedict’s story focuses on Diana, Unity and Nancy, the eldest sister. She was appalled by her sisters’ beliefs and actions. Nancy was an author and sometimes alienated her sisters by basing characters on them.

Benedict alternates her chapters between the sisters, offering their different points of view. Growing up they were always close , but jealously and differing political views often drove a wedge between them. The family was related to Winston Churchill, who approached Nancy regarding her sisters’ activities. She is reluctant to spy on her sisters but when war is declared she has no choice. From fascist rallies in London to intimate lunches with Hitler in Munich, Benedict gives you a birds eye view of a turbulent time in history, while her writing draws you into the Mitford family. Whenever a Benedict book is published, I know that I am in for a treat and The. Mitford Affair is a book that is highly recommended. I would like to thank NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for providing this book for my review.

First of all, let’s talk about the GORGEOUS cover! Stunning! Now, don’t let it fool you - this book is pretty heavy subject wise. I had not heard of the Mitford sisters before reading this, which is surprising considering how much I love history and this time period. Now I am trying to find more books or documentaries about them! Truly a fascinating read. This is done in the viewpoint of only three of the six sisters - Nancy, Diana, and Unity. Each chapter is one of them. I didn’t totally understand why Nancy’s chapters are done in first person while Diana and Unity were in third. It didn’t detract from the story at all though. I have to say, it was very different and challenging to read Diana and Unity’s chapters as they were so sympathetic to Hitler and the Nazis. Especially Unity who was so desperate for his attention and good favor. Meanwhile, Diana was the same way but about fascist leader Oswald Mosley. And then there’s Nancy who was against all of it and sharing the family secrets through thinly veiled works of fiction. Really a great and interesting read!

My biggest complaint with this book was the ending -- it was so abrupt and, historically speaking, much more happened after the end of this book in real life. Not sure if that means a sequel is in the works or what? However, for historical fiction, it was engaging and I couldn't believe that these sisters were real. The pacing and chapter length are also excellent. If you like WWII historical fiction, definitely add this one to your TBR pile!

The Mitford Affair comes out this week on January 17, 2023 and you can purchase HERE.

The mellifluous sounds of the symphony float throughout the ballroom. Servants pour golden champagne into the cut-crystal glasses. The fabled Cheyne Walk house exudes perfection down to the last detail, nowhere more than in its hostess. There, at the center of the vast ballroom, stand the stunning, statuesque figure in a floor-length sheath of platinum silk, a shade that echoes her silvery eyes. Her diamond-laden arms outstretched in welcome to her guests, she radiates serenity and unflappable, irresistible poise. If she were anyone else--someone I didn't know as intimately as I know myself--I would judge that sphinxlike smile a charade. Or worse. But I know she is precisely as she appears, because she is Diana, my sister.

The Mitford Sisters were the "it" girls of British society before WWII. The six sisters, each with their own mind and thought, had a tight bond until political ideologies tear them apart.

Diana the fascist.
Jessica the communist.
Unity's obsession with Hitler.
Nancy the novelist.
Deborah the duchess.
Pamela literally is the only one with no drama.

Benedict has masterfully captured the essence of these influential women, and their place in the history books. In the matter of a few hundred pages, we learn the scope of each sisters life pre-war and what they did to influence their political alliances. Prior to this book, I was unaware of this rich families place in English and German history. This character driven story was wildly fascinating. This cover is also absolutely stunning.

Benedict is a auto-read author, as this is book five I've read under her pen.

Thank you Sourcebook for the complimentary copy.

Prior to reading this I was not at all acquainted with the Mitford sisters and their unusual family. It was quite interesting to read about such strong woman characters even if they were not all likable. This is something I've come to expect and enjoy about Benedict's writing; that is the factual historical basis/context upon which she builds an engaging story about her central characters. I very much enjoyed thinking about the question she poses that is central to the story of these sisters; that is which comes first, our personal convictions which then lead us to affiliate with certain political movements or the opposite, political movements that engage and spur our personal convictions and how the way we answer this for ourselves has ramifications for familial and personal relationships? In our present fraught times, this is a critical question for readers to explore and discuss even given how difficult it is to answer. I would highly recommend this very readable and engaging book not just for the history it illuminates but for this very challenging question Benedict poses also.

The Mitford Affair by Marie Benedict

History and fiction are woven into an intriguing story of a British family with six sisters who are enmeshed politically with Nazis, fascists and communists in the 1930s and 1940s.

Nancy, Diana and Unity Mitford run the show in this tale, with Diana and Unity traveling back and forth to Germany to get close to the infamous Adolf Hitler. Teas? Dinners? Apartments and fancy hotels? These two Mitford sisters gave their all to be part of the Nazi lifestyle and candy on the arm of the Fuhrer. As war breaks out in Europe, the Mitford family turns a blind eye to the threat Hitler poses to their homeland. Nancy alone tries to right this sinking ship of a family.

I feel the story gets bogged down in the middle with the author trying to show the competition between a desperate Diana and unbalanced Unity to gain Hitler’s favor. The rest is pure Marie Benedict, a solid, well written story. Four stars and a thank you to #SourceBooksLandmark and #NetGalley for allowing me this ARC for my review.

A story about the famed Mitford Sisters. Most of us are familiar with this story and this story shows the reader another insight throughout the chapters. The story also shows how the sisters lives interconnect with each other and how their choices effected their family. The reader will see how their ideology changes with historical events that occurred. Sensational storytelling, with an engaging plot and entertaining characters. Marie Benedict, in my opinion is a master storyteller of historical fiction.

Disclaimer: Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for this ARC, I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

A captivating novel centered around the hectic lives and political shenanigans of the Mitford sisters before and during WWII.

The reader will follow Diana, Nancy and Unity Mitford from England to Germany as their involvement with Oswald Mosley's British Union of Fascists grows and their ties with Hitler and his inner circle will bring them ever closer to the dangerous point of no return...

Scrupulously accurate and blessed with a terrific cast of exquisitely drawn characters, this gripping tale of unbridled passion and strong political obsession set during the darkest years of twentieth century Europe will remain one of the most unforgettable historical novels I would have read in a long time.

Highly recommended!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for this fabulous ARC.

This book follows the Mitford sisters just prior to WW2; the relationships they struggle to have as they fall on different sides of the conflict are heartbreaking. So much research of this family went into this book, and it’s very clear! Loved this book.

Quick and Dirty
-multi-POV⁣
-WWII politics are central⁣
-sibling infighting⁣
-tense read⁣
⁣
Synopsis⁣
The Mitford sisters are bright young things, part of London's social elite, influential and popular. But when Diana, the goddess of the group, decides to divorce her wealthy, titled husband in favor of her married lover, everything starts to unravel. Her lover, Lord Mosley, is the leader of the British Nazi party. Soon Diana and her sisters are seen at his rallies. Eccentric Unity has long harbored adoration for all things Nazi. Level-headed Nancy initially takes the Nazi bait, but she soon learns to loathe the hold Mosely has over Diana. As the world moves closer to war, the sisters move farther apart, emotionally and politically. ⁣
⁣
Musings⁣
Whew, y'all. I've sat on this review for several days now, and I think I can finally summarize my thoughts on what I'm sure will be a very polarizing read. Let me start with the good. There were things I really loved about this book. For example, Benedict did copious research on the Mitford family and pre-WWII politics/politicians that deserves respect. You can tell she poured her heart and soul into making the book as factual as possible. At times, it feels like you're reading a memoir rather than fiction, which I think is where the slope gets slippery. This family made me cringe. Most of the family fully embrace Nazism and Hitler; their idolization of the most hideous, vile human ever is hard to stomach. While that's the point, we don't really get to the Nancy-feels-icky-about-this-to-do-something-about-it part until very late in the book. By then, for me, it wasn’t enough to redeem her as a heroic character. The entire first half or more reads like a who's-who of the Nazi party. Hitler is the fourth main character in this story, and that will be hard for some readers. It was for me. So, while this was a well-crafted WWII fiction, I struggled to relate to the main characters, Nancy included. Go in with eyes open.

I had never heard of the Mitford sisters & had no idea of their involvement with Hitler & the Nazis. Marie Benedict writes such great novels about historical people & events. She really puts you in the middle of the situations. I was fortunate to receive an advance copy of this book & highly recommend it. 5 stars!

Wow, I did NOT expect that! "The Mitford Affair" by Marie Benedict blew me away. Sisters in a highly affluent family in England, in the period before WWII with drastic political views, drifting apart with their passionate pursuits and ambitions. I found it fascinating, how two of the sisters became close with Hitler, negotiating alliances, and how the author (painfully for her, I imagine), was able to paint Hitler in a human, friendly manner for the sake of these relationships. A description of ultimate choices to follow men which captivate, instead of family bonds or the welfare of your country. An impressive and compelling depiction for following different paths, beliefs, philosophies, and ideals, which are all-consuming, yet so contrasting, all in the same family. Certainly, a powerful novel! Thank you to the author, NetGalley and the publisher for the early release copy. All opinions are my own.

“The Mitford Affair” by Marie Benedict is a historical fiction book about the Mitford sisters. I had never heard of these women before this book and loved learning about a new facet in history, especially pre-WWII era. This was a completely different take on that time in history that I have never seen before.

The amount of research that Marie Benedict did on these characters is astounding and I loved learning something new. It sent me on a search for more information about the Mitford sisters. It was uncomfortable being in the head of a fascist, and this is the first time I have seen a book through that perspective. Anyone who loves historical fiction needs to read this book.

I had a really hard time reading this book. It was hard to keep track of which character was which, especially in the beginning. Every single character seemed to have an eccentric nickname that had nothing to do with their actual name, and these names were thrown about so I never could grasp exactly who was being referred to. Also, the timeline is all over the place. It moves linearly but sometimes it will be a week between chapters, sometimes a month and others a year(s). I had a really hard time following where in time we were, where geographically we were and who we were with.

I would recommend this book to people, especially history lovers. It was just not the correct writing style for me. I am glad that I read this book because it sent me on an adventure to look for more information about the sisters.

Behind every great (or terrible as the case may be) man, is a great woman.

“Sometimes I find my sisters incomprehensible. And not only because they are fascists.” Nancy in The Mitford Affair

I’m so excited to find a new-to-me historical fiction author who is focusing on telling the untold stories of fascinating women from history. In the Mitford Affair, those women are three sisters who were part of the “Young Bright Things” of British society during the interwar years.
👧🏻 Nancy - a novelist and the eldest of the seven Mitford children.
👱‍♀️Diana - known for her beauty, who divorces her adoring husband for the man spearheading the fascist movement in England.
👱Unity- the awkward younger sister who shadows Diana and soon develops an intimate relationship with Hitler‼️

The chapters are short and rotate between Nancy, Diana and Unity’s POV as they each share how things unfold. I’m so impressed with how Benedict created each sister’s individual voice. Each one was distinct and spoke so well from their unique perspective. This is a fascinating piece of history I had not been aware of before. You can’t help but sympathize with Nancy as she ponders, “My God…how has my family become a megaphone for Hitler⁉️”

⬅️ Swipe left for the Goodreads synopsis.

I recommend this one for lovers of historical fiction and women’s history. This was my first book by Benedict and I intend to read more 👏

3.5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS LANDMARK for an egalley

I went into this historical fiction set in 1930s England and Germany 100% blind. Although I had heard the name Mitford, I had no prior knowledge about the six Mitford sisters- Nancy, Diana, Unity, Jessica, Pamela, and Deborah or their brother, Thomas. But they certainly were people that reflected the period of history in which they lived. Nancy, a novelist, and Diana, a Fascist married to Sir Oswald Mosley, leader of the British Union of Fascists. Unity, a Nazi who was enamored with Adolf Hitler. Sister Jessica became a Communist, Deborah, a duchess, and Pamela, not as well known but also aligned with fascism.

The novel's narration is split between Nancy, Diana, and Unity and it is through their eyes that we see events like BUF rallies and tea times with Hitler. Honestly, it was very unnerving to read a book that is from the perspective of people who aligned with this side of history. In her author's note, Marie Benedict does admit that it was difficult to write Unity Mitford's perspective. It's hard to wrap my head around the fact that the way I felt about NKOTB as a young girl is how Unity felt about Adolf Hitler. Our girl, Unity, fangirled very heavily over the Führer. Oh and the rivalry between Diana and Unity at who was a more committed fascist. Dear heavens!

There's so much written on the internet about this family and after finishing the book, I have been on a mission to read everything about these women that I can. So I thank the author, Marie Benedict, for providing me with some research time during my leisure hours. Something tells me that Nancy's novels are about to trend once again on book lists.

I once again join the reviewer chorus of "Dear Goodreads, we need half-star ratings." because this novel finds itself dangling between a 3 and 4. It was a little bit difficult to get invested in the narration in the beginning. True to life, Diana and Unity's storylines overshadowed their sister, Nancy. However, the second half of the novel is quite stellar and it ended on a high note. I have a feeling this will not be the last historical fiction on the Mitford sisters that we can anticipate hitting bookstores.




Expected Publication Date 17/01/23
Goodreads review published 13/01/23
#TheMitfordAffair #NetGalley.