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baja's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
2.0
The blurb suggested this would address the long term rumours of Mountbatten’s abuse of young men and boys. In fact it was just a puff piece about his marriage. The Kincorra situation was only briefly referred to in the last chapter. Disappointing.
annarella's review
3.0
Even if it's well researched and informative I found it quite dreary and struggled.
I learned something more about the Mountbattens but it was a long list of facts.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this arc, all opinions are mine.
I learned something more about the Mountbattens but it was a long list of facts.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this arc, all opinions are mine.
catherine522's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed how this didn’t hold back on The Mountbattens. The research, timeline and structure is engaging, accessible and interesting. Makes me want to travel back in time and be a fly on the wall! I live fairly close to Broadlands so am definitely going to visit when it’s next open!
annarella's review against another edition
3.0
Even if it's well researched and informative I found it quite dreary and struggled.
I learned something more about the Mountbattens but it was a long list of facts.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this arc, all opinions are mine.
I learned something more about the Mountbattens but it was a long list of facts.
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this arc, all opinions are mine.
june_englit_phd's review against another edition
3.0
This is an interesting and well-researched biography of Lord Louis Mountbatten (as he came to be known) and his wife, Edwina. As the title of the book suggests, it focuses on their turbulent marriage and the many extra-marital flings that first Edwina, and then Louis (known as ‘Dickie’) had. Edwina appears initially to have taken lovers to lighten her ennui of being married to the organised and Navy-focussed Dickie; indeed, Lownie portrays their incompatibility as arising very early on in their marriage. However, Edwina later thrives in caring for refugees, or families affected by war, carving a niche for herself which altered my perception of her from being a real-life Emma Bovary to a more decent human being. However, it isn’t long until both Edwina and Dickie have more flings (one of Edwina’s being Nehru, the Indian Prime Minister), the effects of these on their marriage and afterwards forming the bulk of the book.
The narrative also looks at Dickie’s roles in the Navy (before and after World War 2) and in becoming the Last Viceroy (and First Governor General) of India, immediately prior to Indian independence. His high standing within the Royal Family is also examined, Lownie showing how Dickie was a favourite of Prince Charles – almost becoming a surrogate father to him. Edwina’s globe-trotting lifestyle is also alluded to, with the book concluding with Mountbatten’s assassination, his legacy, and the many rumours that have circulated in more recent years about Dickie’s sexuality and potential links with paedophilia. In three separate sections throughout the book, there are sets of personal family photographs – some of these are Edwina’s lovers, some Dickie’s, while others show their children, or even a young Princess Elizabeth and Philip.
Having known very little about Louis Mountbatten before reading this book, I have learned a lot from it. The narrative style is accessible and engaging; at no point did it appear to drag on.
The narrative also looks at Dickie’s roles in the Navy (before and after World War 2) and in becoming the Last Viceroy (and First Governor General) of India, immediately prior to Indian independence. His high standing within the Royal Family is also examined, Lownie showing how Dickie was a favourite of Prince Charles – almost becoming a surrogate father to him. Edwina’s globe-trotting lifestyle is also alluded to, with the book concluding with Mountbatten’s assassination, his legacy, and the many rumours that have circulated in more recent years about Dickie’s sexuality and potential links with paedophilia. In three separate sections throughout the book, there are sets of personal family photographs – some of these are Edwina’s lovers, some Dickie’s, while others show their children, or even a young Princess Elizabeth and Philip.
Having known very little about Louis Mountbatten before reading this book, I have learned a lot from it. The narrative style is accessible and engaging; at no point did it appear to drag on.