purrplenerd's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.5
gregoreads's review against another edition
4.0
I am still new to the world of historical biographies, but I am very glad that I didn't wait to read this one. Did I only read it after watching the movie twice? Yes. Did I only own it because it has Keira Knightley on the cover? Yes. Did I only decide to read it now because I'm going to Chatsworth next month and felt like it was now-or-never? Yes indeed.
Yes, all of those things are true, but I'm happy to report that Georgiana Cavendish now stands on her own in my mind as the fascinating and semi-tragic figure that she was. Amanda Foreman writes with affection about the Duchess, and gives us glimpses into her letters as often as she can so we get a feel for her voice. Foreman covers Georgiana's virtues and faults, as well as those of the people around her who played so key a role in shaping her, making this book an excellent portrait of Georgiana's life; perhaps as close a portrait as we'll get - Foreman tells us that her contemporaries didn't quite agree that the paintings done of her did her justice. I've left the book having fallen in love with Georgiana in spite of those faults and obviously bad decisions, as I think Amanda Foreman wanted me too (her job well done, then!).
I've seen other reviewers comment that the book was too politics-heavy, but personally, I didn't find that it was, and I'm someone who's clueless when it comes to politics. It certainly had a high volume of political discussion, but it didn't come off as overbearing because it was necessary to understand the politics in order to understand the actions of Georgiana and her friends (and enemies) in the political sphere.
As a teenager, Georgiana agreed to marry the Duke of Devonshire to please her parents, and when she realized there would be no fairy-tale ending for her, she threw all of herself into four things: gambling, politics, her children, and her relationship with Bess Foster (and, for a brief time before her, Mary Graham). She wallowed in debt, constantly lied about how much she owed, and always continued to gamble until late in her life. She canvassed for the Whig party in England, threw salons as an excellent host, and took a genuine interest in the goings-on of the party and what they stood for. She took in the child of her husband's mistress, struggled to have a son, and was heartbroken to have been banished from her children for several years of their lives. And she had all-consuming love for Elizabeth Foster, who became her husband's mistress as well, and who was apparently such a fake hoe that everyone but the Duke and Duchess could see through her and struggled to befriend her. Georgiana could and did forgive Bess for any transgressions, until the end of her life, a relationship that has sparked interest for its potential romantic implications, the possibilities of which Foreman explores (with an eye to the fact that their culture didn't have the same ideas of sexuality we have today). Bonus facts: she was good friends with Marie Antoinette and the Duchess of Polignac, and Fanny Burney wrote about an experience meeting her!
I hope that's enough to intrigue you; there's so much more in the book, and I'm not really sure how to review it, other than tell you that the characters (or rather, the very real people) that populate it are worth reading about and getting invested in, Georgiana in particular, the writing is accessible and engaging, and it's all set against the backdrop of the late 1700s - American Revolution, French Revolution, George III's insanity, the creation of Earl Grey tea (hint - he's in the book!). Also, Georgiana is a great-great-etc aunt of Princess Diana, which kind of blew my mind. In any case, I highly recommend this book if you're interested in aristocracy, the movie The Duchess, the 18th century, or women doing pretty cool things. It's been days since I've finished this, and I'm still always thinking about Georgiana, and something tells me that isn't going to go away anytime soon.
Yes, all of those things are true, but I'm happy to report that Georgiana Cavendish now stands on her own in my mind as the fascinating and semi-tragic figure that she was. Amanda Foreman writes with affection about the Duchess, and gives us glimpses into her letters as often as she can so we get a feel for her voice. Foreman covers Georgiana's virtues and faults, as well as those of the people around her who played so key a role in shaping her, making this book an excellent portrait of Georgiana's life; perhaps as close a portrait as we'll get - Foreman tells us that her contemporaries didn't quite agree that the paintings done of her did her justice. I've left the book having fallen in love with Georgiana in spite of those faults and obviously bad decisions, as I think Amanda Foreman wanted me too (her job well done, then!).
I've seen other reviewers comment that the book was too politics-heavy, but personally, I didn't find that it was, and I'm someone who's clueless when it comes to politics. It certainly had a high volume of political discussion, but it didn't come off as overbearing because it was necessary to understand the politics in order to understand the actions of Georgiana and her friends (and enemies) in the political sphere.
As a teenager, Georgiana agreed to marry the Duke of Devonshire to please her parents, and when she realized there would be no fairy-tale ending for her, she threw all of herself into four things: gambling, politics, her children, and her relationship with Bess Foster (and, for a brief time before her, Mary Graham). She wallowed in debt, constantly lied about how much she owed, and always continued to gamble until late in her life. She canvassed for the Whig party in England, threw salons as an excellent host, and took a genuine interest in the goings-on of the party and what they stood for. She took in the child of her husband's mistress, struggled to have a son, and was heartbroken to have been banished from her children for several years of their lives. And she had all-consuming love for Elizabeth Foster, who became her husband's mistress as well, and who was apparently such a fake hoe that everyone but the Duke and Duchess could see through her and struggled to befriend her. Georgiana could and did forgive Bess for any transgressions, until the end of her life, a relationship that has sparked interest for its potential romantic implications, the possibilities of which Foreman explores (with an eye to the fact that their culture didn't have the same ideas of sexuality we have today). Bonus facts: she was good friends with Marie Antoinette and the Duchess of Polignac, and Fanny Burney wrote about an experience meeting her!
I hope that's enough to intrigue you; there's so much more in the book, and I'm not really sure how to review it, other than tell you that the characters (or rather, the very real people) that populate it are worth reading about and getting invested in, Georgiana in particular, the writing is accessible and engaging, and it's all set against the backdrop of the late 1700s - American Revolution, French Revolution, George III's insanity, the creation of Earl Grey tea (hint - he's in the book!). Also, Georgiana is a great-great-etc aunt of Princess Diana, which kind of blew my mind. In any case, I highly recommend this book if you're interested in aristocracy, the movie The Duchess, the 18th century, or women doing pretty cool things. It's been days since I've finished this, and I'm still always thinking about Georgiana, and something tells me that isn't going to go away anytime soon.
biblialex's review against another edition
4.0
A very good biography of Georgiana, the Duchess of Devonshire, a complex and fascinating woman. The film adapted from the book (which I had seen several years before) focuses more on the Duke's affair with Lady Elizabeth Foster, which developed into a strange menage-a-trois, and the Duchess's subsequent affair with Charles Grey. The book was so much broader. Although Foreman of course writes of the Duchess's tumultuous personal life, she really focuses on the amazing degree of social and political influence that Georgiana wielded throughout her life. If you're turned off by the idea of reading a lot about 18th century British politics, this probably isn't the book for you. If you're interested in that particular period of history, and a well researched account of the life of one of its most significant female figures, I highly recommend it!
jwels's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this book and I'm glad I read it. The Duchess is an interesting character for her time. The book was slow in some places probably not the fault of the author but I was not interested in debts that Georgiana racked up. This probably was a very important part of The Duchess' life but how much it was talked about was just too much for me.
debbiecuddy's review against another edition
4.0
BOTNS bingo-about royalty-This is a well written biography that enlightened me on late 18th century politics, the role of women in the aristocracy, the French Revolution, and the horror of medical science at that time. I enjoyed this book very much.
julieramey's review against another edition
4.0
Closer to 3.5. I understand politics were very entwined in her life but there was too much to hold my interest. Found myself skimming quite a bit
vee615's review against another edition
3.0
I liked it however I found it to be an incredibly slow read. Georgiana was a woman who had a deep desire to be loved in a time when that was not expected from family or marriages. She also wanted to use her mind in a time when women often were not expected nor encouraged to think or act politically or in any manner beyond the household. She struggled with vices including gambling, drinking, and drugs. However, she also experienced trials in her marriage including her husband's mistress being paraded in front of her. This led to a complex situation at home but one that leaves the impression Georgiana dealt with the situation as best she could trying to remain positive. This book might interest those who enjoy English biographies, Whig and Tory politics, women in history who enjoyed some senses of power and freedom, and those who enjoy British aristocracy and the trials that come with that heritage and lifestyle.
bookalina0987's review against another edition
2.0
I tried, I just could not get into this book and gave up :(