A review by littlelarks
Black Diamonds: The Downfall of an Aristocratic Dynasty and the Fifty Years That Changed England by Catherine Bailey

3.0

Part juicy fun Kardashian-level family drama and part in-depth examination of the coal industry in Britain through the last half-century, Black Diamonds suffers from trying to be far too many things at once. The premise itself is solid, and the beginning chapters read almost like a click-bait article - "Just how did one of the wealthiest families in England completely fall apart in one generation?" - unfortunately, I don't think the Fitzwilliams are scandalous enough to warrant all the hubbub. In the last third she delves into Kennedy family dynamics and the author's passion during those sections makes me wonder why she didn't just dedicate a book to Kick, or to just the infamous plane crash.