Darling: A razor-sharp, gloriously funny retelling of Nancy Mitford’s The Pursuit of Love

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Emma Beddington Mitfordian mischief: Darling, by India Knight, reviewed A superb updating of Nancy Mitford’s The Pursuit of Love will delight even diehard fans of the original

Knight, a native French speaker, lived in Brussels until about the time she turned nine. After migrating to the United Kingdom, she was educated in London. She was awarded an exhibition to Trinity College, Cambridge, where she read Modern Languages from 1984-1987, before starting her career in journalism. What an extra treat to have read it right after having read the original Mitford‘s one, all the details India Knight wove in shone even brighter.This book is gorgeous. Full of charm and whimsy, I want so badly to live at Alconleigh. Uncle Matthew is ridiculous and my favourite character with Davey as a close second.

A savagely funny, bracingly sad, dazzlingly clever reimagining of The Pursuit of Love. I loved it' Meg Mason, author of Sorrow and Bliss What a book to begin 2023 with. It is a tad different from what I usually read, but I loved it. I laughed out loud throughout, and thought that the characters were so impeccably described that I feel as though I know them. Emotive, raw and really really thought-provoking. I think we can all relate to the struggles that Linda faces, as well as a loathe for the Christians and Tonys of the world. The fact that it is a modern adaptation has been done so well, it has avoided being a superficial reading of The Pursuit of Love so well. Here are a few of m favourite quotes captured from a few of the chapters: It’s a decent enough, weekend read. The final third was less engaging but that didn’t spoil the overall impression.

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Anyway, in this version, Uncle Matthew is a travesty, an anachronism in this modern age. There seems to be no reason why he has all his prejudices, and why people e.g. Sadie, put up with them too. However, Jassie is a much more interesting character this time, about the only thing better in the book, even if she didn’t run away. Everyone else just weren’t as good as in the original. It’s an “haute bohemia”, as the papers put it, lifestyle. Between Aunt Sadie’s hippy leanings and Uncle Matthew’s desire to shield his family from fame, the Radlett children are insulated from much of the modern world, home-schooled and banned from electronic devices.