There is no better time to dive into some fantastic historical fiction than the spring and summer. With more long weekends and (hopefully) nice weather to enjoy), I can get lost in historical fiction for weeks and weeks at a time. I’ve had this book on my Kobo for a while, and with the Easter weekend I thought it was the perfect time to finally crack it open. This week’s Book Bite is all about The Glorious Guinness Girls by Emily Hourican!
The Glorious Guinness Girls, Emily Hourican
Descendants of the founder of the Guinness beer empire, they were the toast of 1920s high society, darlings of the press, with not a care in the world. But Felicity knows better. Sent to live with them as a child because her mother could no longer care for her, she grows up as the sisters’ companion. Both an outsider and a part of the family, she witnesses the complex lives upstairs and downstairs, sees the compromises and sacrifices beneath the glamorous surface. Then, at a party one summer’s evening, something happens that sends shock waves through the entire household.
Inspired by a remarkable true story and fascinating real events, The Glorious Guinness Girls is an unforgettable novel about the haves and have-nots, one that will make you ask if where you find yourself is where you truly belong
Why You Should Read This…
I will be upfront- I waited to read this book because I had heard mixed reviews from friends. However, I am very much regretting not reading this earlier because I adored it.
If you are a fan of The Pursuit of Love, and the Mitfords in general, or the Crawleys of Downton Abbey you will probably be interested in the Guinness girls. The three sisters were the contemporaries of the Mitfords, and Anglo-Irish Bright Young Things, meaning that this story spans Dublin to London and back. Dublin in this time was a fascinating and complex city, and I loved “being there”. It had a different rhythm than London at the time, but the Dublin season was a thing, and the Guinness family dominated as you would expect. Hourican lets us peek into the world and experience it for ourselves!
The Glorious Guinness Girls is a slightly slower moving novel, much like The Pursuit of Love. I found that it worked perfectly for a long weekend, and keeping me entertained but still very relaxed. Overall, I think that this was a fantastic book, and I look forward to Hourican’s next!
Is The Glorious Guinness Girls by Emily Hourican on your to-read list?
Cheers,
The Historian
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