Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: Book Review

This book must not have been too terribly compelling because it took me nearly a month to read. I felt a bit like it was an effort to cash in on some of the Downton Abbey craze and fame, but I didn't really mind that so much. It was well-written and easy to read, and it definitely gave me a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the culture and times of Downton Abbey. I had already read about 30% of the book before watching the last two episodes of season 3, and it did enrich the experience for me. I have since gone back and started season 3 again, and I absolutely understand and appreciate the show even more after having read about the real people who lived at Highclere Castle. Just little things like why the younger servants asked Carson for permission to go see a movie after work make more sense to me now. The entire social structure makes more sense to me now.

I feel the book really got bogged down in the middle, and don't fully understand why the current Countess of Carnarvon felt it necessary to spend so much time talking about WWI in such detail. There really was very little need for all the details of the war that she provided. Some of it was somewhat difficult to read; it was a downer and most certainly contributed to my lack of enthusiasm about finishing the book.

In reading this book, you can easily see the real people and events that have inspired certain story lines in the TV series. Not everything that happens on the show actually happened to the real 5th Earl and his wife, but most of them happened to people in their circle, home, or to their contemporaries. I laughed out loud to find that there truly was a Mr. Bates who had an injury and walked with a limp!

I had no idea that the 5th Earl of Carnarvon was the man who discovered King Tut's tomb; that part was fascinating. I only wish the author had included more photos of this discovery, from the first time the Earl ever went into the tomb. It was so sad that he passed away before ever actually seeing everything he had discovered. I also find it interesting that archaeology, specifically in Egypt, was such a huge part of the real Earl's life, yet the writers of Downton Abbey have not used it at all.

In the end, this is probably a book that only the most dedicated fans of Downton Abbey (or of English social history) will be interested in reading. Three stars from me.

Buy this book on Amazon.
Read more about Lady Fiona Carnarvon, the current Countess of Carnarvon.