Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire

by Brian Masters

Genres: Biography, History, Nonfiction

Hardcover

First published July 30, 1981

About the author

Brian Masters is a British writer best known for his biographies of mass murderers, including Killing for Company, on Dennis Nilsen; The Shrine of Jeffrey Dahmer; She Must Have Known, on Rosemary West; and The Evil That Men Do. He has also written about the British aristocracy and worked as a translator.

Reviews

[Igenlode Wordsmith · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's clearly fascinating material and the book had good moments (often unrelated to the main subject matter, as when Masters describes the relationship between 18th-century politicians and the London mob, as versus the French Revolution). But overall it felt somehow a little lacking - and the epilogue listing all the descendants of all the main figures in the book was extremely tedious and would be best skipped when reading! Georgiana in all her frustrating charm was described, but didn't really come alive for me.

[Susan Parent · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the story about Georgiana. My problem was in the translation of the places and houses. It is written with the expectation that the reader is familiar with the different sections of London, England, France, etc.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this rather detailed account of the life of the Duchess of Devonshire. Very sad story of somebody who loved not wisely, but too well. It's hard to comprehend the vast wealth of the Cavendish family and the difficulties of daily life even for the very rich like themselves.

[Jane Routley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Georgiana a very interesting woman. Not the best bio of her though.