The Kennedy Debutante in Around the World in 80 Books

Feb 19, 2019 Lisa of Hopewell added it

Shelves: read-in-2019

Kathleen “Kick” Kennedy was at the right place at the right time and in the right social circle to boot. The vivacious daughter of U.S. Ambassador Joe Kennedy took the British aristocracy by storm in the late 1930s. With her sister, the tragic Rosemary, she was presented to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth as a debutante. This novel tells the story of her “Season” and the war years that followed. The focus, of course, is on her romance with the Duke of Devonshire’s (an outspoken anti-Catholic) Kathleen “Kick” Kennedy was at the right place at the right time and in the right social circle to boot. The vivacious daughter of U.S. Ambassador Joe Kennedy took the British aristocracy by storm in the late 1930s. With her sister, the tragic Rosemary, she was presented to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth as a debutante. This novel tells the story of her “Season” and the war years that followed. The focus, of course, is on her romance with the Duke of Devonshire’s (an outspoken anti-Catholic) elder son and heir, Billy, Marquess of Hartington.
My Thoughts : The Good and the Bad
The Good

I liked that Kathleen was shown as having very genuine faith. Convent-educated with a mother who attended mass daily, she could have become very jaded on the teachings of her church, but did not (at least not at the time of this book’s setting). She grapples with the very real dilemma of falling in love with and wanting to marry, a Protestant at a time when that was a big deal for ANY Catholic, let alone the son of one of the foremost Protestant families in England.

Kick also wants a purpose. I enjoyed this aspect of her “coming of age”–trying to find where she fit and could do something that mattered within the confines of her family and society at that time. She was not seeking to run a corporation–merely to do traditional “good works,” but ones that mattered. She would eventually have a bit of a career due to her own persistence. I liked that.
The Bad

Overall, I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I thought I would. It is burdened with guidebook-like descriptions of places such as Blenheim, a ridiculous conversation that explained British titles and throughout the story was peopled with characters who barely had personalities. I really couldn’t imagine, from this telling, how Kathleen and Billy found each other attractive. Neither had any spark.

It was the same with the Kennedys in the story–none had that famous “charisma” that made them so popular. The author had an annoying habit of referring to the “littlest” Kennedys. I wanted to scream “Younger!!!” Even the parents, Joe and Rose Kennedy, were devoid of distinctive personalities.

Then there were the “modern” ideas inserted. Kick consults a priest who voices opinions that would have had him almost excommunicated in that day and age. Joe Kennedy is presented as trying to save Jewish children. Perhaps he did, privately, but his politics came dangerously close to supporting Hitler so I had to wonder.

Reading notes only--not a review.
"littler" is very odd. "Smaller?" "Younger?" As in the "younger Kennedys", not the "littler"

Hair spray wasn't available yet.

Joe Kennedy was an isolationist and made defeatest statements about the British in direct opposition to FDR. ...more

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Feb 21, 2022 Traci rated it really liked it · review of another edition

wonderful story

This book has such a wonderful glimpse at the life of Kick Kennedy. The story has good and bad aspects of growing up in America’s royalty. I am curious to see how much of this book was based on true facts. Kick’s struggles to find herself and to find love was well written and emotionally charged. It was easy to envision being in pre war and war torn London with her

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