All reviews for The World of Downton Abbey (2011)
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I'm a fan of Downton Abbey, so I read this book and will read the next. I enjoyed it. I just thought it could have been much better. The historical details are slim. It seems to reinforce the series, repeating what we saw vs. expanding and giving more background. For instance, the chapter on war mentions shell shock, mustard gas and amputations. But it doesn't really elaborate. So it reminds us of their coverage in the show. But, in general, the facts in the book seem to be isolated data and quotations from other sources, without any really plan to inform us. This resulted in my feeling like I read a lot, but didn't get a great return on the investment. It was enjoyable, but I didn't really learn much. There are some photos that are interesting. In particular, the photos on the set design and the style chapters (showing the actors' dress) were helpful in understanding the text. But other photos were blurry or difficult to see/interpret (e.g war scenes, filming of dinner).We learn a bit of what it would have been like for the peerage and servants through brief quotes or comparisons to real people. But again, I wanted more. In addition, the text repeats itself in several places, making it again seem thin.I guess it's more of a coffee table book than I had hoped!
It’s not really what I would call a “behind the scenes” book, it’s more like a historical overview of life in the Downton Abbey era. There were a few behind the scenes of the TV show scoops toward the end, but it just felt like a tease; I would like to read a version that goes into more detail including casting etc. If that’s what you are in the mood for this book might let you down.If you’re in the mood for a history lesson however, then this book is great! Since it draws on the popularity of the show and explains the parallels between the story lines and what was happening in “real life” at the time it was extremely educational. It wasn’t dry nor did it feel like a boring lesson but rather because we know and love the characters so well it was a great way to learn! Unfortunately it did not go beyond season 2, I wanted more.
Downton Abbey is a one-in-a million show, and this book is VERY well done!
ooohhhhh! give me more!