Lady Almina Y La Verdadera Downton Abbey: El Legado Perdido De Highclere Castle (2011) - Plot & Excerpts
A flattering biography about a countess in Edwardian England.Lady Almina is described as a "pocket Venus" due to her great beauty and diminutive fugue She is the daughter of Marie Wombell ( a married woman estranged from her rascal husband) and wealthy bachelor Alfred de Rothchild . At age 19 she marries Lord Carnarvon and becomes the lady of Highclere Castle.During WW1 she transforms her castle into a hospital for injured British soldiers and becomes a nurse herself .Her husband joins and supports Howard Carter in excavating Egyptian tombs They discover the tomb of Tutankhamen.and Lord Carnavon dies of a blood poisoning before he can see the sarcophagus.All of Lady Almina,s good attributes are described in depth and she has no flaws except for a penchant for spending money according to the writer , who by the way is a countess herself.My husband gave this paperback book to me as a gift and I thank him for it . I may have to cash in my man-card, but I really did like this story! Listening to the story as read with a British accent probably increased the enjoyment. There are many other reviewers who tell much about the story. We were fascinated by the backstory, the history including much about WWI and the finding of King Tutankhamun's tomb. We could see how the writers for Downton Abbey took selected pieces and parts from the real story of Highclere Castle and used them to add authenticity to the Downton Abbey story. In some cases, they might have been better off using more of the real stuff!As one reviewer mentioned, this story is told from one who is clearly in love with her life and her subject. While there is tragedy in the story, esp., given the time in which it was written, but was there scandal? Should that have been addressed? It is clear how those who are considered "royalty" did within the context of WWI and those times, but what about the people who actually made the country run, who fought the outrageous battles?
What do You think about Lady Almina Y La Verdadera Downton Abbey: El Legado Perdido De Highclere Castle (2011)?
I enjoyed the history lesson but the ending was abrupt and unexpected.
—Nicole
The writing is amateurish. The story is interesting.
—tami
Slow moving. Gets more interesting towards the end.
—Paris
