Book 38: Snobs by Julian Fellowes

I picked up this book because I'm suffering from Downton Abbey withdrawals, so I thought I'd try a novel written by its writer and creator Julian Fellowes. This book is something of a nineties retelling of Vanity Fair, although Becky Sharp is a great deal more clever a social climber than the prevaricating Edith. It's rather fun imagining the Broughton Hall family as a modern-day version of the Downton clan, if their efforts to modernize prove successful. I can totally picture Maggie Smith as Lady Uckfield. The class distinctions and ins-and-outs of the aristocracy are as fascinating and indecipherable to me as ever, and all of the characters are of course snobbish, but that's right in the title. Fans of Downton (particularly the "upstairs" set; no glimpse of servants here) will enjoy the social commentary and subtle humor, but if you're more into plot-driven books you may find this a bore. B+