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There are currently 45 member reviews
for The Woman Before Wallis
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Rebecca H. (Bolton, CT)
The Woman Before Wallis
"A Novel of Windsors, Vanderbilts, and Royal Scandal"—thus reads the subtitle of Bryn Turnbull's new novel The Woman Before Wallis. The period of European and American history between the wars, especially the mid-twenties to late thirties, is one which retains its fascination for many of us. Mix in the private lives of the rich, famous, and aristocratic, and you have a novel with all the right ingredients!
Bryn Turnbull's characters have depth and credibility, and her research into the real people they are based upon seems solid. The story jumps between timelines a bit, so the reader must pay attention to the chapter headings, but the story flows well as the main character progresses from her young, naïve self to an older woman who has suffered betrayal but still retains a bit of her youthful romanticism.
I thoroughly enjoyed the novel, which is by turns humorous, surprising, tender, and sad.
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Corrie S. (Denver, CO)
The Woman Before Wallis
This book was okay.
It was nice to see Thelma Morgan get her own story (I recently watched a documentary about the Windsors during this time period and she wasn't even mentioned) and it was well-written, but for some reason, I didn't quite connect with the characters. I didn't find Thelma all that relatable and found some of her choices and behavior unconvincing. I can imagine that trying to get inside the head of a real person and then write a story around actual events could be difficult, but it just fell flat for me. I was hoping that the book would focus more on her relationship with Wallis and how she was supplanted by her in David's affections, but the book didn't really delve into that. I think one's enjoyment of this book will depend on what you expect to get from it.
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Jana G. (Houston, TX)
A Decent Summer Read
Exploring the backgrounds of famous people is always interesting and sometimes inspiring. I was not necessarily inspired by this book. It did shed additional light on English royalty, specifically the Prince of Wales, which I think most of us already suspected. I did not know as much about the Vanderbilts and the custody battle for Gloria Vanderbilt.
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Samantha H. (Golden, CO)
Interesting story, not much depth
I enjoyed following the story of Thelma and her sister. The subject was new to me, I didn't know much about the Morgans, Vanderbilts and Windsors. I felt that switching the time line in alternating chapters did not add anything to the progression of the plot. I was disappointed that there wasn't much character development. At the end, I still don't feel like I know Thelma (or any of the characters very well)
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Lynne Z. (San Francisco, CA)
Enough of the rich and the royal
The only reason The Woman Before Wallis receives a 3-star rating is that I feel Bryn Turnbull is a good writer. She tells an interesting story, but I don't think it should be billed as "the true story". I was put off by the imagined conversations and contrived coincidences that were used to pull the plot along. I like historical fiction and realize that authors take license with the facts, but this seemed over the top. The main characters were spoiled, shallow and unappealing. I was interested in the relationship between Thelma and Prince Edward (David), but the breakup was never really explained in the detail that was given to other important parts of the story. Why did David marry Wallis (also a divorcee), but not Thelma? Was Thelma aware of David's pro-Nazi sentiments before the war? In comparison, I felt that the TV series, The Crown did a much better job of describing both the rich and the royal.
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Patricia L. (Seward, AK)
A Royal Backstory
Consuming the tabloid headlines and pictures of the British Royals is an indulgent pastime for many. The pomp and circumstance, designer clothes and fantastic hats create images of beautiful people in their beautiful world while the stories are rife with indiscretion, betrayal and scandal. Historical fiction,The Woman Before Wallis by Bryn Turnbull is the story of Viscount Furness, wife of one of the richest men in the world in the late 20s. Thelma, her common name, is the twin sister of Gloria Vanderbilt. Twin daughters of an American diplomat, they imbibe in the upper-class worlds of both the US and Great Britain. As the book title suggests, Thelma was Prince Edward's mistress before Wallis Simpson, the American woman for whom he abdicated the British throne in 1936. The exploits of Thelma, Gloria and their privileged peers lead to trysts, marriages, divorces and romances eventually culminating in an epic trial. Seems domestic dysfunction and turmoil are constants for the Royal family and those who play with them.
While the saga is predictable, Turnbull successfully fleshes out these historical characters as real people who try to navigate an existence that is not always so beautiful. In most cases they succumb to the excess of the moment and have to deal with the consequences, much like most of us, but on a far bigger stage in front of a voracious audience.
This book is recommended for those who seek a little substance to support their tabloid habit.
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Nancy K. (Perrysburg, OH)
Twin Girls and lots of gossip
It looks like I am the first reader to give this book a rating of 3 rather than a 5. Why did I do this? It is true I enjoyed reading about all the fashions of the day and the many homes and "cottages" of the wealthy people of the day. I also appreciated knowing that Thelma, mistress of the Duke, and Gloria were twins and very loyal to each other. Gloria, mother of Gloria Vanderbilt, was a rather shallow but interesting person. She was lucky to have a sister with money to help her out of many fixes.
What I didn't like about this book is that it goes on and on about the problems of the very wealthy and much of the book is devoted to Gloria's life and problems not Thelma's affair with the Duke. If your book club likes light reading this fits the bill- mine wouldn't appreciate it.
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