Snobs

By: Julian Fellowes

Narrated by: Richard Morant

Length: 10 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

Edith Lavery, the pretty daughter of an accountant, meets gossip-column favorite Charles Broughton (Earl of Broughton and heir to the Marquess of Uckfield) at Ascot. When he proposes and she accepts, does she really love him, or is she merely dazzled by his title and money?

In a tale that mixes contemporary Jane Austen with the brilliant social commentary of Gosford Park, Julian Fellowes chronicles Edith's rise and fall with twists and turns aplenty. Through the eyes of his narrator, a journeyman actor who manages to negotiate the choppy waters of snobbery and excess as he moves between the upper and middle classes, in Snobs Fellowes gives us a delicious comedy of manners to rival Oscar Wilde at his wittiest.

Includes a bonus interview with Julian Fellowes, the Academy Award-winning author of Gosford Park.

©2004 Julian Fellowes (P)2005 BBC Audiobooks Ltd.

Critic reviews

"Mr. Fellowes knows his turf well." (Dominick Dunne)
"Provocative, titillating, and seductive." (The Spectator)
"Sparklingly rompish....As long as this world does still exist, Fellowes is a delectable guide to its absurdities." (Sunday Times [London])

"A Lesson in British Aristocracy"

What did you like best about Snobs? What did you like least?

I liked that the author writes for Downton Abby. I felt as though I was getting a lesson in how British upper classes conduct themselves, which I found fascinating from a sociological perspective. Similar themes were present, although the characters are not as likeable in this book, but then again, Snobs aren't likeable, are they?

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

The central drama left a bit to be desired. If it was Downton Abby in a novel form, that would have been more preferable.

Great Characters!

Julian Fellowes has a wonderful sense of humor in this novel. The story line and characters are so endearing.

Poor Little Rich British Folk

I have to say I THOROUGHLY enjoyed this book…even though I feel kind of guilty that I did. The heroes in Fellowes’ novel are the people who, poor they, were attempting to live out their aristocratic existence and would have done so, undisturbed, if they, alas, had not been bothered by those pathetic ‘arrivistes’. Like, for example, the quite-wealthy girl who married a guy she wasn’t really in love with in an attempt to belong to that World. How dare she! On the other hand, the unabashedly snobbish matriarch is portrayed with almost love. Fellowes is a product of his upbringing and quite proud of it. Still, the book is a joy to listen to. The characters are all quite human. The wit is biting. Richard Morant, as the reader, is pitch perfect -- I have, in fact, downloaded another book by another author that he has also read. (Unfortunately, I went straight from "Snobs" to “Past Imperfect,” Mr. Fellowes' other novel, and it is as much of a failure as “Snobs” is a success. I am in the middle of it and hope that the imperfect novel is not coloring my review of "Snobs," which I totally recommend.)

A very pleasant listen

This was a very enjoyable book from start to finish. It was very well read by the narrator and the story clips along at a good pace. I liked the characters and the story, which is an entertaining, and often funny, account of ambition,the consequances of choices made, and of course, snobbery in near present-day England. It was also a bit of fun to see somewhat behind the curtain of the British mid-royals (not the level of the queen).

Smart and Interesting

This book was truly fascinating. I enjoyed every page and was really drawn into the lives of the characters. The story itself was smart and funny; I loved the way the narrator spoke and the way he poked fun at certain ridiculous aspects of this life. I always enjoy a story that talks about the human experience and gives sound advice for those listening.

Pure entertainment and fun

Any additional comments?

The author, Julian Fellowes, has had an illustrious career in film and television. He wrote the screenplays for the Oscar-winning Gosford Park, The Young Victoria, and Vanity Fair. He also created and writes the spectacular Downton Abbey.

In the same way that Dominick Dunn’s books offer an insider peek into the elite lives of Manhattan’s 5th Avenue, Snobs is a funny, sharp-eyed study on contemporary British aristocracy. The gossipy story is told through a series of sophisticated dinner parties and social events.

At the center of the book is Edith, a middle-class English woman who hits the royal jackpot when she meets and marries Charles Broughton a wealthy Earl. On the honeymoon, cracks already emerge in the marriage. Charles is a kind but dull and simple man. He is "not exactly handsome” and he is terrible in bed. Edith quickly finds herself in a passionless, dreary marriage and bored stiff with the surprisingly tedious routines of the nobility. Edith’s boredom gets the best of her and she quickly lets things spiral out of control.

If you have ever wondered what the decedents of Lord Grantham might be doing in a few decades in the future, this book is for you.

A wonderful insight into the English aristocracy.

An extremely funny take on a world few of us will ever encounter. The narration in the upper class voice of the author makes it even better.

Loved it!

I wish I could start again- so interesting and Julian is such an incredible observer of human nature/behavior!

Detailed and witty

Any additional comments?

I enjoy Julian Fellowes' novels. He does know his 'stuff'. I find it interesting that I often do not particularly like the characters in his novels, and most definitely didn't like Edith. I hoped for a different ending.

Nice vacation read

I started this book while traveling and it was very delightful. The pacing at times seemed to drag but overall a good distracting tale of the social norms of an aristocratic group seen through the eyes of an outsider. If you are familiar with Brideshead Revisited, Gosford Park or Downton Abbey you'll like this. It may not be as grand as those tales but the society and the way the characters interact are similar.