The Mad Boy, Lord Berners, My Grandmother, and Me

January 1, 2015
The story of renowned diplomat, composer, novelist and painter Lord Gerald Berners and his "cultivated, artistic milieu." In this vivid biography, Zinovieff (The House on Paradise Street, 2012, etc.) examines the lives of Lord Berners, his partner of more than two decades, Robert Heber-Percy (the author's grandfather and the "Mad Boy" of the title), and her grandmother, Jennifer Fry, a beautiful and witty party girl and the catalytic agent of the story. At Gerald and Robert's parties at Faringdon, their estate, "entertainment, excitement and the pleasure principle" were paramount. However, their social circle of artists and aristocrats was more of a romantic and sexual Gordian knot: Most of the men were bisexual or gay, though several also loved women (some enough to marry them), many of whom were also sexually fluid. This impressively researched saga, which spans both world wars, is an effervescent account of the British upper class in the first half of the 20th century. When Jennifer improbably married the Mad Boy, a "wildly physical, unscholarly young hothead," she upended their lives at Faringdon by introducing a feminine presence-and a child (the author's mother, Victoria)-to their home. Victoria came to reject her English country home and lifestyle. The author was raised in a bohemian environment and recalls her mother's decision not to teach her children manners "on principle." (This is the washed-out section of an otherwise vibrant tapestry.) In a drastic tonal shift, Zinovieff takes out the knives in describing her dismay about her inheritance-Lord Berners' manor and his chef. Though readers should find her relatable, she comes across as occasionally nonsympathetic; her story becomes tiresome as she recounts her struggle to resolve her modern sensibilities to the pastoral world of Faringdon and a "lost way of life." A mostly entertaining story of an unconventional family and their shared trait of flouting convention across generations.

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Starred review from February 15, 2015

After discovering a photograph of her grandparents--socialites Robert "the Mad Boy" Heber-Percy and Jennifer Fry--with both their newborn daughter and Robert's longtime and significantly older boyfriend, Lord Berners, journalist Zinovieff was determined to find out what brought them all to live together as an unconventional, yet brief, threesome at the lively Faringdon House. The intrigue surrounding these unusual and formidable individuals is an instant hook, which is only enhanced by their personal histories and struggles. The narrative is also peppered with many creatives of the time--artist Salvador Dali and authors Evelyn Waugh and Gertrude Stein, to name but a few--who brought with them their own dramatic trysts and pasts during their visits to Faringdon. The cast of characters can feel overwhelming at times; however, brief confusion is well worth the tidbits gleaned from a group with such diverse sexual and political leanings. No one fit the social norm of 1930s and 1940s England, and readers will be eager to gobble up the next piece of gossip. VERDICT While highlighting eccentricities, glamour, and downright debauchery, Zinovieff is also able to capture the humanity in what is a fascinating and eye-opening ancestral history.--Kate DiGirolomo, Library Journal

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