I found this book interesting as I was not familiar with the Party and what happened to their supporters. I found if well written and I enjoyed reading it.

“Progressive” is not the word anyone would use to describe the politics of the characters in Cressida Connolly’s After the Party. Focalised through the memories of one woman, Phyllis Forrester, the book is a dissection of the Sussex “county set” in the late 1930s, and particularly of the upper-middle-class people who believed passionately in the values being preached by the British Union of Fascists. The word “fascist” is never used; nor are the names of Oswald Mosley or Diana Mitford, as far as I could see, but that is, self-evidently, who and what they are. The book’s marketing is slightly misleading, in that it emphasises a tragic death that occurs after a party held by a local couple, and Phyllis’s sense of responsibility for it; that event does have some significance, but it is not the reason why she goes to prison, which is the other thing that we know about almost from the outset. What Connolly seems to be doing—and it’s not at all clear to me whether she means to do this or not—is inculcating in the reader a sense of sympathy for the average British fascist, the sort of people whose analogues in Nazi Germany were spending these years “just following orders”.

Although I had no idea that members of the Union were interned in the early 1940s without trial or explanation—and although that is a horrifying thought, particularly as many of those imprisoned were profoundly low-level and did little more than file reports or make tea, while far more senior organisers and theorisers were left alone—there is something about the very attempt to make British fascism palatable, or understandable, or even mildly sympathetic, that I pull strongly against. It does not advance the cause of global peace and dignity, in these days, to dehumanise your opponents; I understand that, and I appreciate that Phyllis is so very human a character, slightly weak, slightly bored, clinging to fascism well after it’s fashionable because without it, all the losses of her life will have been for nothing. But I am very wary of what a conservative or right-wing book review page (The Spectator, perhaps) could do with After the Party, very wary of anything that lends itself to the interpretation that we should all hug a fascist. The past eighteen months have made it abundantly clear that Phyllis Forrester’s time is not over and gone; last Sunday, supporters of Tommy Robinson marched in London; and to ask one group of people to try and understand the humanity of another group that refuses to extend that same dignity to them is revolting and absurd. That’s not to say that those adjectives apply to After the Party—it’s an extremely nuanced novel, and literature abounds with protagonists whose personal convictions the reader finds appalling (Humbert Humbert, anyone?)—but it is, without a doubt, a book that could only have been conceived and written in this particular way by someone in a position of significant relative privilege.

Enjoyed this. As well as having a historical view it also had a classic slow build thriller element to it. If you like historical books and thrillers this will be a good read.

Overall, I was a little disappointed with this one. An intriguing subject matter but it was all rather slow and I never felt like Phyllis truly grappled with what the British Union of Fascists actually stood for. She was a complex and well drawn character but without this in-depth exploration of the politics she wasn't wholly believable For me, the part of the novel that really came alive was when she went to prison and I found that insight really fascinating. It might be quite a good one for a reading group - it was one of those novels that offers quite a lot of food for thought.

This was an OK read for me. I didn't hate it or love it. It was certainly interesting as regards to historical events,but I didn't really feel anything for the characters.

I did not like this book, it was not at all what I was expecting. It was written in a very slow, plodding style, with far too much tedious description of minor events. I did not enjoy reading about the privileged upper classes and the minutiae if their lives. The storyline moved so slowly, and did not maintain sufficient interest for me to keep reading the book.

An excellent period drama told with truly believable characters. It covers a black period in late English history and shows a protagonist who is swept along with the poisonous attitudes of Moseley and the Blackshirts. After the Party Helped me understand for the first time Diana Mitford's fascination with Oswald Moseley, how he charmed the socialites of the day, convincing them that his was the view of traditionalist British society, that nationalism was to be viewed with honour. A compelling, at times frightening, novel, illustrating for many "there, but for the grace of God, go I"

The book focuses on Phyllis, the dull as ditchwater wife-and-mother who just does what everyone else tells her to, never questions anything and bobs along merrily into the fun little world of Nazi sympathisers. She is introduced to the British Union of Fascists by her sisters after returning to the UK from abroad and is soon an active member. As the book progresses, we learn how the government dealt with British Union members during the war and what this means for Phyllis and her family.

I have to say that I had a number of issues with the book but let's start with the positive. After the Party is very cleverly written. At first, it reads like a Virago Modern Classic, all complaints about the char-woman and getting out the best crockery for high tea. Personally, I'm a huge fan of mid-century "women's literature" (I super-duper HATE that term) so I was cozily ensconced in the middle class, middle England world. I even quite liked the sound of volunteering to help out with organising the annual family camp - I assumed it was some kind of Scouting endeavour that focused on healthy sea air and bracing walks, with a jolly good sing-song round the campfire and lights out by 10pm sharp. How very jam and Jerusalem, I thought. Lovely.

HOWEVER...

I'm not sure exactly what gave it away (I think perhaps when the children were given badges with a "distinctive logo" of a lightening flash) that something stirred in my memory. "Hmmm, this almost sounds a bit Hitler Youth" I thought absently.

And then they started talking about The Leader.

And his name was Oswald Mosley.

And then I got what was going on.

But - infuriatingly - Phyllis didn't seem to have any idea of the sinister nature of what she was getting herself into. And this is where my biggest problem arose.

Cressida Connolly made the British Union of Fascists sound like Butlins for people who simply didn't want another war. There was absolutely no discussion of what it's members were being lectured to about, what it's policies were; even it's views on Hitler (who is barely mentioned). Now, I understand that women were not expected to engage with politics so having Phyllis as a main character who appeared to not have a clue about what was going on was possibly realistic HOWEVER the fact that she continued to cling to these opinions into the 1970's suggested that she was more aware than she let on. This made me really uncomfortable as a reader - almost like Connolly was presenting an excuse for fascism without really getting into the politics of it - presumably to continue to make Phyllis a sympathetic character. I hated this omission of details as I felt like I couldn't make my mind up about the BUF members - how much did they really know? Were they brainwashed? What did they actually stand for? I NEED ANSWERS!

In saying that, I thought that the way that Connolly dragged the reader into the world of the BUF was pretty skillful. I thought that the writing was excellent and although Phyllis was frustrating as a character I did enjoy reading about her. Later on in the book we learn about the treatment by the British government of BUF members which is something I wasn't aware of previously and was really interesting to learn about.

Overall, I found After the Party an uncomfortable read but one that will definitely stay with me.

I'm not normally a fan of books set in the past however this really caught my attention with a tale that flits in time and brings you into a whole new perspective of war time England. Thoroughly enjoyed this.

Phyllis returns to England to be reunited with her sisters, Patricia and Nina after her hisband’s work has taken her abroad for years. It is set in the thirties when the thought of another world war was seemingly inevitable but her family especially her younger sister Nina and her husband were involved in Mosley’s Party and running summer camps and lectures for the faithful. Fiinding herself at a loose end Phyllis becomes involved in the summer camps and brings her children with her to the events. Her husband who is basically out of a job sees the movement as a great idea. Meanwhile her older sister Patricia enjoys entertaining the Leader. Into this world of upper class people Phyllis becomes enthralled by two ladies of the group and how this pans out is a great read. Her experiences of Holloway and the Isle of Man when she and her husband are arrested under the special powers act brings the early 1940s to life. How she ended up in that position and the hardships that ensued afterwards are clear. It is written as if she is being interviewed in the 1970s and flits back and forth across the years. A well developed story of someone who ended up sacrificed by those she loved.

Interesting period of history ,just before WW2 and a look at how the upper class behaved . A story of three sisters and how they behave with and towards each other.

Sophie also picked up After the Party by Cressida Connolly. From the description and cover, she was expecting a Gatsby-esque novel with an Agatha Christie murder influence. What she read was something very different indeed.

Narrated by Phyllis from the 1970s, After the Party is set in the privileged social circles of southern England in 1938 when the threat of another global war was looming. Phyllis has just moved back to England and soon finds herself becoming increasingly involved in a new political movement. The movement is anti-war and believes that Britain should not get involved with European politics. Right from the beginning, the warning signs are there with anti-Semitism and xenophobic attitudes barely hidden behind the fun and games of the group’s summer camp. Soon it is revealed that Phyllis is involved with the British Union of Fascists and, as the war takes hold, she finds herself suffering consequences for her membership.

Sadly, the characters in After the Party were all rather flat. Despite her involvement, Phyllis barely shares any opinions about the BUF or fascism itself and comes across as more selfish than anything. The death she blames herself for in the blurb is such a non-event that Sophie spent the rest of the book waiting for something more shocking to occur.

Sophie found After the Party an interesting and illuminating book. It taught her a lot about a period of British history she knew little about, and educated her on some events she was never taught at school. It also raised many questions, such as whether imprisoning BUF members without trial was the right course of action to ensure the nation’s safety, and whether countries should embrace isolationism to help their own citizens. These are questions which are still relevant today thanks to Brexit and some recent immigration policies and After the Party casts a new light on them.

This book deals with an unusual aspect of the Second World War I had not previously heard of: the imprisonment and internment of far right sympathisers during the war to protect the national interest. It begins with the very ordinary, but relatively pampered world of upper middle class women in the thirties, outlining the different lives along the class scale of Phyllis and her two sisters. It comes as a shock therefore, when Phyllis's life is overturned in an instant and she has to suffer the consequences of her mindless 'sleepwalk' into political danger.

I found the subject fascinating, although the writer may well have written the languid lifestyle too convincingly (and perhaps in too much detail in the first part of the book). However once the life-change happens, the plot starts to develop in more interesting and intriguing directions through a dual narrative - first person looking back on the events and third person to explore the actual narrative of the plot.

Surprisingly I really enjoyed this book as it was very different from what I was expecting. It manages to retain a 1930s-1940s style and tone and maintains the rather unsympathetic portrayal of a character who is not very reflective or critical of her actions on the whole. An interesting read.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publishers for a preview copy of this book. Hugh Forrester and his wife Phyllis have returned from living abroad and supposedly innocently as many other middle class families, are drawn into their family’s obsession with Oswald Mosley. Within this privileged circle of friends, they appear to be acting in the country’s best interests however they are under observation. They are incarcerated and as the story develops we see the effect on their relationships and homelife. Took a while to get into the book and probably enjoyed the latter half, but an interesting subject I wasn’t familiar with.

The female experience of Fascism isn’t one we’re used to reading about. And particularly not in a way that whilst not painting the political philosophy in a sympathetic light exactly, does explore how a young mother could become swept up in it all. In Cressida Connelly’s After The Party, it’s 1979, and Phyllis Forrester takes us back to the summer of 1938, when Oswald Mosley visited the parties at her sister’s house, and everything changed. Believing that the only way to prevent another war was to follow the Leader, she and her family become sucked into the party, with devastating consequences. Years later, with prison sentences under the belt, she wonders if she can ever be forgiven, and if she can ever forgive.

Connelly writes with detail and perception, painting a vivid picture of both the English countryside and the people who live within it. Her research and attention to history is impeccable, and the novel explores an element of the events of the past that we often forget – real people were involved. The movements we loathe were not all made up of evil people, but ordinary individuals. Phyllis Forrester was just one.

This book had a start that really captured my imagination. I was keen to read more but spent the next 50% wondering when something was going to happen. The characters were bland - just a bot too much "jolly hockey sticks" / class aspirational. Far too much information about not a great deal. By the time the author managed to bring the interest back into the novel I am afraid she had lost me.

I can see lots of people love this book but I am afraid it just wasn't for me

An insight into the British Fascist Movement

Phyllis Forrester, her husband Hugh and her three young children have been living abroad in South America and Belgium for many years. They return home to Sussex in 1938 and join in the social circle enjoyed by her two sisters Patricia and Nina.

Phyllis agrees to help out her sister Nina and her husband Eric in organising and running what seems to be innocuous summer camps for young people. However, it turns out that her sister and brother-in-law are huge supporters of Oswald Mosley and his British Union Party and although Phyllis is not a political person, by implication and association she is arrested and taken to Holloway prison.

The book is written in the first person by Phyllis and in the third person which worked very well when reading the book. It also jumps between the events in 1938 to Phyllis’ account of her life in 1979 when she is more or less estranged from her family.

This book was interesting as it gives a lot of information about the British Union, I had heard about Oswald Mosley but didn’t realise how many supporters there were in England. In 1938 there was a large amount of the public who were dreading another war and this party advocated peace at all costs. I could understand how people fearing another World War could be drawn to this party originally but did not appear to realise the more sinister aspects and repercussions that could happen if you sympathised with their ideals.

However I felt that none of the characters had enough substance, we never really got to know them. Phyllis, in particular, is very ambivalent, I was never quite sure whether she really supported the British Union or just got drawn into it due to circumstances. She also blames herself for the death of one of her closest friends and makes out that she had done a terrible thing but in fact, it turns out to be a minor event and I could not understand why she blamed herself so much.

The book depicts the lifestyle of the upper middle class at this time very well with its inherent snobbery and social climbing. It also gave me an insight into Mosley and his party which I knew very little about before but I would like to have had more detail and depth.

I did not really feel that the plot as such was particularly interesting and found it hard to sympathise with Phyllis who seemed to do nothing to help herself. I would have liked a more in-depth storyline and felt this book could have been far more interesting considering the subject matter.

Dexter



Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review

I found this book very interesting. It's set from just before and during the second world war. Phyllis and her husband find themselves arrested and imprisoned for being supporters of Oswald Mosely's party. It tells of Phyllis' time in Holloway and then her transference to the Isle of Man. The characters in this story are fictional, but it is based on fact. I had no idea that ordinary British people were imprisoned at that time for their political beliefs, and I found it quite shocking. I recommend this as a good read. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
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The novel tells the story of Phyllis, who in 1938 returns to England with her husband and two children, to settle in Sussex, near her sisters. From a moneyed family, their large houses and servants are taken for granted, as is their politics. Despite friction in other areas of the sisters’ lives, it is a matter in which they are in complete accord. The jolly summer camps, organised by Phyllis’s sister are to bolster and recruit for the movement and to further the aims of the leader. Phyllis is more concerned with the minutiae of her daily life and interactions with her neighbours than the monumental events occurring on the continent in the 1930’s and it takes some time to reveal that the movement is The British Union of Fascists and the leader is Oswald Moseley.
And whilst Phyllis feels her involvement patriotic, the government and the majority of British people do not. Her husband’s involvement is greater than Phyllis realises, and this leads to their imprisonment.
It’s frustrating to have a main character of limited intelligence and perception. Someone coming to the novel with no knowledge of the external events, would be tempted to view Phyllis as she views herself, a victim. Speaking to an unknown researcher later in life she makes no connection to the anti-Semitism of Moseley’s movement and the concentration camps on the continent. ‘He’d never have stood by and allowed such things to happen on British soil,’ she maintains.

Also there’s no exploration of what led this group of upper middle class women from Conservatism to Fascism. Phyllis states politics were rarely discussed in their house, so how did each sister end up taking the same path?
The nationalism espoused by Moseley, with his emphasis of returning Britain to greatness, chimes with much in the current era, and a more robust examination, than simply following Phyllis’s gaze would have given the novel greater texture. That said, it’s a well written, interesting read, without being wholly satisfactory.

Fascinating! This story depicts a little seen or discussed part of WW2, that of the British Union of Fascists. Led by Oswold Moseley, the BUF believed in maintaining peace and were supporters of Naziism. The book begins with the return of Phyllis Forrester to England, in 1938, having spent years abroad in the colonies. Her sisters introduce her to new friends, and soon all of the family are enjoying the summer camps and youth group work as well as socialising with Oswald Moseley, the very charismatic leader. Phyllis is depicted as rather lost upon her return to England, she doesn’t express any strong political opinions, but is soon immersed into the camaraderie of the group. The outbreak of WW2 changes everything, and the group members are soon dispersing as members are imprisoned without trial( being seen as a threat to Britain.) Much is written about the black shirts as bullies and oppressors, this book sets out to portray the beliefs of the women involved in the BUF. Much of their involvement is described as good wholesome fun at seaside summer camps. Phyllis seems to be rather a weak character, following her husband’s lead without question. It is interesting to try to understand what the attraction of the BUF was, as it is hard to understand now, particularly with hindsight of the events of WW2. This is an interesting historic story, which appears to remain close to the facts of what actually took place. Great for anyone interested in WW2.