Tarissa's Reviews > Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle

This title is certainly a lovely find... especially for anyone who enjoys digging up intriguing history. You don't have to be a fan of the TV show to enjoy the book, as there is maybe only mention to the show, at the beginning of the book, and that's it. From there on, it's pure and actual history.

My favorite parts of the story are about how Highclere was turned into a hospital during World War I. There's a lot that Lady Almina had to do to keep it up and running -- but it seems like a very worthwhile job.

There's tons of interesting tidbits interspersed all throughout. Such as learning the fact that children growing up in the nursery had to use the servants' back stairs -- to stay out of sight from the adults in the family. (That was a shocker.)

I loved the book, myself. If what happened at Highclere Castle is any indication of what was happening to other similar estates at the time, it sure was intriguing to study up on. Lady Almina made a fine lady of house -- she was industrious and knew how to get in and do the work to pull a big plan together. She's a strong woman, and it made her story an interesting one.