Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Speak (Penguin Group)
Pages
383
Description
After the Russian Revolution turns her world upside down, Anna, a young Russian countess, has no choice but to flee to England. Penniless, Anna hides her aristocratic background and takes a job as a servant in the household of the esteemed Westerholme family. Anna is overwhelmed by her new duties, and her instant attraction to Rupert, the handsome Earl of Westerholme. To make matters worse, Rupert appears to be falling for her, too. Anna finds it increasingly difficult to keep her secrets from unraveling; and then there's the small matter of Rupert's fiancée.
Collection
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1981
Physical description
383 p.; 8.3 inches
ISBN
9780142408650
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User reviews
LibraryThing member xicanti
When her family loses their fortune in the Russian revolution, a young countess takes a job as a housemaid on an English country estate.
Ibbotson is a remarkable writer. She imbues this story with all the qualities of a fairy tale without ever sacrificing its believability. Her beautiful
The characterizations are handled with equal care. With no more than a few choice details and some telling scenes, Ibbotson shows us everything we could possibly need to know about each and every one of these characters. We see the little pieces of their lives that truly illuminate them, that make them burst off the page and come to life.
And the story itself... wow. Just, wow. I laughed. I wept. I sobbed wretchedly, both in sorrow and for joy. I fell head over heels in love with it, and I will not hesitate to recommend it left, right and centre.
This is absolutely the best new book I've read so far this year. Do yourself a favour: go buy a copy.
Ibbotson is a remarkable writer. She imbues this story with all the qualities of a fairy tale without ever sacrificing its believability. Her beautiful
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storytelling drew me in right from the first page and held me tight. The language is just gorgeous; it twists and turns in a way that I found reminiscent of magical realism. With a few key details and some careful phrasing, Ibbotson makes this early 20th century world come to life in such a way that it is both enchanting and realistic. I ate it up.The characterizations are handled with equal care. With no more than a few choice details and some telling scenes, Ibbotson shows us everything we could possibly need to know about each and every one of these characters. We see the little pieces of their lives that truly illuminate them, that make them burst off the page and come to life.
And the story itself... wow. Just, wow. I laughed. I wept. I sobbed wretchedly, both in sorrow and for joy. I fell head over heels in love with it, and I will not hesitate to recommend it left, right and centre.
This is absolutely the best new book I've read so far this year. Do yourself a favour: go buy a copy.
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LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
This delightful YA read totally captivated me. It’s a very light, romantic story, but one with a lot of heart. Peopled with fairy tale characters such as the penniless countess forced to work as a maid to support herself and her family, the handsome, slightly brooding Earl who always tries to do
If you are in the mood for sheer escapism, a light, frothy read to curl up with, this could the book for you. Eva Ibbotson really knows how to deliver a sweet romantic story with humor and heart.
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the right thing, and my personal favorite, the icily beautiful yet wicked woman who stands between them. These along with many more fabulous characters help to propel this book along to it’s inevitable conclusion.If you are in the mood for sheer escapism, a light, frothy read to curl up with, this could the book for you. Eva Ibbotson really knows how to deliver a sweet romantic story with humor and heart.
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LibraryThing member stephxsu
Anna and her family are Russian nobles, refugees from the civil war that tears their country apart in the middle of World War I. They go to England, where Anna takes up as a housemaid at Mersham, an elegant estate full of personality. Rupert is the young new Earl of Westerholme and reluctant owner
As Anna flies about Mersham determinedly carrying out her duties and endearing herself to all of the staff there, Rupert can’t help but be attracted to her. And everyone in the house and out is beginning to realize how stuck-up and purist Muriel is. Her demands for physical, mental, and genetic perfection put many of Mersham’s help in danger of losing their positions, their entire family. Can Anna’s friends, everyone at Mersham, come up with a plan to save the day?
It has been a long time since I have read a refreshingly straightforward fairy tale. Anna is a resourceful and delightful female protagonist. I could’ve wanted more interaction between Anna and Rupert, but is the delightful way that Eva Ibbotson draws up her cast of characters that really make this simple story shine.
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of Mersham, just discharged from the hospital where he recovered from a plane crash, and where he has found his fiancee, a pretty young lady named Muriel Hardwicke. Muriel, an orphan, has money but no connections, and is determined to get them by marrying Rupert, whose family has no physical or mental flaws that she knows of.As Anna flies about Mersham determinedly carrying out her duties and endearing herself to all of the staff there, Rupert can’t help but be attracted to her. And everyone in the house and out is beginning to realize how stuck-up and purist Muriel is. Her demands for physical, mental, and genetic perfection put many of Mersham’s help in danger of losing their positions, their entire family. Can Anna’s friends, everyone at Mersham, come up with a plan to save the day?
It has been a long time since I have read a refreshingly straightforward fairy tale. Anna is a resourceful and delightful female protagonist. I could’ve wanted more interaction between Anna and Rupert, but is the delightful way that Eva Ibbotson draws up her cast of characters that really make this simple story shine.
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LibraryThing member foggidawn
An impoverished Russian countess, displaced due to the Russian revolution, takes a position as a housemaid in a grand English country home. She is soon beloved by everyone there, upstairs and down -- and even Rupert, the new Earl of Westerholme, is not completely unaware of her charms. However, the
This book is delightfully funny and sweet. All of the characters are wonderful, but Anna is the one that really makes the book. She's one of those fictional characters that I really wish I could meet in person -- since I can't, I'm sure I'll be dropping by her book for many more visits in the future!
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arrival of Rupert's fiancee Muriel brings many unwelcome changes to the estate. . . .This book is delightfully funny and sweet. All of the characters are wonderful, but Anna is the one that really makes the book. She's one of those fictional characters that I really wish I could meet in person -- since I can't, I'm sure I'll be dropping by her book for many more visits in the future!
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LibraryThing member AbigailAdams26
I've long been a fan of Eva Ibbotson's novels for younger, middle-grade readers, from the marvelous eco-fantasy, Island of the Aunts (originally published as Monster Island in Britain), to the humorous ghost-story, Dial-a-Ghost, and have been wanting to try one of her more romantic stories for
It has some flaws, of course, already ably set out by other reviewers: the characters are a little one-dimensional, when it comes to virtue and vice, being either very good or very bad; and there are some unexamined prejudices here, from the classism evident in the fact that Uncle Sebastian's groping ways are seen as "harmless" (by the characters that matter), to the depiction of the two overweight Herring children, whose obesity is treated as part of their family's general moral failure. I was definitely aware of these problems, but somehow, the pleasure of reading the story, my affection for the characters, carried me along (hence the four stars, rather than three), and I came away with a desire to read more of Ibbotson's work in this genre. Definitely a winner!
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young adults, so I was especially pleased that A Countess Below Stairs was chosen as the November selection, over in the Children's Fiction Club to which I belong. The story of Countess Anna Petrovna Grazinsky, a Russian aristocrat who, along with her family, loses everything to the revolution, and, having fled to England, takes a position as a maid in the home of Rupert Frayne, the Earl of Westerholme, it is a delightful book: romantic without being overwhelmed by its romance, full of characters that you either love, or love to hate, and involving enough that the reader will find herself putting off other tasks (I skipped swimming, this past Friday!) in order to finish it.It has some flaws, of course, already ably set out by other reviewers: the characters are a little one-dimensional, when it comes to virtue and vice, being either very good or very bad; and there are some unexamined prejudices here, from the classism evident in the fact that Uncle Sebastian's groping ways are seen as "harmless" (by the characters that matter), to the depiction of the two overweight Herring children, whose obesity is treated as part of their family's general moral failure. I was definitely aware of these problems, but somehow, the pleasure of reading the story, my affection for the characters, carried me along (hence the four stars, rather than three), and I came away with a desire to read more of Ibbotson's work in this genre. Definitely a winner!
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LibraryThing member JDpirate5
So this book was really, really cute. I finished it a while ago (can you believe I'm only just now getting around to reviewing it?) and I really liked it.
To be perfectly honest, actually, I liked it a lot better than I thought I would; it was very different from what I thought it would be. In the
Sweet, innocent, completely grateful despite being completely lavished, and beautiful.
I was just like, "Uh huh. Come on!"
But as I read farther and farther into the book (because there was something about it, something I couldn't, at that point, put my finger on), I decided that the description was justified. In that time period, and that society, and the way her goodness caused her to act, everything fit. By the end, I actually liked her quite a bit.
And the end. O, the end. It was along the lines of what I expected, but Ibbotson reached that same end by a completely different route than I'd predicted. Refreshing!
I loved the evil, scheming fiancé and her scatterbrained mentor (and their obsession with eugenics).
I loved the wacky, family-shaming cousins.
I loved Anna, the servants, and Anna's gorgeous cousin, Sergei.
I wasn't smitten by (The Honorable [cute]) Olive, but I liked what she brought to the story and her family (her brother, specifically).
The only one I didn't love best was Anna's love, the Earl of Westerholme, Rupert. Yes, I could see he was dashing, kind, honorable, well-intentioned, and all that, but he just wasn't the sweetie that Tom was or the hearththrob that Sergei was.
Granted, he most certainly wasn't deplorable; he just wasn't my favorite.
In any case, what I really liked about the story was Ibbotson's old-fashioned writing style. Reading her bio in the back, I realized she was of an older generation (hence her writing). It was classical and elegant in a way most modern writers can't achieve, but it was still intriguing and attention-catching. In most instances, time weighs down an older style and the story sags.
Not here, though; I really enjoyed it and I will most definately be reading Ibbotson's other books as soon as I have an opportunity!
O, and did I mention this book has gotten me fascinated with Russia? I'm not positive why, but it makes the country seem so...special, I guess.
:)
This review is also an entry on my blog.
To be perfectly honest, actually, I liked it a lot better than I thought I would; it was very different from what I thought it would be. In the
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beginning, I was a little put off by the description of young Anna, who was, basically, perfect.Sweet, innocent, completely grateful despite being completely lavished, and beautiful.
I was just like, "Uh huh. Come on!"
But as I read farther and farther into the book (because there was something about it, something I couldn't, at that point, put my finger on), I decided that the description was justified. In that time period, and that society, and the way her goodness caused her to act, everything fit. By the end, I actually liked her quite a bit.
And the end. O, the end. It was along the lines of what I expected, but Ibbotson reached that same end by a completely different route than I'd predicted. Refreshing!
I loved the evil, scheming fiancé and her scatterbrained mentor (and their obsession with eugenics).
I loved the wacky, family-shaming cousins.
I loved Anna, the servants, and Anna's gorgeous cousin, Sergei.
I wasn't smitten by (The Honorable [cute]) Olive, but I liked what she brought to the story and her family (her brother, specifically).
The only one I didn't love best was Anna's love, the Earl of Westerholme, Rupert. Yes, I could see he was dashing, kind, honorable, well-intentioned, and all that, but he just wasn't the sweetie that Tom was or the hearththrob that Sergei was.
Granted, he most certainly wasn't deplorable; he just wasn't my favorite.
In any case, what I really liked about the story was Ibbotson's old-fashioned writing style. Reading her bio in the back, I realized she was of an older generation (hence her writing). It was classical and elegant in a way most modern writers can't achieve, but it was still intriguing and attention-catching. In most instances, time weighs down an older style and the story sags.
Not here, though; I really enjoyed it and I will most definately be reading Ibbotson's other books as soon as I have an opportunity!
O, and did I mention this book has gotten me fascinated with Russia? I'm not positive why, but it makes the country seem so...special, I guess.
:)
This review is also an entry on my blog.
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LibraryThing member lalawe
Charming and sweet, just like the main character, Anna. The fairy tale qualities of the story keep Anna from seeming *too* perfect, and make it easier to accept some of the less believable elements of the story.
LibraryThing member NoemiViana
I loved this book! It's a heart-warming tale of the daughter of a Russian nobleman, Anna, and how the Revolution changed her life. In desperation, her family flee the country and go to England. There, they have no money. Anna decides she must become a housemaid for a rich English family. Her mother
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disagrees, because she doesn't think it's right that a countess is "below stairs". But what Anna precedes... not bargaining with falling in love with the rich English nobleman, Rupert... totally addictive stuff. Show Less
LibraryThing member jlarsonhamilton
The Russian Revolution forces Anna a young countess, her mother and brother out of their homeland penniless. Now living in England Anna is determined to find a job to help support her family. Anna hides her identity and becomes a maid for the new Earl of Westerholme. An intriguing read that keeps
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you interested until the end, hoping that everything works out as it should. This story could be useful in helping students to understand the many different class systems that existed during this time in history. Show Less
LibraryThing member lindasbooks
Main character Anna is a countess from a wealthy Russian family. War breaks out and she is forced to flee to England, where she finds employment as a servant (housemaid) at the Westerholme estate. She soon falls for Rupert, the Earl of Westerholme. Problem is Rupert is engaged to the the mean Lady
This was a lovely story that I enjoyed very much.
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Muriel.This was a lovely story that I enjoyed very much.
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LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
I really enjoyed this read, granted Anna Grazinsky came across as being a bit too perfect a lot of the time but still I found it great fun. I was drawn into this story of trying to succeed when it was all stacked against you. Countess Anna Grazinsky fled Russia after the revolution and lives with
She finds herself in a world of a very different sort. By sheer dint of hard work she gains the respect of the other staff. Things change when the Lord of Westerholme returns home, particularly when his fiancee turns up.
Yes, sometimes Anna was a little too perfect but it was a great read.
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her governess in London. It's 1919, the Great War is over but Anna is at a loose end. She realises that without money or prospects the best thing for her to do is find a job and she finds a job working as a housemaid in a stately home.She finds herself in a world of a very different sort. By sheer dint of hard work she gains the respect of the other staff. Things change when the Lord of Westerholme returns home, particularly when his fiancee turns up.
Yes, sometimes Anna was a little too perfect but it was a great read.
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LibraryThing member aviddiva
This delightful book tells story of a young Russian Countess who is force to flee Russia after the revolution and ends up taking a job as a maid in an English country home. Essentially a charming Cinderella story, A Countess Below Stairs contains such beautiful and unexpected descriptions, well
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drawn characters and true emotions that it rises well above the standard fairy tale romance. It made me weep, it made me smile, and it was a nice change to read a story like this told about Russian emigres, who really did end up in jobs like Anna's and Sergei's. I highly recommend it. Show Less
LibraryThing member dotholden
The Secret Countess by Eva Ibbotson was initially published as A Countess Below Stairs, which after reading it I think would be a better title. Eva Ibbotson was born in Vienna, Austria in 1925 but when the Nazis came to power, her family escaped to Britain. Many of her books allude to the struggles
The Secret Countess is the story of Anna Grazinsky, a Russian Countess who has to flee to Britain after World War I. Anna has come from a life of wealth and privilege, she was doted on by her father and had everything that she could ever have wished for. Her father is killed fighting and she and her mother make their way to Britain with Miss Pinfold, her governess. Anna's family has lost everything and she is too proud to live off the charity of Miss Pinfold and so she seeks a position as a housemaid at Mersham; family seat of the Westerholmes. Here she tries to fit in and works hard but it is clear to all that she has come from greater things. Ibbotson describes Merhsam in a very detailed way and the house is very much part of the story. Anna soon meets Rupert, the new Earl and he is totally mesmerised by her. However, Rupert has agreed to marry Muriel Hardwicke, an orphaned heiress who will provide the finances to secure Mersham's future. Hardwicke is the opposite of Anna; she is a snob and totally obsessed with Eugenics and the staff and Westeholme family members do not take kindly to her ways.
Rupert eventually finds out Anna's true identity and he is already in love with her, the situation seems hopeless with his impending nuptials fast approaching. However, the others surrounding Anna and Rupert devise a plan to save the future of both of them and also the house. The story is very reminiscent of Jane Eye except that Rupert has a much more affable character than Mr Rochester! I am so pleased that I have discovered Eva Ibbotson, her books have this fantastic romantic, fairytale quality to them but still have a lot of substance.
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and loss experienced by people during the war and obviously she had first-hand experience of this.The Secret Countess is the story of Anna Grazinsky, a Russian Countess who has to flee to Britain after World War I. Anna has come from a life of wealth and privilege, she was doted on by her father and had everything that she could ever have wished for. Her father is killed fighting and she and her mother make their way to Britain with Miss Pinfold, her governess. Anna's family has lost everything and she is too proud to live off the charity of Miss Pinfold and so she seeks a position as a housemaid at Mersham; family seat of the Westerholmes. Here she tries to fit in and works hard but it is clear to all that she has come from greater things. Ibbotson describes Merhsam in a very detailed way and the house is very much part of the story. Anna soon meets Rupert, the new Earl and he is totally mesmerised by her. However, Rupert has agreed to marry Muriel Hardwicke, an orphaned heiress who will provide the finances to secure Mersham's future. Hardwicke is the opposite of Anna; she is a snob and totally obsessed with Eugenics and the staff and Westeholme family members do not take kindly to her ways.
Rupert eventually finds out Anna's true identity and he is already in love with her, the situation seems hopeless with his impending nuptials fast approaching. However, the others surrounding Anna and Rupert devise a plan to save the future of both of them and also the house. The story is very reminiscent of Jane Eye except that Rupert has a much more affable character than Mr Rochester! I am so pleased that I have discovered Eva Ibbotson, her books have this fantastic romantic, fairytale quality to them but still have a lot of substance.
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LibraryThing member mrsdwilliams
After the Russian Revolution, a young countess named Anna is forced to leave her home behind in order to seek safety in England. She hides her true identity and takes a job as a maid in the home of the Earl of Westerholme.
Rupert, the kind and handsome Earl, returns home after WWI and brings with
Anna and Rupert feel an immediate and strong connection, but Rupert's honor keeps him from dumping Muriel, even as her true nature is gradually revealed.
This sweet, well-researched, and often funny story will appeal to readers who like their historical fiction with a bit of romance.
Rupert, the kind and handsome Earl, returns home after WWI and brings with
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him the beautiful nurse who helped heal his wounds. Rupert's fiancee, though lovely on the outside, is greedy, mean, and self-centered.Anna and Rupert feel an immediate and strong connection, but Rupert's honor keeps him from dumping Muriel, even as her true nature is gradually revealed.
This sweet, well-researched, and often funny story will appeal to readers who like their historical fiction with a bit of romance.
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LibraryThing member lina_em
really really sweet. the ending didn't hold up as it should.
LibraryThing member cmbohn
I love Eba Ibbotson's children's books, but only recently discovered that she also wrote some romances for young adults. This is the second I've read, and I really enjoyed it.
Anna Grazinsky is a Russian countess, forced out of her home by the revolution. She and her mother and brother move to
Rupert didn't expect to become the earl, but after his brother's death in the war, he inherits the title and the estate. The estate is run down and in need of some improvements. So Rupert is delighted when he finds a beautiful heiress to marry.
It will be no surprise that the heiress is a stinker, that Rupert and Anna fall in love, and that eventually, everything ends happily ever after. But it was a fun book and just what I needed. If you enjoy historical romance, this is a nice light story.
Anna Grazinsky is a Russian countess, forced out of her home by the revolution. She and her mother and brother move to
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England. They have lost everything. Anna's mother is mourning the death of her husband, so Anna is the one who takes care of the family. She finds a patron willing to pay for her brother's education and starts looking for a job. Then she finds a temporary job as a servant.Rupert didn't expect to become the earl, but after his brother's death in the war, he inherits the title and the estate. The estate is run down and in need of some improvements. So Rupert is delighted when he finds a beautiful heiress to marry.
It will be no surprise that the heiress is a stinker, that Rupert and Anna fall in love, and that eventually, everything ends happily ever after. But it was a fun book and just what I needed. If you enjoy historical romance, this is a nice light story.
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LibraryThing member knielsen83
I just couldn't get into this book - 50 pages into it, I was sick of the uninteresting main character, not looking forward to what the book may hold and ended up flipping through it. Basically, it just had nothing that appealed to me. So I gave up on it - it's been a long time since I gave up on a
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book. Show Less
LibraryThing member aconnx3
Anna is a countess fleeing from Russia during the revolution whose family looses all their greatest treasures. She is forced to work "below stairs" in order to support her dwindling family. Anna is a beguiling character who intrigues all those she comes in contact with, including Rupert, the Earl
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of Westerholme. The historical fiction novel is almost a fairy tale. The whirl wind romance is not allowed because of society and, not to mention, the Earl's fiance. Eva Ibbotson's book is romantic and poetic, leaving the reader hoping for a life half as perfect as Anna's. Show Less
LibraryThing member jjameli
The Countess Below Stairs is the first book I've read by Eva Ibbotson, and it won't be my last. This book was a lovely written romance, and I can't wait to read more from this author.
After having to flee from Russia Anna, the Countess and her family find themselves with no money. Willing to do
The Countess Below Stairs was a thick book with close to 400 pages, but I read it as if it was 100. I couldn't stop reading it. It wasn't cheesy, and most importantly I liked the main characters. Anna wasn't dependent on a man, and she certainly wasn't whiny, and Rupert also was a great strong character.
My biggest complaint with romances is they can be cheesy. I'm one that rolls there eyes at jewelry commericals (have you seen those lately..uugh). The Countess Below Stairs has just the right amount of romance. The only problem I had with this book was I wish Rupert and Anna had more interaction. I get that back then people fell in love quickly, but a couple of more moments between them would have felt more believable to today's readers. Regardless, I knew they cared for each other, so it wasn't all that important.
After having to flee from Russia Anna, the Countess and her family find themselves with no money. Willing to do
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anything to help her family, Anna finds a job working for Rupert, the Earl. Quickly Anna is loved by all there, from the other help, to the dowager, and most important Rupert. Of course, no good romance to go without a mean, and spiteful wrench. Rupert is engaged to Muriel, and just as quickly all can tell Anna is a kind person, they can tell Rupert's fiance is not a nice women.The Countess Below Stairs was a thick book with close to 400 pages, but I read it as if it was 100. I couldn't stop reading it. It wasn't cheesy, and most importantly I liked the main characters. Anna wasn't dependent on a man, and she certainly wasn't whiny, and Rupert also was a great strong character.
My biggest complaint with romances is they can be cheesy. I'm one that rolls there eyes at jewelry commericals (have you seen those lately..uugh). The Countess Below Stairs has just the right amount of romance. The only problem I had with this book was I wish Rupert and Anna had more interaction. I get that back then people fell in love quickly, but a couple of more moments between them would have felt more believable to today's readers. Regardless, I knew they cared for each other, so it wasn't all that important.
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LibraryThing member mmillet
A sweet love story about a displaced Russian Countess, Anna and an English Earl set on marrying a (horrid) heiress to save his family seat. I am a sucker for all things Russian so I loved Anna and her efforts to become an able housemaid. As usual, Ibbotson has created a set of unusual and extremely
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interesting cast of secondary characters that I would love to hear more about. I mean a body-building footman?! Who wouldn't want to hear his story? I think I could read her books if only for those who are only glimpsed.This was a cute story but I think "A Song for Summer" is still my favorite -- but maybe it's because all her stories are a little formulaic and that's the one I read first. But no, it has Austria and who doesn't love Austria? Show Less
LibraryThing member phh333
Thoroughly enjoyed this light romance and Ibbotson's funny, spunky female character Anna. Anna, a Russian countess, must make her way in the world as a servant after the family looses its fortune during the Russian revolution. Things get complicated when the Earl falls in love with her.
LibraryThing member LyzzyBee
Acquired via BookCrossing Nov 2010 - from donation bag from a friend
I'd previously read and loved Ibbotson's children's book "Journey to the River Sea" so was excited to find a pile of her books for slightly older teens in a donation bag via a friend's mum. I don't think they are a series, but I
This is the absorbing story of Anna, exiled from Russia and having to turn her hand to domestic service in order to survive. With the classic Big House setting and possible romance with the son of the house, this is a much better version of what Kate thingy who wrote House at Riverton tries to do. Even though there were some outstandingly bad copy-editing errors, and even though you could tell what was going to happen in the end, this was a riveting and absorbing read that I couldn't put down.
I'd previously read and loved Ibbotson's children's book "Journey to the River Sea" so was excited to find a pile of her books for slightly older teens in a donation bag via a friend's mum. I don't think they are a series, but I
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put them in date order just in case.This is the absorbing story of Anna, exiled from Russia and having to turn her hand to domestic service in order to survive. With the classic Big House setting and possible romance with the son of the house, this is a much better version of what Kate thingy who wrote House at Riverton tries to do. Even though there were some outstandingly bad copy-editing errors, and even though you could tell what was going to happen in the end, this was a riveting and absorbing read that I couldn't put down.
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LibraryThing member readinggeek451
My favorite of her books. The Honorable Olive in Clawstone Castle is obviously this one's evil twin.
LibraryThing member nbmars
Note: This book is called The Secret Countess in the U.K.
This very predictable but oh-so-charming Cinderella-like tale with a Russian flavor is a joy to read.
Anna lives a charmed life with her wealthy parents, the Count and Countess Grazinsky in St. Petersburg, until the 1917 Russian Revolution
Rupert, now Earl of Westerholme, returns and brings a surprise with him: Muriel Hardwicke, a fiancé, whom he met while recuperating from a war injury. Muriel is beautiful, but cold and cruel, and in no time alienates everyone, even Rupert, who would never, however, go back on a promise. And in fact, Rupert is becoming more and more fascinated with Anna, even while Muriel is more and more taken with her eugenicist mentor, the evil Dr. Lightbody.
Another family plays a rather large role in this tale: that of the Byrnes, neighbors and friends of the Westerholmes. Tom Byrne is Rupert’s best friend. Tom’s little sister Ollie is everyone’s sweetheart. Tom is in love with a local girl, Susie, from a Jewish family. Tom keeps proposing, and Susie keeps saying no. In my favorite passage of the book, Tom begs to know why she won’t marry him:
"Susie studied him carefully. ‘Tom, have you ever looked at me? At me? Not someone you’ve made up inside your head.”
…’I’m plump now,’ she continued in her level, unemotional voice. ‘In ten years I’ll be fat, however much I diet. I have a hooked nose; most of the time I need glasses. My hair is frizzy and my ear…‘
‘How dare you!’ Tom had seized her shoulders; he was shaking her, hurting her. The famous Byrne temper, scourge of his red-haired ancestors since Doomsday, blazed in his eyes. ‘How dare you talk to me like that! You are insulting me!’
‘What do you mean?’
‘How dare you suppose that I don’t know who you are or what you are? That I don’t understand what I see? Do you take me for some kind of besotted schoolboy? It is unspeakable! You could weigh as much as a hippopotamus and shave your head and wear a wig and it wouldn’t make any difference to me. I never said you were beautiful. I never thought it. I said that you were you.”
The ending comes out as you might think in a Cinderella story, with those assisting the heroine being the downstairs help rather than a fairy godmother or cute little birds and mice.
Evaluation: There are some splendid characters in this book, from Rupert’s lonely old uncle to Anna’s Russian friends and relations, the whole downstairs crew, and even the dog Baskerville: they are all drawn quite fully but with felicitous economy. When Mr. Proom, the head butler at Mersham, explains that he wants to help Rupert be happy because “well, I taught Mr. Rupert to ride a bicycle,” you know everything you need to know about his feelings for Rupert.
This very predictable but oh-so-charming Cinderella-like tale with a Russian flavor is a joy to read.
Anna lives a charmed life with her wealthy parents, the Count and Countess Grazinsky in St. Petersburg, until the 1917 Russian Revolution
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forces them to flee to London. Anna and her mother take refuge with Anna’s former governess, Miss Pinfold, but it is crowded and they are short of funds, so Anna obtains a temporary position at Mersham, the manor house of the Westerholmes. Rupert, the only heir to survive World War I, is coming home, and he has instructed the servants to get the house in shape. Thus, Anna becomes part of the cleaning crew, and in no time endears herself to everyone both downstairs and upstairs with her hard work and cheerful disposition.Rupert, now Earl of Westerholme, returns and brings a surprise with him: Muriel Hardwicke, a fiancé, whom he met while recuperating from a war injury. Muriel is beautiful, but cold and cruel, and in no time alienates everyone, even Rupert, who would never, however, go back on a promise. And in fact, Rupert is becoming more and more fascinated with Anna, even while Muriel is more and more taken with her eugenicist mentor, the evil Dr. Lightbody.
Another family plays a rather large role in this tale: that of the Byrnes, neighbors and friends of the Westerholmes. Tom Byrne is Rupert’s best friend. Tom’s little sister Ollie is everyone’s sweetheart. Tom is in love with a local girl, Susie, from a Jewish family. Tom keeps proposing, and Susie keeps saying no. In my favorite passage of the book, Tom begs to know why she won’t marry him:
"Susie studied him carefully. ‘Tom, have you ever looked at me? At me? Not someone you’ve made up inside your head.”
…’I’m plump now,’ she continued in her level, unemotional voice. ‘In ten years I’ll be fat, however much I diet. I have a hooked nose; most of the time I need glasses. My hair is frizzy and my ear…‘
‘How dare you!’ Tom had seized her shoulders; he was shaking her, hurting her. The famous Byrne temper, scourge of his red-haired ancestors since Doomsday, blazed in his eyes. ‘How dare you talk to me like that! You are insulting me!’
‘What do you mean?’
‘How dare you suppose that I don’t know who you are or what you are? That I don’t understand what I see? Do you take me for some kind of besotted schoolboy? It is unspeakable! You could weigh as much as a hippopotamus and shave your head and wear a wig and it wouldn’t make any difference to me. I never said you were beautiful. I never thought it. I said that you were you.”
The ending comes out as you might think in a Cinderella story, with those assisting the heroine being the downstairs help rather than a fairy godmother or cute little birds and mice.
Evaluation: There are some splendid characters in this book, from Rupert’s lonely old uncle to Anna’s Russian friends and relations, the whole downstairs crew, and even the dog Baskerville: they are all drawn quite fully but with felicitous economy. When Mr. Proom, the head butler at Mersham, explains that he wants to help Rupert be happy because “well, I taught Mr. Rupert to ride a bicycle,” you know everything you need to know about his feelings for Rupert.
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LibraryThing member yabookscentral.com
Beautiful writing. I would've wished for a bit more character development as the reader doesn't really get a glimpse into the character's head, motivating factors and what really makes her keep her profession secret from her brother. Other than that, the description is beautifully done. I recommend
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this book to anyone who enjoyed the likes of I Capture the Castle. Show Less
Awards
Isinglass Teen Read Award (Nominee — 2009)
Call number
YA A Ibb