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    The Secret Countess
    The Secret Countess
    The Secret Countess
    Audiobook9 hours

    The Secret Countess

    Written by Eva Ibbotson

    Narrated by Davina Porter

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Anna, a young countess, has lived in the glittering city of St Petersburg all her life. But when revolution tears Russia apart, her family is forced to flee to England. Armed with an out-of-date book on housekeeping, Anna determines to become a housemaid and she finds work at the Earl of Westerholme's crumbling but magnificent mansion.

    The staff and the family are sure there is something not quite right about their new maid - but she soon wins them over with her warmth and dedication. Then the young Earl returns home from the war - and Anna falls hopelessly in love. But they can never be together: Rupert is engaged to the snobbish and awful Muriel - and anyway, Anna is only a servant. Or so everybody thinks...
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherW. F. Howes Ltd
    Release dateFeb 1, 2008
    ISBN9781407416250
    The Secret Countess
    Author

    Eva Ibbotson

    Eva Ibbotson was born in Vienna in 1925 and moved to England with her father when the Nazis came into power. Ibbotson wrote more than twenty books for children and young adults, many of which garnered nominations for major awards for children's literature in the UK, including the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize and the Whitbread Prize. Eva's critically acclaimed Journey to the River Sea won the Smarties Gold Medal in 2001. Set in the Amazon, it was written in honour of her deceased husband Alan, a former naturalist. Imaginative and humorous, Eva's books often convey her love of nature, in particular the Austrian countryside, which is evident in works such as The Star Of Kazan and A Song For Summer. Eva passed away at her home in Newcastle on October 20th 2010. Her final book, One Dog and His Boy, was published in May 2011.

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    Reviews for The Secret Countess

    4/5

    502 ratings37 reviews

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    • 4/5
      At first this book seemed too sugary-sweet, with Anna the main character too good to be true. Then we meet her foil, the too bad to be believed Muriel.

      From this point on it's a battle of nice vs mean, and I found myself enjoying the rest of the book, along with Muriel's ultimate come-upance, largely as a result of her own snobbery.

    • 5/5
      Oh, it's fluff, alright, but such marvellous, hilarious, seductive fluff. What I love about Ibbotson's heroines is that they are rarely considered to be great beauties in their person, and they are utterly bewitching in their personalities. Anna is enchanting -- in her earnestness, in her odd pragmatism and in her wonderful kindness.
    • 4/5
      Wow. A very rich, complex...well, OK, it's a romance. But fun, and excellent characters. Want to read more by her now.
    • 3/5
      3.5* I thought some of the characters were really great, such as Anna, Rupert and some of the staff. But the extra side ones were too much. Also Muriel was amazing to despise but at the same time it came off as predictable as well. Overall I thought it was good unfortunately not great.
    • 4/5
      A COUNTESS BELOW STAIRS by Eva Ibbotson
      If you are enamored with the Russian Revolution and the Tsar’s family or you are a fan of British TV you will like this sweet story of a Russian Countess reduced to serving as a housemaid in England. Anna is almost too sweet and industrious to believe, but this tale written for middle and high schoolers has just enough heft to be an enjoyable romp.
      You will learn a bit about the Revolution and quite a lot about being an immigrant in a country that is not quite welcoming to the impoverished Russians flowing into England. You will also learn a bit about how wealthy and titled Brits ran their households and treated their servants and fellow gentry.
      Ibbotson produces well written books with engaging and well developed characters. This one is well worth the effort to read it.
      4 of 5 stars
    • 4/5
      A sweet and simple romance with interesting characters.
    • 3/5
      I can't remember how this historical romance ended up in my listening list, but it was a little overly sweet, but good for listening before sleeping. Anna's aristocratic family has been displaced by the Russian Revolution. She finds a job as a maid at an estate that is being readied for a wedding. The earl is to marry a wealthy heiress and save the impoverished estate, but who cannot fail to be entranced by the charming and graceful Anna...
    • 4/5
      I have read a couple other Ibbotson books before this one. I really loved “A Company of Swans” but didn’t enjoy “The Morning Gift”. This was a quick historical fiction read that I enjoyed. There is quite a bit of romance in here but it felt a bit unfinished.

      This is a feel good story that is set in Russia and Europe right after/during WWII. It was a well done story but the writing was a bit simplistic. The main heroine, Anna, is almost too good to be true. Her absolute goodness in the face of everything was inspiring but also unbelievable.

      I enjoyed the historical setting but throught the story was a bit contrived. Additionally the ending was abrupt and felt unfinished.

      Overall this was engaging and easy to read but not great. It was an overly sweet story that was so happy throughout it felt contrived. I liked it better than The Morning Gift but not as much as A Company of Swans. Would recommend to those who enjoy light historical romance reads.
    • 4/5
      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 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.
    • 5/5
      This has to be my favorite Eva Ibbotson book. Like all her heroines, Anna is incredibly lovable and my favorite kind of it, spreading joy and love everywhere. But aside from this, the whole world of Mersham is wonderful. Mr. Proom is one of my all-time favorite characters in literature. Of all-time. I love him. I love Mrs. Park and Win and James and the dowager and Mrs. Proom and Ollie and Tom and Susie (ooooh Tom and Susie). The Herrings are even pretty rad.

      Muriel is also a very good villain, because I hate her. I hate her so much. She makes me shudder. She's just pure evil incarnate. She's like a young version of Umbridge. Umbridge, the early years.

      This book just makes me so happy.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed this book overall, with its sweet and quirky ensemble cast. Loved the scene with Tom and Susie that other reviewers have quoted. Loved Anna's little brother championing Ollie.
      Things I didn't like: the cover of my copy was too, well smarmy.
      The nasty fiancee, Muriel. I kind of felt manipulated by the eugenics obsession: "See, this is a horrible villainess, because she's a eugenics devotee." On the one hand,it is part of the cause of her awful behavior, although she could have just been obsessed with perfection in general.
      Which leads to the other thing I didn't like--why on earth did everyone let her get away with it for so long? I guess it was different then, but I have a hard time believing that everyone just held their tongues about all the nasty things she did. And I was pretty disappointed that Rupert didn't speak up at the wedding and put his foot down about Ollie. The way things ended up was funny, but I felt really let down by Rupert.
    • 4/5
      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 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!
    • 5/5
      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 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!
    • 4/5
      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 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.
    • 5/5
      So this book was rather predictable. However, there were moments between Anna and Rupert that just literally took my breath away. That doesn't happen to me very often especially while reading YA fiction. Anna was a totally lovable character who you just had to root for. I loved her whole family. And I loved the entire staff of Mersham. I love when a book actually makes you long to be a part of it's world. The dialogue was smart and funny.
    • 5/5
      I love Eva Ibbotson. This book was superb! It was a very fast read and the characters were laugh out loud funny. I especially love the mom with the appendix in the jar. My only complaint came when the characters spoke in French or Russian and I had little idea what they were talking about. I would have loved the translation thrown in there and not just alluding to the gist of the meaning. Otherwise, a fabulous book.
    • 4/5
      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 this book to anyone who enjoyed the likes of I Capture the Castle.
    • 5/5
      Summary:

      Anna Grazinsky is not your typical Countess. Despite the palaces, royal relatives, and the finest jewels in all of Russia, Anna manages to remain unscathed by snobbery, entitlement or general unpleasantness. She is charming, happy, carefree and honest.

      Then, when the political situation in Russia becomes unstable and later leads to outright revolution, Anna and her family are forced to free their land, their nation and their social status for England, where Anna takes up a position in the household of the Earl of Westerholme, to much opposition by her mother. Upon arrival at Mersham, it is clear to the head housemaid and butler of the home that Anna is of regal upbringing, yet after much begging and pleading by the Countess, they reluctantly take her on.

      Although the staff at Mersham is completely set on hating the new Russian maid, they are victims of Anna's charisma, including her ridiculous reliance on a horribly out-of-date guide to housekeeping and her over-the-top curtsies. It is clear that no one is immune to Anna's charms, not even the Earl himself, despite his imminent marriage to the beautiful but horrible Muriel.

      My Thoughts:

      I was blown away by A Countess Below Stairs! Eva Ibbotson is clearly a master storyteller, as evident in her ability to make a book with very little action extremely exciting, to make a character like Anna gleam with happiness without becoming cliche, and to make this charming book a lasting fairy tale that I know I will read again and again.

      I must reiterate how expertly Ibbotson crafted her characters, in that by the middle of the novel, you felt you knew each one as if they were your most intimate friends or enemies, and you loved the good ones, hated the bad ones, and sympathized with the more complex ones. I was truly amazed at how invested I felt in Anna's story only 30 pages into the book and I will again attribute this to Ibbotson's style and not to the story itself, for although the story is very very good, it would have become something trite and cheesy under a less expert author.


      Overall Grade: A+
      Would I read it again? Yes... oh my yes!
      Would I recommend it to others? Yes!
    • 5/5
      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 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.
    • 4/5
      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.
    • 2/5
      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 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?
    • 4/5
      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 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.
    • 4/5
      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 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.
    • 4/5
      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 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.
    • 5/5
      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.
    • 2/5
      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 book.
    • 5/5
      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 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.
    • 5/5
      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 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.
    • 4/5
      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 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.
    • 5/5
      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 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.