A Countess Below Stairs
- Eva Ibbotson
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
I have heard a lot about Eva Ibbotson’s books for children, but I haven’t read them yet. In my current regency binge phase, I came across this and based on the recommendations, it seemed to be a good one. However, it left me very disappointed.
The plot is entirely predictable at every stage. The main character (the countess of the title) is a Mary Sue (a new phrase I have learnt!) type, annoyingly perfect. Anna and Muriel are both completely one-dimensional - Anna is kind to and loved by everyone, whereas Muriel is despotic and cruel to one an all, and this includes not just the adults, but a kid and a dog. For each and every person, their respective behaviors are constantly set in contrast, and I don’t think a reader needs so many reminders to understand how evil a person Muriel is. The hero, Rupert, doesn't have much to do in the book, except play a martyr to his commitment. He is willing to sacrifice everyone's life because, you know, he gave his word to Muriel. However, he also gave a promise to little Ollie, which he can't be bothered to keep - utterly despicable character, who has to be rescued by others by devious means.
It seems to include nearly all of the tropes of the genre, including the heroine being high nobility and a misunderstanding separating the lead pair. It is also too verbose, and I skipped pages of examples or illustration to make the same point.
Lord Sidley's Last Season
- Sherry Lynn Ferguson
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
I chanced upon this book, while trying to find clean regency romance with humor, besides Heyer. It certainly fulfilled my expectations, and perhaps more.
I loved that the heroine is not just an independent, sensible girl, but also a talented artist. She does aspire for love and family, but her art is a passion which she does not want to give up. This is a kind of aspiration I haven't come across in my limited view of regency era heroines. The hero is titled, wealthy and handsome (as in all the stories in this genre!), but also considerate, and he respects the lady's talent enough to promote it whether or not he is able to win her.
The witty exchanges between the couple is usually amusing, but their conversation is engaging otherwise also. However, I don't care for fall-in-love-at-first-glance, which is the case in most of such stories. Also, the resolution of conflicts was a little too tidy, even though that is what I expected in case of the heroine. Overall, an entertaining, breezy read.
The Honorable Marksley
- Sherry Lynn Ferguson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I must say I have a thing about regency heroines who are sensitive, intelligent and witty, and heroes who are kind and honorable and have a sense of humor. I enjoyed the gradually developing trust and fondness between the leads, the subtle humor and interesting conversation, and the underlying poetry.
The misunderstanding - a quintessential trope of the romance genre - annoyed me as usual, but I found it more forgivable in this case. The premise was unrealistic - a near infatuation with the anonymous poet, so much so that the hero wanted to shut down the magazine because he felt that 'his' poet had betrayed him.
I really liked both the books I have read by this author, and it's sad that she has written so little.
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