A Countess Below Stairs
by Eva Ibbotson

    A COUNTESS BELOW STAIRS by Eva Ibbotson
    Category:  Historical
    Age Recommendation:  Grades 9+
    Release Date:  5/10/07
    Publisher:  Speak
    Reviewed by:  Amber Gibson
    Rating:  5 Stars


    Anna Grazinsky is a member of the Russian aristocracy, or White Russians, during the Russian Revolution. Her
    family is forced to flee from their comfortable life in Russia to England, where they are safe from the revolutionaries.
    But in England, the Grazinskys are left with nothing. Anna has a very resilient spirit, and instead of moping around
    and wishing for her old life, she is grateful for the safety of her family and secretly takes a job as a maid so that her
    little brother can still attend school. With her take-charge attitude, Anna proves that not all rich girls are snobby
    brats, like modern heiresses lead us to believe.

    While many of the servants at the Westerholme residence are skeptical of the new foreign girl, Anna quickly charms
    her way into their hearts. With her deep curtsies, bright smile, and cheerful demeanor, Anna is beloved by all. She
    does each task assigned to her as best she can, never slacking on the job.

    When the young and handsome Earl of Westerholme returns home from World War I, Anna is immediately drawn
    to him. And it seems that he feels a similar attraction to her. But Anna's identity as a countess is still a secret, and
    she does not have the social standing that she once held in Russia. Plus, the Earl is already engaged to the beautiful
    but vicious Muriel Hardwicke. Muriel nursed Earl Rupert back to health when he was wounded in the war, and he
    proposed to her. But that was before he met Anna.

    In the weeks leading up to the wedding, Muriel begins to take over the Westerholme household, arbitrarily firing
    servants that do not fit in with her vision for Westerholme. None of the servants or neighbors are fond of Muriel,
    and as the wedding date approaches, all of Rupert's friends and family are leery of the impending marriage.

    At the costume ball thrown prior to the wedding, Anna's true identity as a countess is revealed, and Anna and
    Rupert dance the night away. Everyone can see that they are a perfect couple, but can Rupert and Anna come to
    terms with their feelings for each other before his marriage to Muriel?

    Although A COUNTESS BELOW STAIRS has a very fairytale-like romantic plot, Anna is far from the typical
    princess. She has a feisty spirit and genuinely fun personality that immediately draws you in. Eva Ibbotson does a
    great job of breathing life into the generic fairytale plot. Anna's story is very similar to what much of the Russian
    aristocracy experienced during the communist revolution, and Ibbotson shows that even though life is unpredictable
    and rarely kind, if you embrace all opportunities and make the most of your situation, you will find happiness.