The Making of a Marchioness

This is a romance in the Victorian style. The characters are rather stylized and in the case of the protagonist, idealized.

Nevertheless it is a sweet tale that drew me in and made me care about the two main characters. The goodness of the heroine might put off some listeners, but if you allow yourself to be pulled in and love her, the rest of the story will keep you in suspense and entertain you.

I like Frances Hodgson-Burnett stories from my childhood, but her sentiments towards people of color can be viewed as racist in today's world. This book is quite obvious about the Englishman's fear and distrust of the Indian of dark skin. However, the author is most likely truthfully portraying what the British ladies were saying about Indians at that time.

The narrator did a great job reading the story except when it came to the voice of the main character. She made the character so silly sounding that it was hard to like the character much.

Overall, I am glad I listened to the story. It was not long and did not stress the grey matter while I washed dishes and cooked.

yes. But I think I have read the all.

The voice of the main character.

While Frances Hodgson-Burnett is best known for her children's books, such as A Little Princess and The Secret Garden, she also wrote books for adult readers. What a pleasure that Lucy Scott and the folks from Persephone Publishers have brought this book to life for modern readers/listeners. Lucy Scott's reading is a perfect compliment for this, perhaps the best of the "adult" novels by Burnett.

Outstanding narrator. Curious story with a very well-drawn heroine. Interest in the heroine kept me reading.

Lucy Scott has a wonderful voice and uses it to full effect.

I enjoyed this story. It is Horatio Algeristic (Is that a word?) in it's approach. A young woman, who is not petite and beautiful, always works hard for those that hire her to do their shopping and secretarial work. She gets to know some of the leading citizens of her era. She gets invited to a huge week + long party at a very wealthy lady's country place. She is there to work and she does so willingly. Her hard work makes her invulnerable to all the snide remarks that come her way and also makes her much loved by most. This is a fun story that takes place in England in the 1800s. I like the history and the story. You know everything comes out all right in the end, but it is still an enthralling listen. I will listen to this again with the children.

I really enjoyed this story. You are drawn into it almost instantly. It is a sweet romance with the merest hint of thriller in it. While it is rather predictable, it can be forgiven if you remember that you are reading it for light entertainment and not for the pursuit of intellect. It is very wholesome and sweet, and I liked the characters.

There was nothing wrong with the reading of this story and I know that one can't expect the best from writers of the late 19th century. But this one was really horribly racist. It left me with a very bad taste.

I was initially attracted to this book because I loved her other books, like Little Lord Fauntleroy, as a child. My initial reaction to this book was that is was a very sweet love story. It has a similar feel as Hodgson-Burnett's most well-known novel, The Secret Garden. But personally, I started to get bored with the book towards the end. Furthermore, it is very reflective of the contemporary racial attitudes. The depiction of "blacks" and "natives" (words used for Indians) was sometimes difficult to listen to. The references here seemed far more sinister than they did in The Secret Garden. Nonetheless, if you can get past this and perhaps enjoyed her books as a child you may truly enjoy this novel.