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The New Countess: A Novel (Habits of the House) Hardcover – December 17, 2013

4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 388 ratings

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England, 1905. Lord Robert and Lady Isobel Dilberne, as well as their entire regal estate, with its hundred rooms, are busy planning for a lavish visit from King Edward VII and his mistress just a few months away. Preparations are elaborate and exhaustive: the menus and fashions must be just so. But even amidst the excitement, not everyone is happy.

Lady Rosina―now widowed and wealthy― insists on publishing a scandalous book despite her mother's objections. Arthur Dilberne and Chicago Heiress Minnie O'Brien's two young sons―the eldest of whom is heir to the estate―are being reared to Lady Isobel's tastes, not Minnie's. After making a shocking discovery, Minnie will take drastic measures for the sake of her children. And when fate deals a hand in the middle of the royal shooting party, the entire Dilberne estate will face upheaval once again.

The New Countess is the final novel in Fay Weldon's outstanding trilogy that began with Habits of the House and Long Live the King. As the bestselling novelist and award-winning writer for the pilot episode of the original Upstairs Downstairs, Weldon magnificently lifts the curtain on early twentieth-century British society, upstairs and downstairs, under one stately roof.

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Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Weldon concludes her excellent Dilberne Court trilogy as Lord Robert and Lady Isobel prepare for a visit from King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. As the frenzied preparations by both family and staff members shift into high gear, things are not running as smoothly as they ought to be on either the domestic front or in the financial arena. Fraught with multiple plotlines that bridge the gap between the servants and the served, the entire affair is delightfully Downtonish. Weldon, the writer of the pilot episode of the original Upstairs, Downstairs, has dipped her toes into the Edwardian pool before, with great results; this time she dives right in and readers—especially those who have already enjoyed the exploits of the Dilberne dynasty in Habits of the House and Long Live the King—will be eager to plunge in, too.HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: By publishing all three books in this delightful Edwardian trilogy within the same calendar year, Weldon has deftly capitalized on the Downton Abbey momentum. Expect historical-fiction fans to be poised and ready for the grand finale. --Margaret Flanagan

Review

“Readers will be eager to plunge in…Weldon has deftly capitalized on the Downton Abbey momentum.” ―Booklist

“Funnier and nastier than the two earlier volumes.” ―Kirkus Reviews

“The novel's conclusion is surprising. With remarkable skill, Weldon reverses the reader's expectations in such a way that the astonishment is followed by an immediate recognition of inevitability.” ―The Star Tribune

“Weldon knows her subject and era well, and the last book [The New Countess] in her trilogy is perhaps her best.” ―RT Book Reviews

“Weldon amuses with her usual mix of courtly language undercut by snark.” ―The Boston Globe

“Weldon remains at the top of her game with [Long Live the King]...Fans of Downton Abbey will relish this rich and witty comedy of manners.” ―Star Tribune on Long Live the King

“Teeming with tasty tidbits about royals great and small, Weldon's second installment in her Dilberne Court trilogy gives devoted Anglophiles a whirlwind tour upstairs, downstairs, and all around the castle.” ―Booklist on Long Live the King

“Weldon's flair for capturing the grudging envy shared by the British and their colonial counterparts is worth more than its market value in fool's gold.” ―The New York Times on Habits of the House

“Before there was Downton Abbey, there was Upstairs, Downstairs, and, having written the first episode of that iconic television series, it is only fitting that Weldon now returns to the scene of the crime to further explore the disparate worlds of 'them that has and those what serve 'em.'...Always a ripe target for mockery and disdain, the British aristocracy comes in for a thorough drubbing in Weldon's snarky send-up.” ―Booklist on Habits of the House

“[Habits of the House] succeeds as an opening to a new series.” ―Publishers Weekly on Habits of the House

Habits of the House is good fun from start to finish, thanks to its breezy storytelling and witty social observations.” ―The Washington Post on Habits of the House

“There is simply no touching Weldon as a writer.” ―The Observer (UK) on Habits of the House

“Fay Weldon has always examined the scary parts of what lies beneath the silk cushions and behind the closed gates.” ―The Chronicle of Higher Education on Habits of the House

“I was a girl from Downstairs. When I was 16, my bedroom was in the basement of a posh house in London, where my mother was the housekeeper. . . . Odd, this class business. Here's Upstairs Downstairs back again, Downton Abbey so popular.” ―Fay Weldon on Habits of the House

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ St. Martin's Press (December 17, 2013)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250028027
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250028020
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.14 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 1.25 x 9.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 388 ratings

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Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5
388 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2020
I liked this book. It kept my interest. It had a good story line and had a surprise ending to it.
Reviewed in the United States on December 17, 2013
Fay Weldon's new novel, "The New Countess", is the third in her Dilberne family trilogy. The first book, "Habits of the House" was an excellent story of a London family in transition, both in the family quarters upstairs and the staff quarters below stairs. The time was the turn of the 20th century where fortunes were being made - and lost - as the British Empire was facing the modernisation of the world economies and the mores and society were changing with the death of Victoria and the new rule of Edward VII. Weldon did a fine job of introducing her characters and the times they lives in. Unfortunately, her second book, "Long Live the King" was sort of a stinker. She abandoned many in her original characters and added others - nieces and foreigners - and the story was just not well written. And now Fay Weldon returns in her third and final book. With it, she has returned to the Dilberne family and set her story in the second half of 1905, with the King and his mistress - Mrs Keppel - coming for a weekend shooting visit to Dilberne Court in December. Much preparation must be done for the royal visit. This third book is almost - but not quite - as good as the first.

This third book has the same cast as the first and the same sort of continuing problems of the family and staff. Certainly Weldon is wittier in this book; the staff seems to have taken on quite cheeky relationships with their "betters". Lord Robert's valet advises him to go to a brothel to "relieve" himself when he's worried about affairs of state...and the affairs of his household. The head footman, Reginald, regularly steams open missives meant for the family to read them and report to the staff below stairs. This is truly a modern approach for the staff to take, but it is matched equally by behavior of the family members. Lady Rosina returns from Australia as a widow and accompanied by a parrot called "Pappagallo" who has a most undignified vocabulary. She settles in with a group of friends who are publishing a literary magazine. She's also trying to sell her book on the sex-life of the Aborigines. Rosina has been banned from both family homes. But the other family members are also at sixes-and-sevens. The heir, Lord Arthur, has been neglecting his American-born wife, Minnie, and their sons, for his automotive development business. And Lord Robert, busy with affairs of state, is displeased with his wife, who is busy changing everything around for the King's visit.

If there is a problem between the characters, it can be summed up by there being a failure to communicate with one another. However, as things progress, things work out.

I'm not sure why Fay Weldon decided to write a series of three books, all published in the same year. In hindsight - and if anyone asked me - I'd have advised her to write one large book, and include only the material in the first and third books. The print is large in all the books but certainly by use of smaller print, quite a nice, single book could have been produced. But, no one asked me. For those readers who enjoyed Weldon's first book in the trilogy, I think you'll find this last one a good followup. Just skip the stinker in between!
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Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2015
This third volume returns to the sour tone of the trilogy's first volume, Habits of the House. The intervening book, Long Live the King, was funny and surreal, and I intend to reread it. The first and third volumes I were the sort of books that I had to force myself to continue reading -- though they both ended well. Weldon seems to revel in spitefulness and casual cruelty. In her hands, the "simple misunderstanding leads to disaster" plot that was so funny in Wodehouse comes across as harsh and venomous.

The only consolation about the society depicted in this story is that it had less than a decade more to go before World War I brought it crashing down.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2016
I' a great fan of Fay Weldon's writing and I read the first two books in this seeries and was looking forward to the third. It didn't disappoint at all. A great read.
Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2014
This is the 3rd in the Trilogy, Love and Inheritance. It continues the story of the Dilbernes, the Earl, Robert, his wife Countess Isobel, daughter Rosina and son now married to Minnie, the American heiress. Rosina had run off to Australia with her new husband, a wealthy landowner, and has now returned a widow and instead of staying with the family has chosen to stay with a young gay publisher and his sister. She has written a controversial book on the sexual habits of the aboriginals which causes concern within the family (what will people think?). It turns out that Rosina has established a relationship with the publisher's sister, Diana – again a scandolous thing for the family of an Earl and MP. Minnie decides that although she loves her husband and her two boys she is not being fulfilled so she contacts her mother and runs back home to Chicago. King Edward VII (Bertie) is entertained at Dilberne Court for a shooting weekend where the King accidentally shoots Lord Robert (but someone else takes the blame). This means the Inheritance and title automatically passes to the son, Minnie becomes the new Countess and Isobel must move to the "Dower House". A quite fascinating story – with a certain amount of factual references to events and people of the time. I very much enjoyed it.
Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2014
I am a die-hard Downton Abbey fan and was a die-hard Upstairs Downstairs fan, so I really enjoyed this book, and also purchased the next 2 books in this trilogy, they are both great too! The other thing I found was when I looked up Fay Weldon, the author, I purchased quite a few of her other books, which were a far cry from this one, and I love her style in those as well, so this book not only hit my love of the Downton Abbey flair but found me a new author I am now completly enjoying!
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Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2017
I should have headed the very few negative reviews... unfortunately I didn't and worse yet went ahead and ordered all three books of the series at one time. I felt obliged to myself to read them... what a waste of my precious time. I did not like any of the characters, except perhaps Minnie and Diana, whose part was extremely small and really didn't affect the story at all. I realize that these books were supposed to be satirical and funny, but I just felt let down and saddened by their stories. Most everyone was spiteful and selfish. One of the other reviews, for the first book said something like "this book is fine if you're stuck in bed..." but I disagree! I'd think it might be depressing! Wish I hadn't wasted my money or time.
2 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2016
I enjoyed this book and series. If you like historical novels, this is a good series to read.

Top reviews from other countries

Mme Dorothee King
5.0 out of 5 stars The last in a trilogy
Reviewed in France on July 10, 2015
Third volume in the trilogy "Love and Inheritance". Set around the turn of centuries 19 and 20, Fay Weldon explores the customs, protocols, conventions and prejudices besetting (or ensuring) the lives of members of an aristocratic family. This she does with the sharp, critical and ironic eye and specially honed plume that her readers have always loved.
Thank you Fay Weldon for everything from "Female Friends" (my first FW) to this. Please keep them coming.
Anne
5.0 out of 5 stars Victorian shenanigans
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 21, 2014
Third in the Love and Inheritance trilogy , probably my least favourite of the three but that's misleading because all three are excellent. Written with Fay Weldons sly sense of humour but embodying some very serious themes about women's issues around the turn of the (20th) century all three books are a delight and I ill read them again and again.
Keenreader
4.0 out of 5 stars Fay Weldon never fails to delight
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 18, 2014
I was so pleased to find not just one but three of Fay Weldon's works in this story of aristocratic Victorian and Edwardian England and was not disappointed. It is amusing to read these whilst the Downton Abbey series is fresh in the mind; I sometimes felt that she was giving us an alternative and probably more realistic picture of life in the late 19th and early 20th century. Her wit and acute observations coupled with her breezy style kept me enthralled and smiling wryly. Of the three works I felt that this one was perhaps not the best but they are tremendous fun to read. I would definitely recommend starting with Habits of the House, then Long Live the KIng and finally The New Countess to get to know the characters and see how the world changes and the characters change with it.
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Janet Lees
3.0 out of 5 stars Final Twist
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 23, 2018
Was looking forward to the final book of the trilogy but didn't really find the final twist convincing. Good historical fiction but too many coincidences / contrivances for my liking.
Ms Diane Gowland
5.0 out of 5 stars Very enjoyable
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 17, 2013
Very satisfying final part of the trilogy. Well written, witty and well observed. Fay Weldon shows all of her skills in this historical saga
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