Book reviews

Animating Maria
Marion Chesney Book Review

Read a book review online (click here to search reviews)
Books Movies  
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Mystery/Thriller Literature Romance Biography Video
Marion Chesney Books
New book search
Marion Chesney Message Board
Get more information about this book
Plot Summary of Animating Maria
"The Tribble sisters operate a "School for Manners" in London, specializing in turning out "difficult" girls so they can go out to society and make good matches. When they see Miss Maria Kendall, they wonder why she needs to come to them, as she is beautiful, well-mannered, and accomplished. But one look at her unbelievably vulgar mushroom parents, and they see why she needs their touch to make her acceptable to snobby London society.

Soon after Maria's arrival in London, Amy Tribble's outrageous meddling results in her engagement to the cold and arrogant Duke of Berham in a marriage of convenience. However, as soon as the duke meets with Maria's vulgar parents, he asks the Tribbles to do all they can to break up the engagement. Meanwhile, Maria and the duke are at each other's throats (because of an earlier incident at an inn on the road to London, in which they insulted each other.) But soon, they begin to find out that they have much in common, and neither one really wants to break it off...

Chesney's characterization is always interesting and different, and she doesn't hesitate to reveal flaws in her characters. Berham is cold and uptight, but he has radical yet realistic views on social reform. He's a powerful duke, but he's never been a rake and still has hopes for romance in his life. He's piqued and bothered by Maria's indifference--Maria, a rich cit's daughter who is the only one to have stirred his soul, and who tends to wander off into dreams and fantasies because she's had to cope with harsh, bullying parents.
             "

Casey, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Animating Maria
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Time/era of story - Regency era
Forbidden/mismatched love? Yes
How mismatched? - poor loving rich
Difficult/unusual lover? Yes
How difficult? - domineering
If one lover chases another... - he chases after her

Main Male Character
Profession/status: - Prince/Nobleman/King
Age/status: - 20's-30's
How sexual is this person? - very picky
How romantic is this person? - somewhat romantic
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Female Character
Age/status: - a teen
Profession/status: - wealthy
How sexual is this person? - naive virgin
How romantic is this person? - very romantic
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - average physique

Setting
Europe Yes
European country: - England/UK
City? Yes
City: - London
Misc setting - Fancy Mansion

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - no torture/death
What % of story is romance related? - nearly 100%
Sex in book? Yes
What kind of sex: - vague references - descript of kissing
Part of a series? Yes
Focus of story - equally on him and her
How much dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
Most similar books to Animating Maria
A Scandalous Lady by Helen Argers
Devil's Bride by Stephanie Laurens
The Bride Hunt by Jane Feather
Yankee Earl by Shirl Henke
Ride the Wind Home by Christina Kingston


Click here for more information about this book


Marion Chesney Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
Laura J. Miller  

SCHOLARS:
Linda  Casey  Debbie  


Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
Three ways to search for Romance books!

1) One-click plot searches! Simply click on a plot or subplot below!

Action/suspense subplot?

Captor, in love with

Caretaker, in love with

Children/Pregnancy

Difficult/unusual lover?

Family focus?

Fantasy/Magic

Forbidden/mismatched love?

Hidden Identity/Secret Motive

Inner struggle subplot

Love Triangles/Polygons

Lovers are competitors

Making a living subplot

Marriage/Married

Matchbreaker

Matchmake, (will/family)

Phone/email/mail relationship

Pygmalion--From Wench to Woman

Searching/Rekindling love?

Seduction/coercion/force

Sex/Erotic story, Primarily

Sports training/competing story

Time Travel

Virgin, dramatically devirginized



or 2) Simple lookup
(title or author)

or
3) Even more search options available with a Detailed Booksearch (click here)

Use our site!
17 FREE Sci-Fi Ebooks!
FREE "How to be happy" Ebook!
Feedback


Most recent discussions:

General Book Talk
Book writing discussion
Off-topic message board
Suzanne Weyn 4:47:34 PM
Wilma Counts 1:23:32 PM
Norah Lofts 6:49:46 PM
George W. Bush 5:33:46 PM
Kin Platt 12:58:29 AM
Anonymous 12:47:34 PM
Lilian Jackson Braun 10:05:52 PM
Jane Rubino 10:04:38 PM
LaVyrle Spencer 10:04:00 PM
G.A. McKevett 10:03:31 PM
David Williams 10:03:01 PM
Steven Pressfield 10:02:30 PM
Jeanette Walls 10:00:19 PM
Darryl Ponicsan 9:59:27 PM
Ann Rinaldi 9:58:30 PM
R.L. Stine 9:57:34 PM
Geoffrey Huntington 9:57:14 PM
Betty Mahmoody 9:56:38 PM
Deric Longden 9:56:11 PM
Mary Downing Hahn 9:55:48 PM

More message boards