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Precious Bane

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Precious Bane

By: Mary Webb
Narrated by: Justine Eyre
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About this listen

A haunting tale of passion set in Shropshire in the 1800s.

Born at the time of Waterloo in the wild countryside of Shropshire, England, Prudence Sarn is a passionate girl, cursed with a harelip - her “precious bane”. She is cursed for it, too, by the superstitious people among whom she lives. Prue loves two things: the remote countryside of her birthplace and, hopelessly, Kester Woodseaves, the weaver. The tale of how Kester gradually discerns Prue’s true beauty is set against the tragic drama of Prue’s brother, Gideon, a man who is out of harmony with the natural world and whose recklessness may ensnare them all in tragedy.

Winner of the 1926 Prix Femina Vie Heureuse Prize, which was similarly awarded to such books as Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse, E. M. Forster’s A Passage to India, and Stella Gibbons’ Cold Comfort Farm, Precious Bane is a novel that haunts us with its beauty and its timeless truths about our deepest hopes.

Public Domain (P)2020 Blackstone Publishing Classics England Heartfelt

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All stars
Most relevant  
My choice for book group. Everyone loved it - for the poetry of the writing, depiction of nature and dramatic story.

Book group favourite

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She really did.
Pronunciations were wrong all through the reading ,someone should have put the narrator right on these as the impression was given that she was reading a lot of the words for the first time.
And then there were the words said in dialect which didn't sit well with the narrator's well spoken voice.
Finally,she can't do accents.
The book however is beautiful.

The narrator tried.

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What a diamond of a book — so evocative of a time and place, and the lyrical descriptions of nature are so beautiful and original.

A hidden gem

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if you haven't read this story then don't miss out. Moved me to tears. And poetic rhythm to some passages particularly about noticing and being part of the world of wild things

Beautiful beautiful tale beautifully read

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I read this book many years ago and had difficulty with the old Shropshire within it and found Justine’s performance admirable. A lovely old story of love and hate and everything between- loved it.

An appreciative Shropshire Lass

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My favourite book ever ruined by a narrator who did not do a very good job !

My favourite book ever

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Almost an ethanography, Prue Sarne is lyrical, practical and the embodiment of the ecoerience of being other - albeit with a great ending ! Love this book !!

Great story, evocative of place and language

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I absolutely loved the story. The descriptions of nature and countryside were outstandingly beautiful. I must agree with some other reviewers though, that the narrator should have had an accent in keeping with the Shropshire area. She tried her best though, and the story was so

Wonderful book!

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I loved this book. It took me back in time yet discissed topics such as being different and how the mob can create a scapegoat so easily.

Refreshing

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Beautifully narrated. Old fashioned as it may be an e achanting story with wonderful insights and descriptions of the natural world.

Thourly enjoyed this touching tale

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