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Desperate Remedies

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About this listen

Thomas Hardy's first published novel, Desperate Remedies is a thrilling blend of Gothic mystery and love-triangle romance.

After the untimely death of their parents, Cytheria and Owen Graye must go out into the world and fend for themselves. Cytheria's journey leads her to the dark and mysterious household of Miss Aldclyffe, a capricious and eccentric woman, who steers Cytheria into a love affair with her charismatic steward, Aeneous Manston. All is not what it seems, and Cytheria finds herself entangled in a violent web of lust, murder, deception, and blackmail.

With its beautiful and evocative scenes, along with themes of fate and class, the novel contains many traces of Hardy's signature style, and is a unique take on the Victorian 'sensation' novel.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

Public Domain (P)2017 Naxos AudioBooks Anthologies Anthologies & Short Stories Classics Short Story
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Always heartbreak, intrigue, mystery and great unexpected twists, keeping you tuned in to every chapter and word. I love Thomas Hardy.

The Language is Wonderful

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Loved it! The story was full of twists and turns and the characters were brilliantly depicted. At times it reminded me of a novel that Wilkie Collins could have written. In my opinion, it's the best Thomas Hardy novel and seems to be sadly largely forgotten.

An exceptionally good first novel

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Oh the anguish of love! the Victorian attitude to sexual relationships makes you glad you weren't born too early.

Hardy already showing his proclivity to torture his protagonists in this his first novel. Some glimpses of his later brilliance but too much irrelevant detail all the way through. The meandering story kept losing its way.

Sooo long winded and tortured

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