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First Love

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First Love

By: Ivan Turgenev
Narrated by: David Troughton
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About this listen

 At the end of a dinner party, the remaining guests drink wine and tell stories of their first love. For one of them, it will be a dark journey into his past, reawakening unbearable memories of his obsession with the beautiful Zinaida.©2008 BBC Audiobooks Ltd (P)2014 Audible, Inc. Classics Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Heartfelt Thought-Provoking Russia

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All stars
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A vivid and captivating short story. I found it enjoyable and feels quite real and enchanting somehow. Very well read.

Captivating story

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The story in itself reflects very much the time (still exists today but thank god there is so much more awareness/challenges surrounding unhealthy love and behavior) and gender performances/roles - eg. mania love, abuse, manipulation.

Reading it now, so much of it was disturbing and toxic.
The way the female character behaved with careless dominance and entertainment of the men who adored her, as well as the abuse later inflicted upon her (which is a very telling way of how this is not the first time it has occurred); all described with rose-tinted glasses and a lack of responsibility across the board.

This is a book filled was unkind humans framed by the idea of “love” being at its core.

I appreciate the writing but personally, it is not a story to be positively guided by for today. Or any vulnerable persons who might use the tactics in this book, mistaking the behaviors and actions exhibited as love/kind.

Fast read, Toxic idea of love

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I love this period drama ,to write such a story and give it such depth is amazing.It is frightful too, something occurs which in modern terms is horrific and totally unacceptable but part of the love story.

Frivolous,Torrid and finally Humane.I love .

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I read this many years ago. I probably have less sympathy for the young girl now finding her shallow and coquettish. I also have less sympathy for the idea that real love must involve suffering.
The story is a compelling one though and is beautifully narrated

Beautifully narrated

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A beautiful tale, beautifully read. This is a superb narration of a much-loved novella. Thank you.

Beautiful

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