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  • Queen Lucia

  • By: E. F. Benson
  • Narrated by: Nadia May
  • Length: 8 hrs and 35 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (171 ratings)
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Queen Lucia cover art

Queen Lucia

By: E. F. Benson
Narrated by: Nadia May
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Summary

The fascinating story of the village of Riseholme's reigning queen of high society: the indomitable Lucia!

England between the wars was a paradise of utter calm and leisure for the very, very rich. But into this enclave is born Mrs. Emmeline Lucas - La Lucia, as she is known - a woman determined to lead a life quite different from the pomp and subdued nature of her class. With her cohort, Georgie Pillson, and her husband, Peppino, she upends the greats of high society, including the imperious Lady Ambermere and her equally imperious dog, Pug; the odious Piggy and Goosie Antrobus; the Christian Scientist Daisy Quantrock, with her penchant for the foreign; and everyone else in the small English town that the wealthy Britons call their country home. Beset on all sides by pretenders to her social throne, Lucia brings culture, the fine arts, and a great deal of excitement and intrigue into this cloistered realm.

(P)1997 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic reviews

"[A] delicious satire of the pretensions and foibles of provincial middle-class life in Britain in the 1920s and '30s...[with] droll send-ups of the bitter battles waged by matrons desperate to live out their fantastical versions of upper-class elegance and wit, and...shrewd readings of the ways in which our longings can make us both bizarre and sometimes appealing." ( Kirkus Reviews)

What listeners say about Queen Lucia

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Love Lucia, would like more unabridged Lucia pls

I'd love to hear the other Mapp and Lucia books unabridged, they are such a delightful treat to return to again and again. Delicious characters in a small community set in the 1920's, wicked and gossipy and fun, fun, fun!

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

scintillating

What made the experience of listening to Queen Lucia the most enjoyable?

the fact that it was so culturally alien to my life and the fact that some of the snobbery was so easy to understand. I could see why in such a tiny world as Tilling that so many small mishaps have such large consequences. Funny and brutal

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

too rich for just one sitting

Any additional comments?

Listen to Miss Mapp first then both stories will make better sense.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Before North Shore High - there was Risholm

Having been in hysterics watching the "Mapp and Lucia" adaption on BBC recently, I thought I'd get a bit more familiar with the original 1920's series. And I'm so glad I did.

If you find the Blair Waldorfs of this world bit lacking in substance - then this is for you. These deco gossip girls (and boys) are the original "mean girls".

Kept having to remind myself these were written in the 1920s. They are so pithy and quick they could have appeared in the last decade, were it not for the lack of iPhones and Facebook references.

I found it hard not to contain my laughter and horror on the train to work as Lucia's true grasp of the "bella lingua" inevitably gets uncovered.

The Wagnerian and piano references are a secondary plus (to anyone with a classical music bent) and I continued to chuckle at Lucias avoidance of the last two movements of the Moonlight Sonata. Delicious.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant, tiny world

I love the Mapp and Lucia books and this one was beautifully read. The life and death import of tiny matters of etiquette in the village of Riseholme is beautifully sketched. The complete absence of children and young men in this contrived but all consuming world must have given some respite to readers in the 20's, many of whom would be struggling with the loss of sons or lovers. Well worth the money.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Perfect portrayal

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Excellent narration captures the innuendo and arch idiocy of every character.

What other book might you compare Queen Lucia to, and why?

Others in the Mapp and Lucia series, but Benson is a one off.

What about Nadia May’s performance did you like?

Distinct voice for each character which captured the humour, manners and satire all at the same time.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, but I spread it over a few sittings. Virtually every line is a gem and it's worth savouring.

Any additional comments?

I've read the books and listened to a couple of radio adaptations of Mapp and Lucia. I've watched the 1980s TV series and never tire of the humour and satire. The characters are so filled with their own importance and place and they interlock with panache. It's a wonderful portrayal of a particular inter war period which will never be seen again. The pretensions, class distinction and daily one puma ship is priceless.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Charming

This is a charming reading of the light and amusing activities of Lucia and all the delightful characters who live in her village. A pleasant and entirely soothing accompaniment to the day's activities.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Light and amusing.

A little book full of silly characters doing - for lack of anything better to do - things oscillating between fantastical and absurd. Extremely dated at times, but overall very light and often amusing.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Hilarious romp through society

Very many quotable passages, hilarious characters, nicely read as befits such a piece. Gentle fun- poking humour. I loved it.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Sparkling fun

I enjoyed this more than I expected, One of those cosy, slightly frivolous books from the halycon inter-war period where everyone is having LARKS.
It's an affectionate portrait of small village ruled over by Lucia who reminded me very much of Lynda Snell from The Archers (perhaps Lucia was her inspiration?) or a refined Hyacinth Bucket.
A gentle satire on English snobbery
The narration is bang on.

FYI: Written in the thirties there are couple of instances of dated racial language.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A real farce.

It reminded me of my grandmother!
Well told so 1930s a time we all forgotten.
Such fun!

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