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Someone at a Distance

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Someone at a Distance

By: Dorothy Whipple
Narrated by: Susan Wooldridge
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About this listen

Someone at a Distance was Dorothy Whipple’s last book, hailed by many as her best. The story charts the gradual breakdown of a marriage through the eyes of those involved. Whipple deftly and persuasively explores the minds of her characters, particularly the two women. This audio edition is read by Susan Wooldridge.

Ellen and Avery North share a stable and secure life. Everything is well looked after: their teenage children, their garden, and Avery’s elderly mother who lives nearby. In time, old Mrs North decides she is in need of a live-in companion, and Louise Lanier arrives after responding to a newspaper advert. When Louise sets out to seduce Avery for the fun of it, her behaviour threatens to destroy Ellen and Avery’s peaceful life together.

Someone at a Distance is part of the Persephone Audiobook Collection, a series of forgotten classics including neglected fiction and non-fiction by women writers. First published in 1953, this edition includes a preface by author Nina Bawden.

Classics Family Life Genre Fiction

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Critic reviews

A very good novel indeed about the fragility and also the tenacity of love
All stars
Most relevant
Brilliant characters brought to life by fantastic writing. The tragedy of the human condition all swept under the carpet by middle class convention.

Delicious slow burn of a story

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This is my second book by Dorothy Whipple and while I have gotten very frustrated with characters and how there isn’t always justice, it’s very interesting how everything isn’t wrapped up in a perfect bow, but always hopeful.

Dorothy Whipple writes excellent villains

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Dorothy Whipple is a wonderful writer and this is a very relatable and human story. Her characters and the situations they find themselves are depicted in such a way that the ordinary becomes extraordinary. Her insights and attention to detail make this novel really compelling.

Beautifully written, wonderful attention to detail.

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Enjoyed this book - bit old fashioned in the writing but an interesting representation of a marriage breakdown. The “other woman” is a manipulative sociopath but quite believable. I found the ending disappointing - it didn’t seem right that the children who very understandably take the mothers side aren’t encouraged to forgive the errant father when he comes to his senses and wants to come back. They and the mother are supposed to have “faith” which includes forgiveness and I didn’t find it credible that that the mother would allow the children to retain their grudge, justifiable though it was, without trying to encourage forgiveness.

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I am enjoying the books of this author, discovered so recently. This was somehow not as easy to get into as They Were Sisters or High Wages, but it was still excellent. I look forward to listening again to all three.

Loved it

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