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The Lie

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The Lie

By: Helen Dunmore
Narrated by: Darren Benedict
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About this listen

Set during and just after the First World War, The Lie is an enthralling, heart-wrenching novel of love, memory and devastating loss.

Cornwall, 1920: A young man stands on a headland, looking out to sea. He is back from the war, homeless and without family. Behind him lies the terror of the trenches. Behind him is also the most intense relationship of his life. Daniel has survived, but will he ever be able to escape the terrible, unforeseen consequences of a lie?

©2014 Helen Dunmore (P)2014 W F Howes Ltd 20th Century Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Romance War & Military War Tear-jerking Military

Critic reviews

"Never striking a false note, The Lie is one of those rare and arresting novels that make you think and feel with greater lucidity." ( Daily Telegraph)
"An electrifying and original talent" ( Guardian)
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What a shame this book was ruined by the narrator. Not only did he mispronounce many common words - "barrage" and "hearth" being just two examples of dozens - he also read sentences with completely wrong emphasis, indicating that he had no idea what the sentence was about. I stuck it out only because of the marvellous Dunmore writing.

Great book, terrible reader

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I'm a great fan of Helen Dunmore, and was looking forward to listening to 'The Lie'. The story itself is gripping and show's Dunmore's usual great skill. However, Darren Benedict's narration was clumsy in the extreme, grating and, for me, ruined the novel. (Northern instead of West Country accent; poor inflection and inability to pronounce 'nasturtium' properly - just for a start!). I'd recommend reading the book instead of downloading the audiobook.

Wonderful novel ruined by poor narration

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I really enjoyed this sensitive story of a young man's love for his dead friend .

A sensitive and engaging story

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This story was so sad a man returning home from the war to no home but only his memory that torment him . Suffering from post traumatic stress he could not differentiate what was reality.

Sad story

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Despite The many aspersions thrown against the narrator I enjoyed
His performance he empathised and was able to bring to the surface the strong currents of emotion that runs through this book not with fireworks and bravado but tacitly and figuratively for the most part he was acting on the line and played the text. Helen Dunmore is first class does not disappoint breathtaking

The Lie

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