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The Lifted Veil

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About this listen

George Eliot's The Lifted Veil was first published in Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine in 1859 and has now become one of the author's most widely read and critically discussed stories. Told from the point of view of a young, egocentric, and morbid clairvoyant man, Latimer, it is a dark fantasy portrait of an artist whose visionary powers merely blight his life. The story reflected the scientific interest of the time in the physiology of the brain, mesmerism, phrenology, and experiments in revivification. It also is a reflection of the author's moral philosophy.

The Lifted Veil is a significant part of the Victorian tradition of horror fiction, along with Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Bram Stoker's Dracula.

Public Domain (P)2016 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Classics Historical Fiction World Literature Fiction
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I didn't enjoy the narrator I'm afraid but the story is enjoyable. I got this free so I could put up with it but for me I wouldn't pay for it as I found the narrator a bit lacking.

Still worth a listen if it's free

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George Eliot was the pseudonym of a woman called Mary Anne Evans. She wrote under a male pen name so as to escape from stereotypes of women's writing which at the time (mid 19th century) was still mostly Jane Austin style lighthearted romances. The Lifted Veil is one of Eliot's lesser known works which tells the story of a young man called Latimer who becomes obsessed with Bertha, his brother's finance. So far, so Jane Austin style lighthearted romance, I hear you say, and you would be correct, until that it you hear of the twist in the plot structure that means that Latimer is able to glimpse into the future. His premonitions are deeply disturbing and the motto of this story may well be "be careful what you wish for". Some consider The Lifted Veil to be an early example of science fiction but those who approach this book expecting it to be comparable with Mary Shelley or Bram Stoker will be disappointed. It is, however, well done and makes for an interesting but short listen.

Bertha don't you come around here anymore

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I enjoyed the story and its delivery was perfect. Those who left a negative review about the performance by Cive Shafer have totally missed the point. He was delivery a monologue in the words of the protagonist and had to speak in character. Latimer is supposed to be a bleak depressed and character who is disliked and viewed as almost ghostlike by others. Shafer's perfect diction and somber delivery was perfect for George Eliots intention!

An early creepy story by master / mistress of character and plot

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Though the prose was wonderful the reading was so bad I had to give up on this.

Could not listen for long

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I really enjoyed this story. Unexpected tone and subject matter from George Eliot, but deliciously creepy.

Good story terrible narration

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