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Vera
- Narrated by: Nicki Paull
- Length: 9 hrs and 24 mins
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Vera
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Editor reviews
A bleak but comic psychological portrait of a young innocent, Lucy Entwhistle, and her domineering husband. Lucy meets Everard Wemyss on the day of her father's funeral, while Wemyss is still mourning the recent loss of his wife, Vera. The two fall in something like love, and Everard convinces Lucy to marry him. But Lucy eventually learns the disturbing true extent of her new husband's controlling quirks, and glimpses the real story behind his first wife’s death. Australian actress Nicki Paull provides a smooth, distinguished narration of this cautionary tale, said to be based on author Elizabeth von Arnim’s second marriage to Bertrand Russell’s brother.
Summary
Lucy Entwhistle's beloved father has just died; aged 22 she finds herself alone in the world. Leaning against her garden gate, dazed and unhappy, she is disturbed by the sudden appearance of the perspiring Mr Wemyss. This middle-aged man is also in mourning - for his wife Vera, who has died in mysterious circumstances. Before Lucy can collect herself, Mr Wemyss has taken charge: of the funeral arrangements, of her kind aunt Dot, but most of all of Lucy herself - body and soul.
Elizabeth von Arnim's masterpiece is a forceful study of the power of men in marriage, and the weakness of women when they love.
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What listeners say about Vera
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Katharine Kirby
- 18-10-22
Considered EvA’s best novel
The narration is easy and enjoyable although Lucy’s voice is comically child like and a cliché, a parody, which perhaps does truly suit her character. This is such a perfect book although written a hundred years or more ago in the days of dog carts, domestic service and male dominance. Everard Weemys is the most ghastly narcissist yet there is at first a creepy understanding of his appeal and somehow the decades of age gap between him and Lucy somehow surmountable. For me Aunt Dot is just perfect, a fine role model for a lady today even. I loved her.
Comedic value is there to be enjoyed alongside the gothic horror of Lucy’s predicament at The Willows, a precursor of Manderley many years later. Vera’s presence as the first Mrs Everard Weemys is as solid and recognisable as the first Mrs de Winter. A tremendously worthwhile listen although it does end rather abruptly. The introduction is best reheard after that as it will make more sense than it does before listening.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Heather
- 01-12-23
The unsatisfactory ending
The phrasing and tone is wonderful, the description of characters artistic, bringing them to life. However the ending feels unfinished and disturbs. Perhaps that is the intention.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Emma
- 20-02-23
gripping and terrifying in a quiet, subtle way
I was utterly gripped. Way ahead of its time. Like nothing else I've read. Great.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Joanie
- 16-09-22
Vera
This is a moving story, brilliantly narrated. The tension builds and the whole is quite gripping.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- HelenWh
- 09-08-22
Good but…awful narration
The narrator of this was fine and possibly better than most until she attempted to personify each character with their own voice, at which point I internally cringed and this repeated reaction became utterly distracting before the plot had really developed. Lucy’s thin, reedy, upper-crust voice inspired no sympathy, at all and takes her character miles away from the author’s intentions, I suspect. I generally gobble EVA novels but, combined with utterly dreary music between chapters (completely unnecessary), this one was a struggle.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kindle Customer
- 04-11-22
This is a gripping book but be careful
This book is not a barel of laughs particularly when it comes to women's issues but it's use of language is great particularly when it comes to the moè humorous aspects of the humorous aspect of the book. It ìs very gothic in nature.
I feel like I have said this a lot in book review recently but I am mighty glad to be living in the time that I do as a woman
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jess
- 20-10-23
She’s done it again,
This is my third book of hers and once again, I was completely enthralled by her characters and storytelling, This managed to be both a comedic and terrifying. My blood is boiling now.
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 05-11-22
Defeated by the narration
I tried hard to read this but honestly the narration was really poor and the 'voice' used for the central character was too grating to listen to.
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