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Title: Queen Lucia by Geraldine McEwan, E. F. Benson ISBN: 1-85089-641-0 Publisher: Isis Audio Pub. Date: December, 1994 Format: Audio Cassette Volumes: 8 List Price(USD): $69.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.74 (19 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: A nice read
Comment: Queen Lucia is the first in the series of novels that invite us in to Riseholm and the lives of it's residents. Lucia is the snobbish self appointed but undisputed Queen of everything cultural in this small rural english village. However she finds herself challenged unintentionally by Olga Bracely a famous opera singer who takes up residence in the village. As she fights for her throne the reader is witness to the malice, manipulation and backstabbing that is just under the surface in village life. As in all good stories Lucia is all but dethrowned and then regains the upper hand once again. The book is witty, full of interesting if somewhat strange characters and entertaining. After first reading Queen Lucia I felt a little disapointed having heard Bentley described as being on a par with Wilde, Wodehouse and Coward. I do not find this claimed level of wit and word smithing in Queen Lucia myself, however once I got past this disappointment I found myself both entertained by and fond of this novel.
Rating: 5
Summary: Oh, Lucia!
Comment: If you can imagine TV's Aaron Spelling writing his brand of witty and campy fun in an English town in the 1920s & 30s, then you can imagine Benson's Lucia series. I'd often heard how great the series was, and finally got around to reading the first book. What a delight! It's been ages since I've read a book that simply glided off the page. Lucia is the center of Riseholme's cultural life, and without her, life just couldn't be the same, right? With her husband Peppino, and her sidekick Georgie (so repressed he's nearly an origami flamingo), Lucia controls the fads and fashions of Riseholme. When a diva opera singer moves into town, Lucia finds herself knocked off her throne, and all but declares war on the upstart. Full of devious gossip and fascinating characters, this story is wonderfully enjoyable, as well as incredibly intelligent in its rendering of small town life. I can hardly wait to read the entire series, or see the "Mapp and Lucia" miniseries.
Rating: 5
Summary: A must buy: Reader Geraldine McEwan IS Lucia
Comment: Since the other reviews here relate to the printed version of the E.F. Benson book, I thought I'd chime in with a review that is specific to this CD version read by Geraldine McEwan.
McEwan starred as Lucia in the delightful "Mapp and Lucia" series in the mid-1980s. It's out on DVD now and I highly recommend you snatch it up immediately before it goes out of print. It's one of the very best British comedies ever.
In the series, McEwan establishes what I consider to be the definitive version of Lucia. She is so delightful that as soon as I found out her readings of two of the Lucia books had also been recorded, I bought them -- although I had never purchased books on tape/CD before.
Suffice it so say, I was not disappointed. McEwan is a wonderful reader who brings out all the wit of the books, and I can't stress enough how marvelous it is to hear her once again using her "Lucia voice."
This has my highest recommendation.
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Title: Lucia in London : A Novel by E. F. Benson, Micheàl MacLiammóir ISBN: 1559212772 Publisher: Moyer Bell Ltd Pub. Date: April, 1999 List Price(USD): $11.95 |
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Title: Mapp & Lucia by E. F. Benson, Nancy Mitford ISBN: 1559212322 Publisher: Moyer Bell Ltd Pub. Date: April, 2000 List Price(USD): $12.95 |
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Title: Lucia's Progress: A Novel (Lucia Series) by E. F. Benson ISBN: 1559212330 Publisher: Moyer Bell Ltd Pub. Date: 13 November, 2000 List Price(USD): $11.95 |
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Title: Trouble for Lucia: A Novel by E. F. Benson, Micheàl MacLiammóir ISBN: 1559212985 Publisher: Moyer Bell Ltd Pub. Date: November, 2001 List Price(USD): $12.95 |
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Title: Miss Mapp by E. F. Benson, E.F. Benson ISBN: 1559212756 Publisher: Moyer Bell Ltd Pub. Date: September, 1999 List Price(USD): $11.95 |
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