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Loving And Giving

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About this listen

 FROM THE SHORTLISTED AUTHOR FOR THE MAN BOOKER PRIZE

'Molly Keane is astonishing . . . an exquisitely written black comedy with a shock ending' GUARDIAN

'Quite the best book she has written' DAILY TELEGRAPH

'I admired many authors. But Molly, I loved' DIANA ATHILL

In 1914, when Nicandra is eight, all is well in the grand Irish estate, Deer Forest. Maman is beautiful and adored. Dada, silent and small, mooches contendedly around the stables. Aunt Tossie, of the giant heart and bosom, is widowed but looks splendid in weeds. The butler, the groom, the landsteward, the maids, the men - each as a place and knows it. Then, astonishingly, the perfect surface is shattered; Maman does something too dreadful ever to be spoken of.

'What next? Who to love?' asks Nicaranda. And through her growing up and marriage her answer is to swamp those around her with kindness - while gradually the great house crumbles under a weight of manners and misunderstanding.©1988 The Estate of Molly Keane Classics Family Life Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Women's Fiction Heartfelt

Critic reviews

Molly Keane is astonishing . . . Loving and Giving is perhaps her richest work yet, an exquisitely written black comedy with a shock ending. The language is eloquent and original, the descriptions divine
Quite the best book she has written
Keane's distinctive blend of elegant savagery and deep affection . . . its human relationships tortured like bonsai by good form, its open-hearted, sensual passion for horses, dogs and landscape
I admired many authors. But Molly, I loved (Diana Athill)
This novel is a rare treat
A writer of genius
All stars
Most relevant
This wonderful book has been ruined by one of the worst narrations ever. Totally unsympathetic to the spirit of the book

Dreadful narration

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Having to approach the end of the book again. I read it years on an International flight and disturbed my seat neighbours as I constantly laughed out loud.

Molly Keene’s keen sense of humour andmarvellous story telling

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