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The Well of Loneliness

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The Well of Loneliness

By: Radclyffe Hall
Narrated by: Ell Potter
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About this listen

The Well of Loneliness will go down in history as one of the world’s first published novels to depict a lesbian relationship.

After publication in 1928, it was banned for obscenity before going on to become an international best seller.

It tells the story of Stephen Gordon, an Englishwoman from an upper-class family who is ostracised for falling in love with another woman, Mary Llewellyn.

Groundbreaking in its day, Radclyffe Hall’s novel ultimately makes a very clear plea in regards to homosexuality: 'Give us also the right to our existence'.

In this exclusive production, Audible’s breakout star Ell Potter (Winter Dark, Winter Rising) breathes new life into the classic novel.

Public Domain (P)2020 Audible, Ltd
Classics Fiction Literary Fiction Emotionally Gripping Heartfelt Winter British Classics
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Behind the scenes

Ell Potter on recording during lockdown.
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What listeners say about The Well of Loneliness

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As beautiful and moving as when I read it twenty years ago.

Engaging and transportative. Performed brilliantly. Homophobes should be forced to read it at gun point. Though I suppose the guns probably shouldn't be loaded.....

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HEART WRENCHING

I read the book in the 1980's and it had me in tears. I listened to this audiobook and have openly sobbed. We have come such a long way in the last fifty years, as far as acceptance goes. Today's young women have an easier time getting to grips with their sensuality and that pleases me.

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Excellent

This book is full of emotional turmoil and was brilliantly narrated by Ell Potter. I couldn’t stop listening. A masterpiece.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

boring

very long and boring and the ending was weak
not my cup of tea

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A Must Read

Blown away by this book.
The book’s nearly 100yrs old, yet there’s so much in it which is as now!
Unsurprisingly a classic novel.

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a heartfelt book

This book talked to my very core. At times I felt so much like Stephen that my throat ached. this books speaks to the heart of the "inverted" and the silent abuse of the social rejection. A masterpiece of it's genre.

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Feeling and thought-provoking

It makes you realize how few and far between literary accounts of past lesbian and queer lives are accessible to us.
The feeling of isolation, doom, rage, being an outcast and yet loving that normalcy that rejects you. Needing to outperform “the normals” in hope of gaining their approval which never comes - super interesting in the context of WW1.
And yet a call for living a full life as “an invert” - a desire that can never be silenced.

The narrator did a wonderful job - especially with various accents present in the story - priceless!

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Best book ever!

Literally the best book I have ever read or listened to. Both writing and narration.

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Stunningly good story & reading

Stunningly good story & reading - mulii-voicing many different characters. This isn’t just a great lesbian novel, it’s a really great novel full stop.

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Sad but enlightening

A lovely, well written story. The main characters are denied happiness at every turn partly because of their own self recriminations and those that are heaped upon them by society in general. Not satisfied with the ending but I suppose it is a reflection of the time and as much as you would like to change the past all you can do is observe and learn from the pieces leftover. This book is one of those pieces.

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4 people found this helpful