Precious Bane
by Meryl Friedman from the book by Mary Webb

Name: Precious Bane
Brand: Meryl Friedman from the book by Mary Webb
SKU: 9780871297990
Rating: 4.4 (756 reviews)

Precious Bane Book Cover — Precious Bane Cover

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What readers are saying

Readers appreciate the depth and beauty of 'Precious Bane', noting its rich descriptions and compelling narrative. Many find the dialect challenging yet rewarding, and the characters, especially Prudence Sarn, resonate with them. Overall, it is regarded as a classic piece of British literature that evokes strong emotions and vivid imagery.

Rich, poetic writingEngaging charactersBeautiful natural settingsChallenging dialect to understandPoor print quality in some editions

Synopsis

'Brighter and better than Thomas Hardy .

a marvellous writer' Eloise Millar, Guardian

Prudence Sarn was born with her 'precious bane', a cleft palate, for which she is persecuted as a witch by her superstitious neighbours.

Hiding from daily ridicule, Prue takes refuge in the wild Shropshire countryside, developing a profound love of nature.

Furtively, Prue dreams of being desired, of being kissed on the lips, and harbours a hopeless passion for Kester Woodseaves, the weaver

Prue's brother, Gideon, is engaged to her only friend, but in his ambition for wealth at any cost, he incurs the wrath of his would-be father-in-law whose act of vengeance results in Prue being accused of murder.

Only Kester, who has perceived her true worth, can defend her from the wrath of her accusers

Winner of the 1926 Prix Femina Vie Heureuse Prize, Precious Bane is a novel that enchants with its beauty and its timeless truths.

'With the publication of Precious Bane, a substantial readership came to respect Mary Webb's quiet genius .

When she died at the age of 46, literature lost a voice that promised to speak for Shropshire as poignantly as Thomas Hardy had spoken for Wessex, Emily Bronte for Yorkshire - New York Times

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