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Lady Chatterley's Lover

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Lady Chatterley's Lover

By: D. H. Lawrence, Fern Riddell - introduction
Narrated by: Holliday Grainger, Fern Riddell - introduction
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About this listen

In an Audible Exclusive performance, Holliday Grainger lends her voice to a new unabridged recording of Lady Chatterley's Lover, a novel that was banned until 1960 and is now considered to be one of the most renowned love stories of all time. This production features an exclusive introduction written and narrated by Fern Riddell, a cultural historian who specialises in sex in the Victorian and Edwardian eras.

About the book

Dissatisfied by her loveless marriage to a crippled and impotent writer, Constance Chatterley seeks to escape from the confines of their upper class surroundings and the cold and passive relations she endures.

Upon encountering the gamekeeper of Chatterley mansion, Oliver Mellors, Constance is mesmerised and infatuated by his no-nonsense demeanour and passionate touch. The two soon forge a profound bond as a result of their sexual compatibility and sociopolitical views.

Banned until 1960, Lady Chatterley's Lover caused great controversy at the time it was written and was rejected for portraying what was then considered audacious, pornographic content. Of course critical opinion has evolved, and we have now come to see D. H. Lawrence's story as a revolutionary tale and literary masterpiece.

The exclusive introduction to this edition, written and narrated by cultural historian and writer of Ripper Street Fern Riddell, explores historical and contemporary reactions to this groundbreaking novel.

About the author

Lawrence fought hard against the conventions of the early 1900s society, which censored and persecuted those who promoted sexual freedom and challenged tradition. He wanted his writing, unlike his society, to be full of vitality, emotion and spontaneity. In so doing, he also contributed to the liberation of women all over the world who longed to be more than just dutiful wives.

In an obituary notice, E. M. Forster described D. H. Lawrence as 'the greatest imaginative novelist of our generation.'

About the narrator

Holliday Granger first graced our screens at the age of six in the BBC comedy drama All Quiet on the Preston Front. She has since gone on to star in TV programmes such as Waterloo Road, Merlin, The Borgias and Strike.

Holliday's film credits include The Riot Club, Bel Ami and Cinderella. Holliday played the lead role in the 2015 BBC adaptation of D.H. Lawrence's novel. Recognised for her outstanding performance as Constance, and bringing with her the experience of having skilfully narrated Dodie Smith's I Capture the Castle, Holliday excels in capturing the mood and pace of this titillating classic title.

Public Domain (P)2017 Audible, Ltd
Classics Marriage Thought-Provoking
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What listeners say about Lady Chatterley's Lover

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Flawed masterpiece well narated

The novel is well worth reading in spite of its structural weaknesses. Holliday Grainger narrates with great competence. She deals well with the Derbyshire dialect and the range of characters. I was not entirely satisfied with her treatment of the third person passages: the narration was too flat for prose which was often elevated.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Beautifully presented and written.

I really enjoyed this book. It was slow to start with but worth the perseverance. Highly recommended.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Surprisingly dull considering the hype

Seriously. Even the sex scenes are boring. And there are a lot of long passages that go one about coal mining.

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8 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Oh My!

I am dumbfounded.
Holiday Grainger was just suburb.
I cannot imagine anybody else performing this specific classic.
Going to search for more reading by Holiday forsure

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

The reading brought this classic to life

A wonderful reading of this classic which I would never have read otherwise. Thank you

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Brilliant

Loved this classic love story , narration was excellent and suited the tenderness of the Descriptive Language

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

Holliday is amazing but the book is ridiculously bad

This is my second time trying to finish this book but it’s actually awful. The sex scenes are boring and weird: boring because Lawrence waxes lyrical, describing non-erotic jack-rabbiting which is every woman’s nightmare, and weird because two characters start whining about how women can’t orgasm from humping, and then they get annoyed that the women have to make themselves “crisis”, and this leaves me thinking poor Lawrence was a terrible, inexperienced love-maker and probably should not have written a book on the theme of sex.

The parts about Connie’s life and her musings are so contrasted, and insightful, that I have concluded in my mind that he probably did not invent these, and has, perhaps, taken direct inspiration from a female source.

I’ve stopped about 60% through cause I just endure the ridiculous sex scenes. Even in the 1920s this would have been bad sex.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant

I’ve always loved this book but almost didn’t listen because of the narrator, I couldn’t imagine her understanding it at all. How wrong I was, she is utterly brilliant, she brings the story and characters alive and introduced an even greater love for the book than ever before. I am going back for a second listen, she is quite hypnotic!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great story, well read

This was very well read and the story really came to life - D.H. Lawrence writes beautifully.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

An of its time classic.

This was brilliantly performed. It’s a classic I’ve been meaning to read for a long time. It’s interesting to find out how different it is from the movie and TV adaptations, which aren’t half as detailed. It’s so of its time. How awful attitudes were towards true love, sex and the lower classes just 100 years ago.

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