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The Complete Mapp and Lucia, Volume 1
- Narrated by: Georgina Sutton
- Length: 26 hrs and 42 mins
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The Complete Mapp and Lucia, Volume 1
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Summary
Sharply observant and wickedly funny, E.F. Benson's six Mapp and Lucia novels satirize the upper-middle-class social climbers in 1920s and '30s rural England. Games of bridge and cups of tea fuel hilarious gossip and vindictive plots a-plenty. It is a masterfully sustained spotlight on the minutiae of village life - a clever and ultimately heart-warming series that seems tailor-made for audio. Volume 1 contains the first three books.
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What listeners love about The Complete Mapp and Lucia, Volume 1
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Wee Chrissie B
- 02-08-21
Mispronouncing Riseholme? How tarsome!
I've loved Mapp & Lucia for many years, and these narrated versions of their stories are generally excellent. But the narrator pronounces Lucia's home town variously as "Rise Home", "Rise Holme" or "Raise Holme". I'm afraid I've taken to shouting "RIZZUM!!!" at her each time I hear it mispronounced. How tarsome, as dear Georgie Pillson would say.
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7 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Alison
- 28-03-21
Binge-worthy and masterfully read
Such a surprise to suddenly find the M&L unabridged collections on Audible - volume 2 is also now available.
I have long loved the stories and the sly, clever writing. And I knew I would like them being read to me, in full. But the narration is absolutely faultless, and added so much to the enjoyment. I will have to ration myself when I start volume 2, because I know I will be sad when they are finished.
This really is a treat and great value, as they are very long, so you get completely immersed. Bliss. I would now probably buy a recording of Georgina Sutton reading IKEA assembly instructions or anything, faultless.
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6 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- PearlSinger
- 10-02-21
great narration
in my opinion, this is the best narration. has Part Two been completed by the same narrator?
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mellifluous
- 31-01-22
Wonderful, and with superb narration.
I love the Mapp and Lucia novels and have read them many, many times. They’re hilariously funny and brilliantly well-observed. I was a bit worried that the audio book would be a disappointment, but the narration of this version is so good that listening to it has been an absolute joy.
Each character has a totally credible, distinct and consistent voice, perfect suited to their individual character traits, but the narration isn’t overdone and doesn’t draw attention to itself by being too stagey.
Probably the best narration of any audio book I have ever listened to, so highly recommended.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- James
- 14-04-21
glorious
I think if I had to choose a mastermind specialist subject it would be the Mapp and Lucia novels; that's how much I adore them, know them and cherish them. Fred Benson was an excellent observer and storyteller and his (in my mind) M&L novels (along with his ghost stories) are his crowning glory. you can imagine my joy to find these volumes unabridged and Georgina's narration is perfect: thank you. I'll enjoy these talking books for years to come x
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mr. Benjamin Ashby
- 16-12-21
Great stories, let down by pronunciation
It should be Rizzum NOT Rise-home! But that's a small complaint. It did have my inner Mapp cringing though!
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 14-09-23
Luciaphile!
I love these books. They are beautifully written. The humour never seems to age. This was brilliantly narrated. If you love Lucia, you will love this.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jo Thomas
- 16-06-23
Thoroughly entertaining
Perfect audible book. Really enjoyed the Lucia stories. Very clever and witty writing and fabulous narration!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- EK
- 14-03-23
Thoroughly enjoyable,
Great narration. Wonderful characters all brought vividly to life but found myself saying 'Rizzom!' every time Riseholme was mentioned which was a lot. For that reason only four stars but still looking forward to listening to the next books in the series.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mixdell
- 18-01-23
Really delightful
Well read and so enjoyable. We can’t bear Lucia then we love Lucia. Such brilliant characters.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Grace M-T
- 15-06-21
At last!
I have been waiting for unabridged recordings of the Lucia novels for years. Every so often I would search “EF Benson” for them, and at last they are here. The narration is absolutely perfect, with just enough (but not too much) acid. Perfect lockdown listening, equally enjoyable now, as we renew acquaintanceship with the outside world and all its follies.
Yes, as one observer notes, both Mapp and Lucia are no better than they should be, but the discomfort arises bc we too aren’t much better, inside, even if we would need truth serum to admit it. While social norms have changed (!) since the 1920s, human nature has not, and the only sure remedy is to laugh. Bravo to Edward Frederic Benson and Georgina Sutton (Now if audible will only release EF’s Dodo books…)
Note: the chapters have no headings so for your reference, the three books start at the following chapters respectively
1: Book 1: Queen Lucia
42: Book 2: Miss Mapp. Preface
85: Book 3: Lucia in London
A pdf with complete contents can be downloaded at Naxos Audiobooks
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24 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- ElsieEmcee
- 23-02-21
PLEASE release the next volume!
PLEASE release the next volume! The reader is wonderful and the series is too. Just a little bit too acid to be twee, perfect lockdown listening. We've got to get to the next book, when Mapp and Lucia meet!
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11 people found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- D.W.
- 05-08-21
Grateful for an unabridged reading, bad narration.
Georgina Sutton did such a great job with "Diary of a Provincial Lady" that I was thrilled to see she was doing my favorite series. Sadly the narration is flat, and rather monotonous. She either didn't understand the stories are satirical, or didn't get the jokes, because this was a joyless rendition. Prunella Scales and Geraldine McEwen both did SO much better.
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Customer o Kindle
- 03-09-21
so wonderful
Excellent narrator, and it's about time the series was available unabridged! The stories are pure escapism, set between the world wars in an idyllic English country village. They portray a world that never really existed for more than a few rather wealthy elites who lived a bit below the upper, upper crust, and only if they were somehow oblivious to real events and issues. Minor social dilemmas and schemes are treated like global intrigues, and real problems --real people-- don't exist at all. I have listened and read over and over. My favorite fantastical brain candy. Do not look for meaningful social commentary or thought-provoking plot twists. But do look for sly humor and exciting tempests at teacup scale.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Gee
- 12-03-21
Vicious liars
There were times when I laughed out loud, but there were more times when I had to make myself finish it because those women are such vicious, self-absorbed, narcissistic, liars. Most of the people they squashed didn't deserve it.
Nope, they are too awful and I won't do the 2nd volume.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- John
- 16-08-23
Ok, Let’s Be Honest…
…lest we relegate these books to period pieces, detailing the social foibles of the last century’s rather empty-headed comfortable class. Lest we imagine we’re above all the petty rivalries, inane jealousies and pointless social competition that make these books so mischievously funny. These days, Facebook and Twitter just make it all worse.
Georgianna Sutton makes Benson’s faultless prose sound even more perfect.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- AR
- 18-06-22
Is it a pronounced Reezom or Ryezom?
Mapp and Lucia is one of my favorite works. I was so thrilled to find this audiobook on Audible. I’ve watched and rewatched the televised series. I was aghast therefore to hear the narrator pronouncing Rhisolme as Rye-zome instead of Reezome ( pronounced thus in the televised series). So which one is right?
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- MLP
- 30-05-23
She is attempting the imp
I feel bad for Georgina Sutton. This series must be read aloud by someone who is _in love_ with it. And if the listener has Prunella Scales, Geraldine McEwan, Nigel Hawthorne, etc etc etc, inside one’s head, they will never be content with another performance in their lifetime. [The 2014 version was pretty ki@$ a$&, though! Well done!]
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Jacqueline Seys
- 22-03-23
Lucia is fascinating and the reader gets to read her mind
It’s the original Real Housewives. Jealousy, gossip, scandals, ruthless social climbing and ever shifting from friendship alliances.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Gromit4u
- 04-03-23
Narration flat and monotone.
I love the Mapp and Lucia books and have listened to every available version. Do you self a favor and listen to the series that is read by Nadia May, far superior to this version. Sutton is very monotone and flat in inflection, her characters all sound alike. Mays version on the other hand has completely captured the various characters in the way Benson meant them to be portrayed.
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