Vera

A portrait of abuse

(5 stars)

benefitsingers

I am not really sure how anyone could say this book is a black comedy. Listening to the story all I could think about was my own sister who is in an abusive (mentally) marriage. I would encourage women to listen to this story because it truly portrays how and why women get themselves in these bad situations. The reader, Grew W. was excellent. He has to read and be the voice of a man who is very unlikeable and overbearing, he really is a fantastic reader and does an excellent job. I hope to find other narrations he has done. The story does end rather abruptly which I think in some ways even further adds to the bleakness of what Lucy's life will be.

Brilliant, insightful exposition of the narcissist

(5 stars)

DarthLaurel

Wow! Anyone who has been intimate with a narcissist will listen to their tale being told in the detailed character sketch of the husband of Vera.

(3 stars)

A LibriVox Listener

An interesting Edwardian story but how we wished to see Wemyss get his comeuppance! A note to American readers - the ancient British aristocratic name Wemyss is pronounced Weems not Wimmiss! Several English names have these non phonetic pronunciations e.g. Beauchamp is Beecham, Cholmondeley is Chumleigh. It would be wise of readers to check before they commence recording, this has been an irritant all the way through.

New fan...

(5 stars)

jenniebrown

...of Elizabeth von Arnim who is a master of character study. After reading von Arnim's "The Pastors Wife" I had to find more of her fully engrossing stories. I’m halfway through "Vera" and am drawn into this tale of two people who fall in love under distressing circumstances. The foreshadowing of doom lends a tenseness to the story that keeps one listening hour after hour. Delicious! The narrator is wonderful except for the mispronunciation of "Wymiss" which is properly said as "Weems" as another reviewer stated. I’m American but my dearest friend is British and is a wealth of information on old aristocratic names and English slang. The story is very good and the narrator is so wonderful that it is easy enough to overlook his mistake. (I do wince a bit tho). Very highly recommend and I’ll be listening to more of Greg W's narration!

A story of narcissism

(5 stars)

zafiris

This is a brilliant book, excellently read but hard to listen to at times as it actually describes the process in which a narcissist traps his victim. The author nails the psychology of the perpetrator and victim. The book ends abruptly but we know how these abusive relationships usually end - either the victim is murdered or reduced to such a pitiful state that she (normally it is a she) lives a life of misery. This book is a must for all women to read.

the story of abuse

(5 stars)

Christine Zaf

This is a brilliant book, excellently read but hard to listen to at times is it actually describes the process in which a narcissist traps victim. The author nails the psychology of the perpetrator and victim. The book ends abruptly but we know how these abusive relationships usually end – the victim is murdered or reduced to such a pitiful state that she (normally it is a she) lives a life of misery. This book is a must for all women to read.

I had to quit listening

(0 stars)

TwinkieToes

I had to stop listening. The previous reviewer nailed it: this is a portrayal of mental/emotional abuse. I've never experienced it, but I kept picturing a man I had briefly dated. His seeming devotion was similar, and I suspect his overbearing manipulation would have been similar, too. Thank God I didn't become a victim to it like Lucy does. I just couldn't take it anymore and had to stop listening. The reader does an excellent job, and the technical quality is great.

(5 stars)

Stella McQueen

An incredibly well-written book. Deeply unsettling throughout. A perfect picture of an entitled, manipulative man who doesn't love his partner as herself, but what he wants her to be - a pretty submissive shell just there to make him feel good. Very creepy to read if you have been through this all too familiar situation. I disagree with others about the unsatisfactory ending. It couldn't end any other way and have the same impact