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The Camomile Lawn

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The Camomile Lawn

By: Mary Wesley
Narrated by: Carole Boyd
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About this listen

Summer 1939 and five cousins gather at the house with the camomile lawn for what, for many of them, will be the last summer of their youth.

©1984 Mary Wesley (P)2014 Audible, Inc. Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Fiction War & Military Military
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I really loved this story. It has been filmed by the BBC but there are some parts that had to be changed or omitted. You wouldn't know that this detracts from the story until, like me you read it yourself or have it read to you. It is warm, humorous, sad and incredibly moving. I am thankful that I was not born until after the war but these characters and their stories made me wish I had been there - and isn't that what a good story is all about?

The British at war as only we could be

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Carole Boyd goes straight on my list of perfect readers. I've long admired her reading of poetry, and now can add her reading of Wesley.

The Camomile Lawn is Wesley at her idiosyncratic best. Her characters are intensely human, often behave badly and are frequently unlovable, which makes them all the more interesting. Her wit is viper-quick, non-pc. and utterly unsentimental.

I think I might loatthe her characters in real-life, but I love them on paper.

I wish there was an audiobook of my favourite, The Vacillations of Poppy Carew.

Beautifully read

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A beautifully read and absorbing story. We are drawn into the second world war by focusing through the eyes of an extended upper middle class British family. Some themes in the book maybe shocking in their handling by the author, to contemporary readers but remember the author is using contextualisation and also intends to shock. This is not a factual history but a fictional work of art. If you are horrified and shocked in some parts, you maybe sure this is what the author intended.

Absorbing story

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I remembered this book as being disturbing and as Oliver says that is what sells a novel. It is however eminently rereadable, well told and beautifully read by Ms Boyd.

Beautiful rendition

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Loved this book and it was beautifully read . Thank you for 9 glorious hours .Highly recommended

Brilliant

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