Behind a Mask, or a Woman's Power
Louisa May Alcott
Read by Elizabeth Klett
Fans of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women will remember that her heroine Jo wrote racy novels before turning her hand to more "serious" literature. Alcott, writing under the pseudonym A. M. Barnard, often did the same, and Behind a Mask (1866) is one of her sensation novels. It focuses on Jean Muir, who enters the home of the wealthy Coventry family as governess to their sixteen-year-old daughter. But is the beguiling Miss Muir all that she seems to be? (Introduction by Elizabeth Klett) (4 hr 8 min)
Chapters
| 1 - Jean Muir | 24:02 | Read by Elizabeth Klett |
| 2 - A Good Beginning | 31:10 | Read by Elizabeth Klett |
| 3 - Passion and Pique | 38:53 | Read by Elizabeth Klett |
| 4 - A Discovery | 20:28 | Read by Elizabeth Klett |
| 5 - How the Girl Did It | 31:49 | Read by Elizabeth Klett |
| 6 - On the Watch | 34:01 | Read by Elizabeth Klett |
| 7 - The Last Chance | 27:57 | Read by Elizabeth Klett |
| 8 - Suspense | 17:50 | Read by Elizabeth Klett |
| 9 - Lady Coventry | 22:04 | Read by Elizabeth Klett |
Reviews
GREAT BOOK a mystery suspense tale
jaded_grl
bravo to the reader first & foremost, an excellent job! This book is excellent as well, it has you wondering to the very end about what will happen. in its time i am sure the ending was down right shocking, i know there were a few surprised that had me literally drop my jaw as unexpected. i followed the tale intensely, & since i listen at work my job probably suffered some due to this book being truely interesting. a must read.
so many emotions
Bobocel
The book is an excellent study of human nature. I'm not sure which characters to sympathize with. Elizabeth Klett did a fantastic job. I loved that she narrates in an American accent and distinguishes the characters with British (and Scottish) accents. I would highly recommend this book to anyone
Sooooo Good!
Violet
It was so good and kept me on the edge of my seat! I did not see it coming! I'm so glad that no one revealed the ending in the reviews, because it would have really ruined it. An absolute must-read/listen-to! The book was not slow and got right into the story. It wasn't one of those books that are overly detailed about the surroundings and what is going on in the room around the main character, but is more focused on dialogue and how the characters feel or look as they say things, giving a person insight into the characters themselves. Wonderful! Wholeheartedly recommend!
Well Worth Listening to or Reading!
Hospitable Georgian
Now I know why no one wanted to comment on the plot! Thank you for not spoiling it for us! I was intrigued to the very end yet unsettled by the end ing! Thank you, Ms Klett, for a fantastic read!
loved it...mostly
Asher Stevens
All the credit goes to the reader (Elizabeth klett*) exelent job!
Exceptional Reading
Seema Afridi
Beautifully read but the book is unworthy of it.
Behind a Mask
TheBookworm
Who is Jean Muir? You can almost hear the Victorian ladies gasp as the truth begins to emerge from behind the pretence... Neither family nor servant, the governess was an intriguingly liminal character in 19th-century society and literature (Jane Eyre, East Lynne, Turn of the Screw, etc.). Is Jean the villain or something else? The author hints at her own appraisal in the final chapter. This 'sensation novel' is well worth a listen for its own sake, but doubly so for Elizabeth Klett's voice talent. TheBookworm (temporarily in Newcastle, UK)
Who can resist a story about a mysterious and beguiling young governess?
glttrgrl8
Behind a Mask, or a Woman's Power is a perfect example of the "sensation" fiction of its time (the bawdy bestsellers)! As always, Alcott's writing and plotting are exemplary, and the sensational twists and turns of the story kept me interested throughout. To make it even better, the narration by Elizabeth Klett is professional grade! I very much enjoyed her interpretation of this story as well as several others she's recorded for LibriVox.