Love's Shadow


Lu par Helen Taylor

(4.4 stars; 123 reviews)

The first in a trilogy of books known together as 'The Little Ottleys', this is a sparkling social comedy set in Edwardian London. Ada Leverson was a great friend and staunch supporter of Oscar Wilde and shared his love for sharp, witty writing. Like Wilde, her work is characterised by a wonderful ear for dialogue and deft characterization. 'Love's Shadow' introduces us to Bruce and Edith Ottley and their friends, who are to all appearances living the bright and carefree lives of the well-to-do. But there are cracks appearing in the facade. Bruce is staggeringly self-obsessed, a hypochondriac and a spendthrift, and Edith must learn to manage her stubborn, exasperating husband. Meanwhile their friends attempt to navigate the rocky rapids of love and marriage with varying degrees of success, and keep us thoroughly entertained along the way. ( Helen Taylor) (5 hr 45 min)

Chapitres

Chapter 1: Hyacinth 10:14 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 2: The Anxieties of Sir Charles 10:47 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 3: Anne Yeo 7:15 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 4: The Sound Sense of Lady Cannon 9:27 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 5: A Proposal 7:37 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 6: The Little Ottleys 5:14 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 7: Hyacinth's Little Dinner 11:51 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 8: Lord Selsey 8:01 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 9: The Peculiarities of Raggett 7:47 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 10: A Musical Afternoon 9:15 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 11: The Troubles of the Ottleys 8:12 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 12: At the National Gallery 8:23 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 13: More of the Little Ottleys 12:02 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 14: Lady Cannon's Visit 9:53 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 15: Raggett in Love 14:21 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 16: Archie 7:33 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 17: Bruce's Play 6:34 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 18: Hyacinth Waits 12:10 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 19: Eugenia 10:06 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 20: Bruce Has Influenza 7:47 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 21: Engaged 8:24 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 22: The Strange Behaviour of Anne 6:09 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 23: Bruce Convalescent 6:48 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 24: The Wedding 8:36 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 25: Accounts 9:44 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 26: Confidences 9:28 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 27: Miss Wrenner 8:38 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 28: Anne Returns 9:18 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 29: The Ingratitude of Mitchell 10:23 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 30: Mitchell Behaves Decently 10:31 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 31: Jane's Sister 8:10 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 32: The Drive 7:54 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 33: The Quarrel 11:29 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 34: Anne and Eugenia 5:51 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 35: That Woman 7:23 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 36: Raggett's Sense of Humour 8:20 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 37: Sir Charles 8:05 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 38: Rehearsing 7:33 Lu par Helen Taylor
Chapter 39: The Solution 7:48 Lu par Helen Taylor

Critiques


(4 stars)

Nice reading. Witty story. Bruce is a scheming, lying, selfish ass. I laughed well when Edith asked him to watch their son, Archie, for a few minutes. Why Edith or anyone would marry Bruce is beyond me. At least it seems she knows how to handle him & finally does it best at the end. Librevox has the 2nd book in the trilogy (Tenterhooks) but not the 3rd. I hope it will soon.

Humorous & Victorian


(2.5 stars)

This is full of typical characters for it's generation, with great humor & a heroine one wishes would step away from convention long enough to belt her spouse just once! LibriVox Volunteer, Helen Taylor is wonderfully talented.

another winner narrated by Helen Taylor


(5 stars)

There are some great lines in this book. Astute, pithy, observations a la Jane Austen. Helen Taylor is marvelous as the narrator.

Enjoyable


(4 stars)

Enjoyable and humorous, but since relationship-humor has been a stable of TV, movies and books for so long now, I wonder if I can really appreciate the work as written. Probably not, but I am curious to read the rest of the series. Helen Taylor's reading was, as always, superb - I am now following you on Twitter, Helen.

Loved it


(5 stars)

Great reading, voices so differentiated, excellent character assessment which holds true today too. Bruce is a knob and what would be classified as a narcissist. Poor Edith. So is Cecil to a lesser degree. Love Anne, she’s a real one. A lesbian probably trying to save the oblivious straights.

News of future recordings


(0 stars)

Hi - I'm the reader of this book. If you enjoy it and would like to know when more of my recordings are published, please follow me on Twitter @111Hels for updates!


(5 stars)

Sparky. Loved this! Quirky… tale of the times…believable characters…funny bits..,easy to fall in with the plot…such as it was…so enjoyable…the reader was perfection. For any American who lived long in England this story is understandable

loves shadow review


(4.5 stars)

it's a cute book the reader is fabulous but the but just seems to end abruptly, I'm sure the author could have thought of something more creative and inventive