Please open https://hotaudiobook.com ONLY on your standard browser Safari, Chrome, Microsoft or Firefox to download full audiobooks of your choice for free.

Title: Miss Mapp

Author: E. F. Benson

Narrator: Nadia May

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 50 mins

Language: English

Release date: 02-10-05

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 136 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Miss Elizabeth Mapp, magnificent grande dame and heiress, is always on the lookout lest her neighbors fall outside the bounds of perfect, exemplary manners. But her tightly controlled world is soon beset on all sides by interlopers, first in the disturbingly masculine form of two very different retired army officers, both of whom are anything but retiring in their conflicting aims upon her heart. Second, there appears the elegant, insidiously evil Contessa possessed of dazzling charm and diabolical designs.

(P)2001 Blackstone Audiobooks

Critic Reviews:

"Nadia May does a hilarious Miss Mapp, the small-minded small-town heiress of a certain age who leads an absolutely full life spying on and attempting to best her neighbors." (AudioFile)

Members Reviews:

Classic British Turn of the Century Comedy

The Lucia series by Benson is as fresh as it was 100 years ago. This is broad comedy, with a lot of absurdity. This is one of a six book series (as originally written) and introduces Miss Mapp, who is a wholly riduculous and mostly unlikeable character. But very, very funny; as we can all still some of oursevelves (and others) in this comdedy. The series was very daring for its time with a major gay character (not in this book, but all of the others), and a lesbian--but never any sex.

Nadia May is one of the better British readers, although her women (not surprisingly) are quite a bit better than her men. But in this series of books, only the women really matter. The men are just foiils for the plotting, backstabbing, and--when it all comes home to roost--the hilarious, slow-train-wreck-of-an-exposure.

This is not a romance though.

Benson at his satirical best

Benson's inimitable gift for satire shines in this classic. Yes, obviously it is very much a story of its time: that is the whole point. As others have said, this is certainly not a romance: it is satire in the finest British tradition. Sometimes darkly comic, sometimes farcical, it plays up the manners, customs, and social-climbing of a small society of seaside Edwardians. If you're not interested in reading that sort of thing, look elsewhere. But I daresay if you enjoy Wilde and Saki, you will adore Benson and long for more!

The narration is superb. From the brusque (and sometimes inebriated) exchanges of the military men to the catty competition of Elizabeth Mapp and "Diva Darling" Plaistow, the false brogue of the Reverend, and the flirtatious Contessa, Nadia May brings each character to life. Somehow you feel you reallly know them.

Of course I recommend you continue with the "Mapp and Lucia" series if you enjoy this book. And don't neglect Benson's supernatural short fiction: most of the stories are excellent entertainments for Hallowe'en and dark winter nights.

Fun and joyful

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes, itis a funny, endearing story, a reminder of another time when life was so simple!

What did you like best about this story?

Mapp's character is funny and sooo hypocritical!

Have you listened to any of Nadia Mays other performances before? How does this one compare?

No

Enjoyable

I had a little trouble getting into this book, but after about 45 minutes I was hooked. While I thought that Miss Mapp could be petty and gossipy, her little rants, plottings, and schemes seemed familiar and realistic.