A Fluttered Dovecote by George Manville Fenn AUDIOBOOK

First published at the close of the nineteenth century, George Manville Fenn’s "A Fluttered Dovecote" unfolds as an intricate, ironically-tinged portrait of youthful sensibility and social constraint in late Victorian England. Fenn, a prolific novelist and essayist celebrated for his nuanced character studies, turns his keen eye to the inner world of Laura Bozerne, a young woman navigating the emotional labyrinths of family expectation, burgeoning self-awareness, and the rituals of genteel society.

Presented in the form of Laura’s reflective diary, the narrative captures the push and pull of youthful longing and the comic absurdities of domestic life. Laura, both self-mocking and sincerely wounded, describes her experience as an eighteen-year-old whose hopes for adventure are repeatedly dampened by her parents' cautious designs and the stultifying conventions of her world. The book’s opening sets the tone: writing through tears onto blotted, tear-stained paper, Laura dramatizes not only her present sorrows but also her acute self-consciousness. Her narrative is textured with wit—sometimes satirical, often poignant—as she laments her perceived lack of romance and valor compared to the famed heroines of her era.

Fenn’s style is characterized by a deft blending of humor and pathos, and the atmosphere is one of stifled yearnings, muted rebellion, and subtle irony. He delights in the details of social ritual—teasing the idiosyncrasies of parental authority, the absurd posturing of advertisements for finishing schools, and the timeless friction between adolescent dreams and adult plans. Those drawn to character-driven fiction, literary wit, and period domestic drama will find much to savor in Laura’s intimate confessions, rendered with sensitivity and sly amusement.

"A Fluttered Dovecote" is not only a vivid portrayal of girlhood at a time of cultural transition, but also a window onto the perennial tensions between conformity and individuality, affection and aspiration.

Audiobook time & format : 6h26m40s, OPUS, 301 Mo
Audiobook free extract time & format : 5m (see below to listen), WAV
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