The White Virgin by George Manville Fenn AUDIOBOOK

First published at the close of the Victorian era, "The White Virgin" by George Manville Fenn reveals a lively domestic and financial drama interwoven with the intricacies of family, inheritance, and ambition. Fenn, known for his deftness in depicting social interplay and gently ironic character studies, brings to the fore a tapestry of personalities: from the shrewd, warm-hearted Doctor Praed to the earnest Clive Reed, and the sharp, worldly Jessop Reed—each orbiting the uncertain legacy of the ancient "White Virgin" silver mine. Set against the genteel parlors and gaslit streets of London—a world suspended between tradition and the dynamism of modern finance—the novel explores not only the anxieties of romantic attachment and paternal duty, but also the speculative fervor of mining ventures and the ethical ambiguities of City dealings.

Through crisp dialogue and vivid observation, Fenn crafts an atmosphere at once familiar and quietly charged with tension. The household scenes, filled with wit and affectionate quarrels, are underpinned by deeper uncertainty: mounting financial risks, secret hopes, and the shadow of ill health that touch each member of the Reed family. The narrative's charm lies as much in the author’s social insight as in its undercurrent of suspense—will fortune favor youthful integrity or cynical calculation? Will love and respect weather the tests of misfortune and rivalry?

"The White Virgin" is an absorbing tale for listeners who appreciate literary fiction rooted in the culture and manners of late nineteenth-century England. Fenn’s prose invites the audience to reflect on the shifting boundaries of respectability and aspiration, capturing a world both keenly observed and richly evocative.

Audiobook time & format : 8h21m25s, OPUS, 389 Mo
Audiobook free extract time & format : 5m (see below to listen), WAV
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