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The Heiress
- The untold story of Pride & Prejudice's Miss Anne de Bourgh
- Narrated by: Antonia Whillans
- Length: 9 hrs and 23 mins
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The Heiress
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Summary
A beautifully written LGBTQ+ reimagining of the life of one of Pride and Prejudice's most underdeveloped characters, Miss Anne de Bourgh, The Heiress is an extraordinary tale of self-discovery and liberation set in Jane Austen's beloved world.
As a fussy baby, Anne was prescribed laudanum to quiet her and has been given the opium-heavy syrup ever since on account of her continuing ill health. While her mother is outraged when Darcy chooses not to marry Anne, as has been long planned, Anne can barely raise her head to acknowledge the fact.
But little by little, she comes to see that what she has always been told is an affliction of nature might in fact be one of nurture - and one, therefore, that she can beat. In a frenzy of desperation, she throws away her laudanum and seeks refuge at the London home of her cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam.
Suddenly wide awake to the world but utterly unprepared, Anne must forge a new identity among those who have never seen the real her - including herself.
With its wit, sensuality and deep compassion for the human heart, The Heiress is a sparklingly rebellious novel that takes a shadowy figure from the background of Pride and Prejudice, one of the world's most beloved books, and throws her into the light.
Critic reviews
"With stunningly lyrical writing, Greeley elevates Austen-inspired fiction onto a whole new plane." (Natalie Jenner, author of The Jane Austen Society)
"Haunting. The Heiress has all the hallmarks of nineteenth-century Gothic, which doesn't shy away from 'modern' ills, such as the opiate crisis, Munchausen syndrome by proxy, and homophobia. Highly recommended." (Finola Austin, author of Bronte's Mistress)
What listeners say about The Heiress
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Richard Harrison
- 31-07-22
Excellent
I didn't realise that this book came under the LGBTQ label and quite frankly I don't think it matters. This is a really fine read for anyone. The main character is sad yet she does manage to discover some freedom and happiness for herself. It didn't really need a 'love story' side but the author felt it was important for her novel. For me it is a story about a weak and put upon young woman who manages to find her own voice and strength as a human being of importance.
The novel is extremely beautifully written and I hope the author will go onto write more period pieces as she really does capture the feeling of that time so perfectly.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Adrienne P. Ryan
- 20-10-22
Engaging story of survival
Really enjoyed this book. The narrator was really good and kept me engaged. I did think she was suffering from a cold at one point but that didn’t last for long. Such an unusual and engaging story and I guess could quite easily have been based on fact in some parts. I loved the ending and have listened to it quite a few times. I’d actively seek out other works.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 21-01-24
An excellent story of an overlooked character
Beautifully written and read. A clever idea to account for poor Anne’s ill health and recovery.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- ellie illing
- 17-02-22
Beautiful
I couldn’t stop listening! Beautiful book to escape into. Greeley’s writing takes you into a world that both does and doesn’t exist anymore
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Butterfly
- 02-06-24
Absolutely awful!!! AVOID!
Painfully slow… boring… ages and ages discussing a fly on her hand….. utterly dreadful and then suddenly … boom… she turns lesbian. 🙄
Horrible! Really annoyed I paid for this! Should have read the blatant warning reviews prior.
Deleting this utter rubbish immediately!
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