Cluny Brown

A Novel

De: Margery Sharp

Narrado por: Anna Parker-Naples

Cluny Brown refuses to know her place in society. Last week, she took herself to tea at the Ritz. Then she spent almost an entire day in bed eating oranges. So, to teach her discipline, her uncle, a plumber who has raised the orphaned girl since she was a baby, sends her into service as a parlor maid at one of England's stately manor houses.

At Friars Carmel in Devonshire, Cluny meets her employers: Sir Henry, the quintessential country squire, and Lady Carmel, who oversees the management of her home with unruffled calm. Their son, Andrew, newly returned from abroad with a Polish emigre writer friend, is certain the country is once again on the brink of war. Then there's Andrew's beautiful fiancee and the priggish town pharmacist.

While everyone around her struggles to keep pace with a rapidly changing world, Cluny continues to be Cluny, transforming those around her with her infectious zest for life.

©1944 Margery Sharp (P)2018 Tantor

Delightful novel

This is a delightful novel. The reading by Anna Parker-Bowles is superb. My strongest recommendation.

SPOILED BY THE NARRATOR

I love this book. I have read it many many times, and, although the sample I heard wasn't as fine as I could have liked, I got the book anyway and thought, as with other audio books, that even with an iffy narrator, I could enjoy it. I was wrong. This narrator takes all the wit and charm right out of the book. Her choice of voices for the characters is truly unfortunate, and she seems so determined to maintain the accents, etc. of these various characters that she misses the point--certainly the humor--of the sentences they speak.

Delightful upstairs/downstairs story

Don't miss this one. Cluny Brown is unique in British upstairs/downstairs fiction. Brilliant, surprising and fun. Loved getting to know her!

Peek into the past

Set between the wars but written in 1944, this story with interesting characters gives us a sense of the changes WW I brought into British society

Delightful Twist

Sharp always crafts darling, just a little bit bittersweet tales. Cluny Brown - the character and book - did not disappoint.

Narration of Polish gentleman was dreadful…actually ruined the book.

The story is so good, a different reader would have made all the difference. I bought the book so I could finish.

Needs a different narrator

I love the Margery Sharp books, and bought this even knowing, from her narration of The Nutmeg Tree, that Ms. Parker-Naples would do her best to spoil the story. Her mispronunciations and inappropriate phrasing are worse than the unsuitable voices she gives the characters. Too bad; what a wasted opportunity.

Horrible narrator

I am sure the book is witty, with accents from the different classes marking the contrast between upstairs/downstairs. I can also see where the main character's irreverence will make the story fun and engaging. But the narrator spoiled it all. Her performance made me either have to pay too close attention to catch the story's nuances, or just check out and miss the occurrences all together.

Even though the outcome was predictable, this was a fun listen.

There was nothing unexpected in the story and it was well suited to my needs at the time. It did not require complete attention. It was a good distraction and entertaining while doing other tasks.

Absolutely Delightful

I’m so delighted to find this charming British wartime comedy of manners available as an audiobook. The wit and warm-heartedness of the author are wonderful to discover in 2021 and something to revel in during these dark times.