The Well of Loneliness cover art

The Well of Loneliness

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The Well of Loneliness

By: Radclyffe Hall
Narrated by: Ell Potter
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About this listen

The Well of Loneliness will go down in history as one of the world’s first published novels to depict a lesbian relationship.

After publication in 1928, it was banned for obscenity before going on to become an international best seller.

It tells the story of Stephen Gordon, an Englishwoman from an upper-class family who is ostracised for falling in love with another woman, Mary Llewellyn.

Groundbreaking in its day, Radclyffe Hall’s novel ultimately makes a very clear plea in regards to homosexuality: 'Give us also the right to our existence'.

In this exclusive production, Audible’s breakout star Ell Potter (Winter Dark, Winter Rising) breathes new life into the classic novel.

Public Domain (P)2020 Audible, Ltd Classics Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction Emotionally Gripping Heartfelt Winter British Classics

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Behind the scenes

Ell Potter on recording during lockdown.
0:00
All stars
Most relevant  
Engaging and transportative. Performed brilliantly. Homophobes should be forced to read it at gun point. Though I suppose the guns probably shouldn't be loaded.....

As beautiful and moving as when I read it twenty years ago.

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This book is full of emotional turmoil and was brilliantly narrated by Ell Potter. I couldn’t stop listening. A masterpiece.

Excellent

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Blown away by this book.
The book’s nearly 100yrs old, yet there’s so much in it which is as now!
Unsurprisingly a classic novel.

A Must Read

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This book talked to my very core. At times I felt so much like Stephen that my throat ached. this books speaks to the heart of the "inverted" and the silent abuse of the social rejection. A masterpiece of it's genre.

a heartfelt book

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I read the book in the 1980's and it had me in tears. I listened to this audiobook and have openly sobbed. We have come such a long way in the last fifty years, as far as acceptance goes. Today's young women have an easier time getting to grips with their sensuality and that pleases me.

HEART WRENCHING

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Fascinating novel and the audio reader does a fantastic job of bringing all the characters to life with real skill and feeling.

Compelling novel, excellently read

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It makes you realize how few and far between literary accounts of past lesbian and queer lives are accessible to us.
The feeling of isolation, doom, rage, being an outcast and yet loving that normalcy that rejects you. Needing to outperform “the normals” in hope of gaining their approval which never comes - super interesting in the context of WW1.
And yet a call for living a full life as “an invert” - a desire that can never be silenced.

The narrator did a wonderful job - especially with various accents present in the story - priceless!

Feeling and thought-provoking

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Literally the best book I have ever read or listened to. Both writing and narration.

Best book ever!

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Stunningly good story & reading - mulii-voicing many different characters. This isn’t just a great lesbian novel, it’s a really great novel full stop.

Stunningly good story & reading

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In the end love was true but loses everything. Set in stately home living, World War One, holidays in Tenerife, France and Switzerland and a home in Paris we are shown the money geographically . But the reader is also taken on a journey through the growth and development of lesbian sensibility from child to adult through the passions of Steven Gordon. Her father was haunted by his studies into what the future held for his daughter. Could the father’s need for a son have created a person who would be abominated by polite society? Written at a time when sexuality was either normal or perverse and anyone other than obviously normal was an “invert,” Radclyffe Hall describes the consequences of extreme prejudice, judgement, and rejection. Lesbian women are shown as needing to forge additional identities for themselves as artists, writers, composers to make up for their unacceptable queerness.
Steven Gordon is rich and talented which buys some respectability, but even that and her talent as a novelist can not compete with gossip and ultimate rejection of her ménage and ultimate tragedy.
That to be a what is called now a “butch” lesbian makes a woman so unacceptable if not ridiculous pervades the whole novel- the drama of desire against restraint in the face what others might think in the end overcomes and robs women of love and joy and a normal life.
Nevertheless a compelling read but not much fun and games despite an attempt at camp but instead grave heroism from our sisters.

Ell Potter provides a remarkable performance

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