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An Imaginative Experience

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An Imaginative Experience

By: Mary Wesley
Narrated by: Samuel West
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About this listen

A traveller on a train returning to London smells the burn of brakes as it hisses to a stop in the middle of the countryside. He sees a white-faced woman leap from the train and race to the aid of a sheep stranded on its back, unable to rise, in a field. Righting it, she turns, and he sees her face is full of tragedy. Considering tragedies of his own, he does not intrude, but the image lodges in his mind: a strange but familiar despair, unable, despite itself, to ignore the desperation it recognises in others.

From these seeds Mary Wesley draws out a plot of an unforgettable impact: of loss, of release, of a necessarily comic acceptance of fate, of love - the 'imaginative experience'. Rich in character and wit, and powerfully moving, this is a novel of the heart's pain and deliverance.

©1994 Mary Wesley (P)2014 Audible, Inc. Contemporary Fiction Genre Fiction Fiction Heartfelt Tear-jerking Transportation

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All stars
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A little slow a little under developed in parts but overall worth a listen on the train

Easy listening

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I have enjoyed Samuel West's renditions of other Audible titles, but for this book, he sounded somewhat rushed and harsh, as if he didn't like the story. He was nothing as good as Anna Massey had been. I like this tale by Mary Wesley - I have read the book and listened to a BBC Radio 4 production - but found this Audible version a bit disappointing.

A good story spoilt somewhat by the performance

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I've read this book several times before from cover to cover and never tire of reading it and now hearing it read aloud on Audible. It grabs you from the first page and all it's many facets & directions right till the end, make it impossible to put the book down or stop listening to the audio. I will definitely be reading it / listening to it again; it's one of my go to books. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who likes a good book to get their teeth into and don't let go!

It's not about Sheep but I love Sheep and this story!

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...of a very good story. Complicated, yet believable. I've read all of Mary Wesley's books. Never imagined how enjoyable and satisfying it might be to listen to the narration. Sam West gets all the credit. He's a genius.

Remarkable narration...

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Didn’t disappoint. The narrator was great and the story typical Mary Wesley - just what I hoped for.

Wonderful Mary Wesley!

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Any additional comments?

It reminds me a little of the film Sleepless in Seattle: lightly entertaining and inconsequential. The good characters need love and mothering, and the bad ones are enjoyably awful. Her observation of urban life is good though I wouldn't recommend it if you are looking for acute insight. The dialogue is mostly well written but in a few places I thought it missed the mark.

The reading is gentle and pleasant to listen to though lacking expression in the dialogue. The production quality isn't as good as most audible books. The sound distorts slightly and the volume is unsteady. I still give it a solid 4 star recommendation, perhaps best for the holiday reading list.

Lightly entertaining and inconsequential

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