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E. F. Benson
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Queen Lucia Audio CD – Audiobook, July 1, 2002

by E. F. Benson (Author)
4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 685 ratings
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Mrs. Emmeline Lucas of Riseholm is a relentless social climber who rules her small English village with a calculating mind and an iron fist. She is attended at every turn by Peppino, who writes bad poetry, and her best friend, Georgie, with whom she plays Mozart duets and pretends to speak Italian. Lucia's position is shaken by a newcomer to Riseholm who absorbs Georgie into her own orbit, and reveals Lucia's shallowness, vindictiveness, and ignorance of music and culture. The other residents of Riseholm cringe at Lucia's many plots and indiscretions, yet cheer when she is able to re-establish her position at the top of the social order. A delicious, witty read.
Previous page
  1. Language
    English
  2. Publisher
    Isis Audio
  3. Publication date
    July 1, 2002
  4. Dimensions
    6.96 x 2.03 x 9.42 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    075311478X
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0753114780
  7. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Isis Audio; Unabridged edition (July 1, 2002)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 075311478X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0753114780
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.04 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.96 x 2.03 x 9.42 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.0 4.0 out of 5 stars 685 ratings

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E. F. Benson

E. F. Benson

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Customer reviews

4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5
685 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

propertius
5.0 out of 5 stars Plus Ca Change...Well You Know
Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2015
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When reading a book the reader should ask himself what was the author attempting to accomplish and did he succeed. I dare say that Mr. Benson set out to write a brilliant and entertaining satire and social commentary and he certainly accomplished this.

The mark of great satire is that it stands the test of time, and this story of the social world of a, I assume, Midlands English town could have been written today and transplanted to any affected American suburb today. Yet the characters do not lose their unique English personalities, pretensions and attributes. It rang true then and it rings true now.

Delicious are the leitmotifs of speaking Italian (which Lucia and her husband can't) and the visit of an opera diva to their little world. Where another writer may have sullied the experience of "the queen" and her fate, Benson makes certain that social mores triumph but without too much rancor.
5 people found this helpful
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jeg@xtra.co.nz
4.0 out of 5 stars A light amusing read
Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2014
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I first came across these "Lucia" books several years ago in an old library. I find the characters quite addictive in a gently amusing way. The stories give us an insight into a way of life from the period between the first and second World Wars; a time without T.V. or the Internet so that the only important things in life happen within their tiny community.
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D. Geveke
5.0 out of 5 stars Laugh out loud
Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2023
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Made. Me laugh. One of the funniest books I have read in a while. Great if you like British humor. Looking forward to reading the whole Lucia series.
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Donald Draper
3.0 out of 5 stars Much ado about nothing!
Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2013
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But isn't everything? Long before we had the Housewives of the world, we had Lucia. But alas for us her world had gotten lost: obscured. I have quite forgotten why our how I discovered this series by E.F. Benson but I am glad I did. Set in a fantastical English village before WWI where no-one works except at gossip, dinner parties, gardens, and piano recitals Lucia and crew fill there days with trivial, nonsense and anything petty. Hardly a recipe for deep thinking! But damn if I didn't get hooked. And let's face it, the above mentioned mentioned Housewives of Beverly hills or Miami or New York are just as plain! It's a great book between heavier fare. And you just might get a glimpse of people in your own circle of friends and insight to their hearts.
4 people found this helpful
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Michaele L. Benedict
5.0 out of 5 stars gossip and rivalry both love and hate the bossy Lucia
Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2014
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I have read all E. F. Benson's Lucia and Mapp books several times, and they remain as fresh, hilarious and charming as they were on the first reading. The citizens of Riseholme and Tilling, with their projects and passions, gossip and rivalry both love and hate the bossy Lucia, but they always find they simply cannot do without her---and neither can I.
4 people found this helpful
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Baffled
1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing
Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2019
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[from Goodreads]
I read in a review of one of Angela Thirkell's books - on Goodreads - that another reader thought she was less sharp in her satire than E.F. Benson. That sounded like fun, it was not. The main problem I found was Lucia who is a thoroughly dislikeable character; pretentious, vain, arrogant and self-delusional.

Her friend Georgie is considerably more tolerable, though he too is pretentious, engaging with Lucia in speaking Italian - the few words and phrases they know - and talking "baby-talk" to one another. Ooooee.

Other people in the village are more or less - generally less - interesting. That is until Olga turns up, she is a breath of fresher air and manages to deflate Lucia - unintentionally - on several occasions. To no avail, Lucia at the end is as completely idiotic as in the beginning of this a completely dispensable book.
3 people found this helpful
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Becky
2.0 out of 5 stars "Silly little book..."
Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2013
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As someone said previously, this is a silly little book. Characters are a bit odd and sometimes, creepy. I give it 2 stars: one, b/c it was a free Kindle download and the second star is for the work that the writer put into the story. As far as content, this was not at all my 'cuppa'.
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Lovina Northram
4.0 out of 5 stars Never a dull moment among warring women
Reviewed in the United States on December 20, 2012
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I would recommend these books for those who enjoy English country life, bridge, and the competitiveness that goes on in life and in the game. The characters of Lucia, Miss Mapp and Georgie are marvelous, not to mention Div (short for Godiva); Benson's assortment of characters are as interesting and varied as an English Country garden. Warning: there is no sex or violence in these novels.
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Top reviews from other countries

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Nora
5.0 out of 5 stars Buona edizione
Reviewed in Italy on September 11, 2021
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Buona edizione
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Rainedon
5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 8, 2018
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This was a re-read after many years and it’s just as fabulous and witty as I remembered
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Michael Links
1.0 out of 5 stars Uninteresting
Reviewed in Australia on October 24, 2019
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The book club recommended it. I was struggling to finish reading it. I found it quite uninteresting.
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Dinesh J
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in India on January 7, 2016
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The book is hilarious. What else is there to say?
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Maria Suarez
5.0 out of 5 stars Divertidísima
Reviewed in Spain on January 23, 2014
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La historia, llena de malicia y crítica, es fascinante
los personajes... simpáticos dentro de su general idiotez
te encantará odiar a Lucia, la manipuladora y engreída Lucía...
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