The Necessary Marriage

· Weidenfeld & Nicolson · Narrated by Emma Powell
Audiobook
9 hr 28 min
Unabridged
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About this audiobook

Jane is sixteen when she first becomes aware of Leonard Campbell. He is a tall, gentle man with full lips and no ring on his left hand. He is her teacher. As he begins to shower her with attention, giving her novels to read and discuss, Jane's interest grows and slowly she falls in love. They overcome obstacles in the form of school bullies and Jane's parents, and it is only once married, that Jane realises she might have settled down too early and given up too much of herself in the process.

They have two children, Becca and Julia, and settle into suburban Surrey in the 1980s. But when Marion and Andrew, a couple whose passion frequently tips into violence, move in next door, Jane is forced to face up to feelings she didn't know she could have. And when Marion abandons her family to return home to Ireland, Jane steps in to help with the couple's two boys, setting in motion a series of events - all of which expose the push and pull within every family. As desire and loyalty are blurred, it becomes clear that nobody can escape the devastating impact of a family falling apart.

Read by Emma Powell
(p) Orion Publishing Group 2018

About the author

Elisa Lodato grew up in London and read English at Pembroke College, Cambridge. After graduating she went to live in Japan where she spent a year teaching, travelling and learning to speak the language. On returning to the UK she spent many happy years working for Google before training to become an English teacher. Helping pupils to search for meaning in a text inspired Elisa to take up the pen and write her own. Her first novel, AN UNREMARKABLE BODY, was shortlisted for the Costa First Novel Award and longlisted for the Bath Novel Award. Elisa lives in Gloucestershire with her husband and two children.

Emma Powell's recent theatre credits include '.45' for Hampstead Theatre, Lady Macbeth and Lady Capulet for C Company, roles in 'Two Gentlemen of Verona' and 'Julius Caesar' for the RSC and 'Persuasion' and 'The Rivals' for ReCreation Theatre Company. Her Radio Drama work includes the classic series 'A Dance to the Music of Time' for Radio 4 and 'Use It or Lose It' for Radio 3 as well as the comedy horror podcast series 'In the Gloaming'. She also has many voice-over credits. GRACELING and FIRE are her first audiobooks for Orion.

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