Self-Control: A Novel (version 2)


Lu par Simon Evers

(4.5 étoiles; 20 critiques)

Laura Montreville is a well-born and religious girl, brought up in Scotland by her widowed father. She is pursued by Colonel Hargrave, a libertine, who makes an offer of marriage which Laura, not knowing any better, declines at first, saying she will marry him in two years time if he reforms his wicked ways.
The book follows the fortunes of Laura, who suffers impoverishment, illness and humiliation, all the while tormented by Hargrave who has no intention of waiting the stipulated two years and who eventually shows himself in his true colours. - (Summary by Simon Evers) (18 hr 43 min)

Chapitres

Prologue 5:21 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 1 24:18 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 2 19:25 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 3 10:58 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 4 24:22 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 5 16:03 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 6 14:33 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 7 27:07 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 8 15:16 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 9 28:35 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 10 21:50 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 11 19:12 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 12 31:03 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 13 35:52 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 14 41:22 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 15 37:23 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 16 36:29 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 17 1:04:00 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 18 41:29 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 19 37:04 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 20 35:40 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 21 33:19 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 22 47:16 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 23 24:42 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 24 31:56 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 25 38:18 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 26 35:43 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 27 45:35 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 28 44:29 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 29 52:31 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 30 53:04 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 31 37:52 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 32 28:37 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 33 32:29 Lu par Simon Evers
Chapter 34 30:46 Lu par Simon Evers

Critiques

A Command Performance by Simon Evers!


(5 étoiles)

The story could possibly be a bit too long, but is kept alive by the powerful narration by Simon Evers. This reviewer has now completed Mr. Evers entire solo catalog to date, and this performance is probably his best! His audio equipment and production are flawless. The novel itself must have been extremely challenging for the reader to emotionally inhabit the characters and recite the dialogue with such intensity and complete credibility, as is it certainly has the dichotomy of both goodness and evil at both extremes of the spectrum in the characters. Though this story was written over two hundred years ago, it is still entirely relevant today. Overall, this is a beautiful, complex story that covers only a couple years of the heroine’s life. This work is an excellent investment in any one’s time.

Women suffer these men...


(4 étoiles)

Very long in the telling, but many interesting chapters. Of course, Simon Evers is unequalled. Throughout, I smiled...for it is true that so many of us, self-control or not, suffer from these attentions throughout our young years, and end up with a poor perception of "love," marriage etc. For myself, through the scoundrels, as well as the decent men, I at last found peace, happiness and complete comfort- by staying single!

Beautifully read.


(5 étoiles)

Simon Evers reads beautifully. The story is a maudlin one of patriarchal oppression of women. The female lead character internalizes the oppression, and oppresses herself and enjoys all the suffering men cause her. I would deem it performative piety and martyrdom, but she sincerely embraces it. The recurring villain repeatedly offends and harms her and she never insists he face prosecution for his violence and fraud. She energetically weaves a wholly undeserved cloak of shame for herself and wraps herself in it simply because she survived a trans-atlantic kidnapping. A recurring theme is that women deserve the violence men do when women refuse men access to their lives and bodies. The recurring angst surrounding her devotion to her father is repetitive ad nauseum, as is her angst over everything and everybody else. The repeated descriptions of the same angst is tiresome and tedious. Mr. Evers beautiful reading is all that makes the listening worthwhile.


(3 étoiles)

as always Simon Evers read this novel beautifully, however its themes are very much of its time and will not be universally enjoyed.