What Maisie Knew
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- $3.99
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- $3.99
Publisher Description
"What Maisie Knew" by Henry James is a compelling novel that revolves around the eponymous young girl, Maisie. Caught in the tumultuous aftermath of her parents' bitter divorce, Maisie becomes a mere pawn in their ongoing custody battle. As she shuttles between her neglectful and self-absorbed parents, she becomes privy to their scandalous affairs and flawed relationships with new partners. Amidst the chaos, Maisie finds solace in the care and attention of two unlikely guardians, Mrs. Wix and Sir Claude, who genuinely care for her well-being. Witnessing the adult world's duplicity and cruelty, Maisie's innocence gradually erodes, forcing her to navigate the complexities of love, loyalty, and betrayal at a tender age.
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Young Maisie Farange finds herself the unwitting pawn in her parents' divorce, as her mother and father use her as a tool for personal attacks. As both parents find new romantic partners, Maisie, who is mature beyond her age, is thrust even further into an adult world of betrayal and sexual gamesmanship. In this audio edition, Maureen O'Brien delivers a standout performance of James's classic novella. Even for audiences who might not enjoy James's prose, O'Brien's narration is both gripping and suitably melancholy. She captures the boiling anger of the adult world, as well as Maisie's sadness and confusion. Maisie's relationship with her governess Mrs. Wix, the sole point of emotional consistency in the young girl's life, is particularly poignant, thanks to O'Brien's reading. Though there's relatively little dialogue in James's work most of the action takes place through narration, filtered through Maisie's point of view O'Brien excels at creating unique personalities for the different characters. Her Maisie, in particular, sounds like a child intelligent but also extremely vulnerable.
