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| Precious Bane by Mary Webb (1924) |
Love spinnings and Sin eaters
Mary Gladys Webb published "Precious Bane" in 1924 and even though she died three years later this is my posthumous shout out to her for doing so. Seriously... by page 13 when Prue introduces Mister Beguildy, a funky old dude considered 'a preached against man' I was done for."Once I asked him where the future was that he could see it so plain. And he said 'It lies with the past, child, at the back of Time.' "
And oh what a magical past we're taken to in this book.
Born in 1881 in the English countryside of Shropshire Mary Webb began writing shortly after she married a teacher in 1912. Her writings didn't have her and Henry rollin' in dough even after she was eventually published for the first time in 1916 but she stuck with it in between walking nine miles to town in the wee hours to sell flowers at market.
She wrote from her love and knowledge of countryside customs, superstitions, and some of the coolest dialect ever written. At first slightly tough to get your mouth around the dialogue in this book is stellar. At the very least it's mighty fun to try and read aloud such fabulous words like "Dunna drink while she's by. It'll p'ison yer innards".
It's that magical slant that finds me deep into Book 2 of 'Precious Bane' and keepin' me fixed there with my dog-eared paperback copy on my person, or in my purse, where ever I go. Give me ten minutes in the car with one kid snoozin' in her car seat and the other just getting ready for the 3 o'clock bell and I'm in Prue's world. Losin' a few minutes of my day in this story is the best therapy I know.
Loaned to me by a co-worker a few months ago it's only in the last few weeks I've given myself the time to get into the literary groove of 16 year old Prue Sarn and her beloved Kester Woodseaves. High five to my friend Joy for passing this fabulous book on:)
Born in a time and place when curses and consumption claimed so many young Prue, born with a hare-lip accepted as bad luck befallen to a mother crossing paths with a hare with Prue still in her belly, sees her future as one not including a husband or family. A hot lookin' fella by name of Kester, whom she meets at a love spinning, changes all that and rightfully so. Prue rocks......as a main character she's up there with Jane Eyre.
I found myself rootin' for Prue straight from the get-go and cheering on Kester as he shoots down advances from the prettiest and bitchiest women in the countryside. Easily seeing past their petticoats to the dimwits they are Kester urges Prue out from the the shadows where she keeps her face and intelligence hidden. Their relationship up-ends Prue's entire family, headed up by her intense brother Gideon and ever-worrying mother, and sets in motion a battle for the riches and social standing Gideon demands Prue to work toward.
Borrow it, find it a garage sale, discover it on your great Aunt's dusty attic bookshelf, unearth it from some dark corner of the local library.......even if you have to start it over and over just to get the hang of Mary Webb's writing style.....do yourself a favour and have a go at "Precious Bane".
Settle in and treat yourself to Mary Webb's musings......even if it's just to find out what the hell a love spinning or a sin eater is:)
9 out of 10 on my Sue's Funky Literary Finds list.....
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