Mariana

A bright coming-of-age novel, with precise depictions of English domestic life, manners, and characters, written by the great-great-granddaughter of Charles Dickens. The story’s heroine, Mary Shannon, was given many facts from the author’s own life—and, above all, her open and ironic view of the world. In this lively tale full of gentle humor, youthful dreams and the first tentative steps into adulthood come vividly to life, along with a calm confidence that any obstacles can be overcome.

Mary had to live through difficult times: her honeymoon was cut short by the outbreak of World War II. And when a cold, dispassionate voice on the radio announces that the ship on which her husband served has sunk, taking with it part of the crew, his fate remains unknown. In that moment, the world for Mary seems to freeze—compressing to a single, sharp second of terror. Amid the chaos and uncertainty, she finds a quiet, reliable corner—among her memories. In pictures of the past, filled with so much light, warmth, and love from those close to her, she discovers exactly the charge of ease and zest for life. This becomes her support in the face of the unknown and helps her endure, until one day she hears the long-awaited comforting news.

Monica Dickens is a well-known English writer and journalist, the great-granddaughter of Charles Dickens. Over the course of her career, she has written more than 30 books for adults and over 13 works for children. Several of her books were adapted into films, and her children’s series “Follyfoot” (published in Russian under the title “The Farm ‘Life Ring’”) was adapted for television: broadcasts based on these books aired in England in 1971–1973. In 1981, Monica Dickens became a member of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of her outstanding humanitarian work.

Listen to the poignant novel in brilliant performance by Viktoria Isakova. The actress describes the novel as follows: “The perfect embodiment of an English novel, because it’s a tender and very beautiful text about growing up, life, first love, and feelings. And all of it is wrapped in an exquisite presentation of English everyday life of the past century.”

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