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Winner of the Prix Femina literary award for its ground-breaking themes, Precious Bane by romanticist Mary Webb is a story of finding beauty in being different.
Set in the Western English countryside during the French Revolution, Prue Sarn is a teenage girl whose bane is a cleft lip, a defect she was born with. Unable to rid herself of the blight, she bears her deformity with dignity at most times, but succumbs to deep-rooted shame at others. Kester Woodseaves, a weaver who travels through the county to make a living, is one of the few people who can see clearly past Prue’s mark and understand the beauty of her character, but Prue does not see herself as worthy of his feelings. Prue’s brother, Gideon, is unlike Prue in every way. He is self-righteous, ambitious, and cares little for the suffering of anyone but himself. In order to increase his wealth, Gideon plans to marry a beautiful woman named Jancis, but Gideon incites the wrath of her father, the wizard Beguildy. In a cruelity that matches Gideon’s, Beguildy brings tragedy and misery into their lives, and suddenly, everything has gone wrong. Prue and Kester inevitably become wrapped up in Gideon’s mess and soon, Prue’s comfortable life begins to fade away as she is suspected of witchcraft.
Precious Bane, published in 1924, is a beguiling story that reveals how beautiful one’s character can be, but how ugly one’s true nature can be too. Prue is highly spiritual, has her own sense of humor, and does not bear to pity herself despite how she is treated for being different. Highly praised Precious Bane is not only a masterpiece of Webb’s writing, but a lesson that everyone can learn from.
