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Precious Bane
by Mary Webb
First published in 1924
Many reprints

Once in awhile, you run across a book that feels like home; Mary Webb’s Precious Bane does that for me. Set in early 19^th century England, it tells the story of Prudence Sarn, a young woman with a harelip.

For those who knew her, it meant that Prue would never marry—what man, after all, would want to kiss her? For others, it was an excuse to make up tales that she could curse with a look. For Prue, it was reason to hide from the man she loved, the weaver Kester Woodseaves.

Prue worked like a slave for her brother’s dream of wealth in exchange for his promise to pay for a cure. But Prue took moments to appreciate the lilies on the lake’s edge, the molting of the dragonflies, and the heady scent of apples in the attic.

Mary Webb (1881-1927) lived most of her life in Shropshire County. She enhanced her stories with the naturalism and mysticism she learned while wandering the hills and lanes. Shropshire English is heavily influenced by the Welsh language, creating a lively and colorful dialect. Once you catch the rhythm, it’s hard to let go; Webb’s prose will sing in your mind for days.

Webb’s protagonists make her novels shine, but Prudence Sarn is her greatest achievement. She drew from within herself to create Prue because Webb suffered most of her life from the facial disfigurement caused by Grave’s Disease.

Precious Bane is a masterpiece. Mary Webb’s other novels do not reach that pinnacle, but they are well worth reading and still pertinent today as they poetically explore love, passion, and social norms.

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