Mary, Mary

Description

Mary, Mary is a book by Irish author James Stephens, first published in 1912. Mary Makebelieve, a sixteen-year-old girl, resides in the impoverished slums of Dublin alongside her mother who works as a charwoman, toiling away in the homes of the affluent. Despite their grim reality, Mary and her mother find solace in daydreams, weaving tales of opulence and grandeur. Escaping the harshness of their surroundings, they immerse themselves in these alternate lives, yearning for a better future. Yet, Mary's aspirations for real improvement hinge on a good marriage - a prospect that eludes her comprehension. Stephens paints a stark portrait of squalor, contrasting the soot-covered city and the cramped confines of the Makebelieves' modest apartment with vivid depictions of nature's wonders and expansiveness. Amidst Mary's complex interactions with men, profound insights about relationships emerge, and the author seizes these moments to imbue the narrative with timeless wisdom.

This book has 43,253 words, 75 pages in the PDF version, and was originally published in 1912.

Production notes: This ebook of Mary, Mary was published by Global Grey on the 1st June 2023. The artwork used for the cover is 'A Hopeless Dawn' by Frank Bramley.