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The Aloe

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The Aloe

By: Katherine Mansfield
Narrated by: Alix Dunmore
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About this listen

Before she became one of the most celebrated short story writers of the 20th century, Katherine Mansfield poured her raw, unfiltered voice into The Aloe—a vivid, semi-autobiographical novella that later evolved into her renowned story, Prelude.

Set in colonial New Zealand, The Aloe captures a moment of transition for the Burnell family as they move into a new home. At the heart of it all is Kezia, a perceptive young girl whose sharp eyes and quiet curiosity offer a child's view of adult tension, familial love, and the quiet dramas of everyday life.

Through lush, lyrical prose, Mansfield explores the unspoken complexities of women's roles, family expectations, and inner longing—all from the inside out. This early work is not just a precursor to literary greatness; it's a quietly radical portrait of memory, growth, and the strange beauty of ordinary moments.

Katherine Mansfield (1888 – 1923) was a New Zealand writer and critic. She was an important figurehead of the modernist movement, befriending the likes of Virginia Woolf and D. H. Lawrence amongst others. Her works regularly explored themes such as sexuality, religion and existentialism, and have been translated into twenty-five different languages across the world.

©2025 Katherine Mansfield (P)2025 SNR Audio
Anthologies & Short Stories Classics Family Life Genre Fiction Short Stories
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