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Middlemarch

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Middlemarch

By: George Eliot
Narrated by: Juliet Stevenson
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Dorothea Brooke is an ardent idealist who represses her vivacity and intelligence for the cold, theological pedant Casaubon. One man understands her true nature: the artist Will Ladislaw. But how can love triumph against her sense of duty and Casaubon’s mean spirit? Meanwhile, in the little world of Middlemarch, the broader world is mirrored: the world of politics, social change, and reforms, as well as betrayal, greed, blackmail, ambition, and disappointment.

Dorothea Brooke is an outstanding heroine; Middlemarch is filled with characters that are vivid and true, comic and moving. It is one of the greatest novels in the English language.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

Public Domain (P)2011 Naxos AudioBooks Classics Fiction Genre Fiction Historical Historical Fiction Literary Fiction Romance
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Posh society in nineteenth century rural England is not really my thing. Classic stories of reputation, honour and doomed love... Nah. not for me, I thought. But Middlemarch is supposed to be one the greatest novels.

Quite a claim. So when i had some work to do that meant I had some serious listening time ahead of me I begrudgingly thought i would do my duty. At first all was as I expected; an archaic story about stuffy and privileged people who need a kick up the backside... Where are the working people? Where are the servants and tenants?

But in time I put away my modern self and began to understand that the attraction is in characters that are so well drawn you understand them perfectly, and so believable are their actions and yearnings that listening to Middlemarch got steadily less and less tiresome. It became a quiet pleasure, and eventually a whole-hearted and peculiarly innocent JOY.

I may even have cried a little, though this seldom occurs to me and I would not tell anyone i know... ;-)

An absolutely superb reading by Juliet Stevenson too. Top of the class.

Resistance is, eventually, futile.

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If Oscars were awarded for audio-book narrations, Juliet Stephenson would surely be in the front line to win several for her multiple performances in Middlemarch. This inordinately long book is made to feel considerably shorter by her fine portrayals, giving each separate character his or her own distinctive voice.

Highly recommended

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This is one of my favourite novels and is now one of my favourite Audibles. I really didn't want it to end and actually went back to the beginning again for a while. Juliet Stevenson' s reading, for me, was perfect. She caught all the characters beautifully and the pace was just right. Listening to this made me want to hear other books read by her. I shall be listening to this again too.

Middlemarch read by Juliet Stevenson

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The opening chapters of this book are fairly off-putting. Dorothea is a prig, her sister Celia is tiresome, Casaubon is painful, but don't be discouraged. As the author gets into her stride the characters take on a depth that at times surpasses even Austen's characters. There are some very humourous moments and some of great pathos. The story doesn't ever crack on at a pace, but if you understand delayed gratification you will enjoy this book. Stevenson's ability to inhabit dozens of characters is wonderful, and although a few of the voices grate it is worth persevering. Rosamund Vincy is a tour de force, one of English literature's undiscovered female protagonists. Read this book, you won't regret it!

George Eliot's Genius

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Juliet Stevenson wonderfully brings to life this classic novel of events and the residents of the fictional town of Middlemarch. It is a slowly unfolding story with much of the novel being a commentary on the characters and social mores of the time. Juliet Stevenson's beautiful narration of the rich vocabulary means that the novel never drags. If I had read this I might have put it down unfinished but with this format I have been able to listen to several chapters at a time whilst gardening. When it finally finished I felt both a sense of achievement and sadness that it was over. Thank you Ms Stevenson for revealing this great classic to me.

Great reading of a classic novel

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