Great Expectations
“With its meandering paragraphs, colorful character names, and engrossing plots, Charles Dickens’s masterpiece is magical in the audiobook format. Anton Lesser’s performance is especially notable for its blend of the traditional and contemporary. He captures young Pip’s transformation from downtrodden lad to society gentleman with all the typical trappings of Dickens’s atmosphere: Precise accent, clipped diction, and mellifluous voice are gloriously present. However, Lesser’s performance is also wonderfully modern in its pacing and phrasing. Where some narrators resort to fusty, passive vocals, wherein they allow Dickens to own the role, Lesser is fully involved and vivacious in each sentence, propelling the story continually forward. This version of a classic is bound to become a classic in its own right.”
AudioFile
In Great Expectations, perhaps Dickens’ most profound and personal novel, we are invited to share in the sentimental education of Pip, the poor boy from the village forge who risks losing himself in snobbery and selfishness when he mysteriously inherits a fortune.
Narrated in the first person, Great Expectations tells the story of Philip Pirrip, known as Pip, from his disadvantaged start as an orphan in the Kent marshes to the improvement in his position following an anonymous allowance. Pip moves to London where, after many trials, he learns about humility and the value of loyalty.
The story moves from the bleak Kentish marshes of Pip’s childhood to a thrilling climax which mingles tragedy and triumph. Key Dickens characters make this classic story truly unique: the convict Magwitch, the eccentric Miss Havisham, and the pompous Pumblechook play key roles.
Like David Copperfield, Great Expectations draws on Dickens’ early life, especially the trials of a boy who, about to enter his teen years, finds himself challenged by tough life experiences.
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