Wonderful. An excellent book, excellently read.

Middlemarch teaches us that other people have interior lives as rich and complex as our own, which is an infinitely valuable lesson for us, and a demonstration of rare insight on the author's part. It is a long and sometimes difficult book, but will doubtless remain with the reader long after its completion. Stevenson's reading is ideally suited to the text, elevating and animating it in the listener's mind. The product is a rare accomplishment in the art of storytelling.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

Superb narration

I thoroughly enjoyed Middlemarch. The contrast between Juliet Stevenson's refined speech of the Victorian nobility and her rough male country bumpkin voices made me lol.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

Juliet Stevenson brings complex tale to life

Absolutely loved this complex tale of politics, money and the women's lot in Anytown 1830s England.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

A book of exceptional intelligence, insight and entertainment

Juliet Stevenson’s narration of this classic is peerless. She vividly and faultlessly brings to life the wide range of fascinating characters of Middlemarch, in all their human complexity. Engrossing and completely rewarding.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

A portrayal of a highly regulated society.

The book follows several famlies of differing stance in rural England during the early 1820's.
Eliot explors the social graces, customs between the single & married, as well as interconnections, attitudes of family & neighbours.
While the narators reading was impecable, character voices were mostly indecipherable, concentration was a must to keep up.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

So enjoyable

I loved this book. Both the story and the narration were wonderful. I didn't want it to end.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Outstanding in every respect

I first read Middlemarch when I was in my late teens, and in the intervening 50 or so years I have read it at least once each decade - perhaps more. I wondered if I knew it almost too well to enjoy it as an audiobook. Instead, I have been transfixed by Juliet Stevenson’s beautifully judged reading, which helped me navigate the denser passages of Eliot’s prose and seemed to envelop all the narrative threads in a keen and compassionate understanding. This is such an inclusive work, concerned with all strata of Middlemarch society, different political stances, all stages of life - even gender politics gets a look in. As always I was floored by Eliot’s insight into what can go awry in a marriage and how we (or most of us) must accommodate the loss of our early aspirations. Listening to this reading, I was also struck by how much she has to say about friendship - about looking out for each other. And I have never wept as much as I have this time around. What a novel! Highly recommended.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Over 35 hours of an amazing read!!

Loved it! Old-fashioned, humorous and compelling all at the same time. George Eliot is one of my new favourite authors! Love the narrator too.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

A masterpiece brought to life

I'm presently listening to this beautiful reading of Middlemarch for the third time, having listened to some chapters many more times than that just to savour them. The beauty, humour, poignancy and humanity of George Eliot's wonderful novel is brought to life brilliantly by Juliet Stevenson's reading. She makes every character real and distinct, and voices the narrator perfectly.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Middlemarch Journey

Juliet Stevenson's clear diction and delicate character delineation leads us through the tortuous Middlemarch journey. We become completely absorbed in each character's hopes and despair. A story I could hear again and again and never tire of the deceivingly simple plot.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

9 people found this helpful