Daniel

For some reason, the narrator chose to read this in a smarmy, sing-songy, declamatory style that was extremely annoying. It's a shame, as the book is an important part of the dialogue about health, eating, and the food chain.

If you're a Dickens lover, then you're used to the intricate plots, the bizarre personalities, and the occasional frustration of having to sit through a scene with characters you don't like. This is good Dickens, not great, with a Deus ex Machina that's only a little less ridiculous than that in Martin Chuzzlewit. David Timson, however, is nothing short of fantastic. Every character is uniquely realized, and you can completely forget that you're listening to a single person reading. Highly recommended.

The story was surprisingly strong, and occasionally went in unlikely, though interesting directions. Will Wheaton's perfomance, however, was disappointing. It was impossible to tell several of his male characters apart, a significant problem when they were talking to each other.