Moll Flanders

By: Daniel Defoe

Narrated by: Davina Porter

One of the most determined, energetic, and lusty heroines in all of English literature, Daniel Defoe's Moll Flanders will do anything to avoid poverty. Born in Newgate Prison, she was for 12 years a whore, five times a wife (once to her own brother), 12 years a thief, and eight years a transported felon in Virginia before finally escaping from the life of immorality and wickedness imposed on her by society. She is as much a survivor and just as resourceful as Defoe's other great literary creation, Robinson Crusoe.

Celebrated as "a masterpiece of characterization" by E. M. Forster, Moll Flanders is both a cunning examination of social mores and a hugely entertaining story filled with scandalous sexual and criminal adventures. In Moll, Defoe created a character of limitless interest, in spite of her unconcealed ethical shortcomings. Taking Moll through the echelons of 18th-century English society, Defoe seldom moralizes as he champions the personal qualities of self-reliance, perseverance, and hard work - even when it takes the form of crime.

Public Domain (P)2010 Tantor

I don't even know if this is a joke

My spinning head seems to think it's a merry-go-round of a woman marrying everyone she sees, having vanishing babies, repeat.

Fascinating!

Any additional comments?

It is difficult to believe that this audacious novel was written by the same author as Robinson Crusoe, that classic among all that is definitely traditional and even somewhat staid!
Here, a very independent minded woman pretends to tell us her life story marked with bigamy, theft, incest, embezzlements, etc.

Since the overall plot is described from the start, the whole suspense lies in how what is announced will actually fit in (it does).

The novel may be read at multiple levels since the degree of truthfulness on the narrator’s part is of course questionable given that she tells the reader about her life based on deceiving others.

She certainly seems completely amoral and her single motivation appears to be money. Thus, in very modern fashion, her loyalties vary according to her own interest. For much of the work, she complains that she has no friend but has no qualms time and again to abandon her own children. She does develop a very close relationship with another woman, although it seems to be somewhat unidirectional in her favour. If it was as intimate as one may deduce, it certainly would have been completely scandalous in her days. Although the author does not shy away from providing precise details in many instances, he remains elusive on this account.

This enthralling work written three centuries ago is very pertinent today and warmly recommended to all (adult) readers.

good listen

overall not a bad book. the narrator constantly got quiet at the end of sentences. and it was hard to hear her sometimes. but not terrible. I've heard worse.

Another great classic!!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

It's a great marathon read. Very entertaining.

What about Davina Porter’s performance did you like?

Wonderful job with the characters!!! She did an awesome job with the voice of Moll Flanders, as well as, the countless other characters she portrayed.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, it's a long story.

Absolutely loved the literature and the narrator

I am not easily impressed, but this book and the narrator were excellent. I especially enjoyed the cadence in Ms. Porter's voice. I love the way she said brother hmmm husband and WHORE. Her narration made a good book great! Well done. A treat for any Audible listener.