Bleak House

By: Charles Dickens

Narrated by: Hugh Dickson

Length: 37 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

The case of Jarndyce and Jarndyce has ground its way through the courts for generations. At its heart are Ada Clare and Richard Carstone, who find love - and terrible loss - through their involvement in the endless battle.

Meanwhile, her friend Esther Summeson, who believes she is an orphan, gradually discovers the truth of her identity. The court case throws out a web ensnaring all who come near it, including Lady Dedlock, the menacing lawyer Tulkingham, detective Bucket and tragic little waif Jo.

Secrets emerge, crimes are committed and love affairs bloom. But will anyone ever benefit from the case of Jarndyce and Jarndyce?

©2008 BBC Audiobooks Ltd (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL!!

Having loved the BBC film version of this book, I decided to take a chance on all 37 hours of unabridged audio. SO GLAD I DID!!! Dickens truly has a way with words. The way in which he exposes so many social ills of his day, setting them against the gentle unassuming kindnesses of Mr. Jarndyce and Miss Summerson is remarkable. Except for Christmas Carol, this is my first Dickens "read." Now I plan to listen to all of them!
I would also like to say a word about the narrator, Hugh Dickson. This book has so many characters and Mr. Dickson was able to give a unique voice to each and every one. EXCELLENT NARRATOR! I plan to do a search at Audible to look for other works narrated by Mr. Dickson.

Good Story, Excellent Performance

If you could sum up Bleak House in three words, what would they be?

Too damned long

Any additional comments?

Dickens writes a good story but it is a shame that he got paid by the word. Take out about 300 pages and 25 characters and it would be an excellent read.

Hugh Dickson's performance was magnificent. Some how he conjured up a different voice for the myriad of characters and pulled them off. The women even sounded like women!

A Literary Masterpiece Enhanced by Great Narrator

Would you consider the audio edition of Bleak House to be better than the print version?

Yes, absolutely! The many characters, each with distinct qualities, came alive in this audio version, thanks to Dickson's brilliant narration.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Bleak House?

There were several: the coming of Esther to Bleak House, her subsequent illness, the chance meeting in the woods between Lady D. and Esther, the capture and release of Trooper George, the moment when the relationship between Alan W. and Esther crystallized.

What does Hugh Dickson bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He is the most fabulous narrator I have yet heard on any audible book. His English accent was perfectly suited to this story, as was his ability constantly to change voices between characters and to maintain consistency in those characters over time, especially so given te length of this book.

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

No.

Any additional comments?

The length of this book, the vast array of characters, and the many interwoven threads of story are the main challenges to overcome. You have to listen to it in multiple sittings, but in so doing it is easy to forget what just happened in the prior sitting or who a certain character is who suddenly reappears after an absence of sometimes many chapters. I recommend that the listener have a print version of the book handy simply to use as a backup reference. I found it invaluable.

Brilliant

This book is brilliantly written. I can see why some say its Dickens best. Truly a masterpiece.

Satirical, poignant, Dickens at his best!

I had low expectations of this book and was admittedly daunted by its size. Let me now say, it could be my favorite Dickens novel -- and it was worth every minute I invested in listening to it. The narrator was simply outstanding and the novel was absolutely brimming over with plot -- suspense, murder, mystery, romance, love, devotion, death, tragedy, treachery, humor, and of course, biting satire. There were scenes that made me laugh out loud and scenes that actually made me cry. There were countless unforgettable characters and some of the most touching relationships and dialogue I have ever read. For anyone who loves Dickens, this is vintage -- and the narration was simply perfect. Highly recommended!

Brilliant

I can see why this is considered Dicken's best novel. It is truly a masterpiece. The reader is excellent, brilliant in and of himself, with different voices for each character. This is one of the few books that is better as an audiobook, as his reading really makes the text come alive.

Great narration

I don’t like the book itself. But the narrator is great. If you want to read the book this is a good narration.

Excellent narration

The narration was very very good. All the various accents were convincingly performed and the characters were brought to life.

A bit disappointed, so far

What did you love best about Bleak House?

I'm still struggling through it, but like the story line so far. It's a bit confusing to tie it all together, but that may come yet.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Bleak House?

Since I'm not through yet, I really can't say. Mostly I am having trouble keeping up with the numerous characters, as I listen for an hour or so at a time. This may be an easier book to read than listen to because of the number of characters and their unusual names.

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

The reader gives great drama to the different voices; however, many of those voices are extremely difficult to understand. Also, with the different voices, he goes from whispering to screaming, so that I seem to be constantly turning the volume up or down in order to hear at a normal level.

Can't go wrong

This reader brings the myriad characters/narrators in Bleak House to life. His rendering of their distinctive accents and intonations helps the listener follow the book's twists and turns of structure and plot.