Can You Forgive Her?

By: Anthony Trollope

Narrated by: Timothy West

Length: 28 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

Exclusively from Audible

Can You Forgive Her? is the first of the six in the Palliser series.

Trollope inextricably binds together the issues of parliamentary election and marriage, of politics and privacy. The values and aspirations of the governing stratum of Victorian society are ruthlessly examined, and none remains unscathed.

But above all Trollope focuses on the predicament of women. 'What should a woman do with her life?' asks Alice Vavasor of herself, and this theme is echoed by every other woman, from her friend, the uncomfortably married Lady Glencora, to her aunt, the coquettish Mrs. Greenow, as well as her clear-headed cousin, Kate.

Alice is torn between marrying her ambitious but violent cousin George or the bland but gentlemanly John Grey, ending up both accepting and rejecting each of them in turn and thus transgressing from the Victorian moral code.

In contrast, her friend Lady Glencora is forced to marry the rising politician Plantagenet Palliser to prevent the worthless Burgo Fitzgerald from wasting her vast fortune.

Trollope was considered one of the most successful and respected English writers of the Victorian era. With more than 40 published novels, they are regarded by some as among the greatest of 19th-century fiction. Many of his works covered political, social and gender issues. Fans of his work have included former British Prime Ministers Harold Macmillan and Sir John Major.

Narrator Biography

Timothy West is prolific in film, television, theatre and audiobooks. He has narrated a number of Anthony Trollope’s classics, including the six Chronicles of Barsetshire and The Pallisers series. He has also narrated volumes of Simon Schama’s A History of Britain and John Mortimer’s Rumpole on Trial. Timothy West’s theatre roles include King Lear, The Vote, Uncle Vanya, A Number, Quarter, and Coriolanus. His films include Ever After, Joan Of Arc, Endgame, Iris, The Day of the Jackal. On television, Timothy has appeared in Great Canal Journeys, Last Tango in Halifax and Bleak House.

Public Domain (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Fabulous Listen!

As usual, I was completely entertained with the narrator as well as the story of this Anthony Trollope novel. The characters are so alive. I usually listen to books-on-ipod when I am sewing: I found myself stopping just to really listen to the action of this novel!

Another great Trollope book

What made the experience of listening to Can You Forgive Her? the most enjoyable?

Like most of his books, Trollope has a wonderful way of talking aside to the reader as if he were narrating just for us- not just being an observer to the story.

Have you listened to any of Timothy West’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Great performance once again by Timothy West- I love how he adds to the characters with voices.

Any additional comments?

The frustrating part of this book is the space between chapters- can vary between 1 and 10seconds... the latter making you question if the recording has been accidentally paused.

Anti-hero Syndrome; Fantastic Reading

Suffers a bit from having an "anti-heroine" who, despite much and many attempts on Trollope's part to step inside her mind and explain Alice Vavassor to the reader, is still a bit of a puzzlement. However, still brilliant prose and well-rounded characters. As always, West's reading is like having "Uncle Trollope" read his work to you!

Another great story!

I love these historical novels from English days gone by. I especially liked that some of the characters from other Anthony Trollope stories were woven into the pages of this story. Great read! (And great narration by Timothy West!)

Can You Forgive Her?

fabulous Anthony Trollope does it again! Spent many hours watching these charming characters Trollope draws the reader into the lives of his characters

New to Trollope

After listening to “Can You Forgive Her?” The first of six Palliser novels I’m wondering why it took me so long to get around to Anthony Trollope. He was a prolific and brilliant writer and quite humorous in his approach. Supposedly, he was a favorite of Queen Victoria and I can see why. His writing is clean and dialogue tremendous. Each chapter (80+) in this work is a complete little play that makes one want to quickly continue. He wrote a ton of books and perhaps that is the problem. Where do you start? And, can they all be as good as this one. I’ve read most of Dickens and Trollope is certainly his equal in many ways. My guess is he’s not as famous because of his subject matter—politics and manners. He writes interesting and engaging women characters. In this one we are introduce to Lady Glencora who was browbeaten into marrying a man, a wealthy future duke, she didn’t love. One presumes that she will be a continuing character in all six Palliser novels. Glencora is also extremely rich in her own right and she is in love with the ner do well Bergo Fitzgerald and considers running off with him and leaving her marriage and position in society. A parallel story involves her cousin Alice Vavasor who breaks her engagement to the almost perfect John Gray to pursue a relationship with her cousin George Vavasor to whom she had been previously engaged. George turns out to be something of a sociopath and Alice, in the end, returns to the arms of the very persistent Mr. Gray while Lady Glencora decides her boring husband, the future duke, isn’s so awfully bad. He, in fact, gives up his life long dream to become Chancellor of the Exchequer to spirit his wife off to Europe to save her from the temptations of Bergo. She invites Alice. John Gray follows and all ends well. There are some wonderfully comic characters in the book like Aunt Greenow and her suitors Mr. Cheesacre and Captain Bellfield who are extremely entertaining. I will cross post to Audible as kudos have to go to Timothy West who reads this book most brilliantly. All the great actors must now be reading books for a living. He is tremendous with both men and women’s voices.

I can’t stop listening to Trollope!

I’m so glad Audible has seen fit to record all of his books because I just love him more and more with every story!

What a Combination!

To have the superb reading by Timothy West and the fantastic writing of Anthony Trollope is a dream come true. I cannot get enough of Timothy West's reading nor of this author. I just love this book and this performance. I highly recommend this reading.

Totally modern Trollope!

The central characters step out of the box in this Victorian novel. An insightful view of how women think, with that wonderfully dry British humor. My favorite of his books so far.

Entertaining

Good insight into Victorian aristocratic society. I always enjoy Trollope's clever use of language and his subtle humor.