Middlemarch

By: George Eliot

Narrated by: Kate Reading

Length: 31 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

Middlemarch is a recognized masterpiece that explores the complex social world of 19th century England. It is concerned with the lives of several ordinary people, albeit ones with high social standing. The novel explores the very fabric of Victorian society in the 1800s, showing how various human passions, heroism, egotism, love, and lust, interrelate within this society.

The novel is set in the small town of Middlemarch and follows the inter-related lives of several characters. At the heart of the book is Dorothea, a kind-hearted and honest woman, who longs to find some way to improve the world. She marries an older academic, Casaubon, against the advice of her friends and family. Casaubon tries to assert his influence over Dorothea, but she refuses to succumb to Casaubon's will. Casaubon soon dies of a heart attack, and Dorothea marries his cousin, Will. But, in a last attempt to control Dorothea's life, Casaubon's will states that if Dorothea marries Will, she will lose her claim to Casaubon's estate.

Other unforgettable characters in Middlemarch include the young doctor, Lydgate, who come to the town to start his own practice. He soon falls in love with Rosamund, a woman who has spent her life in Middlemarch, and they eventually marry. Fred Vincey, used to a lavish lifestyle but also a gambler, falls into debt as he waits to inherit money from a rich neighbor. He drifts toward the clergy, and longs to marry Mary Garth. But until he proves himself worthy, Mary will have nothing to do with him.

(P)2006 Tantor Media, Inc.

Narrator is Amazing!!

This book comes to life because of the spectacular narrator. I felt as if I was a citizen of Middlemarch because of the life the narrator imbued the characters with - just can’t say enough! The book was, of course, a welcome respite for me from what is going on around me in the world now. It was delightful to go and live in this book with these characters for a while.

Glad I listened to this

It’s really long and from an era past, so I was intimidated to start Middlemarch. And it was initially a little hard to get into with so many characters and story lines and lofty conversations about art and politics of another age and (for me) country. But Eliot has a wry wit that I enjoyed with little comments about human nature, which, of course, hasn’t changed much at all over time. And gradually all the story lines started intercepting and it felt like a fun soap opera. In the end, quite a satisfying read. Also, the narrator did an excellent with all the different voices, imbuing each with character of his or her own. Quite a feat for such a long narration and so many prominent characters.

Perfect

Absolutely Brilliant! I was totally engrossed the entire 31 hours, barely able to tear myself away. George Eliot's writing is unbelievable, and Kate Redding does it total justice. Buy this book! You won't regret it.

Excellent listen

I read comments primarily for insights on the quality of the narration, and I can confirm that the reading of this very enjoyable novel is excellent.

Magnificent!!

It is for good reason modern authors such as Julian Barnes and Martin Amis have cited Middlemarch as probably the greatest novel in the English language. George Eliot's (pen name of Mary Anne Evans) penetrating insight into the innermost workings of the human character, in all its variety, is nothing short of breathtaking.

The setting of a small town in early 19th century England and the people populating it is quite ordinary but it is the genius of Eliot that we come to see that "ordinary" people are anything but. From the wonderful Dorothea, a young woman yearning "to do something important" with her life, to Mr. Casaubon, a pedantic scholar who grows increasingly embittered and fearful as he begins to suspect the meaninglessness of his life's work, we are granted access to the secret heart of each character, with all its hopes, nobility, delusions, pettiness and frustrations. Add to this Eliot's generous sense of humor and you have a truly extraordinary book--one of the very few I consider worth repeated readings.

The novel may begin a bit slowly for some readers, but perseverance will be richly rewarded. Kate Reading's narration is a masterpiece in itself.

VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

worth the time investment

I listened to this book during my commute. It helped pass a very tedious drive. The reading did not disappoint. The novel is very long, but this gave the writer enough time to develop the characters through the course of the story. I especially enjoyed the preludes to each chapter and will use some of them to look for future readings. The themes are universal and thought-provoking. I may take the initiative now to read the book.

The Best

This book is full of psychological insight; the characters are memorable, and the narrator does a superb job. I loved listening to this!

Amazing Listen, worth the effort of concentration

A bit of advice to begin with: This is not a book to listen to while distracted. I started listening earlier in the year but I was thinking of something else. A couple hours in, I realized I didn't know Lydgate from Ladislaw and was thus thoroughly confused when I did try to pay attention. One can listen to a light comedy or a familiar story distractedly, but this book deserves (and rewards) more attention.

I eventually put the book aside and came back to it when I had more time to focus on the story. I'm glad I did. The book is complex and rewarding on multiple levels. The characters are thoroughly fleshed out as people with faults and good qualities in realistic proportion to one another. The book follows the stories of all these many people in and around Middlemarch and traces their interactions with one another, not just those interactions that directly affect the "main" character.

While listening, I was impressed by the author's skill and took pleasure in observing how thoughtfully she crafted this book. I felt like the author respected her readers and wanted to challenge them with a complicated array of characters, interesting analogies and impressive phrasing (even a vocabulary that rewards readers for knowing little used words like "somnambulatory" which even my spell-check won't acknowledge). Though hardly a new book, there was something fresh about they way the characters were described or, rather, described themselves to the reader.

Characters in the book were individuals. They had different ways of speaking, illustrated for us, it seemed to me, more by the author's crafting of their speech patterns than by a narrator's use of distinct voices (and the narrator was very pleasant and I would recommend her, but she also did well to read a fantastic book). Some of the characters and situations were quite simply funny, not in a slapstick way, but in a subtle way. The author showed us their foibles and we could chuckle at them or nod and move on.

Throughout, the book wasn't exactly happy nor was it sad, again, a more complex way to craft a story. Elements of the story were dark, but not depressing or painful to hear. Other elements were pleasant and there were "happy endings" for some of the characters. In writing this review, I keep comparing this book, in my mind, with too many books I have read recently, popular books that spoon-feed the reader flat characters, contrived situations and easy laughs or sappy emotion. This book puts them all to shame. I loved the way the author painted a vibrant, complex, multi-layered picture of life in this community without feeling contrived or forcing the reader to "feel" a certain way or guide us to a simple lesson or understanding.

There were times when the listener knew that the character was making a mistake, but we knew this as something we wouldn't want to do, or we knew what both characters thought and could therefore recognize how whey were misunderstanding each other. I have long been a fan of Jane Austen and especially like reading about misunderstandings between characters who come to understand each other (as in Pride and Prejudice). George Eliot's characters don't always come to understand their mistakes together, but the characters do grow and change and come to understand themselves (sometimes) and their situations. Another element I yearn for in fiction is strong (female) characters who develop as the story progresses. Though I'm not sure I like Dorothea, I certainly respect her. She is strong and interesting, and though she stays solidly committed to her core values, she develops during the story.

Seriously, you need to listen to this as soon as you have time.

George Elliot always great

Loved this book. One of the very best books I have listened to. So entertaining, So much depth to the characters. Kate Reading is a wondeful reader, I always enjoy what she performs. THE book is GREAT, much to reccommend it

a somewhat difficult.and long listen .

worth the effort. remarkable depth, insight and a cast of great characters brought to life amazingly well by Kate reading. this books ability to emerce you in the time period makes for a particularly wonderful experience. It took me a very long time to finish but having mastered the language and experienced what.this book.offers I'm sure to revisit the remarkable Vista this masterwork has created in my brain often. amazing time travel experience beyond all the other atributes this unforgettable work has to offer