Middlemarch

By: George Eliot

Narrated by: Maureen O'Brien

Length: 32 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

Exclusively from Audible

George Eliot's most ambitious novel is a masterly evocation of diverse lives and changing fortunes in a provincial community.

Peopling its landscape are Dorothea Brooke, a young idealist whose search for intellectual fulfillment leads her into a disastrous marriage to the pedantic scholar Casaubon; the charming but tactless Dr Lydgate, whose marriage to the spendthrift beauty Rosamund and pioneering medical methods threaten to undermine his career; and the religious hypocrite Bulstrode, hiding scandalous crimes from his past.

As their stories interweave, George Eliot creates a richly nuanced and moving drama, hailed by Virginia Woolf as 'one of the few English novels written for adult people'. Middlemarch explores nearly all matters of concern to modern life, portraying an entire community and every class within it. Full of irony and suspense and even richer in character it shows how individual lives are shaped by and shape the community. Within Middlemarch, we find Eliot's ability to expand the audience's compassion and imagination.

George Eliot was one of the leading writers of the Victorian era. Her novels, largely set in provincial England, are well known for their realism and psychological insight. When Middlemarch was released Eliot was considered England's finest living novelist with many critics still regarding this novel as the finest in English.

A BAFTA winning adaptation of Middlemarch aired as a television series in 1994.

Narrator Biography

Maureen is an English actress and author best known for playing the role of Vicki in Doctor Who where she starred alongside the original Doctor, William Hartnell. She then went on to appear in The Legend of King Arthur, Casualty, The Duchess of Duke Street, Taggart, Cracker, A Touch of Frost, Heartbeat and Jonathan Creek. In 1985 she made a rare film appearance in the comedy She'll Be Wearing Pink Pyjamas opposite Julie Walters.

Maureen has also appeared in a number of stage productions, for example, The Relapse (Old Vic), The Merchant of Venice (Old Vic), The Archbishop's Ceiling (Bristol Old Vic) and Othello (Bristol Old Vic).

Public Domain (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Among the magnificent.

Middlemarch shines as an example of storytelling not often seen among today's best sellers. Character development with few modern equals.

Incredibly Realistic

Where does Middlemarch rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

The story and the depth given to the characters make this one of the better listens I've enjoyed this year.

What did you like best about this story?

I think the thing I like the most was also what made this book difficult to get through, its depth. This is an incredibly layered story and while there are four (some might argue two) central plots that are related to each other, there are so many subplots and minor characters who have a major impact that it feels like something picked out of history (in that real life is seldom as neat as fiction is made to be).

Any additional comments?

I would recommend getting a print version of Middlemarch in addition to the Audio. With the audio alone, it was somewhat easy for me to lose track of characters and what they had been doing. By keeping a print or an electronic version where I was able to keep notes, it was easier for me to keep track of the characters and the string of events tying them together.

Another comment is in a book with a cast this dense, Maureen O'Brien reused some of the same voices for different characters. This is not a slam against her. Just with a book this long and with as many characters, even the most talented readers would have trouble.

Worthy of the time investment

A beautiful and artfully written saga. The narrator brings this story to life with various voices and accents.

Beautiful story with refreshing feminine heroine

What a lovely story. There was sadness and death for sure, but through it all we cheer for Dorothea! Loved the narration too! Choose this book but know you’re in for a long one - I loved every minute of the storyline and was enraptured with the characters from the get-go!

Exceptional book. Outstanding performance

Wow, Ms O'Brien did an outstanding job of this book. Her slight alterations in tone for each character made it seem lifelike without being over dramatic. Really exceptional work from her. The book is a classic that is a joy each time I read it.

The narrator is the best I’ve heard!

The narrator does an excellent job of capturing the characters’ personalities, and the accents she uses are seamless and lend themselves to the story. Listening to her narration is a pleasure that draws you in and makes you forget that it’s a 32 hour journey from start to end!

Good listen to an old classics

The reader makes this book come alive with her narration. Her understanding of the Middlemarch characters helps her capture (and differentiate) each one of them for the listener. This classic novel was very enjoyable on a long road trip.

spectacular!

A detailed, exquisitely told story,
with enlightening observations of human conduct. The reader transformed what I had thought would be a mannered bore into a story i could not turn off!

Excellent Narration!

I chose this version for the excellent old English style narrator! I have listened to it twice!

Classic novel bears re-reading

In my retirement, I’ve finally took up the challenge to read Middlemarch. This is beautifully narrated and enchantingly written. I certainly plan to listen to it again in a year or two, as it is impossible to absorb rich character development in 32 hours.