Our Mutual Friend

By: Charles Dickens

Narrated by: David Timson

Length: 36 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

A mysterious boatman on the Thames, a drowned heir, a dustman and his wife, and a host of other Dickens characters populate this novel of relationships between the classes, money, greed, and love. The 58 characters are presented with remarkable clarity by David Timson.

Public Domain © and (P) Naxos Rights International

Critic reviews

"With a cast of characters that covers the whole spectrum of London life, Dickens weaves a tapestry of tales that are by turn funny, moving and tragic." (School Library Journal)

"David Timson makes the cavalcade of contemporary types compellingly real." (The Times, London)

"The fact that Dickens is always thought of as a caricaturist, although he was constantly trying to be something else, is perhaps the surest mark of his genius." (George Orwell)

Brilliant, engaging and entertaining

This is the third time I have listened to this. I think this is one of Dickens’ finest. Timson is amazing. I love hearing the voices he pulls out of his treasure chest and pit in this. A great listen. I highly recommend.

Great late Dickens

The humanity of the story is so well conveyed by the narrator. A whole world of Victorian London spreads out in glorious detail. Biting social commentary balances a complicated plot with elements of mystery and romance. The human condition on display!

So good!

This is the first dickens book that I have listened to versus reading. It was an awesome experience. The narrator is amazing. I definitely understand. Why so many people say you have to listen to the stories also to get a new perspective and experience. I can’t wait to start the next one!

My Very Favorite Dickens!

This has everything you could possibly want in a nice, long Dickens tome! There's young love, absurd rich and poor people, nasty rich and poor people, mistaken identity, mysterious goings on, nefarious goings on, wonderful humor, social responsibility and a touch of sentimentality. Nothing "in short" about it, but "Our Mutual Friend" is perhaps the least-discovered best of Charles Dickens!

As always with these books, trying to describe the plot of "Our Mutual Friend" leads to a convoluted and confusing impossibility. Let's just say that it's a long and winding, extremely satisfying tale with greater organization and a little less over-the-top Victorian sentimentality than many others of Dickens' works.

I think David Timson presents Dickens in the very best way. These oversized characters and plotlines are especially wonderful when expressed vocally. The characters are distinct and lively, and it makes the whole experience full of life and color. I got very involved in the story and finished the thing long before I thought I could. The humor especially comes through - I found myself laughing out loud at times.

If you have ever enjoyed a Dickens novel, I'll bet the farm that you'll particularly like "Our Mutual Friend". And, if you have not appreciated some of the more familiar works, you might, in this one, discover why Charles Dickens is so universally acknowledged as a master.

Another Dickens Masterpiece.

Dickens once again manages to create a multitude of memorable characters, some despicable, some bizarre, others endearing, and expertly weaves them into multiple plotlines, never dropping a loose end. A somewhat darker offering than usual, with a little mystery thrown in. Hugely entertaining.

Stick with it!!!

I have to admit - I almost didn't make it through this book. The beginning seemed awfully tedious, and this is coming from a Dickens lover. But I forced myself to keep listening and I'm certainly glad I did, for I ended up loving this book.

David Timson is *brilliant* and I truly hope to see him narrate other novels by Dickens in the future. He makes the characters come alive.

All in all, well worth the listen. If you've downloaded this and feel like you're ready to give up, I urge you to keep listening. The story really picks up and I bet you'll end the novel with the same feeling I did - wishing that there was more!

It doesn't get much better than this.

If you could sum up Our Mutual Friend in three words, what would they be?

Funny, Touching, Intriguing

What other book might you compare Our Mutual Friend to and why?

How do you compare Charles Dickens? I'll say, if you liked

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

David Timson brings life to the book. The way he creates characters, down to the smallest idiosyncrasy - a stutter, the speech pattern is remarkable, painting a picture in your mind of the complete character. If you narrowed the world of readers down to the best of the best, David Timson would be one of them, along with Ron Dale and Juliet Stevenson.

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

YES! but I specifically looked for a book too long to listen in one or two sittings. Even so, Our Mutual Friend is one of those books I wish I could forget so I could listen all over again.

Timson and Dickens are marvelous

I laughed, I feared, came close to crying. Dickens writing is superb and Timson's incredible skill at rendering characters and bringing life to language made it doubly rich.

My favorite of all the Dickens' books

The performance was wonderful and really pulls you into the story line. I don't know how the narrator kept track of all the characters in the story and gave each of them a personality that I felt matched up very well with the written nature of each one. But the real treasure of the book is simply the telling of the story. Charles Dickens is a matchless teller of tales.

Enjoyed the Story

I love this story. The reader expressed the characters very well. I have read this book and watched the movie adaptation several times. I'm thankful to Charles Dickens for writing it.