The Duke's Children

By: Anthony Trollope

Narrated by: Timothy West

Length: 21 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's summary

Exclusively from Audible

The Duke's Children is the sixth and final audiobook in the Palliser series.

Plantagenet Palliser, the Duke of Omnium and former Prime Minister of England, is widowed and wracked by grief. Struggling to adapt to life without his beloved Lady Glencora, he works hard to guide and support his three adult children. Palliser soon discovers, however, that his own plans for them are very different from their desires. Sent down from university in disgrace, his two sons quickly begin to run up gambling debts.

His only daughter, meanwhile, longs passionately to marry the poor son of a squire against her father's will. But while the Duke's dearest wishes for the three are thwarted one by one, he ultimately comes to understand that parents can learn from their own children.

A remarkable story of love, loyalty and principles, written by one of the most respected novelists of the Victorian era. With over 40 published novels, Trollope's is regarded as some of the greatest 19th-century fiction.

Narrator Biography

Timothy West is prolific in film, television, theatre, and audiobooks. He has narrated a number of Anthony Trollope's classic audiobooks, including the six Chronicles of Barsetshire and the Palliser series. He has also narrated volumes of Simon Schama's A History of Britain and John Mortimer's Rumpole on Trial.

West's theatre roles include King Lear, The Vote, Uncle Vanya, A Number, Quarter, and Coriolanus and his films include Ever After, Joan Of Arc, Endgame, Iris and The Day of the Jackal. On television, Timothy has held the regular role of Stan Carter on EastEnders (BBC), as well as appearing in Broken Biscuits (BBC), three series of Great Canal Journeys, Last Tango in Halifax; Bleak House, Bedtime and Brass.

Public Domain (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"...his writing feels like life, it's hard to say just how he works his magic...." (Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker)

The Final Palliser Novel

The Duke's Children is the last of the Palliser sequence, and probably the weakest as an actual novel. For those who have been following the adventures of Plantagenet Palliser, his family and friends from the very beginning, this final instalment immediately suffers a major blow with the premature death of Palliser's inimitable wife, Glencora, Duchess of Omnium. Over the course of a long and prolific career as a novelist, Trollope created many memorable characters, but the flighty Glencora is surely his masterpiece; so fully realised and full of life that it seems almost as incredible to the reader as to to her devastated widower, that she is dead. Always a distant, if worthy parent, Palliser suddenly finds himself like a ship without a rudder, and a virtual stranger to his three children. As his daughter and two sons enter adult life without their mother he finds himself totally ill-equipped to handle the social and emotional crises into which they precipitate him.

With Glencora gone, the burden of the plot falls mainly on her children who seem to resemble her more than their father. All of them, are shadows of their mother, and because there are three of them, the storyline sometimes lacks focus. The heir, Silverbridge, a rather limited but well-meaning young man, overly given to expensive and dubious exploits on the turf, appals his father (a former liberal prime minister) by deciding to enter politics on the Conservative side. His brother Gerald is an irresponsible university student. Their sister, Lady Mary, horrifies her father by engaging herself to a most unsuitable young ma. This makes her admittedly better than her brother, who manages to propose to two different girls at the same time, but her engagement becomes even most distressing to Palliser when he discovers that his late wife not only knew about, but encouraged the relationship. Unfortunately, none of the children are as entertaining as their late mother, and Silverbridge's bumbling forays into politics lack the incisive interest of his father's. This is not to say that The Duke's Children is a bad novel; on the contrary it is reasonably entertaining and anyone who has read the others will want to read this one. Nevertheless, it is impossible not to feel that Trollope was running out of steam when he wrote it.

As always, a brilliant reading by Timothy West.

Another Trollope Masterpice

What made the experience of listening to The Duke's Children the most enjoyable?

As with the other Trollope novels, I liked the transformation of Silverbridge from the prospective suitor of Lady Mabel to the fiance of Miss Bon Kassen (I hope I spelled that right; This is audible you know). I almost forgot the gradual coming around of the Duke of Omnium to reconcile himself tothe chosen mates of his children. Then, of course there is the steadfastness of Mary to Silverbridge which matches the steadfastness and loyalty of Mary to Frank in Doctor Thorne. There is nothing really new in this novel, though I never get tired of Trollope and his keen insight of human character, male and female.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I liked Silverbridge the best. He is frank and direct which is a refreshing change from the convolutions of Lady Mabel and the other scheming members of the upper class, especially the females who must catch a titled and wealthy man. On the other hand, I guess Silverbridge is born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth which makes it easy for him to be so honest and forthcoming.

What does Timothy West bring to the story that you wouldn???t experience if you just read the book?

Timothy West goes with Anthony Trollope like cream cheese goes with jelly. By the way, he doesn't imitate female voices which seems to be very awkward for a male voice. Simon Vance is also excellent but I don't like his female voice imitations. West's narrative is smooth and his reading of Silverbridge and the Duke of Omnium would be non existent if I had just read the book. Timothy West is supeb in all his Trollope readings and this is no exception.

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

I can't say the book was a thriller of that sort. Rather, it was like good wine which I want to sip. I knew the plot from the Masterpiece Palliser series. Like all the Trollope books it stresses characterization and you feel like you are mixing with the cream of English society, though some of them can be scoundrels and liars like Lady Eustace in Lady Eustace's diamonds. For the lower classes you will have to go to Dickens though the heroes and heroines remain in both the upper and lower classes.

Trollope never disappoints.

Anthony Trollope is one best Writer's of women characters. He never disappoints his readers. The narrator is superb. The best.

One of the greats of English literature

Essential reading for all English speakers
Trollope is timeless. & relevant even today for social and political insight

Could be any family today, great story!

I was pleasantly surprised how much I loved this story. It really is a great story about a stubborn man and his children. He has to learn to move with the times. Doesn't that happen in every family in every decade?

Keep listening, it starts kind of slow, as the Duke has just lost his beloved wife and the book has the air of that mourning over it. Once the children start acting up, so does the book. The length of this book is just right for me, not too short or too long - although I would like to continue the story!!

This book ends the Pallister story line.

average trollope novel

it was nice spending the time with anthony trollope, once again. i'd give this one a 3, or 3 1/2 stars since i don't think it ever really got off the ground. characters a bit two dimensional ... parts about parliament and hunting more interesting (although these are not subjects that generally keep my attention). so, on balance, an average trollope read, which, to his fans, is good enough reason to use an audible credit!

finally a bad trollope

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

it stinks - and it's long - kept on waiting for it to turn around but never did - even timothy west couldn't make this nag run.

Did Timothy West do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

yes but found his depiction of american women voices to be irritating - for some reason whenever an american woman speaks mr. west adopts a deeper voice.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from The Duke's Children?

most of it

Any additional comments?

i'm a big fan of trollope and west but this one was a stinker.