Wives and Daughters

By: Elizabeth Gaskell

Narrated by: Prunella Scales

Length: 25 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

Exclusively from Audible

Molly Gibson, the only daughter of a widowed doctor in the small provincial town of Hollingford, lost her mother when she was a child. Her father remarries wanting to give Molly the woman's presence he feels she lacks. To Molly, any stepmother would have been a shock, but the new Mrs. Gibson is a self-absorbed, petty widow, and Molly's unhappiness is compounded by the realisation that her father has come to regret his second marriage.

Although Molly resents her stepmother, she befriends her new step-sister, Cynthia, who is loveable, but worldly and troubling. The audiobook chronicles their maturation into womanhood within the confines of the gossiping and watchful society of Hollingford.

As Molly matures and falls in love she learns to judge people for what they are, not what they seem. Through Molly, the social values and changes of early 19th-century England are brought to life in this timeless representation of human relationships. The audiobook is more than just a nostalgic story of village life, it offers an ironic critique of mid-Victorian society.

Known as her last, longest, and perhaps finest work, it was not quite complete when Gaskell died suddenly in 1865. The last section was written by Frederick Greenwood.

Narrator Biography

Prunella Scales is a classically trained stage actress but is best known for her role as Sybil Fawlty in the BBC comedy Fawlty Towers (1975-1979) and for her role as Queen Elizabeth II in A Question of Attribution (1991) for which she was nominated a BAFTA. Her film appearances have included Stiff Upper Lips (1997), Howard's End (1992), and Wolf (1994). She was awarded the CBE for her services to drama in 1992 and the Patricia Rothermere Award for her contributions to British Theatre in 2001. More recent appearances have included the mini-series The Shell Seekers (2006), a production of Carrie's War at the Apollo Theatre (2009), Horrid Henry: The Movie (2013) and a guest appearance in the popular BBC radio comedy Cabin Pressure (2013). Julian Barnes' The Lemon Table and Anne Fine's Charm School are among the many audiobooks Prunella Scales has narrated.

Public Domain (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

I loved this book.

the story is well written, and the characters well described. Prunella Scales narration is outstanding. Don't be put off by the 26 odd hours. The story builds well and continually a great read.

Read this!

This was a compelling story, with finely drawn characters. This is long but very interesting for readers who appreciate period fiction. The performance is excellent. Overall an entertaining read.

Beautiful story

I really enjoyed this story. The beginning was a little dull but once the characters and the story revealed it was so interesting and the characters so real. The narrator was perfection.

Wonderful!

This reading by Prunella Scales gave me my deepest appreciation yet of Mrs. Gaskell's great insight and artistry in rendering human character.

Author Dies Before the Ending

I SOOO wish I had known this before the end. I just about screamed when at the last chapter it stopped! That being said, I did enjoy the story. I spent almost 24 hours listening, and did not regret it until the very end. Even then, I think if I would have been prepared for the authors death, I would have been fine with it. She had already tied up the loose ends and the writing really was on the wall for the ending. After finishing the book, I immediately watched the mini-series and was happy that they really did end it with what I think was the perfect ending to Elizabeth Gaskell's story.

Exquisite

Prunella does a marvelous job of narrating this exquisitely beautiful book. I enjoyed every minute of this tale, enraptured to the end. Gaskell was a masterful storyteller; she had a keen sense of human nature. Loved this book!

Absolutely Brilliant and Beautiful

I loved the story and the narration was perfection. Could not have been better. I cried many time during this story just for the pure Beauty of it all. Mrs Gaskell wrote so beautiful. She takes you to a world you had forgotten ever existed and you fall in love with every bit of it. The tribute to her at the end was beautiful. Such an amazing testimony of the women she was and how she wrote.

Beautiful story, beautifully read

Another Elizabeth Gaskell masterpiece, with plot twists and turns that hearken to Jane Austen. It took a while for this American's ear to become accustomed to the "veddy, veddy" British narrator's sometimes rushed style, but, using my Kindle's reading speed adjustment capability, the chore was lightened, and eventually, adjustment was unnecessary.

Wonderful narration of a great classic

Prunella Scales is a terrific narrator. She does the different voices, accents, intonations and personality-related nuances so very well. Wives and Daughters is a wonderful novel. It's long and (sadly) unfinished with a few chapters to go but I would still highly recommend it.

I love it

Prunella Scales is a perfect narrator- I feel like I am watching a movie of this incredible book.