Emma [Naxos Edition]

By: Jane Austen

Narrated by: Juliet Stevenson

One of Jane Austen's most popular novels. Arrogant, self-willed, and egotistical, Emma is her most unusual heroine.

Public Domain (P)2006 Naxos Audiobooks

A truly charming performance

I have had pleasant experience with Nexos Production since 1994, and this rendition of Austen's Emma is as charming and spirited as I could have hoped, the narrator was fantastic in her alteration of voice denoting different characters, absolutely recommended for K-12 and English undergrad.

Will listen again and again!

Love Jane Austin. Emma is a wonderful listen. The narrator was clear and her inflection was true to each character. Highly recommend!

A great story set in the end of an era

Jane Austen set all of her stories when the era of arranged marriages, balls being put on for young people and going to plays were fashionable. Here we meet Emma whose mother is dead and her father being no match for the mother can’t control her. Emma has decided not to get married as it would disrupt her life as she see’s it. So, she sets to arranging marriages or matches as the should be called. She goes through this throughout the whole book meeting a guy who is her equal, but plays to another for affection. In the end Emma learns a very valuable lesson that all should learn. Read to find out what it is and how it applies to our lives in the 21st century including Facebook and other social networks that say they can predict matches better than we can.

An outstanding performance. A real treat

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

If they like Jane Austen I would enthusiastically recommend it. The reader does such a super job on almost all of the characters and hits off several of the characters as portrayed on BBC amazingly. Her timing and inflection were delightful and added alot to the story.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I love both the hero and heroine in this story.

Which character – as performed by Juliet Stevenson – was your favorite?

She hit off Mr. Woodcort so well it was really amazing and did a great job on Ms. Bates. A real joy to listen to.

Excellent narrator

Love Jane Austen and this narrator does such a great job of defining the characters.

Worth Reading

A near perfect novel and wonderfully read by Juliet Stevenson. I liked it even more Pride and Prejudice which is also extremely good.

A Wonderful Reading of Austen's Novel

Emma is the one Austen heroine who doesn't have to worry about money, but she finds independence presents its own problems.

The narrator is almost ideal—though some may find that she makes the annoying Mrs. Elton TOO annoying!

The Matchmaker Meets Her Match

Each year I have a tradition of reading or listening to a Jane Austen book to start my year. This year, I was pleased to put in my earbuds and enjoy the Naxos unabridged audio edition of Emma.

Emma the Matchmaker, Emma the character whom Jane Austen thought only she would love, Emma the woman who found love at last after several misadventures poking her genteel nose into everyone else's love life. Oh yes, I was well-pleased to return to Highbury for Emma's scheming, Miss Bates' goodhearted, but incessant talking, Mr. Elton's smarmy smiles, Mr. Knightley's gallantry, Frank Churchill's charm, Jane Fairfax's secretiveness, Harriet's gentleman crushes, and Mr. Woodhouse's worries.

Emma was a tale I was none to keen on the first time I read it. I found Emma an officious interfering snob particularly into poor little Harriet's life. But, a decade later and I could appreciate the story of Emma starting out that way, but growing and changing through experience and understanding. It was like Mr. Knightley said to Mrs. Weston- Emma needed to fall in love and be unsure of the outcome to fully come into her own because she'd had it all her own way up until then. And, who can resist that eclectic cast of characters?

One part of the tale struck me new and that was Mrs. Elton speaking warmly of her family supporting Wilberforce and the Abolitionists. Just when she seemed one of Austen's most cleverly written mean women characters, she shows she has some good qualities. And, after that point, I noticed that, though officious and pushing, she and her husband do take care of the needing people in their parish. Not, that I ended up suddenly liking the woman, but felt she, like most people, aren't all or only one thing.

As to the audiowork, le sigh, I love Juliet Stevenson's narration of Emma as I have all her other Austen narration work. She captures the tone of writing, the scenes, and voices the characters wonderfully.

All in all, my revisit with Emma was splendid and I can heartily recommend this audio version of this charming Austen classic.

Sreaching woman

Is it necessary for the women to Strachey likrlike that that’s not nice on the ears- other than that it’s wonderful

Fantastic!

The narrator, Juliet Stevenson, is absolutely divine and second to none! What a brilliant performance!!