Our Mutual Friend

The Audible Dickens Collection

De: Charles Dickens, Lucinda Hawksley - introduction

Narrado por: Meera Syal, Lucinda Hawksley - introduction

This definitive performance of Our Mutual Friend - Dickens' final completed novel - features expert narration by Meera Syal and an exclusive introduction written and read by Lucinda Hawksley, great-great-great-granddaughter of Charles Dickens. Hawksley is a biographer, author and lecturer, whose wealth of knowledge on Dickens is both research led and personal. She introduces us to the themes in Our Mutual Friend and tells us how they connect to the life of Dickens' himself.

Full of both satire and social analysis, Our Mutual Friend looks at what could happen in Victorian England when a fortune passes to a working-class couple. The audiobook will enchant the listener with its larger-than-life characters, its poignant depiction of social injustice and the singular seed of hope with which Dickens hints at the possibility of a better tomorrow.

About the author

Having experienced the incarceration of his father, Charles Dickens had to abandon his studies at a young age and set to work in a factory so as to support himself. Despite his short-lived education, Dickens went on to write 15 novels, various articles, novellas and short stories. He lectured and led campaigns for children's rights and education and arguably became the ultimate self-made man.

About the narrator

Comedian, writer and actor Meera Syal rose to prominence as one of the creators of comedy sketch show Goodness Gracious Me, and cemented herself as a household name in the UK portraying Sanjeev's grandmother, Ummi, in The Kumars at No. 42.

Multitalented Syal has penned novels, scripts and screenplays, as well as lending her vocals to various songs and albums. Here she uses her voice to tell our Dickensian story with all the mastery you would expect from this talented performer.

Public Domain (P)2018 Audible, Ltd

Good story with a great performance

I'm not a fan of Dickens, because he tends toward the sentimental, but I nevertheless appreciate his skill in writing and his command of language. This is one of his best stories, and the reader performed it excellently.

The story is not Dickens' best, but pretty good

This wasn't my favorite Dickens novel (that would be David Copperfield). It didn't have any of the comic characters that are so much fun in some of his other novels, and the story wasn't wonderful. Nonetheless, for Dickens fans, it is a must read (listen). The narrator - Meera Syal - was awesome! All in all, an enjoyable way to spend 34 hours.

Amazing narration! So many voices

This book is long, but if you’d like Dickens, and you don’t mind getting into the weeds a little bit as he expands on unimportant topics, it is a great listen.

My favorite Dickens novel

Although I am probably in the minority this was my favorite Dickens novel. The iconic opening scene on the Thames was the essence of Dickensian London. Very interesting plot twists and way ahead of its time. As with all Dickens' novels there were a few instances of superfluous characters and stretched out plot lines. The villains in this novel were the best part.

Expertly narrated Dickens masterwork

The Audible Dickens Collection is well produced and narrated. This book, Our Mutual Friend was Dickens’ last completed work before his death. It has all of the qualities we expect of Dickens - vivid, quirky characters, plot twists, social commentary, moody atmosphere. This production is performed by Meera Syal - she inhabits the multiple characters so colorfully, and giving each character a distinctive voice.