Alison Larkin Presents: Great Expectations

By: Charles Dickens Freely Adapted by Alison Larkin

Narrated by: Alison Larkin

Length: 20 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

Best-selling novelist and award-winning audiobook narrator Alison Larkin changes the gender of Dicken’s most famous character in this dazzling new recording of Great Expectations.

It's still the same thrilling story of youthful innocence, unexpected escape from cruel poverty, an old woman jilted at the altar, a beautiful, haughty, damaged young woman, and a mysterious financial gift that transforms the life of a young person. But one thing has changed. In this version, Pip is a woman.

In this world, it is completely normal for a girl to learn to read and kiss another girl and be able to walk into a tavern without being molested or start a promising career thanks to a mysterious financial donation.

It's an irresistible question. If gender had been simply irrelevant in the 19th century, where would we all be now?

"A novel rich in imagination, detail, and surprises requires a narrator who can embrace every element of the story - Alison Larkin is that narrator." (Audiofile Magazine)

"Alison Larkin is hugely entertaining." (The Times)

©2019 Alison Larkin (P)2019 Alison Larkin Presents

Critic reviews

"Alison Larkin serves double duty as adapter and narrator of this reimagining of Great Expectations. Larkin creates a world in which the iconic orphan Pip is female, but her story of ongoing dramatic reversals in fortune and love remains otherwise the same. The production magnifies the significance of the adaptation by firmly conjuring the image of a young woman making her way in the world. Larkin's young Pip has a delicate voice, which becomes noticeably stronger as Pip grows into herself. Larkin's portrayal of Miss Havisham is appropriately brooding and histrionic, while Estella, Pip's unrequited love, is exquisitely cold in tone. Every character in the vast story has a distinct voice or accent, and Larkin throws herself into the performance without restraint." (AudioFile)

Brilliant rendition!

I had read Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, as a child. Lately, I’ve had a hankering to read the classics again, but not having the time to do so, picked up audiobooks as an alternative. I approached Alison Larkin’s version with a mixture of trepidation and curiosity - the former as I had greatly loved Dickens’ books and was concerned about whether audio versions could do them justice or change the mental image I had had of the story, the latter driven by the narrator’s choice to change Pip’s gender to a woman – I wanted to see what impact this would have on the story. Well, to say that I was absolutely blown away by Larkin’s rendition of Dickens’ classic, is an understatement! Larkin brought the story to life in a manner that was astonishing! Her outstanding vocal range – her voice changes as Pip grows from a little girl to an adult woman, the rasp of the Convict, the shaky madness of Miss Havisham, the overbearing precision of Jaggers, were all brought to life into fully developed flesh and blood characters in a way that would have made Dickens proud. And the choice of Pip as a woman – it was amazing to see how well the story stood up to the change. In fact, I would go as far as to say that the change deepened and brought to life aspects of the story that would otherwise have escaped notice. Larkin’s narration benefits hugely from the fact that she has immense empathy for the characters, lending them depth and fleshing them out into the extraordinary creatures that the genius of Dickens concocted. I wholeheartedly endorse this audiobook!

Brilliant

It's Dickens. And yet Pip is a woman. And it doesn't matter. Why? Because Dicken's prose is the same and the narrator, Alison Larkin, is nothing short of superb.

It's a fascinating experiment. The fact that Pip was a woman didn't take me out of the story at all - it just didn't MATTER that she was a girl.

I loved this and recommend it highly to anyone wanting to listen to a superbly narrated Dickens novel. I'm still thinking about it days after listening. It's a timely adaptation too - fresh and original. Well done!

Wonderful Narrator with a Classical treat

The Classics are Classics for a reason and this female version with a great Narrator is a feast for the ears.

Download and enjoy.


This Book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.