Daniel Deronda

By: George Eliot

Narrated by: Nadia May

Length: 30 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

One of the masterpieces of English fiction, Daniel Deronda tells the intertwined stories of two characters as they each come to discover the truth of their natures.

Gwendolen Harleth is the beautiful, high-spirited daughter of an impoverished upper-class family. In order to restore their fortunes, she unwittingly traps herself in an oppressive marriage. Humbled, she turns for solace and guidance to Daniel Deronda, the high-minded adopted son of an aristocratic Englishman. But when Deronda, who is searching for his path in life, rescues a poor Jewish girl from drowning, he discovers a world of Jewish experience previously unknown to him, and to the Victorian novel. Dismayed by the anti-Semitism around him, the tragedy of the lovely Gwendolen begins to fade for Deronda. When he finally uncovers the long-hidden secret of his own parentage, he must confront his true identity and destiny.

(P)1997 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic reviews

"Nadia May meets the strenuous demands of Eliot's narration with easy assurance." (Library Journal)
"Daniel Deronda is a startling and unexpected novel....It is a cosmic myth, a world history, and a morality play." (A.S. Byatt)

Great novel, sub-par narrator

This is a wonderful and interesting novel ruined by sloppy narration. The woman cannot even pronounce 'Mirah' correctly. Furthermore there is a nasal quality to her voice that makes it unpleasant to listen to, particularly for so many hours.

Wonderful Recording

Nadia May is remarkable. I have listened to her before and, in part, choose this because of her.

Brilliant

Great story wonderfully read and I simply loved it!. A great listen, enjoy and share with others!

Exquisite performance of a masterful literary work

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

I would recommend this audiobook to any friend who had a philosophical mind, who delights in interior, rather than exterior events, who can appreciate the mind of a truly masterful writer. Nadia May's reading of this book and its wonderfully complicated characters is one of the best I've ever heard.

Who was your favorite character and why?

It's very difficult to pick a favorite character, but I would have to choose Daniel Deronda himself. He is subtle, complex, and deeply compassionate. A spiritual guide to Gwendolyn, he serves as a spiritual guide to all readers, as well.

What does Nadia May bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Nadia May brought a vivid nearness to each of the characters she portrayed with such cohesion and understanding. She is more an actress than mere reader. I felt as if I were watching a play or a movie, rather than listening to a book, and this was entirely because of May's superb performance. It's almost too exquisite a reading to be called a performance.

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

No. I listened to it over a period of almost two months. It is more than 30 hours long.

Any additional comments?

I listened to the book while I read from the Oxford edition, and I think the two companion experiences and media made it all the more penetrating. This is probably one of the best books I've ever

Good, but not one of the very best

I'm a fan of George Eliot, but If you're wanting to get a start with her, I wouldn't recommend this one as the first to try. There are two stories entwined, one about spoiled, self-centred and self-indulgent Gwendolen Harleth, and the other about Daniel Deronda, brought up as the "nephew" of a baronet but ignorant of his true parentage. A large theme is Judaism, and I was hoping and expecting to find an examination of the attitudes of various upper-class and aristocratic Victorians to Jews.

It's just not there, and I was disappointed.

I was also a little disappointed with the narration: it's good, but it's not as good as the very best.

There is still plenty to like about Daniel Deronda. The portrait of Gwendolen Harleth in the first half of the book, before her marriage, is excellent, and the description of how she accepts the proposal of the rich but cruel selfish Grandcourt is outstanding.

Not my favorite George Elliot novel

While I admire greatly Elliot’s courageous positive portrayal of Jews in nineteenth century England I found the book as a whole to be one of my least favorite Elliot novels. I usual enjoy her opining in her novels, but in this novel she way over does it, to the extent I felt like I was reading a series of essays rather than a novel.

Great classic enhanced by a pitchperfect reader

Would you listen to Daniel Deronda again? Why?

Yes. Classic with so much depth it bears reading over and over

Have you listened to any of Nadia May’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No

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

Way too long to listen in a single sitting. I enjoyed savoring it in segments as, no doubt, George Eliot expected her readers would when she wrote it.

A different Romanticism

A long, very long, yet worthwhile journey. Here Eliot explicitly presents us with a "Romanticism" which does not seem silly while it also avoids falling into Nihilism. Eliot is right, In life sometimes the " good guys" do win.

Bliss

Eliot’s last and most profound novel, a joy to read and to listen to. Nadia May captured each character, many of whom—especially Daniel Deronda—will live on in my mind. Like Gwendolyn, I will be better for having known him.