Nicholas Nickleby

By: Charles Dickens

Narrated by: Simon Vance

Length: 31 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

The most gorgeously theatrical of all Dickens's novels, Nicholas Nickleby follows the delightful adventures of a hearty young hero in 19th-century England. Nicholas, a gentleman's son fallen upon hard times, must set out to make his way in the world. His journey is accompanied by some of the most swaggering scoundrels and unforgettable eccentrics in Dickens's pantheon.

From the dungeon-like Yorkshire boys' boarding school run by the cruel Wackford Squeers to the high-spirited stage of Vincent Crummles' extraordinary acting troupe, Nicholas Nickleby is a triumph of the imagination, bursting with color, humor, and poignant social commentary.

Not a little Dickens: peruse our full list of Charles Dickens titles.

(P)2006 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Great story

This book is highly entertaining and touching. It draws out all the bad characteristics of an era to be examined and laughed at without dismissing how serious they were. A great read and an entertaining listen.

Best Narrator

NN is just what we expect from Dickens and probably most of us have read it at some time before listening to it. Often, listening to a classic is just like spending time with an old friend, and that is the case here. Simon Vance makes the characters jump off the page. I find myself listening to his voice and being amazed by the range of characters he creates. Sometimes I purchase books that I might not have considered because he is the narrator.

I love Dickens' stories!

What did you love best about Nicholas Nickleby?

I love to listen to the stories that Charles Dickens wrote. I've tried to read them and find it hard to hold my attention so I decided to try listening to them. That was the key for me! I've listened to all that I can find! Nicholas Nickleby is such a likeable fellow. Anyone will enjoy this story.

Superb!

As always Dicken's does not dissapoint. The excellent reading by Mr. Vance is truly enjoyable, and with the variety of characters that Dicken's introduces, not one alike the other, Mr. Vance succeeds in giving each a unique voice.

Great book well read

This was well read, making a wonderful story even more engaging. The humour in Dickens books is often overlooked for the sadness and dark outlook but certainly shone through.

Good old Dickens

Not my favorite, as some of the convolutions are a bit much, but great language and some good characters. Reader does a good job with voices.

Simon Vance is wonderful

Characters both men and women come alive in this tale of good vs evil. Not Dickens best work (David Copperfield is my personal favorite) but a classic and great read none the less.

An early Dickens - 1838

I did enjoy this story as just a fun story to read. It has fairly caricatured Dickens villains and heroines. Everything is wrapped up in the end, neatly --- the surprising cousin connection is revealed, and the master villain hangs himself. Very predictable. I guess I enjoy the challenges of the later Dickens novels, like Great Expectations or Bleak House better.

Enjoying the Family Nickleby

One of my very favorite of Dickens novels I love the characters and stories. His prose is very poetic and a joy to read and hear. He definitely was a man of his time and his writing is often set in a situation where a helpless ( and incredibly beautiful) damsel in distress is rescued by a gallant gentleman from the plots and schemes of one or more physically unattractive villains. Thankfully there is much more to the wonderful story which keeps the reader absorbed and amused and at times saddened.
The narrator is very good at performing the roles of a vast array of characters. Mr. Dickens would be pleased.

Excellent

I thoroughly enjoyed reading and listening to this book. The narrator was very very good, The accents sounded authentic, but were understandable even to this American.