Shirley

By: Charlotte Brontë

Narrated by: Anna Bentinck

Length: 25 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

Set in the industrialising England of the Napoleonic wars, a period of bad harvests, Luddite riots, and economic unrest, Shirley is the story of two contrasting heroines and the men they love. One is the shy Caroline Helstone, trapped in the oppressive atmosphere of a Yorkshire rectory, whose life represents the plight of single women in the 19th century. The other is the vivacious Shirley Keeldar, who inherits a local estate and whose wealth liberates her from convention.

(P)2007 Isis Publishing Ltd.

Superb narration!

Anna Benting’s narration is superb and captivating. I have thoroughly enjoyed listening to this classic tale.

Not my favorite bronte, but definitely worth read

This was a little tiring at times but i still enjoyed it. by tiring i mean that it felt slow and there were times when i realized i wasnt listening and had to go back. that said, the narrator was good, and still the story line is nice and definitely worth reading. villette is still my recomended favorite of Charlottes.

great listen

loved it, reader excellent, Bronte superb, enjoy English history and literature, combination is very entertaining

Greenhagen

Shirley is a rich tale with depth of character and storyline!! I enjoyed every character and turn of events!! ❤️ Oh if language and sentences were structured as in the time of the Brontë sisters!! 🥰

Boring story

It was rather boring although the reading was quite good. It was boring then exciting than boring than exciting. I cannot wait for it to be over.

My love of the Classics

I recently fell in love with classic novels (less than a year) & I have found Charlotte Bronte's novels superb. The use of descriptive language makes me realize how much we (as a society) have lost with the growth in technology. No one utilizes language in this imaginative manner anymore! Shirley is an excellent, heart-warming novel. It is the perfect companion to any task or hobby.

a better listen than read

This was proof to me of the value of audiobooks! I picked up my paperback of "Shirley" several times over the last 20 years but never got past the introductory chapters. As a listen, I very much enjoyed "Shirley" as a 19th century novel-romance and for the characters and the commentary on women's roles. I was disappointed in it as an "industrial novel," but I guess it's the best the experience a Bronte could furnish. I thought Gaskill's later "North-South" was a better example of that sub genre, but I do not find Gaskill's novels as satisfying a reading (or listening) experience.

Charlotte Bronte is my favorite

Charlotte Bronte is by far the most elaborate story teller. I love her so much. I started reading classics kinda late, and she's brought me into a whole world I long to explore very deeply. It feels like she's writing just for you

Anglophile favorite

Would you consider the audio edition of Shirley to be better than the print version?

Not necessarily

Would you recommend Shirley to your friends? Why or why not?

I would recommend Shirley to any who love the time period or the stories of British. I just returned from England and loved coming home and hearing the descriptions of the moors and the life of the English townpeople in their struggles during the British Industrial Revolution.

What about Anna Bentinck’s performance did you like?

Terrific reader that keeps one engaged in long descriptive parts.

I don't really like Charlotte Bronte

Of the Brontes, I only like Anne, who is more realistic. Charlotte and Emily were so romantic, are full of filler, and seem deeply invested in relationships we would consider abusive or, at the very least, unequal. However, this was a book club read, so I read it.

I thought I'd like the narrator, but I didn't. She was too slow. Her male voices, particularly with a French accent, were so slow as to make me scream. I often turned off the audio and went back to the book, so I could make progress at a better pace. I felt she had odd pauses and her narration didn't match the way the book was written. In fact, I often...felt...myself...thinking of...William Shatner...

I'm exceedingly glad I paid so little for the audiobook as part of a "buy the Kindle book and get the narration for...". I'd return it if I'd paid full price.

Apparently I'm an exception, given all the five star reviews, but unless you are into really excessive language, page after page of classical references in "journals" about the person loved, and very high pitched female voices (because they're young and soft, you know), I'd pass on this.