Washington Square (Blackstone Audio Edition)

By: Henry James

Narrated by: Lloyd James

Length: 7 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

On New York City's Washington Square lives Catherine Sloper, a shy and plain-looking young woman who is tyrannized by her wealthy, overbearing father. When young Morris Townsend begins to court her, Dr. Sloper, distrusting his motives, threatens to disinherit Catherine.

In accordance with her father's suspicions, young Townsend disappears, leaving Catherine to humiliation, heartache, and lonely spinsterhood. Years later, after her father's death, Townsend returns, and Catherine must make up her own mind about his intentions.

This 1881 novel was adapted into the popular movie The Heiress.

(P)1999 Blackstone Audio Inc.

Critic reviews

"Washington Square is a perfectly balanced novel...a work of surpassing refinement and interest." (Elizabeth Hardwick)
"It's James at the top of his form." (AudioFile)

Love, betrayal, loss...

This is a very sad story of a simpleton who is swindled in love by a rogue. Her intrusive aunt fuels this toxic relationship, yet her overprotective father suffocates it to the point the rogue leaves town and the girl is left to become an old maid. I believe there are better stories of misplaced love out there, but it was a beautiful and simple tale of betrayal and lost trust. Save yourself the 7 hrs listening time, however, and invest it in "Wuthering Heights". Also, the narrator has a fine voice, but he was all wrong for this story. He was much too "flat", which unfortunately made the story a bit flat.

Remind me to never read Henry James again

Story ambles and rambles and then just ends after going nowhere with no redeeming virtue

A Light Classic

If you enjoy well written 19th century classic literature, this is a great choice. It's pretty light, and not quite as intriguing as The Portrait of a Lady, but it still keeps you interested. My only complaint is the narrator's pacing- he reads well, but leaves interminable pauses between most of his sentences. It might be worthwhile to listen to a sample before buying it.

excellent all around.

wonderful narrator. I love the slower pace and pauses that allow the listener to enjoy the beautiful language of Henry James.

Loved it.

Interesting characters and great narrator. Good story. Different plot than most books. Want more like this.

Great Listen!!!!

Loved the movie (The Heiress) with Olivia de Haviland 1948. That dramatic sceneand now the book!!!

I love this story

I enjoyed the movie called, "The Heiress" and I equally, or perhaps even more so, enjoy this audio book.

Karen

Accessible James Beautifully Read

Less internal than some Henry James, memorable (if mostly unlovable) characters, sad ending, great narration.

Classic

I keep thinking of Montgomery Clift in the movie. And of Olivia Havilland. It good to have this fine book.

Enjoyable (Even Though it’s Henry James) and Free

There are books we enjoy and books we should know. Sometimes, as with Don Quixote, Tom Jones or The Pickwick Papers, the two classes merge. But after failing to get through The Portrait of a Lady 30-odd years ago, I’ve avoided James as assiduously as physical exercise and math without a calculator.

After all, life is fragmented and complex enough without filtering fiction based on that life through the lens of modernist experiments. However, on the strength of vivid memories of the 1949 movie (and because it’s free through Audible Plus), I gave this one a try and was staggered to find myself, unlike a character in a modernist novel, enjoying myself.

Turns out lots of people enjoy this one—and for all the reasons James loathed the thing, it being too straightforward, linear and unsophisticated for his later, advanced tastes. Though a somewhat creaky recording transferred from cassettes, I believe Lloyd James does a better job than any of the other versions available.