Mary Barton

A Tale of Manchester Life

By: Elizabeth Gaskell

Narrated by: Juliet Stevenson

Length: 16 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

Exclusively from Audible

Following the death of his wife and the government's refusal to pass his local trade union's chartist petition, John Barton sinks into a depression so deep that not even his doting daughter can lift him out of it. Seeing the poverty that her family has been reduced to and the desperation in her father's eyes, Mary Barton realises she must reject the proposal of her working-class lover, Jem. Instead, she sets her sights at a master's son, the wealthy heir of a Manchester mill, Henry Carson, in the hope that his situation will improve her own.

In a shocking turn of events, Mary discovers Mr Carson has been shot and her former lover, Jem, accused of his murder. As life-altering secrets emerge and the lives of those around her are put on the line, Mary must decide who to trust and who to denounce.

Elizabeth Gaskell's first novel, Mary Barton: A Tale of Manchester Life, is an emotive condition of English work in which she artfully intertwines the socio-political struggles of the 'hungry forties' with elements of a classic love story. Mary Barton is a pioneering work of fiction which has ensured that Gaskell's name will forever be included in a list of England's greatest authors. Its success was such that it even won the attention of Charles Dickens and Charlotte Brontë, forging a great working relationship between the writers, and later leading Gaskell to write Brontë's biography.

Narrator Biography

Multi-award winning actress, Juliet Stevenson has graced the stage and screen with a myriad of powerhouse performances for over 40 years. Aged nine, she developed a passion for the spoken word after performing a reading of a WH Auden poem in front of her entire school. She graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and later became a member of its artistic council. Her theatre experience is vast and includes parts in Measure for Measure, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, Burn This and Death and the Maiden.

She is also known for her film career in works such as Bend It Like Beckham, Emma, Truly Madly Deeply and Mona Lisa Smile. Stevenson has been BAFTA-nominated and been the winner of a Laurence Olivier Award. In 1999, she was awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen's Birthday Honours List, for her services to Drama.

Juliet's other audiobook narrations include Sense and Sensibility, North and South, The Portrait of a Lady and Madame Bovary. These and many more can be found at Audible.

Public Domain (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Excellent.

A great piece of writing and Juliet Stevenson has a gorgeous voice and a talent for narration.

Compelling story made better by excellent narration

Probably one of the best narrators I’ve heard so far. Her mastery of the dialect made the tale come alive.

A moving story that you can't put down

Elizabeth Gaskell's Mary Barton is a book you can't put down, as the storyline draws you in and keeps you spellbound. The beauty of it is she weaves in a wonderful moral, and leaves you understanding both viewpoints of the rich and the poor, meaning that you are morally the richer for reading (listening). Wonderful!!

Timeless

A great story if perseverance and grace. Too bad few read this genre as it would make us all more caring.

Fantastic narration

As ever, Juliet Stevenson gives a great narrative performance. She manages to characterize everyone in the book wonderfully.

Also, a compelling story.

Brings to Life the Drama

Mary Barton is the first Gaskell book I read. Sometimes I found it hard to get through the plot because of the slow buildup she does to set the mood. But Juliet Stevenson's performance of this made it feel as though Gaskell herself was reading. She had the tones, the Lancashire accent, all of it was read perfectly. And even when not reading the characters' lines, she read the first-person omniscient narrator in a way that sounded just as was needed during the chapters. I really felt the drama of the moments, particularly when Stevenson read the boat chase and trial scenes. I'd listen to it again.

beautiful story. wonderfully written.

although written many years ago, the lessons of this beautiful story are important for out time. love, hope, forgiveness. the beautiful pictures painted by the author transport you .

A bit to directly moralizing but good overall

A bit to directly moralizing but a good read overall if you like Victorian novels.

Brilliant

You have Juliet Stevenson narrating a fantastic book written by a wonderful author. What more do you need?
Gaskell has written a truly lovely story that keeps you wanting more and Juliet Stevenson just reads this one so well. I own the hard copy but it's very much worth listening to the audiobook.
I highly recommend this one.

Brilliant novel and as brilliant a performance by Juliet Stevenson

This is a wonderful novel, one of Elizabeth Gaskell's best works. Juliet Stevenson's narration is so engaging; each character has a unique voice, and Stevenson's heartfelt reading is a continual joy.