Great Expectations - Audiobook Review

Charles Dickens. 1860/2002. Read by John Lee. Books on Tape. 13, 1.5 hour tapes. $104.00. 0-7366-8641-x. Vinyl; plot notes. SA*

The unforgettable characters of Dickens' brooding masterpiece still live on, almost a century and a half after the novel was first published in serial form. Young Philip Pirrip (Pip) is brought up by his shrewish older sister and her kindly husband, Joe the blacksmith. Pip's a simple boy, but various strange encounters lead him to try to rise in the world. He meets the bizarre Miss Havisham, who has stopped the clocks and not seen the light of day since the moment she was left at the altar, And he is bewitched by Miss Havisham's ward Estella, who is being brought up to have no heart of her own and to break the hearts of others. An anonymous bequest allows Pip the finery and training of a gentleman, but his life runs far from smoothly. Who is Pip's benefactor? Does Pip win the icy Estella?

Dickens wrote two endings to his tale, both of which are given here. From the first gripping scene, British actor, playwright and acclaimed narrator Lee reads with authority and energy, deftly managing a range of accents and vividly depicting the various personalities. Listeners with great expectations for enjoyment will find them amply fulfilled. Helen Elizabeth Woodman, Andover, NH

COPYRIGHT 2003 Kliatt
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group