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Mansfield Park
- Narrated by: Frances Barber
- Length: 14 hrs and 45 mins
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Summary
Exclusively from Audible
When the self-effacing 10-year-old Fanny Price is sent to live with her wealthy relations at Mansfield Park she seems shy and withdrawn beside her witty and vivacious cousins. Growing up in the Bertram household, she is always treated as an inferior, only finding an ally in her cousin Edmund. But Fanny's steadfast and purposeful character eventually makes her an indispensable part of the household. During the absence of Fanny's uncle, the others become entangled in a maze of flirtation and intrigue upon the arrival of Mary Crawford and her brother Henry. It is only Fanny whose deep but secret love for Edmund remains true despite his fascination with her brilliant but frivolous cousin Mary.
The most serious of Austen's works due to its discussion of religion and religious duty, Mansfield Park also offers a subtle examination of social position and moral integrity, making it one of Austen's most profound works.
Jane Austen was an English novelist known primarily for her six major novels which focused on the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. Her plots often explore women's dependence on marriage in the pursuit of favourable social standing and economic security.
Narrator Biography
Frances Barber has received Olivier Award nominations for her work in the plays, Camille, and Uncle Vanya. Other theatre credits include; Madame Rubinstein, The School for Scandal, What The Butler Saw, Julius Caesar, Les Parents Terribles, That Face, Afterplay, Madame De Sade, and King Lear. Her numerous television credits include Father Brown, Medici: Masters of Florence, Mapp and Lucia, Psychobitches, The Spa, a new regular in the series Silk, several episodes of Doctor Who, Midsomer Murders and A Passionate Woman. Her film credits include The Escape; The Bookshop; Blue Iguana; Film Stars don't Die in Liverpool; El Elegido (The Chosen) and Mr. Holmes.
Frances Barbar has narrated an impressive list of titles, including The Chimney Sweeper's Boy by Barbara Vine, The Voyages of the Princess Matilda by Shane Spall and Mansfield Park by Jane Austen.
Critic reviews
"Frances Barber offers a sterling performance, bringing life and sparkle to each character....Barber convincingly shifts from lord of the manor to sniveling servitude at the change of a sentence. And her narrative passages transparently tie the whole family together into one beautiful package." (AudioFile)
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What listeners say about Mansfield Park
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
- Tom
- 16-02-10
Very enjoyable but check narration
This is not my favourite Jane Austen book (Pride & Prejudice is). None of the characters is particularly interesting, amusing or likeable, and the heroine, Fanny Price, is a bit of a drip if truth be told. But it is still well worth reading for the witty and deadly way that she dissects the mores and lifestyles of the upper classes in the 19th century. Better still to have it narrated as you then really appreciate the quality of the prose - provided of course you like the narrator.
I can well see that Frances Barber will probably not be everyone's cup of tea as a narrator. She reads in a very precise, articulate and almost cut-glass accent, which comes across a bit cold at times. Personally, I think this suits the book very well; and her characterisation, particularly of the ghastly Mrs Norris, is spot on. Sound quality is faultless too.
I enjoyed the book very much, and would happily recommend it particularly to Jane Austen lovers, but I agree with the previous reviewer that it would be as well to sample the narration first - and try out some others (there are quite a few on Audible)- to make sure you are happy with it before buying.
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25 people found this helpful
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Overall
- Caroline
- 15-12-08
A good book - but not the best narration.
I studied this book many years ago at school and was keen to visit it again. It is quite unusual as the heroine is not a strong character - you really want to shake Fanny and get her to buck her ideas up!! It does not help that Frances Barber's vocalisation of Fanny is not endearing, and you begin to dread when Aunt Bertram speaks. I may be tempted to try another recording of this as I think it may improve with a different narrator.
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13 people found this helpful
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- Caitlin
- 07-06-20
Excellent Narration, Ignore the Bad Reviews
Honestly, ignore all the reviews complaining about Frances Barber's narration! I was unsure whether to go for this because of these, but enjoyed the sample clip so gave it a shot. I think her voice is absolutely perfect for Austen, and she does a wonderful job. It's a precise, perhaps slightly old-fashioned English accent, but Austen is a precise, slightly old-fashioned English writer, so they're a perfect pairing. Her voices for every character are distinct and give us a brilliantly clear image of them. I think perhaps people forget that Austen is often very funny, and most of the characters in this book are at least lightly satirical, so it makes sense for them to be a little exaggerated. Barber makes Austen's lengthy (by modern standards) sentences clear and easy to follow, and perfectly picks up on her dry humour. I greatly prefer her narration to that of Rosamund Pike in the new Audible Austen series, whose voice is a little too one-note and who misses that gentle mocking tone.
The novel itself isn't my favourite of Austen's, and its heroine is certainly less appealing to modern tastes, but I still found it incredibly enjoyable, and of course brilliantly written. And if you're like me and have to read them all at least once, this is the perfect way to do it!
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8 people found this helpful
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- david cowmeadow
- 27-07-17
A good book ruined!
What would have made Mansfield Park better?
A more sympathetic narrator
Who was your favorite character and why?
It has to be Fanny who has a stoicism I would wish to have.
How could the performance have been better?
A different narrator! This is one of my favourite books, but Frances Barbers totally unsympathetic treatment robbed some of the tender moments - hastily and harshly spoken - of their power. Sometimes her timing was off, but none of Jane Austen's subtle inflections came through.
What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?
I really enjoy the book but the narration robbed me of the joy of it - so sad and disappointed.
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8 people found this helpful
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- JF7588
- 17-08-13
Narrator
I liked Barber's reading - plummier, more earthy and warmer than most voices cast for reading Austen novels.
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6 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 04-02-17
rushed delivery
This felt like the reader was rushing all the time, eager to get to the end. slowing the speed didn't help. Perhaps it was a combination of the writer's style and the readers. not my favourite Jane Austen - but of course you may disagree!
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5 people found this helpful
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- Dan Edwards creative
- 25-03-19
Excellent performance
This performance is really excellent. I love the variety in the voices, and Barber's voice just seems to fit so naturally to the elegant style of the writing. I had previously tried to read a physical copy of this book, and given up, so I am pleased that this has let me access this very interesting, controversial novel.
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4 people found this helpful
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- Lizzie Greenfield
- 16-12-18
Very disappointing indeed
The story is wonderful of course but the narrator is extremely disappointing. Too fast, monotonous, lacking in any discernible characterisation apart from a few silly superficial voices for some female characters. Total lack of nuance or humour and simply ruins the book. I love audiobooks and have enjoyed many happy hours listening but I can’t stick this one to the end and will have to read the text to myself in the good old fashioned way.
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall
- justme
- 04-10-18
Terrible! Very confused recording
This starts at chapter 26! So you have to scroll down until you find chapter 1 and then look very hard for the nex
t bits. I cannot return this unfortunately . Very disappointing
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4 people found this helpful
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- Stephibobz
- 08-09-15
Dreadful... I had to give up!
If this book wasn’t for you, who do you think might enjoy it more?
I think someone who is studying Austin would find it useful.
What will your next listen be?
Something entirely different... This story seemed to drag on for hours and hours going absolutely nowhere! A waste of a credit.
Did Frances Barber do a good job differentiating each of the characters? How?
Some voices were okay, having such a distinctive voice I did like but at time I really wasn't sure who was talking at all.
You didn’t love this book--but did it have any redeeming qualities?
I didn't finish it... As hard as I battled I just couldn't. I can't say it did, sorry.
Any additional comments?
I may try again one day. This story wasn't for me in any way! I have loved many Austin novels but this drags on, waffling about nothing at all and never goes anywhere. When I saw I hadn't even reached half way I HAD to ditch it!
Sorry Austin.
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4 people found this helpful