Spellbinding

Informative, entertaining and enthralling. Funny and sad, poignant and comic - a great read. Superb narration. I was only sorry it ended ... or that I have come to some of Dickens’ works so late. He has so much to teach us still.

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one of his best

Beautifully read and for me one of Dickens best and most interesting novels. Highly recommended and certainly a good place to start if looking to get into Dickens

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A book that grows on you very well read

Though a great enthusiast for Dickens t first I thought I was not going to like this. But everything in the early chapters makes total sense later. It is a book that makes you think. To set a novel for the most part in mob riotiing means loads of characters. Sean Barrett captures their variety wondefully and well distingyises between the caricatred characters and the others

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Well worth reading.

this novel deserves to be better known. I loved the historical context and rich story telling. having spent my working life in the area of education for people with learning disabilities I was particularly interested in the experiences of Barnaby and the way he is treated by his community and wider society. it is sad to think that exploitation of vulnerable people by unscrupulous people has not changed much since Dicken's time.

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excellent narrator

the narration is First Class. the story itself is my first attempt at a whole Dickens text and it was worth the investment of time and effort. the story starts to glide eventually. this was such a treat and the narrator has brought the characters and atmosphere in this historical novel to life exuberantly. the characters of Barnaby and Miggs were particularly memorable. this has enriched my experience. thank you.

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Great story, beautfully read.

Although a Dickens fan, I knew nothing about this story and found it unexpectedly moving as well as exciting. Beautifully read.

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4 people found this helpful

Brilliant reading, brilliant book

Was prompted to try this audiobook having listened to a programme about the anti-Catholic Gordon Riots of 1780, which is the setting for this novel. And what a brilliant work it is, Dickens at his very best, establishing a strange but believable world of English characters from a previous century.

Clearly, Dickens was not a fan of the Gordon uprising which apparently caused more damage to property in London in a week than was caused in Paris throughout the French Revolution. And central within the plot is the likeable and distinguished Catholic landowner, Haredale, who suffers at the hands of the rioters and his devious arch enemy, Lord Chester.

As many other reviewers have noted, this audiobook is also much distinguished by the brilliant reading of Sean Barrett. To my mind nothing shows off more readily the skill of an actor than their ability to voice a variety of characters. And Barrett's performance is a sublime tour de force, skipping seamlessly from one character to another, whether its Barnaby himself and his raven Grip, the whining servant girl Migs, the oily Chester, Dennis the hangman or any of the other many characters Dickens portrays.

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Excellent performance and story

I wasnt familiar with this book but the narration brought it alive and it was very interesting and pacy.

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A revelation

Barnaby Rudge was one of Dickens' books I had not read, and I knew next to nothing about the Gordon Riots. I have now been so captured by the story that I have explored books and the internet to find out more about the history of the times. The book is read superbly by Sean Barrett and he brought to life the many characters in the book - not least, Grip the raven! The riots were done with such drama that I felt like I was listening to Dickens when he read to his audiences and they screamed with terror! I think that high quality audio books can bring a story to life in a way even one's imagination can fail to.

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11 people found this helpful

Don't bear ridge a grudge

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

haven't read the print version as I find Dickens quite hard work and thought the audio might be easier. Indeed it was.

Have you listened to any of Sean Barrett’s other performances? How does this one compare?

Sean Barrett is by far the best narrator I have listened to so far. How does he find all those different voices? His excellent story telling was a joy. I particularly liked Miss Mimms

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

it the beginning it's a bit slow, but stick with it, it gets really brilliant. Barnaby is a great character.

Any additional comments?

All the characters are fab. You grow to dislike some, my husband and I listened to this together and so have had daily book discussions. Worth every penny.

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1 person found this helpful