A must-listen-to!

This reading of Bleak House is absolutely brilliant. Sean Barrett and Teresa Gallagher share the chapters, each reading all the characters in their sections, rather than sharing male and female roles as in a dramatisation- apart from Esther’s diary which is always read by TG. Both actors are first-class, thoroughly believable in whatever role they take on, and varying voices, pace. emotions, etc as required. Never a dull moment as it is arguably one of Dickens’s finest novels, full of insightful caricatures and satirical comments tempered by a humane understanding typical of Dickens even with his trenchant condemnation of some aspects of society. Sentimentality is kept to a minimum compared to other of his novels. Don’t rush it, just listen a bit at a time to savour it which I think is the best way to enjoy Dickens …

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Highly recommended.

Bleak House is one of my favourite books and a few years ago I got the audiobook narrated by Hugh Dickson. This version is so much better. Having two narrators works so well for this particular text and the narrators are excellent.

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I loved this

I actually didn't want it to end. Its my first Dickens audio book and it was an absolute treat. I would 100% recommend to anyone

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For the idol listener

Would you recommend Bleak House to your friends? Why or why not?

You need to have a lot of time on your hands to enjoy this novel, the opening two thirds are slow and disparate. The phrase ‘cliff-hanger’ originates from the 1910’s when the author Thomas Hardy left one of his characters literally hanging off of a cliff at the end of one of a scene. I can only point out that Bleak House was written before the 1910’s and it shows, the idea of leaving the reader’s pulse racing at the end of a chapter seems years away.

The story follows the saintly figure of Esther Summerson, a mal-treated orphan with a mysterious background, who, on the verge of adult-hood, is made the ward of a generous benefactor. Esther then goes on to meet a series of moderately interesting people whilst the reader is presented with observations about the same persons and society. These observations however are a poor substitute for a plot, in place of which there is an overall story arc about the unfairness of the workings of the civil court that affects the lives of all involved.
If the novel had finished half way through I am sure that it would have been marked as a failure, no grip, no pace, however, out of the blue in the final quarter of the novel there is a murder – Hallelujah! Following this act of blood-letting, Bleak House gets plot, it finds pace and starts to fulfil genre expectations. All of a sudden we are seeking a murderer, the murder is followed by the one of the main characters absconding, now we’re cooking with gas as we go on a hunt to find our missing person. With intrigue, secrets discovered, characters seeking forgiveness, and grand gestures of love, the novel certainly ends on a high.
Overall I liked Bleak House, the female narrator is excellent and it just so happens that when I read it I had a lot of time on my hands to meander through the opening two thirds of the novel so I didn’t mind it being so slow and when the pace changed I found it close to thrilling. I understand I will seem like a dolt for deeming to criticise Dickens, but if as an uninitiated you choose to listen to this classic, I think it’s fair to have an understanding that for large parts it does not fill the expectations of the modern reader in terms of plot and pace.

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stunningly good

One of the greatest of all English novels, narrated quite superbly. A vast army of characters are brought to life by the two narrators with breathtaking skill.

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A classic beautifully delivered.

The merits of Bleak House as a novel are well documented and I have nothing to add. The narration however is less widely discussed. Both narrators deliver beautifully nuanced and rounded characterisations. Where there is two narrators/readers interpreting the same characters there will always be some slight issues of consistency but very minor ones in this case. I recommend to anyone who loves the classics.

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How do you review Dickens?

Such a wonderful book. I do have the skill to explain just how wonderful this book is. It is still vital, still wonderfully engaging and entertaining and still speaks of our world in this time.
If you have never read any of his books, then dive into this one. Great female characters. A real fight for justice, a campaign, and a huge blow for the cause of the poor.
It is just brilliant, at first I wasn’t so keen on the male narrator, but actually both are brilliant.

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Performances beautiful & painfully sad both together

Even better than the filmed version incredibly movingly beyond description
Even the vocal tones of the many characters are as evocative of the filmed version with Ester Summersons voice carrying all her narrated pain and extasy of happiness. Lady Deadlock and esthers characters must be some of the finest woman and girl characters ever written outside of Shakespeare

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Quite superb - the book and the narration

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Most 5 star reviewers have said it all. The language is evocative from the opening foggy London and throughout.
The huge range of characters is brilliantly drawn. I was moved between fascination, laughing out loud, tears and, finally, the storylines are exciting and unexpected.
Both Sean Barrett and Theresa Gallagher surpass themselves.
One of my favourite books of all time. Hitherto the favourite was Anna Karenina but now I am not so sure. This was spellbinding.

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Bear with it

Hard to get through the first few hours and lacking the humour of Nicholas Nickleby (for example) but I am glad I stuck with it as it turns into a wonderful story with memorable characters.

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