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The Forsytes: The Complete Series cover art

The Forsytes: The Complete Series

By: John Galsworthy
Narrated by: full cast,Jessica Raine,Joseph Millson,Juliet Aubrey,Jonathan Bailey,Ben Lambert,Sarah Ridgeway
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Summary

Jessica Raine stars in all four BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisations of John Galsworthy's Forsyte novels.

An irresistible family saga of love, money and betrayal, The Forsytes: The Complete Series encompasses four acclaimed BBC Radio 4 productions of Galsworthy's perennially popular epic, spanning 50 years from 1886 to 1936.

The Forsytes sees wealthy Soames Forsyte questioning his relationship with his beautiful wife, Irene. As evidence of her betrayal emerges, the family is torn apart and scandal unleashed. In The Forsytes Continues, it is 1920 and Soames would do anything for his sparkling daughter, Fleur. But when she falls in love with the wrong man, how can he stop history repeating itself? The Forsytes Returns picks up Fleur's story four years later, as she vows to put her past behind her and settle down. But those around her are intent on stirring up trouble. The Forsytes Concludes introduces young Dinny Cherrell, Fleur's cousin. Unbeknown to both, their lives will be paralleled in ways neither could have predicted....

Starring Jessica Raine, with a cast including Joseph Millson, Juliet Aubrey, Jonathan Bailey, Ben Lambert and Sarah Ridgeway, this compelling drama delves behind the Edwardian façade to reveal Galsworthy's wonderful wit, observation and insight into human nature.

©2017 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2017 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

What listeners say about The Forsytes: The Complete Series

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Fantastic

A fantastic dramtisation of a great classic!
I really loved it and would listen again.

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9 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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Sloppy editing

Well acted and narrated, though the frequent changes of narrator towards the end was confusing. The really irritating thing about this presentation was a lack of editing, and in particular the constant interruptions to the narrative by between-episodes incidental music and cast lists extremely irritating. Yes. Of course they were part of the original Radio 4 broadcast, but it would have been so easy for someone to sit in an editing suite and cut out all the unnecessary interruptions. It smack of sloppy - or non-existent - attention to detail and, for me, spoiled what should have been an enjoyable audio presentation.

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8 people found this helpful

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The Forsytes

I remember watching the BBC TV series when I was a schoolgirl, but couldn’t recall all of the story. Brilliant audio book which I will have to listen to again and again.

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7 people found this helpful

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disappointed

Sadly I found the whole production a little insipid. Having read the books many years ago and loved the original TV series (with Nyree Dawn Porter) I was looking forward to this dramatisation, but for some reason I just couldn't engage with it. Nothing I can out my finger on, but I've no desire to finish listening to it.

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6 people found this helpful

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Fabulous!

I cannot find the proper words to describe how much I enjoyed this mammoth listen.
The characters were beautifully portrayed, one felt the highs and lows of the generations so acutely. The story was wonderfully told and I was so sad to find I’d reached the end.
Simply brilliant! 5 stars and completely addictive.

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4 people found this helpful

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Lockdown in heaven

I think the Forsyth Saga is my favourite book. I read it, or, in this case, listen to it every 10 years or so and it never disappoints. "Peace comes through accepting things as they are and not as you'd like them to be." Very true. Beautifully dramatlised & presented.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Audio soap - recommended for Trollope fans

This is obligatory listening for fans of Trollope’s Chronicles of Barchester and The Pallisers on Audible. A sprawling family saga spanning decades, with many timeless - and some jarringly contemporary - themes, from unrequited love to sexual consent, mental illness - and even Islamic conversion. Utterly addictive and beautifully performed, you won’t want it to end...

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3 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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An enjoyable saga

This was a very good dramatisation and I thought parts one and two were excellent, but... part three was disappointing.
The first two parts were atmospheric and had a wonderful magic that was missing later on. By the end I got slightly bored and found myself drifting.
Overall it was very enjoyable but just too long for me.

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3 people found this helpful

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Very good dramatisation

Galsworthy's full saga is brought to life here by an excellent cast. The story is taken from a number of books and it does get a bit weaker at the end as it goes off to another branch of the family but it covers the characters and their period in history and the social conventions well. The music added to the piece although the start and end of episode credits and music could I imagine get annoying if you were listening for longer periods at a time.

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1 person found this helpful

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Perfect for Long Journeys

Interesting until you realise that you have to listen to the story being repeated through three generations. A clear case of transgenerational character faultlines.

Great narration though.

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1 person found this helpful