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Doctor Thorne

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Doctor Thorne

By: Anthony Trollope
Narrated by: Simon Vance
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About this listen

 Anthony Trollope once said, "A novel should give a picture of common life enlivened by humour and sweetened by pathos." Trollope admirably fulfills his own criteria in this charming third novel in the Chronicles of Barsetshire.

Doctor Thorne adopts his niece Mary, keeping secret her illegitimate birth as he introduces her to the best local social circles. There she meets and falls in love with Frank Gresham - the heir to a vastly mortgaged estate and obliged to find a wealthy wife. Only Doctor Thorne knows that Mary is to inherit a large legacy that will make her acceptable to the otherwise disapproving middle-class society to which Frank belongs. Where fiery passion fails, understated English virtues of patience, persistence, and good humor prevail in this most appealing of Trollope's comedies.

(P)2007 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Classics Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Comedy Witty

Critic reviews

"One of the great English Victorian novelists....A sharp but sympathetic observer of Victorian social and political life." (Daniel S. Burt, The Biography Book)
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Simon Vance is such a great narrator, Audible could sell him reading a Google search list out loud - so I don't understand why he reads the voice of the heroine (Mary Thorne) as though she has a mouthful of prunes. There's a slight tendency for caricature in some of his other female voices too - yet others are excellent, Dr Thorne's voice is perfection, and the overall effect and atmosphere Simon Vance creates is brilliant. For these reasons - and because it's such a great novel - I managed to ignore the prune effect by and large, but it doesn't reflect well on the sellers of this audiobook, that they didn't recognise and remedy this problem. The end result is a unfair reflection on a great narrator. Must do better, Audible!

Simon Vance wonderful - except the heroine

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A story, not too far away from our modern time, is well portrayed. Characters like Doctor Torne and Mary Thorne, do reflect the tide approaching our 'modernness'. Meanwhile, integrity, though becoming less and less common, found and ingrained in Doctor Thorne, is being upheld through and through. The value of loyalty is stressed also...

A easy and beautiful read, performed, as always by Simon Vance.

A Nice Read

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A thoroughly satisfying listen from start to finish. A simple, but solid and engaging storyline, with wonderfully filled-out characters, who live out their lives under the rigid societal hierarchy of the times. Skilfully and sympathetically narrated - a pleasure to listen to from start to finish.

Beautifully written story, beautifully read.

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great prose beautifully read. my favourite author, so pleased to have found him on 'audio'
does he pre dat jane austin as there are certsinly echoes i her novels.

great prose beautifully read

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Simon Vance makes Trollope come to life and the humour is brought out.
I like Timothy West but his narration of Trollope is too dry for me and i struggled with every novel.
Vance makes it feel like a different author, more like Dickens.
Im discovering Trollope all over again.

This is one of the best of the Barchester series.

Better than Timothy West in my opinion

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