Dombey and Son
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Dombey and Son
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Narrated by:
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Jonathan Keeble
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By:
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Charles Dickens
Dombey and Son is a poignant exploration of pride, family, and the pursuit of legacy in Victorian England. The novel follows the powerful and often cold-hearted Paul Dombey, a wealthy shipping magnate, who places all his hopes for the future on his son, young Paul. Obsessed with the idea of inheriting his business and name, Dombey’s disregard for the emotional needs of his children—especially his daughter Florence—leads to devastating consequences. As the story unfolds, Dombey’s single-minded pursuit of his goals ultimately challenges his understanding of love, family, and success.
With his masterful narrative, Dickens paints a moving portrait of the clash between material ambition and human connection, showing how pride and stubbornness can blind one to the most important bonds. Through memorable characters, from the tender-hearted Florence to the complex and flawed Dombey himself, Dombey and Son is both a social critique and a deeply human story about the struggles for power, affection, and redemption.
Public Domain (P)2025 SNR AudioThe pace is slow - painfully slow in parts - but I soon became engrossed by the story of Florence and Paul and Walter. Later new storylines are added with Edith Granger one of the most complex and fascinating characters ever written by Dickens. There is great drama in the last 10 hours and I admit there was a tear in my eye at the emotional ending.
For the most part the novel is slow, I admit that, and many readers may not be able to bear the excessive wordiness. I am not sure I could have if it had not been for the fantastic narration by Mr Keeble. He gives the characters life and energy and his sonorous voice pulled me through the tedious parts. And the pulling together of the storylines and the great drama in the last 10 hours really was worth the wait.
Although I probably wouldn't put Dombey and Son in my top 5 Dickens novels, it is knocking on that door. It contains some of the author's finest writing and, to my taste, is better than Bleak House (and much better than Great Expectations - but my antipathy towards that particular work doesn't seem to be shared by most of the world!).
If you like slow but rewarding stories with engaging characters, then this is for you. Mr Keeble's marvelous performance was crucial to my enjoyment and I am certainly going to seek out more of his readings. He has a reading of "War and Peace" - which I found heavy going with another reader - but which I think I could enjoy under his stewardship.
Slow but compelling. Superb Reading
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