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Far From the Madding Crowd

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Far From the Madding Crowd

By: Thomas Hardy
Narrated by: Jill Masters
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About this listen

 Thomas Hardy brings us an England that once existed but no more. It is rural, traditional, pastoral - a society of mannered conduct that flows like a deep river where powerful currents eddy and swirl. In this powerful novel of love and disillusion, Hardy's heroine is torn between the three men in her life. Passionate but capricious, her romantic involvements have fascinated generations of readers.

It was as a poet that Hardy wished to be remembered, but today critics regard his novels as an even more memorable contribution to English literature for their psychological insight, their instinctive delineation of English character, and their profound presentation of great tragedy.

Public Domain (P)1984 Jimcin Recordings Classics Historical Historical Fiction Romance Victorian Fiction

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Editor reviews

Author of Tess of the d'Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy published his epic account of English rural life, Far From the Madding Crowd, in 1874. Spanning years, this story details Bathsheba Everdene and Gabriel Oak's complex relationship. Jill Master's performance is perfect for this passionate audiobook. Capturing Hardy's romanticism, Master's British voice is airy and sweet yet dramatic. By consistently modulating her pacing and pitch, Masters ensures that this 15-hour saga captivates. Effortlessly, she handles both male and female voices. Fans of Victorian realist literature will certainly enjoy this complicated audiobook.
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great story, funny writing that isn't picked up by the most recent film version. would have liked more character voice definition though.

a great hardy novel

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I loved this book at school. English set work in 1978. Still a great read. Narrator really good. I forgot how annoying Boldwood was. Nevertheless, I love a happy ending and that is what I got.

Classic Hardy

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Definitely a classic but sounds like it was recorded underwater in the 1930's. Be prepared to persevere with the audio - it doesn't really add to the book.

Great story, terrible audio quality

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I adore this classic, a strong female lead characters are always a winner with me however.. Bathsheba is such a frustrating character!!! I felt myself constantly exasperated with her frivolous attitude towards the men she was leading on and her lack of ability to take any sort of responsibility. Overall a lovely story but if you don't get frustrated by her.. well you are a saint./

beautiful story but my word Bathsheba ..

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This is a book I've been meaning to read for years and it was a delight. I loved the story and the characters and the narration was excellent. My only criticism was the quality of the recording itself. At times in the car it was really muffled, almost completely inaudible and at one point it completely cut out altogether for a few seconds - Chapter 17 I think this was. However overall it is highly recommended if you can put up with rewinding it a bit here and there.

Excellent story. Great narration. Poor recording.

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