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North and South
- Narrated by: Juliet Stevenson
- Length: 18 hrs and 20 mins
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North and South
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Summary
Exclusively from Audible
Written at the request of Charles Dickens, North and South is a book about rebellion; it poses fundamental questions about the nature of social authority and obedience. Gaskell expertly blends individual feeling with social concern, and her heroine, Margaret Hale, is one of the most original creations of Victorian literature.
When Margaret Hale's father leaves the Church in a crisis of conscience she is forced to leave her comfortable home in the tranquil countryside of Hampshire and move with her family to the fictional industrial town of Milton in the north of England. Though at first disgusted by her new surroundings, she witnesses the brutality wrought by the Industrial Revolution and becomes aware of the poverty and suffering of the local mill workers. Sympathetic to the poor she makes friends among them and develops a fervent sense of social justice. She clashes with the mill-owner and self-made man, John Thornton, who is contemptuous of his workers. However, their fierce opposition masks a deeper attraction.
Gaskell based her depiction of Milton on Manchester, where she lived as the wife of a Unitarian minister. She was an accomplished writer, much of her work published in Charles Dickens' magazine Household Words including North and South which was originally published as a serial. She was also friends with Charlotte Brontë and after her death, her father, Patrick Brontë, chose Gaskell to write The Life of Charlotte Brontë.
Narrator Biography
Whether she's up on stage, behind the microphone or in front of the camera, Juliet Stevenson never fails to charm her audience...whoever they may be. Acting roles in Truly, Madly Deeply, Emma, Bend It like Beckham and Mona Lisa Smile have cemented her status as one of the great British actresses of our time. Meanwhile, her popular performances of hits such as Apple Tree Yard, the book that was turned into a TV series that people just couldn't stop talking about, have earned her an overwhelming amount of well-deserved praise for her spoken word talents.
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What listeners say about North and South
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
- gg
- 15-02-10
Romance and Finance
In many ways this story of boom and bust is relevant now as it was when written.I loved the story of how a girl brought up in the country adapted to the life in the Northern town. She is a strong comple heroine and I found this book really got me thinking about what is fair and not fair in daily working life. If this sounds dreary it's not at all, the love story and the family dramas are compelling and it is an uplifting book well read with a great story.
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42 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- david cowmeadow
- 31-07-17
Expressively and touchingly told
What made the experience of listening to North and South the most enjoyable?
Juliet Stevenson's excellent narrations - top notch.
What was one of the most memorable moments of North and South?
The finale - I was almost in tears it was so tenderly told.
Which character – as performed by Juliet Stevenson – was your favourite?
I loved Mrs Thornton's northern grit.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
Several
Any additional comments?
I am very familiar with this book, but Juliet Stevenson brought things to life - I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 24-02-19
Such a good story
An excellent book which has been narrated by an outstanding Juliet Stevenson - she makes the story come alive.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- En Davidson
- 10-04-21
Joy
I loved this book from beginning to end! The poetry marking the beginning of each chapter was delightful but the story most engrossed me- I listened longer than I should each time as I wanted to know what next would happen. It’s been a delight!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Translocated Wombat
- 19-03-21
Amazing performance
Juliet Stevenson does such a fantastic job bringing each character to life. I especially adore her performance of Mr Bell, it's so spot on, charming and funny. It's easy to forget that it's one woman voicing all the characters, honestly. (The book itself is a classic, that should go without saying!)
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lucy T.
- 19-09-21
Insightful, traditional, sensitive, beautiful.
I adored this book and JS reads so so well and does the accents perfectly.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- JULIE MILLS
- 26-10-21
a truly wonderful story, thoroughly worth the time
excellent narration and one of my favourite books. highly recommend.
touching.
did not want it to end.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sasha
- 27-10-21
Wonderful
The brilliant Juliette Stevenson brings this book alive. I first read it as part of my university book list and very much enjoyed the BBC adaptation. I always wanted to read it again but decided to listen on audible instead when walking the dog. Well, the dog got many walks because I loved listening to the story.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jeannette
- 26-02-15
Delightful
I just wanted this story to go on and on. The eloquence of the language is beautiful to hear and in today's tweets and text I felt sad for the loss of this richness. Beautifully read. An insight into another world long gone..
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Roderic
- 24-10-14
Scintillating prose and narration
What made the experience of listening to North and South the most enjoyable?
The beautiful and resonant voice of Juliet Stevenson.
Who was your favorite character and why?
All the characters were drawn quite well, but I particularly enjoyed the bluff Mr Bell (the Oxford Don) because he cut through so much of the façade with his mischievous utterances.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
There were many moving scenes in the book, especially the death scenes, but the image of a young Margaret Hale - at the point of adulthood - vowing to herself to live a life without fear, was a poignant moment.
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