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'If life had no love in it, what else was there for Maggie?'

The Mill on the Floss, first published in 1860, is considered one of George Eliot's most autobiographical works.

Having formed a complex bond with her own family, George Eliot, now known to the public as Mary Ann Evans, depicts the loving yet volatile relationship between the Tulliver siblings and their doting father.

Spanning over a period of 10 years, The Mill on the Floss follows the coming of age of the beautiful and idealistic Maggie, as she experiences family tragedy, forbidden love and the wrath of the English patriarchy. A sublime literary accomplishment which brings to question the very essence of what it takes to become a civilised and moral society, Eliot perfects the genre of psychological realism.

George Eliot was one of the leading writers of the Victoria era. Her novels, largely set in provincial England, are well known for their realism and are said to have paved the way for authors such as Henry James. James continued to explore Eliot's revolutionary approach to literature, further introducing the public to a naturalistic genre far removed from the hyperbolic Dickensian narrative that had dominated the 19th century.

Narrator Biography

Dame Eileen Atkins is an English actress and screenwriter. Her breakthrough performance in the Broadway production of The Killing of Sister George paved the way for an astonishing theatre, film and television career. She is now a BAFTA, Emmy and three-time Olivier Award winner.

Eileen co-created the classic British series, Upstairs, Downstairs, alongside Jean Marsh, in 1971. She has also acted with the Royal Shakespeare Company and been in numerous plays including, The Retreat from Moscow, Medea, A Delicate Balance and Vivat! Vivat Regina!

Her film credits include Magic in the Moonlight, Robin Hood, Last Chance Harvey, Evening, Gosford Park, Jack and Sarah and Equus.

Eileen's passionate and diverse narrative style makes her an Audible favourite and can also be heard in The Winter's Tale and King John by William Shakespeare, Angela Carter's Wise Children, Alan Bennett's Talking Heads 2 and Arnold Bennett's The Old Wives Tale.