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Jane Eyre
- Narrated by: Thandiwe Newton
- Length: 19 hrs and 10 mins
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Summary
"I think the reason we're so struck by [Jane Eyre] is how Charlotte Brontë manages to relate, expertly, what it means to be a human being...and that never changes." (Narrator Thandiwe Newton)
Following Jane from her childhood as an orphan in Northern England through her experience as a governess at Thornfield Hall, Charlotte Brontë's Gothic classic is an early exploration of women's independence in the mid-19th century and the pervasive societal challenges women had to endure. At Thornfield, Jane meets the complex and mysterious Mr. Rochester, with whom she shares a complicated relationship that ultimately forces her to reconcile the conflicting passions of romantic love and religious piety. Performing the early Victorian novel with great care and respect, actress Thandiwe Newton (Crash, The Pursuit of Happyness) draws out Jane Eyre's intimacy and depth while conveying how truly progressive Brontë was in an era of extreme restraint.
Critic reviews
"Narrator Thandie Newton gives a delightful performance of this beloved classic. She delivers the voice of Jane from childhood to adulthood with elegant conviction, breezing through the dense sentences as if they were part of a contemporary novel." (AudioFile)
"[Thandie Newton’s] taut British diction makes a one-woman play out of the orphan girl’s love story, which starts out with all the young-adult tropes - the poor, good-hearted child abused by the spoiled, wealthy boy and his classist keepers, each distinguished by his or her own idiosyncratic cadence - but progresses into what many consider the prototypical Victorian novel. Written in 1847, not long before the start of the American Civil War, the novel makes repeated comparisons between Jane’s captivity, as an impoverished girl in a rich family’s home, and slavery. Newton’s exasperated and aptly melodramatic delivery of Jane’s accusation that her cruel stepbrother is 'like a slave-driver' is a knowing contemporary wink at this timeless yet dated classic." (The New York Times Book Review)
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What listeners say about Jane Eyre
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Barbara Wharton
- 18-09-16
great to read again after such a long time
What a classic. I had forgotten the story having not read since I was at school, so 50 years later I think I enjoyed it more.
Its a must read and enjoy!
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15 people found this helpful
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- Taylor Hooper
- 29-01-20
northern accents for all servants
A very nice story. Parts where you'd wish the chapter would hurry up as they dragged a bit, but parts where I couldn't wish the reader to read quicker! I don't think I would have been able to finish the book, half the language isn't in my vocabulary, I felt a bit stupid. But the audio book was easy enough to listen to when doing housework, walking the school or doing anything else that requires little thinking...
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3 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 07-07-20
Bravo👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Wow Thandi Newton👏🏾 I have always loved to read this book and have done so at least haf a dozen times but this narration has been so exciting with the different voice changes and the accents. I can hardly believe it was all one person. Beautifully done❤.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Ms. R. Jones
- 14-01-18
Wonderful fresh version of a brilliant classic novel
I have loved the novel 'Jane Eyre' since I was a girl, the story is both a gothic romance and a coming of age tale. Jane is an orphan, disregarded, neglected and emotionally abused by her aunt. She is sent to a tough school to get rid of her, but she grows up and faces challenges she is able to surmount.
The story was initially published in 1847 and some of the attitudes towards the poor, women and people of colour are uncomfortable to listen to at times. Charlotte Bronte makes Jane a positive force for change in her own life though; she is not a passive doormat to whom events just happen and I think she is a sympathetic character you are rooting for.
The story is told in the first person, and Thrandie Newton's voice is a perfect match to Jane's story; she has an expressive, musical and passionate tone and I thought it also impressive she could voice the characters so distinctively to each other. She is easy to listen to for hours. This is a very high quality production generally, and a lot of care has been taken to get a great performance with good quality sound and editing.
I would absolutely recommend this version of Jane Eyre to anyone who already loves the novel. I would also recommend it to people who are coming to Jane Eyre for the first time, who might like the genre of Victorian romantic fiction, and who have the patience to stick with quite a long narration to the end. Overall a superb effort from Audible Originals.
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1 person found this helpful
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- H. Fosdike
- 10-07-18
Very Good
I feel like this is my first proper 'classic'. I've read a few others this year but none as old as this and certainly nothing that involves stately homes and the like. It was quite unexpected that Jane narrates the book, essentially making it an autobiography of her life so far, and in truth it starts well, gets better, derails a bit and then recovers just before the end.
Jane's childhood was interesting, the Mr. Rochester segments are obviously the best part (though in truth it's mainly Jane and Rochester talking about 'stuff' for a number of chapters) but the next sequence involving St. John Rivers was impressively dull. It just wasn't interesting and didn't seem to go anywhere. It was great how confident Jane was in herself throughout and I can see why this novel is so beloved by many, though I did find it a bit long.
Thandie Newton's reading of the book is very good and well worth enjoying. A bit slow at times, but the voices are consistent throughout and it makes for a nice listen.
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1 person found this helpful
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- angela commons
- 23-03-21
amazing
Why did I wait so long to read Jane Eyre? The story is breathtaking, the characters unforgettable, I have been so close to tears . The performance was outstanding. 100% reccomend. ❤
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- Amazon Customer
- 23-10-17
one of the best narrations
Perfectly executed. While listening you can indeed see the whole life of the characters and be somehow part of it.
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- Elizabeth
- 19-05-19
Just excellent!
Loved Thandie Newton's narration. Absolutely amazing command of many different accents and languages. A new spin on an old classic. Very enjoyable.
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- Amazon Customer
- 14-04-21
A Much Loved Book
I've not read this for years but it was like meeting an old friend. Thandiwe Newton brings the characters to life with perfection.
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- Gemma
- 13-08-20
excellent!
I loved this more than i expected. if I have read Jane Eyre before, it would have been many many years ago. I have seen the film versions and the book is so much more in depth and sophistication. The narrator was wonderful on the whole albeit I wasn't overly keen on Rochester's voice. otherwise cannot fault it,
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