Bleak House

The Audible Dickens Collection

By: Charles Dickens

Narrated by: Miriam Margolyes

Audie Award, 2019: Literary Fiction and Classics

Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award 2018

This Audible Exclusive performance of Bleak House features a unique introduction written and narrated by Miriam Margolyes.

Recognised as one of Dickens' most accomplished titles, Bleak House has impressed critics and audiences alike since it was first published in 1852. The novel boasts one of the most intelligent and engaging plots in all of English literature and is sure to engage the listener's imagination as it transports us back in time to the seedy, grimy and hazardous streets of Victorian London.

This release is part of the Dickens Collection, an exclusive series of unmissable performances available throughout 2018.

About the audiobook:

At the heart of Bleak House is the longstanding case of Jarndyce v. Jarndyce - a damning portrayal of the 19th century legal system. Dickens shines a light on the impact that overdrawn court proceedings could have on the lives of those involved, specifically through two of his protagonists, Richard Carstone and his beloved Ada Clare.

Dickens' unassuming heroine, Esther Summerson, along with the equally benevolent owner of Bleak House, John Jarndyce, attempts to guide the young lovers, Richard and Ada, to live their lives unaffected by the court proceedings. But with the introduction of some typically Dickensian characters such as Grandfather Smallweed and Mr Tulkinghorn, trouble soon ensues for all who cross their paths.

About the author:

Having experienced the incarceration of his father, Charles Dickens had to abandon his studies at a young age and set to work in a factory so as to support himself. Despite his short-lived education, Dickens went on to write 15 novels, various articles, novellas and short stories. He lectured and led campaigns for children's rights and education and arguably became the ultimate self-made man. Bleak House offers unique insight into the mind-set of a middle-aged Charles Dickens and the exceptional way in which his artistic skill had grown and developed by then.

About the narrator:

Miriam Margolyes is an award-winning stage and screen actress, best known for her roles in The Age of Innocence, Little Dorrit, Sunshine, Cold Comfort Farm and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Her stage credits include The Vagina Monologues, Romeo & Juliet, The Threepenny Opera, The Canterbury Tales and her own one-woman show, Dickens' Woman. Miriam has always been a keen admirer of Charles Dickens and demonstrates a profound understanding of his themes and writing style through her skilful narration of Bleak House.

Public Domain (P)2018 Audible, Ltd

Critic reviews

"Such a miraculously good new audio version of this great novel is cause for hats in the air.... Margolyes clearly loves this material and brilliantly displays Dickens's genius for plotting, nailing human foibles, and shining light on social cruelties. It's a gobsmacking performance, on a par with Jim Dale's protean work on the Harry Potter novels. Ms. Margolyes contains multitudes." (AudioFile)

Great story!!

Excellent narration and the individual character performances moved the story along with contemptuous allure. loved it!!

The Best

I have listened to dozens of the great novels and this one was far and away my favorite. It is Dickens so it goes without saying that Bleak House is a great story with even greater characters but the narrator truly brought it to life. Dickens creates so many characters it can be difficult to remember who is who as the novel progresses. For each character in Bleak House, and there are many, the narrator creates a unique and believable “voice” that she carries faithfully throughout. Her narration is beyond excellent in my humble view. I cannot imagine anyone would not wholly enjoy this selection.

Bleak house

If I could give Miriam Margolyes more than 5 stars, I would. She is magnificent.

Great!

40 hours of incredible reading by Miriam Margolyes. This is one of those books that I don’t think I would have got round to finish with the classic paper novel in my hands. However, that’s why audible is such a great asset with performances like this of great literature. The story is a good rolling tale with lots of memorable characters and laugh out loud Dickensian observations of dialect and human nature - with a number of tears to be shed too. 40 hours is a heck of a long time to spend cranking through this but it was very entertaining.

Must listen

This is a must listen audio version of the classic Bleak House by Charles Dickens.

The narrator, Miriam Margolyes, is absolutely fabulous!! And I will certainly look for more narrations performed by her.

narration performance!

this is a masterpiece of narration. just incredible. she made the characters really come alive.

A Triumph

Dickens is a genius, the book is brilliant, but the credit goes here to the narrator who leaves it all on the field and delivers an amazing performance.

Fabulous

This book is undoubtedly one of Dickens's true masterpieces. What I want to comment on, however, is the wonderful performance of Miriam Margolyes. She did a fantastic job on the voices, male and female. She brought the book alive in so many ways. I listened at 1.1 speed and it was perfect. I hated for it to be over. I'd listen to most anything she narrates. I always enjoyed her performances as an actress and she's just as marvelous as a reader.

Beautiful prose, so well read!

Excellent author and reader, both unparalleled. A story a entimental yet real, a cruel world, but with whose characters you might want to live!

Penetrating & Powerful

Characters leap writhing into your imagination and the visual adjectives breathe your sensations heart-pounding with your real tears.