Emma

By: Jane Austen

Narrated by: Jenny Agutter

Exclusively from Audible

Emma can be enjoyed as a charming love story, a detective story, and a comic and lively picture of English life 200 years ago.

Austen's beautiful, clever, wilful but fallible heroine Emma Woodhouse believes she knows best. Perfectly content with her life she sees no need for either love or marriage, yet nothing pleases her more than meddling in the romantic lives of others. But when she fails to heed the warnings of her good friend Mr. Knightley and schemes to arrange a suitable match for her protégée, Harriet Smith, her carefully laid plans soon unravel and have consequences that she never expected. She discovers that she understands the feelings of others as little as she does her own heart.

With a cast of unforgettable characters, it is a lively comedy of manners that explores the concerns of genteel women living in Regency times.

Jane Austen was an English writer known primarily for her six major novels which focused on the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. Her plots often explore women's dependence on marriage in the pursuit of favourable social standing and economic security.

Narrator Biography

Jenny Agutter began her acting career as a child in 1964's East of Sudan and is well known for appearing in three adaptations of The Railway Children. She starred in the critically acclaimed 1971 film Walkabout as well as receiving a string of Hollywood roles. She won an Emmy for her role in The Snow Goose (1971), as well as a BAFTA for her role in Equus (1997).

More recently she has appeared in several television dramas, including Spooks (2002-2003), and Call the Midwife since 2012. She has performed in numerous theatre productions, including roles with the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company. She has also narrated audiobooks like Dodie Smith’s I Capture the Castle, and featured in the Doctor Who audio dramas inThe Bride of Peladon, and The Minister of Chance. In 2012 she was appointed OBE for her charity work.

Public Domain (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Did the narrator not like the book?

Usually audible narrators are fantastic. The performance here seems rushed with little effort to distinguish among the voices of the characters. Disappointing.

A stunningly complex web of affections

Trying not to give away spoilers, but this has to be the most artfully crafted web of interpersonal true and false attachments ever to grace the pages of fiction.

To follow all the sincerity and insincerity, public narratives and secrets, spoken and unspoken communications takes a bold focus, but if you succeed, there are many sweet rewards awaiting you.

Sadly there are many whole chapters that appear to offer the story line no forward motion... just be patient. Austen enjoys merely showing off how ridiculous Victorian elite can be.

Unabridged Goodness

I love this unabridged performance by the talented Jenny Agutter. I wish I'd never purchased the Ana Lea adaptation. Emma may be my least favorite Austen character but she comes off even worse when you abridge!

beautifully written

I love these classic romances. They are among my favorite to listen to. The narrator was acceptable.

Well told classic

This is a flawless narration of a Jane Austen classic. My first time reading it, and I did enjoy the story!

Not My Favorite Austen But VERY Well Read

I love Emma only for its length. It is a large dose of exquisite Austen, although fewer marvelous characters. It is a difficult read due to its length and many characters I find insipid. Yet, Jenny Agutter did an admirable job of it. She read at a comfortable pace and while not using accents (of people who live 100 miles apart at most) her inflections, attitudes and emphases differentiated the characters quite ably! I didn't care for her characterization of Mr Woodhouse (whom I sympathize,) but thought she completely nailed Mrs Elton (who rarely gets adequate treatment, in my opinion.) Thank you for this performance that I can rely on to brighten long drives and exhaustive chores!!

Great intro to Jane Austen

This was my intro to Jane Austen and I really enjoyed it. At times, I wished the narrator had differentiated between different character voices but overall she was a great narrator and kept me engaged. The story was cute and left me smiling.

Exquisite

This is one of the finest novels in the English language. I love it dearly. The narration did it justice.

Much better than the adaptation

Jane Austen’s own words are so much better than the adapted, theatrical version also available on Audible.

Jenny Agutter

Agutter is a reader worthy of Austen. She reads clearly and with intelligence. Choose this version!