Our Mutual Friend Audiobook By Charles Dickens, Lucinda Hawksley - introduction cover art

Our Mutual Friend

The Audible Dickens Collection

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Our Mutual Friend

By: Charles Dickens, Lucinda Hawksley - introduction
Narrated by: Meera Syal, Lucinda Hawksley - introduction
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This definitive performance of Our Mutual Friend - Dickens' final completed novel - features expert narration by Meera Syal and an exclusive introduction written and read by Lucinda Hawksley, great-great-great-granddaughter of Charles Dickens. Hawksley is a biographer, author and lecturer, whose wealth of knowledge on Dickens is both research led and personal. She introduces us to the themes in Our Mutual Friend and tells us how they connect to the life of Dickens' himself.

Full of both satire and social analysis, Our Mutual Friend looks at what could happen in Victorian England when a fortune passes to a working-class couple. The audiobook will enchant the listener with its larger-than-life characters, its poignant depiction of social injustice and the singular seed of hope with which Dickens hints at the possibility of a better tomorrow.

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.

About the narrator

Comedian, writer and actor Meera Syal rose to prominence as one of the creators of comedy sketch show Goodness Gracious Me, and cemented herself as a household name in the UK portraying Sanjeev's grandmother, Ummi, in The Kumars at No. 42.

Multitalented Syal has penned novels, scripts and screenplays, as well as lending her vocals to various songs and albums. Here she uses her voice to tell our Dickensian story with all the mastery you would expect from this talented performer.

Public Domain (P)2018 Audible, Ltd Classics Comedy Funny Witty Celebrity
Complex Character Development • Masterful Dialogue • Intricate Plot Twists • Vivid Descriptions • Immersive Storytelling
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This wasn't my favorite Dickens novel (that would be David Copperfield). It didn't have any of the comic characters that are so much fun in some of his other novels, and the story wasn't wonderful. Nonetheless, for Dickens fans, it is a must read (listen). The narrator - Meera Syal - was awesome! All in all, an enjoyable way to spend 34 hours.

The story is not Dickens' best, but pretty good

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Although I am probably in the minority this was my favorite Dickens novel. The iconic opening scene on the Thames was the essence of Dickensian London. Very interesting plot twists and way ahead of its time. As with all Dickens' novels there were a few instances of superfluous characters and stretched out plot lines. The villains in this novel were the best part.

My favorite Dickens novel

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The Audible Dickens Collection is well produced and narrated. This book, Our Mutual Friend was Dickens’ last completed work before his death. It has all of the qualities we expect of Dickens - vivid, quirky characters, plot twists, social commentary, moody atmosphere. This production is performed by Meera Syal - she inhabits the multiple characters so colorfully, and giving each character a distinctive voice.

Expertly narrated Dickens masterwork

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Charles Dickens has always been one of my favourite authors. This production is wonderfully done and reminded me why l love this story. Thank you Ms Syal.

Fantastic

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The story lost me frequently but the narration re-engaged me. This narrator's voice acting, consistent patois / accents, and character individuation are award worthy.

superb narration

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This sustained, authentic performance has been a complete pleasure to listen to. Ms Syal has been able to find an individual voice for each of the myriad characters. She has performed this enormous masterpiece beautifully and most faithfully. I hope she will take on Nicholas Nickleby and Great Expectations. She understands Charles Dickens. I cannot pay her a greater compliment. Her reading of the Afterword in place of a Preface was incredibly moving.

Meera Syal has done The Inimitable proud

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One of the best narrators I’ve heard. She fully portrayed every character with a unique voice, personality, and timbre, and brought the story vividly to life!

Top notch narration

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I love Dickens’ complex character development in this story, which, simultaneously has the effect of making you love his noblest characters and even develop a fond affection and amusement for the most detestable, laughing aloud at times at the eccentricities and traits of them all. The characterization is well-captured in both voice and intonation of this reader, who has clearly well-acquainted herself with the passages to portray the intricate scenes and interactions as closely as possible to those conceptualized by the author. A must-read/listen!

Intricate and captivating story and reading!

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Meera Syal’s narration of this work, complete with a unique voice for each character, is the best performance I’ve heard on Audible and what a story!

As Dickens writes in an afterword, there are two major plot twists in this novel (John Rockville is the heir John Hanford and the Boffins were in on the secret all along), one of which is deliberately telegraphed to the reader very early on and the other of which is completely disguised until the very end of the novel. The final plot twist is worthy of the finale of Dallas.

And along the way, we see Dickens at his most masterful in creating unforgettable characters and dialogue, skewering society, advocating for the poor and writing some of the finest landscape/riverscape descriptions I have ever had the pleasure to read. This is one of those books the reader savors. I found myself worrying that some particularly wonderful passages were not bound to be bound to my memory.

If pressed for what I liked best, I would have to say the characters and the dialogue: Ms. Jenny Wren, the dressmaker of children’s dolls, the Veneerings, Podsnaps and Miss Tiffen, dinner hosts and guests from hell, Betty Hidgins, a poor woman destined to die on the road, Mrs.Wilfer, who wants nothing more than to rise above her station, Mr. Venus the taxidermist and the unparalleled band of villains—Bradley Headstone, the stalking, murderous schoolmaster, the Lammles, the fortune hunters mutually deceived into marriage, Rodger Ridinghood a river rogue, and Fascinating Fledgby, the indolent “gentleman” looking for a scam and hiding his money-lending business behind the Jew, Mr. Riah, and Charley Hexam, a poor boy with brains and ambition.

These characters are all much more interesting with richer lives, stories, dialogue, than the main characters driving the plot. With Dickens, the plot is just the structure around which the best parts of the novel are strung.

This could be the best Dickens I’ve ever read although Great Expectations will always hold a special place for me. I see that it often ranks among Dickens’ most beloved works, the other one that is frequently mentioned being Bleak House. It’s been at least thirty years since I last visited Bleak House and this experience tells me it’s time for a revisit.

The Best of Dickens and the Best of Audible!

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It took me a while to “tune in” to Meera’s voice. But as each new character was introduced and the range of emotions evoked by Dickens increased, the more I marvelled at the effort it must have taken on Ms Syal’s part to understand the text at such a deep level. And then convey that to us.

As for the story, I thought it was brilliant. I suspect the not-so-crypto-antisemitism has been responsible for the lack of screen adaptations. Or perhaps Dickens’ take on wealth doesn’t chime so well with some.

Anyway, thank you Meera Syal for your stunning reading of a truly great novel.

Totally committed performance

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