From the Publisher
"The image of little Oliver Twist victimised by poverty, almost seduced by the specious excitement of crime, and then offered the possibility of a lucrative career in authorship is always compelling." —Guardian
"We leave him most reuctantly, and so will every reader who has any capacity to see and feel whatsoever is most loveable, hateful, or laughable, in the character of the everyday life about him." —Examiner
"The power of [Dickens] is so amazing, that the reader at once becomes his captive." —William Makepeace Thackeray
AudioFile
Narrator Simon Vance raises a banner that announces a once-in-a-lifetime performance that exquisitely matches narrator and text. Vance has a mellifluous English voice, an engaging tone, and marvelous diction.
APRIL 2012 - AudioFile
This retelling presents a condensed version of Dickens’s work for young listeners. Smoothly written, it has been considerably shortened from the original. It recounts the main events but lacks Dickens’s signature word craft. Jonathan Keeble is an authoritative guide through Oliver’s orphan narrative. Keeble’s commanding voice presents a series of interrelated vignettes, each separated by period music. His characters each have memorable voices, especially Fagin, who is a bombastic villain fully brought to life. With such voices, Keeble offers a performance, more than a narration. His changing tone and pace draw attention to dramatic events; however, some principals, notably Oliver, sound a bit caricatured. An informational booklet on Dickens accompanies the production. Keeble’s vivid reading makes Oliver’s story accessible for young listeners. C.A. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine
