excellent reading

David Timson is a gifted narrator with a seemingly endless repertoire of characterful voices which do the novel full justice. Our Mutual Friend was not favourably reviewed when it was first published but this reading is hugely enjoyable and places many of the characters among Dickens's most memorable.

23 people found this helpful

Brilliant reading of OMF

Our Mutual Friend is darkly satiric, has superb descriptions of London and reeks of the river. Plus, Bella Wilfer must be just about unique in the Charles Dickens' female stable in having some complexity to her character.

This is the first audiobook that I have heard narrated by the talented David Timson. He appears to have an endless fund of character-laden voices to draw upon which is perfect for Dickens' novels. I am enjoying this immensely and would recommend this particular reading to anyone who is a Charles Dickens fan.

19 people found this helpful

Dickens at his very best

This book was such a pleasure to hear read. The story is captivating and you just can't stop listening. David Timson reads this so well that the characters come alive. He gives just exactly the right intonation to each so that you melt into the book and feel you are there experiencing it first hand. Dickens fans will already be familiar with his masterful use of language and depiction of characters. Those not familiar with Dickens will find this an exciting, romantic and thoroughly entertaining listen. This is a very long book but is well worth having in this unabridged version because in my view, with Dickens, as with some other authors, every word and paragraph adds to the asmospher and feel of the story. I wouldn't want to lose a single word by having an abridged version. The length of the listen is absolutly no problem and David Timson, has a very pleasant voice and an English accent that is easy on the ear and works well with this book.

12 people found this helpful

A cracker

OMF is no masterpiece of plotting, but it is a treasure chest of characters. Timpson does them all proud, makes the dark sections truly chilling, and gives even the dodgier passages real drive and shine.

9 people found this helpful

Our Mutual Friend

I can only reiterate what other readers have said. I don't think I've ever reviewed ANYTHING before but I am just bowled over by David Timson's excellent reading. As another reviewer said, he seems to have an endless range of voices and they are all so appropriate for the characters. I do hope you will be able to offer some more books with David Timson as narrator.

7 people found this helpful

This book made me a convert to Dickens

I never liked Dickens after being forced to read Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol at school but this book ...........is fabulous!
The story is huge, with so many characters - all of whom are beautifully depicted. Some you love, like Miss Jenny Wren, and some you hate, like Fascination Fledgeby, but all essential to the story. The interweaving of their lives and fortunes and the satirical treatment of 'Society' and those involved in it make it a thoroughly modern book. David Timson's reading is superb. His voices make it so easy to see each of the characters in one's mind's eye. He is obviously completely a part of the process (I can almost see him with side whiskers, seated in a wing chair by the fireside, reading to us). I think this is probably the best book I've listened to so far and I am now Dickens' newest fan - I've just downloaded 'A Tale of Two Cities' on the strength of it!

19 people found this helpful

A great book...I love it.

What made the experience of listening to Our Mutual Friend the most enjoyable?

It is just such a great story: funny, sad, moving. Dickens is brilliant at weaving the threads of the story together. I really enjoyed David Timson's narration - each character was brought alive.

What other book might you compare Our Mutual Friend to, and why?

Any of Dickens' epic stories, like Great Expectations.

Have you listened to any of David Timson’s other performances? How does this one compare?

This is the first David Timson's narration I've listen to, but it won't be the last. I brought the story alive.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I wanted to listen to it all in one go, but it it was far too long to actually do it.

Any additional comments?

Listen to it!

3 people found this helpful

Brilliant book, brilliantly read

Where does Our Mutual Friend rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Top 3

Who was your favorite character and why?

All of them - all of Dickens cast of characters are so good it is impossible to pick one

What about David Timson’s performance did you like?

I felt like I was listening to a whole cast of characters rather than just one person reading - it was like listening to a play

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

YES!! Just glad there were so many hours available as I never wanted it to end

Any additional comments?

I thought no-one could come near Tim West and Anton Lesser as my favourite Trollope and Dickens readers - but David Timson is up there with them

3 people found this helpful

Lot's of character's and a hell of a twist!

What did you like most about Our Mutual Friend?

I really liked the observation with regard to a tendency for some people to punish their benefactors. I mean, of course, the ungrateful Silas Wegg's blackmailing of Noddy Boffin.

What other book might you compare Our Mutual Friend to, and why?

The marriage of Eugene Wrayburn to Lizzy Hexham is reminiscent of Harry Maylie and Rose in Oliver and Arther Clennam to Little Dorrit

Which character – as performed by David Timson – was your favourite?

Mr Riah was probably my favourite. He acted with such dignity and kindness despite the dreadful way he was treated.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I was outraged by the heinous way Silas Wegg schemed against Mr Boffin, but also found the scene where Rogue Riderhood was brought back from the dead very moving. He was such an awful character in life, but that didn't prevent people from doing their up most to save his life when he lay weak and helpless. Probably that was the most care he had ever been shown and I hoped it might change him for the better, but like Bill Sykes with regard to Nancy, or Ralph Nickleby with regard to the Cheeryble Brothers. You realise that these characters are so far gone they are incorrigible.

Any additional comments?

Wonderful story telling from David Timson!

3 people found this helpful

Humour, mystery and human-nature....Dickens!

I loved this..I have struggled to get into the book but David Simpson does such a great job with the narrative, the voices, and making Dicken' s continuously interwoven humour stand out, that I was hooked very quickly. I laughed often and even welled up at one point. Definitely a great purchase.

2 people found this helpful