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  • The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

  • By: Muriel Spark
  • Narrated by: Miriam Margolyes
  • Length: 4 hrs and 45 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (747 ratings)
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The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie cover art

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

By: Muriel Spark
Narrated by: Miriam Margolyes
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Summary

"You girls are my vocation... I am dedicated to you in my prime."

So says Miss Jean Brodie, a teacher unlike any other. She is proud and cultured. A romantic, with progressive, sometimes shocking ideas and aspirations for the girls in her charge. When she decides to transform a select group of pupils into the 'crème de la crème' at the Marcia Blaine School they become the Brodie set. In exchange for their undivided loyalty, the girls earn a special place of honour and privilege within the school. Yet they are also introduced to a startling new world of adult games and intrigues, and as boundaries are crossed so the difficulties start to unfold.

Miriam Margolyes, one of Britain's finest character actors, gives a highly accomplished performance; rediscover this classic on the 100th anniversary of Muriel Spark's birth.

©1961 Copyright Administration Ltd (P)2011 Canongate Books

What listeners say about The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be

I read the book at school and again many years ago and was looking forward to a nostalgic reliving of that very enjoyable experience. In reality the story this time around was dull, I was uninterested in the fate of any of the characters and I just couldn’t get hooked. I kept losing the plot (literally!) as my mind wandered which is not my usual Audible experience. Miriam Margolyes did a good job of the narration but in the end I didn’t really care. Sad to realise I have outgrown it, and annoying that the posh Scottish Morningside accent of Miss Brodie will echo round my head for a while until I can dislodge it!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Focussed and skill fully written

I enjoyed the movie with Maggie Smith in my teens and this added to the visual template but the novel stands alone and is focussed and skillfully written - of what is the tragedy of Miss Jean Brodie.
MS captures so well, Edinburgh city - it’s architecture, the times and the society.
The narrator Margolyes, is extraordinary and rates among the best I’ve heard.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Great Performance

Miriam Margolyes should be the narrator for every audiobook ever. She is amazing.

That is all.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Exquisite

Beautifully written and wonderfully performed. Captures the evolution of Miss Brodie and the ageing of the girls.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Wonderful to have an audio version of this

Great unabridged recording of this classic novel. If would be good to have the other versions here too, one read by the wonderful Nadia May, which I have not heard yet and the other by the incomparable Geraldine McEwan, which I have. Miss McEwan (who also played Jean Brodie in the newly released TV series on DVD) reads this with a touch of genius but never goes over-the-top. I hope her version will be available at some point as ISIS Audio no longer have the rights to it and it would be a great loss to the listening public if another publisher did not acquire them.



Bruce Martin

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great read

Really enjoyable. Miriam reads splendidly.
Not, perhaps, for readers still in their prime but wonderful for those past their prime.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

An original novel with a dry humour

this novel does not have a plot in the traditional sense but weaves around the life of a Scottish school mistress and her favoured pupils. It has a dry humour and ironic tone. enjoyed it

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Miss Jean Brodie

I found parts of this quite unnerving
Jean's admiration of Mussolini & Hitler,
her, at times, bullying nature towards the girls. Though it felt at other times she endeavoured to encourage their individuality.
I enjoyed the enlightening aspect for the period that a woman needn't be married to be happy, she could travel independently experience the world.
Miriam Margoyles has a very listenable voice but the Scottish accents were jarring.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

So much more to the story than I remembered

I read this book at least 40 years ago when I was a schoolgirl myself. It is interesting to revisit this book as there is so much more to it than I gleaned from it as a teenager. I would say it is worth a second or even third listen or read. Miriam Margolyes narrated this book brilliantly.

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Not my favourite

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

No as I found the accent jarring

Would you be willing to try another book from Muriel Spark? Why or why not?

Yes, I think she could have some interesting books

What three words best describe Miriam Margolyes’s voice?

Jarring

Do you think The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No. Not necessary

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1 person found this helpful