Title: Oliver Twist
Author: Charles Dickens
Narrator: John Lee
Duration: 16 hours, 3 minutes
Copyright: 2002, Books on Tape
Genres: adventure, classic fiction
Filed in: Audiobook Reviews
Review copy provided by Kearney Public Library.
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: One of Charles Dickens' most popular novels, Oliver Twist is the story of a young orphan who dares to say, "Please, sir, I want some more". After escaping from the dark and dismal workhouse where he was born, Oliver finds himself on the mean streets of Victorian-era London and is unwittingly recruited into a scabrous gang of scheming urchins. In this band of petty thieves, Oliver encounters the extraordinary and vibrant characters who have captured audiences' imaginations for more than 150 years: the loathsome Fagin, the beautiful and tragic Nancy, the crafty Artful Dodger, and the terrifying Bill Sikes, perhaps one of the greatest villains of all time.
Rife with Dickens' disturbing descriptions of street life, the novel is buoyed by the purity of the orphan Oliver. Though he is treated with cruelty and surrounded by coarseness for most of his life, his pious innocence leads him at last to salvation - and the shocking discovery of his true identity.
(P)2008 Tantor
MY TAKE ON IT: I recently read Lemony Snicket’s “A Series of Unfortunate Events”, and I couldn’t help but be reminded of that as I read “Oliver Twist.” Just like those poor Baudelaire orphans, Oliver just seems to go from one bad situation to another.
With no father on the scene, and his mother having died shortly after giving birth, Oliver grew up in a wretched orphanage where he was underfed and ill-treated. At the age of ten, he was moved from the orphanage to the work house, and was forced to work for an undertaker until he finally ran away. Upon arriving in the big city, London, Oliver is taken up by a truly awful man who makes young boys go out and pick pockets for him. Oliver’s bad luck finally culminates during a botched robbery attempt, in which Oliver is forced to participate, when the poor lad receives a gunshot wound and is left behind. Through it all, Oliver’s innocence and optimism remain intact, and the good-natured lad is rewarded when he finally discovers his true heritage.
I love Charles Dickens’ writing; his sense of satire is almost uncanny. Take a look at this passage from chapter 12 of the audiobook:
'You are a great deal better, are you not, my dear?' said the gentleman.
'Yes, thank you, sir,' replied Oliver.
'Yes, I know you are,' said the gentleman: 'You're hungry too, aren't you?’
'No, sir,' answered Oliver.
'Hem!' said the gentleman. 'No, I know you're not. He is not hungry, Mrs. Bedwin,’ said the gentleman: looking very wise. The old lady made a respectful inclination of the head, which seemed to say that she thought the doctor was a very clever man. The doctor appeared much of the same opinion himself. 'You feel sleepy, don't you, my dear?' said the doctor.
'No, sir,' replied Oliver.
'No,' said the doctor, with a very shrewd and satisfied look. 'You're not sleepy. Nor thirsty. Are you?’
'Yes, sir, rather thirsty,' answered Oliver.
'Just as I expected, Mrs. Bedwin,' said the doctor. 'It's very natural that he should be thirsty.
That passage cracked me up. Dickens is a very shrewd writer, and he doesn’t seem to think much of doctors, does he?
Charles Dickens is known for his bleak depictions of street-life, but all the dirt and grime in London cannot taint the purity of young Oliver. This audiobook is a good example to us all about staying clean in a dirty world.
NARRATOR: Well, it’s only natural that “Oliver Twist” should be narrated by someone with a British accent. I would love to hear Jim Dale narrate this audiobook. Lacking that, I think John Lee did a very fine job. He matched up to Dickens’ light-hearted tone very well, and I especially liked how he read Oliver’s lines, he sounded so sweet and innocent, just like Oliver himself.
FINAL WORD: Don’t let stories like “Great Expectations” scare you away from Charles Dickens entirely. “Oliver Twist” is a light-hearted and generally amusing tale about how even the lowliest of us can overcome our circumstances.
CHECK OUT THESE OTHER AUDIOBOOK REVIEWS:
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (Audiobook Review)
Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne (Audiobook Review)
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain (Audiobook Review)
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If you like this audiobook review, you can purchase the audiobook here:
Get "Oliver Twist" by Charles Dickens (Unabridged Audiobook) from Amazon.com.
This audiobook review is based on the unabridged audiobook.
Audiobook review by Steven Brandt
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