Vanity Fair

Timothy West is the voice of Thackeray himself--author, storyteller, social critic. Crusty, witty and observant, he talks directly to the listener as he follows the lives of that ultimate social climber, Becky Sharp, and her contemporaries in early nineteenth-century England. We see the characters as caricatures through his eyes; we aren't allowed to get too close, so it's appropriate that they aren't individually portrayed in a vocal sense. The abridgment makes it difficult to keep track of minor players and some plot lines, but the essential flavor of Thackeray's satiric masterpiece is retained. This is another of the excellent Highbridge Classics series. J.B.G. (c) AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine

July 1, 2013

The characters in this complex 19th-century novel (scheming, amoral Becky Sharp; faithful William Dobbins, etc.) were once so well known that they were used as shorthand personality descriptors by other authors. Becky Sharp is willing to do almost anything for position or money, while family funding supports her best friend Amelia's, gentle, unrealistic soul. Becky marries well and then loses money. Amelia marries well and loses both husband and money. As time passes, their fortunes flip, turn, and intertwine until the two friends are old women. Georgina Sutton's wonderfully flexible voice keeps the reader engaged and the characters well differentiated through all 25 CDs of a very complicated story line--quite a feat. VERDICT Especially recommended for listeners just starting to explore classic British fiction.--I. Pour-El, Des Moines Area Community Coll., Ames, IA

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