Mansfield Park

The BBC brings another flawless performance to the audiobook industry with its production of Mansfield Park. The ensemble cast is led by actress Hannah Gordon. Most impressive is the audiobook's full-production quality. Sound effects are professionally done and exquisitely evocative--from the chirping of birds in trees to the ruffling of papers indoors. And the acting is superb. Robert Glemister's Edmund, for example, speaks like the Prince Charming he truly is. Listeners will be drawn in completely by such a wonderful production. R.A.P. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Listeners with the fortitude to make it through twelve cassettes of nineteenth-century British social mores will be rewarded with Austen's brilliant commentary on the society of her day and by Johanna Ward's solid reading. Her narrative style is unvoiced and cultured, but makes for difficulty in character differentiation, especially for listeners unaccustomed to this style of both voice and literature. Nevertheless, this is a lively and interesting choice for admirers of Jane Austen, but use cautiously with younger audiences unfamiliar with her work. S.G. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

This production moves with the grace of a minuet, guided through its abridgment by elegant music. Stevenson's dulcet voice perfectly suits the drawing-room atmosphere; her almost languid tones seem to personify the indolent artifices of the era. The character of Fanny, so meekly accepting of abuse in her adopted home, is clearly delineated and if she appears a bit flat in personality, it must be ascribed to her role of setting off the selfishness of those around her. Even the packaging is neat, containing a nice prÄcis of the plot contained on each cassette and other pertinent information. S.B.S. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

The titled family of a wealthy estate brings their poor niece, Fanny Price, to join the household. A timid, retiring child, Fanny proves the most upstanding member of the clan, winning the respect, admiration and love of her new family. Frances Barber offers a sterling performance, bringing life and sparkle to each character. Her adept handling of several British dialects is deliciously enhanced by nonverbal utterings, including chuckles, sniffs, clearings of throat, sobs and the like. Barber convincingly shifts from lord of the manor to sniveling servitude at the change of a sentence. And her narrative passages transparently tie the whole family together into one beautiful package. R.P.L. (c) AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine

Jane Austen's classic social comedy concerns the coming of age of young Fanny Price, who grows up at Mansfield Park among a large family circle. Maureen O'Brien turns in a graceful, exemplary reading. Her greatest accomplishment may be the softness and subtlety she brings to the narration, traits that sharpen Austen's satire. O'Brien's rich characterizations also attest to her intelligent understanding of the book. She resists the trap of overdrawing the innocent Fanny and the scolding Mrs. Norris, whom a lesser reader would have made into the caricature of a busybody. Instead, O'Brien makes her a family nuisance who seems never less than human. G.H. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award (c) AudioFile, Portland, Maine

In this elegant abridgment, Harriet Walter (Fanny Dashwood in the film Sense and Sensibility) brings her exquisite articulation to bear on the inhabitants of gracious Mansfield Park. Walter's voicing of the characters is expert, displaying not only a virtuosity with accent and tone, but also a deep understanding of Austen's class distinctions. The maddening hypocrisy of Fanny's aunt, Mrs. Norris, and the clenched jaw of her uncle, the baronet, are both in delightful contrast to the livelier members of the party. The distinction the reader draws between the captivating, but shallow, Mary Crawford and the mild and sensitive Fanny Price leaves no doubt that our hero will eventually triumph in Edmond Bertram's heart. T.M. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Fanny Price, one of a dozen children born into a family that can ill afford so many, is sent at the age of 10 to live with her wealthy relatives. In typical Jane Austen form, immutable laws of propriety frame acts both vicious and virtuous, enabling Fanny to find her place in the world. Wanda McCaddon is the ideal choice to present this classic. Her impeccable elocution fits Austen's persnickety style. McCaddon gives a soft, sweet cadence to Fanny's thoughts and words while conveying all the author's derision toward the story's shallow characters. Both story and performance deliver a nineteenth-century "tell-all" just as impossible to resist as the tabloids in the checkout line. R.L.L. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine

There is a lively appeal to Alison Larkin's performance of this fine audiobook. She fairly skips through the novel with her clear, glorious voice and her confident portrayal of a broad cast of characters. The pace can, at times, pick up speed and leave the listener bustling to keep up, but, for the most part, Austen's story of Fanny Price's personal journey is engrossing. The complex social commentary often present in Austen's work is ubiquitous here, and Larkin keeps the listener close. As is often the case, a skilled audio performance such as this is an excellent way to enjoy the classics. Larkin animates dialogue beautifully and seems so enamored of the subject matter that the story she tells is hard to resist. L.B.F. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine