Basil

By: Wilkie Collins

Narrated by: Nicholas Boulton

Appearing in 1852, Basil was Wilkie Collins’s second published novel. The eponymous narrator is emotionally torn between two women: Margaret Sherwin and his sister Clara. His marriage to Margaret, a draper’s sexually precocious daughter, is to remain secret and unconsummated for the first year, as agreed with her father.

Anticipating Collins’s later sensation novels, the plot involves betrayal, insanity and death, with a thrilling conclusion set among the cliffs and whirlpools near Land’s End. The book was received with shock upon its publication, most especially due to its treatment of adultery.

Here Basil is read by the prolific and popular narrator Nicholas Boulton.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

Public Domain (P)2022 Naxos AudioBooks UK Ltd.

Story telling structure

Slow start. Nearly skipped it. But the language is so wonderful I kept going. WC is a beautiful writer. This could be edited but then the language would be lost. Snippets of PG Wodehouse in one character!

A great plot!

W.C. Is the greatest Victorian author. I wish I had more! This book has a great plot. A great lesson!

Loved it!

This amazed me as all of Mr. Collin’s books have.
I also loved the narrator.

The Master of the Sensation Novel!

Though lesser known “Basil” is one of Collins best tales. It has absolutely everything to bring your emotions high and then swiftly down to the depths of stunned feelings. Always with a foreshadowing that has you near anxious for wanting more. On a personal note I am not a fan of dream sequences. Yet there is one here and done so very well that I will never shun another. His work has such depth that it begs one to listen more than once to be sure that you didn’t miss any nuance. The narration is perfect for the task and is superbly done. Oh if only Mr. Collins had written several thousand books. I’d never look up ever again!

Another wonderful narration by Nicholas Boulton

Wilkie Collins, Anthony Trollope, Charles Dickens and Mary Elizabeth Gaskell are some of my favorite authors. Mr. Boulton's narration suits the tone of this novel.