Daniel Deronda

By: George Eliot

Narrated by: Philippe Duquenoy

Daniel Deronda is a clever and generous young man who has yet to find his true direction in life, much to the dismay of Sir Hugo, who has helped raise him. While in Germany, Daniel meets the attractive and headstrong Gwendolen, who's lost a fortune at the roulette table that her family cannot afford to lose, before returning to England. Back in London, Daniel rescues a singer Mirah from drowning herself, then begins to find purpose in helping her search for her family. This entertaining satire of Victorian society follows the stories of Daniel, Gwendolen, and Mirah.

Public Domain (P)2017 A.R.N. Publications

Worst performance I ever experienced

I don't write many reviews but this has to be said. The story is at times exciting, but the unenthusiastic reading of the reader drowns any passion that exists on the page. The pace is metronome-like, never pausing for effect, never speeding up as events become hurried. Even when the reader is prompted on the page by the author with descriptions of the speaker's mood or intention (such as the rector being grave, or kind), all are read with the same inflection. Almost a monotone. Barely better than text to speech functions on one's computer. This all becomes maddening. I endured this version for an interminable 13 chapters, at which time I borrowed a much better audio from my library. If you are interested in this novel, please choose another. This may drown any interest you have in George Eliot.

Daniel Deronda Never Gets Old

It had been a long time since I’ve read Daniel Deronda but the story never gets old. Unlike most of Eliot’s novels that are usually set in a small, country village, Daniel Deronda is set in London. The politics in this book are global as opposed to local, raising the stakes and the danger. Expanding the scope of the story, he weaves an intriguing tale that keeps you interested until the very end.

If you are looking for a classic novel that relates to today’s society, Daniel Deronda is the perfect choice. In this book, Eliot explores gender inequality, racial identity, as well as social prejudice, adding to the meat of the story. One of the most interesting characters in this book is Gwendolen Harleth. Although Gwendolen is shallow and narcissistic, she’s also addictive. Philippe Duquenoy did a wonderful job with the reading and pulled me in from the start, making it easy to lose myself in the details of the story.

Two thumbs up!