Shirley

By: Charlotte Brontë

Narrated by: Anna Bentinck

Set in the industrialising England of the Napoleonic wars, a period of bad harvests, Luddite riots, and economic unrest, Shirley is the story of two contrasting heroines and the men they love. One is the shy Caroline Helstone, trapped in the oppressive atmosphere of a Yorkshire rectory, whose life represents the plight of single women in the 19th century. The other is the vivacious Shirley Keeldar, who inherits a local estate and whose wealth liberates her from convention.(P)2007 Isis Publishing Ltd.

Superb narration!

Anna Benting’s narration is superb and captivating. I have thoroughly enjoyed listening to this classic tale.

Not my favorite bronte, but definitely worth read

This was a little tiring at times but i still enjoyed it. by tiring i mean that it felt slow and there were times when i realized i wasnt listening and had to go back. that said, the narrator was good, and still the story line is nice and definitely worth reading. villette is still my recomended favorite of Charlottes.

great listen

loved it, reader excellent, Bronte superb, enjoy English history and literature, combination is very entertaining

Very Long....But good!

I always have a rough time with classics. This one was very long. took me a whole month to get through. But! the more I read/listen to these Classics the more I understand. This book was a little confusing at times as all these are, however, the main scenes that show you the gist of what's going on were fantastic.

I love Charlotte Brönte for the pure fact that there is always some trial that at least one character must endure and triumph over. Can't wait to get to the rest of hers and her sisters' books. I just wish there was a movie or a series I could watch to be able to experience it visually as well, like I have for the last few Classics I have read.

A ponderous tomb, but one with an interesting story

The charm of this novel is not I purely in its love story, or sensational storytelling. The charm lies in its portrayal of northern England during the early 19th century. Not merely taking the perspective of the “well-to-do” as most of the novels of this time period are accustomed, “Shirley” offers commentary on the class decide of this period by way of a cast of characters that span the lower poor class, the upper crust of society, and the bourgeoning middle class made up of the king merchant class. It is not a particularly exciting book to read, but it is rewarding in its representation of class, prejudice, and lessons to be taken into our modern age and looked at with a critical eye. This is of course an account written by a professor of English Literature. So take this with a grain of salt. I think it is a splendid, if slow and uneventful at times, pleasant Victorian novel for those accustomed to genre.

P.s. if you are reading this for school, I would highly recommend listening to this recording along side reading the actual text for a more thorough analysis of the overall text.