The Bertrams

By: Anthony Trollope

Narrated by: Flo Gibson

We follow the mid-Eastern travels, careers, loves and marriages as three Oxford graduates explore the spirit of competition and the mid-Victorian money culture. This book is a remarkable novel full of psychological insight, satire, and social comedy.

Public Domain (P)2008 Audio Book Contractors, Inc.

Money, Class and Regrets

The novel The Bertrams has a complex plot that tells the story of the relationship of a variety of characters to money and class. The plight of women in Victorian England, and their powerlessness in regard to opportunities for self sufficiency (particularly in light of regressive marriage laws) is explored. This novel is also a travelogue of sorts and I enjoyed the scenes set in Jerusalem. As with many Trollope novels, the book’s seriousness is offset by some genuinely humorous characters and scenes.

The narration was slightly odd — quick without enough pauses between sentences and paragraphs. I suspect the recording was artificially sped up, and therefore some of the oddities may not have been the fault of the narrator. I listened to the book at 90 percent of the original speed and found it much better.

This fabulous author deserves a better narrator

If you could sum up The Bertrams in three words, what would they be?

insightful, innovative author

What didn’t you like about Flo Gibson’s performance?

She is just plain awful. Her voice quality is really bad. Her voice is so hard and raspy. I don't understand why she is narrating so many of these wonderful works.

Terrible Narration

I love Anthony Trollope, and have tried to listen to every one of his books. I tried to get through this one 3 times, but the narrator is awful. So bad, that within a few minutes I just had a headache. I got through the first 6 or 7 chapters and just had to give up. I wish they would redo this one with Timothy West.

Fine novel. Terrible narration.

Flo Gibson is the worse narrator I’ve heard. I cannot recommend anything she reads. Scratchy, emotionless and irritating. All Trollope novels are worth reading - but not this narrator.

Another Trollope classic

As a lover of British Literature, I highly recommend Anthony Trollope’s works his use of language to color all the characters is amusing and his storylines are engaging.

“The Bertrams” did not disappoint.