The Doll's House

By: Katherine Mansfield

Narrated by: Cathy Dobson

Katherine Mansfield's heartbreaking story of playground bullying. The Kelvey children are excluded from the schoolyard crowd because they come from a poor family with more than a hint of disreputableness about them. When the Burnell children are given a doll's house and invite their school friends two by two to see it, only the Kelveys are excluded. Until one day, Kezia Burnell decides to invite the Kelveys in to see it....

Public Domain (P)2013 Red Door Audiobooks

A Doll's House

What would have made The Doll's House better?

Was this a sample? It drew me into the story, then it just ends. What a tease.

Has The Doll's House turned you off from other books in this genre?

No, just super short stories.

What does Cathy Dobson bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

She really brings the children to life, without sounding all squeaky, as most adults sound.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Well, it began alright. But then it just, ENDED.

Any additional comments?

Eh, it had potential.

Narration is awful!

Katherine Mansfield's stories are very much of their time and therefore, written with metaphors and nuances - much like Edith Wharton and Virginia Woolf. Unfortunately, Cathy Dobson reads _all_ the Mansfield stories the same - as if each sentence is supposed to be a surprise. Her tone, timbre, and tempo lead to monotonous droning causing all subtlety and nuance to be buried. The listener cannot discern the metaphor for the lack of empathetic nuance of Dobson's dry, droning, and irritating narration.