April 4, 2016
Whether one treasures this classic piece of literature as an old companion or has no acquaintance with it at all, the listener is in for a treat. Reader Bentinck draws us at once into the trials assailing the orphaned and ill-treated 10-year-old Jane. Bentinck’s soft voice, flawless rhythms, and cultured British accent are exactly what’s needed to guide listeners through this heroine’s wild history of tribulations and jubilations. She portrays men, women, and children of different classes quite convincingly, and illuminates a wide range of nuanced emotions as Jane encounters hunger and cruelty as well as tender friendships at school, then a world of anger, fear, defeat, humor, sarcasm, affection, and exaltation as teacher and governess. The remarkable plot, the carefully delineated characters, and Bentinck’s acting facility make the journey an intriguing and memorable experience.
July 1, 2006
Plot point follows plot point in these fast-paced adaptations. With scant space allotted for character development or setting, the tales seem to be little more than a collection of elaborate coincidences. [cf2]Jane Eyre[cf1] holds up best. [cf2]Les Miserables[cf1] is simply too large for such a brief treatment, and Martin's propensity for choppy sentences makes a hash of [cf2]Oliver Twist[cf1].
(Copyright 2006 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)