Poor Miss Finch

Five Stars for Reading, Five Stars for Story

(5 stars)

sarahm

This book deserves a double five stars - five stars for the excellent reading, five stars for the story. This is easily my favorite Wilkie Collins novel read thus far. The characters and plot are memorable and there is also quite a bit of humor. The Hamlet reading had me laughing out loud. I was listening on headphones while working in my garden. The neighborhood must have though I'd lost it when I suddenly cracked up laughing. This is the first book I've heard from this reader, but will certainly search for more. Great job!

a favorite Willie Collins novel second only to The Moonstone.

(5 stars)

FreeMr.Peltier

The reader was excellent. The story was intriguing. As Miss Finch is blind, I enjoyed the detailed descriptions of her use of touch and other senses in helping her to function very well. Her companion, who is also the narrator, occasionally gives long essays on analyzing situations, her feelings and observations in her many efforts to be a good friend and guide to Miss Finch, who at age 22, is younger than she by 20 years or more. Since I listened to the audio, I didn't mind this as it filled out her character as the intelligent and caring heroine. I highly recommend it, unless fast action thrillers are more appealing to you. This as well as all of W.C.'s novels I have read, deals with the inner person, relationships and motivating factors, which are most interesting to me. I also enjoyed the character of the German doctor, which provided humor at times. The characters of Mr. and Mrs. Finch at times were commented on with subtle satire at times and often humorous descriptions of their behavior.

(4 stars)

K4JC

A very good, highly dramatic story. Maybe Wikipedia has a more thorough description of the storyline. I found the reader's expression to be mostly very good, but annoying when she read parts spoken by Lucilla & some male characters. I've never heard anyone speak with a habitually quivery voice, & it made those characters appear ridiculous.

Great characters in olden days

(4 stars)

Avid Listener

So,It's a great story of its time about love, deception, devotion, friendship and family. All the characters are drawn out in great detail without being to one-sided, the story keeps twisting and turning to make you want to hear more. Although it appears dusty and old fashioned at times, it gives a wonderful understanding of predicaments of society in olden days and glimpses of hope for changes - be it curing cataract blindness, women's rights or a republic which does away with status based on inherited money alone. Sandra, the reader, deserves a special note. She reads every character with their own distinctive voice and even playing them out that I can imagine them so clearly in all the glorious details the author so willingly offers. I'd recommend the book for sick days when one feels miserable and needs a light hearted distraction with not much thinking required. Enjoy, it is a pleasurable experience - if I may say so (still giggling about the wonderful use of the English language by the German doctor).

Fantastic book, very good narration

(4 stars)

glttrgrl8

I love Wilkie Collins, and once again he hasn't let me down! I was very invested in the characters, plot was interesting, and I couldn't stop listening! In the book description, the narrator writes that she too is blind, which is one reason this book resonated with her. I think that makes her well-done narration even more impressive! I also have a visual impairment (only partial blindness), and sometimes I try to read along while the audiobook is playing. I noticed that there were a handful of words that didn't match what was in the Kindle text file I downloaded from the Gutenberg archive, but I don't know if the narrator was working from a different file then I had, so I surely don't see them as a flaw in her narration. All in all, I loved the book, and I could tell the narrator did too by how well she did.

great novel, great reader

(5 stars)

dahszil

Wonderful reader is Sandra G. You are not a mere reader but you seem to know exactly when to modulate your beautiful voice. And for me, most of all, know when to pause like a classical musician knows when to stop playing for a moment when he sees the "rest" analogous to reading, knowing how long to pause when there is a period, new paragraph, the comma, etc. I hear readers who sound like they just picked up the book and start reading in the same tone and seem like it is just a rambling task. You must "read"(listen, use braille, etc) the text first, make notes, etc., then narrate it when you thoroughly know what the author is trying to convey. thanks you so very much

(2.5 stars)

A LibriVox Listener

I must echo another review I gave saying that a lot of these books were written at a time when women were viewed as silly little creatures and written in that way. This is no exception. Miss Finch herself is petulant and irrational, but of course she's beautiful so everyone loves her. I find her obnoxious. Also, the main plot twist (which takes forever to get to) is that of an absurd soap opera. If not for the exceptional reader, I wouldn't have gotten through to the end.

long and lively

(4 stars)

BreAnna Teschendorf

Sandra is an amazing reader! The recording quality of this book is unsurpassed, in my experience. I am thankful for all of the effort that went into this recording. The book itself is not the best thing I've read/heard by Collins. However, the usual host of well described, colorful characters did not disappoint. I was amused and entertained, if not full of suspense. I could "put it down", as it were, however, I always kept coming back to it and I'm glad I did.