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    Bleak House
    Bleak House
    Bleak House
    Audiobook35 hours

    Bleak House

    Written by Charles Dickens

    Narrated by Sean Barrett and Teresa Gallagher

    4.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    Bleak House
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherNaxos Audiobooks
    Release dateSep 30, 2006
    ISBN9789629544874
    Author

    Charles Dickens

    Charles Dickens (1812–1870) gehört bis heute zu den beliebtesten Schriftstellern der Weltliteratur, in England ist er geradezu eine nationale Institution, und auch bei uns erfreuen sich seine Werke einer nicht nachlassenden Beliebtheit. Sein „Weihnachtslied in Prosa“ erscheint im deutschsprachigen Raum bis heute alljährlich in immer neuen Ausgaben und Adaptionen. Dickens’ lebensvoller Erzählstil, sein quirliger Humor, sein vehementer Humanismus und seine mitreißende Schaffensfreude brachten ihm den Beinamen „der Unnachahmliche“ ein.

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    Reviews for Bleak House

    4.5/5

    200 ratings132 reviews

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    • 5/5
      This is a brilliant book full of life, twists and wisdom. It’s one of those books that’s a different book about every twenty years as you age. I also thought it was enjoyable to listen to the engaging readers. I am sorry it’s over!
    • 5/5
      I had to read this one as part of my required reading for a history of publishing class that I took in college. The history of this book itself and how it was published was incredibly interesting, aside from the fact that the book is great. It's crazy to think that Dickens wrote the majority of his well known works in increments and adapted his writing according to the reactions of the audiences. Bleak House was beautifully atmospheric and, in classic Dickensian style, has all sorts of characters that are intertwined in ways that they don't realize until all loose ends gets tied. Highly recommend (even though the page count is incredibly intimidating).
    • 5/5
      Dickens' 17th important work, his 9th novel, his 1st utter masterpiece. Bleak House is gorgeous, powerful, and diffuse in a way that signals we're on to the author's third act, in which the vibrant characters and internal examination he had been trialling begin to come together. Apparently, as he got to the end of this novel, Dickens was finding his life and its burdensome pile of commitments to be a little much, but perhaps it was because he was giving more than ever to his work. Lady Dedlock and Esther both provide dimensional (well, at least bordering on two-dimensions, which is something for this guy) portraits into this maudlin world. The social satire of the Jarndyce case is barbed in a different way to Dickens' anger on the treatment of the poor: it is a more tongue-in-cheek satire about the inanities of humankind. Richard and Ada aren't exactly fountains of great depth, but their actions still contribute their detail to the many facets that make up this unified whole. While I think that Dorrit and Great Expectations are also masterpieces (and I haven't yet read Our Mutual Friend), Bleak House is absolutely the most Dickensian of CD's achievements.
    • 5/5
      The narration by both the female and the male are spectacular!
    • 5/5
      Amazing narration for a wonderful story. Really brings it to life.
    • 4/5
      A great, sprawling story of forbidden love, deception, betrayal, blackmail and murder, set against a backdrop of Chancery lawyers and innocent wards of Court. It was recommended to me as one of his greatest books, and perhaps it may be; however, the episodic nature of the writing engenders too many superfluous words in my view; it could have been told in half the number.

      The audiobook is excellent, and the two narrators are skilled in voicing the different characters, and held me captivated.
    • 4/5
      After running out of renewals (twice!) before I opened the book, I finally just went out and purchased Charles Dickens' "Bleak House." (I check out too many long books from the library at once.) I did enjoy reading "Bleak House" but I'm pretty sure I'll never read it again -- it definitely wasn't my favorite novel by Dickens.The novel, published serially, tells the story of a variety of characters mainly associated with the Jarndyce vs. Jarndyce lawsuit -- a battle over a succession of wills that has dragged on so long, the original parties are deceased. As the lawsuit winds it way slowly through court, those who might benefit from its conclusion continue on with their lives in London.I mostly liked the story, even though the characters weren't the strongest. Dickens' way of neatly wrapping things up at the end of the story always irks me and this book was no exception. There are a few twists in the book that were unexpected, which pushed this up to a 3.5 rating for me, rather than a 3.
    • 5/5
      Superb. Riveting. Definitely one of the master's most underrated masterieces.
    • 5/5
      Bought the Penguin edition and and the audio as well.
    • 5/5
      It's always daunting to review a 'classic', as there are always so many other opinions lurking in the background, but I'll try to give an unadulterated view in my Dickens reviews this year. I enjoyed BH enormously. Dickens seems to me to have two main types of novel: the personal stories like David Copperfield and Great Expectations; or the great social panoramas like Our Mutual Friend or The Old Curiosity Shop. Bleak House, although it contains the personal history and first person narrative of Esther Summerson, is in the latter category. The inanimate antihero is The Law, and it is manifest in a variety of ways - through the amoral lawyer, Tulkinghorn, far removed from any tender human emotion; through the madness of poor Miss Flyte and the obsession of Richard; and through the mind-numbing and soul destroying atmosphere of the Court of Chancery. The law is an instrument of harm in this book, and an object of horror, because the very process and persons that should uphold justice and peace instead make confusion, misery and poverty. Bleak House is a book about obfuscation, and the plot is deep and twisty including hidden identities, murder, scandal, mislaid documents, love - wise and unwise, loyalty and hatred. There are many interesting characters to love or hate, including Dickens' staple preternaturally good woman in Esther Summerson (who is likeable nevertheless)The portrait of Inspector Bucket is especially satisfying, and I found in him the type of many of fiction's hero detectives. His way of insinuating himself and apparently carrying on a perfectly normal conversation whilst extracting information is particularly reminiscent of Peter Whimsy.Dickens has some hard things to say about the society and mores of his time, but he doesn't let the social comment get in the way of a cracking good yarn.
    • 5/5
      Massive. Wordy. Complex. Intense. Worth it.

      I immersed myself in this work for the month of March. Not a day slipped by that I wasn't involved with one of the one hundred plus characters met along the way. Now that my reading experience has been completed, I already find that I will miss the twists, turns, and even the predictable events that befell these intertwined creations.


    • 5/5
      All-round wonderful. A brilliant critique of the legal system, a ripping yarn of a plot, spontaneous human combustion: this has it all.
    • 4/5
      The dicken's Bleak house though seemed voluminous in the mid way through, didn't appeared so towards it's end. The wide array of characters, their coincidence and links makes it more interesting. The story is told alternately by Esther Summerson, the leading protagonist, and an omniscient narrator.The confrontation between Lady dedlock and Mr.Tulkinghorn is so vividly depicted by the author and it's becoming a real deadlock situation to the Lady dedlock (as her name suggests) quite amuses the reader.The same is true of the characters who cling to the protracted law suit of Jarndyce and Jarndyce forlornly. The story grips you with mystery deaths,amusing parallel stories and gets your imagination going.
    • 5/5
      One of the best books I've ever read, and my favorite Dickens. With his gift for detail and small characters that would never even make it into other novels, this sprawling tale is perfectly suited to his talents.
    • 4/5
      Dickens at his best. A sweeping and epic story, vivid characters, and Dickens' inimitable style. The plot is dense and features many a Deus ex Machina resolution to tie all loose ends up, but this story of how the rule of law can be misused and abused is as timely today as it was over a hundred years ago. The book also deals sensitively with extramarital sex, illegitimacy, poverty, and drug abuse. It has a mystery as it Maguffin, but the real subject is society at large. As a bonus, much of the London it describes can still be found in the Inns of Court and Lincoln Fields.
    • 4/5
      I can certainly see how this critique of the legal system in existence at the time is worthy of the 'classic' label, unfortunately I found this a very challenging read until the murder- mystery section of the novel (approximately the second half). Glad I kept with this novel and am looking forward to reading further Dickens.
    • 5/5
      This is a complex story about characters caught in Jarndyce and Jarndyce, a chancery case regarding a will of someone who died long ago. Some of his characters include Esther whose past is a shadow and who is a gentle and loving woman; John Jarndyce is a benefactor of many who is also a gentle and caring soul; Lady Dedlock is trying to hide an old secret; and Richard Carstone becomes obsessed with the Jarndyce case. I’ve only listed a smattering of the characters included in this book. In fact, I recommend that anyone reading it, keep a list of both characters and locations in order to keep all of them straight. The book starts slowly as Dickens introduces us to the Chancery Court and then the Dedlock’s, but within a few chapters I found that it picked up speed as I got to know the characters better. Dickens is a marvelous author and I marvel at his way of weaving together disparate characters that, at first look, seem to have no relationship to one another, but who often have long, unknown, to them, histories that are intertwined. I am also fond of his use of characters to comment on the social mores of his time. However, I really struggled with some passages and during these would tell myself to “just keep reading” until I was through them. I noticed that these sections often described a place, individual or thing and seemed to just go on too long for my attention. Nevertheless, I am a Dickens fan and recommend this book.
    • 4/5
      I believe this book is considered Dickens' best work. It certainly is the longest. A major soap opera full of characters which run the gamut from impoverished street urchin to titled rich, families completely dysfunctional to loving and supportive. The plot centers on a court case that has been running for years and involves a legacy left to two young cousins. Esther emerges on the scene from a home with a bitter, hard woman. She comes as a ward to one of the Jarndyces in the law suit who appreciates her organized, loving ways and immediately puts her in charge of his home, Bleak House.This is a very long, convoluted book and I highly recommend reading this on an Ebook and saving your eyesight and hands. It is certainly well worth the effort.
    • 4/5
      I’ve been meaning to read Bleak House ever since I watched the Masterpiece Theatre miniseries last summer. I finally got to the book in May, and it took me about a month to read, but it was excellent. I’ve always loved Dickens –I grew up reading Oliver Twist over and over again — but Bleak House seemed daunting both because of its length and its title. Who wants to read about a house called “bleak”?It turned out to be a wonderful book. It was very long, and very detailed, but that is what makes Dickens such a masterful storyteller. His characters are all so beautifully developed, even if they have certain qualities that are sometimes outrageously exaggerated. (The mother who devotes herself entirely to philanthropic work while ignoring her own children, the grown man who completely lacks all common sense and sense of duty as a citizen or father, etc. Typical Dickensian humor.) The main character, Esther, is almost heartbreakingly kind and self-sacrificing. Each character — and there are many — is so unique.As you might imagine, a lot of the more subtle nuances of Dickens’s style went over my head when I was a young reader — particularly his humor. I found myself laughing out loud at Bleak House more than once. His plays on words, the ridiculous things his characters say, and the satirical representation of a convoluted legal system were all very amusing.The story itself, of course, is masterful in the way it slowly unfolds. It is part tragedy, part comedy, part murder mystery, part courtroom drama all in one. Bleak-House-charles-dickens-743354_1600_1200-425x318At times I found myself wishing it was two hundred pages or so shorter, but most of the time I just enjoyed the leisurely ride through London and the English countryside and the beautiful language that delivered the picture to us. If I ever read this again, I’m going to map the story out. I’d love to see the character arcs and plot points illustrated. And it would help me keep track of the characters. (So many!)If you’re not up for reading it, I highly recommend the television series. It’s exciting and suspenseful and dark! And it has the beautiful Gillian Anderson as Lady Dedlock.
    • 5/5
      Another classic Dickens - great characterization and brings to light a great inequity.
    • 5/5
      Everyone always told me I'd hate Dickens when I read him. Actually, I rather like him. While sometimes the amount of detail, and the number of minor-but-still-CRUCIAL characters was a little irksome, the book itself was wonderful. Note: If you read, you WILL want to keep paper handy. It's easier to just write down all the characters than to try and remember them. And you WILL want to write down EVERY CHARACTER. 8/10
    • 4/5
      How can you not love Dickens? There is nothing better than curling up on a cold, rainy day with a cup of tea and a dark, exquisitely detailed Dickens novel. The plot(s) of Bleak House revolves around a never-ending court case. All the appropriate things are there - the pictures of a dark, oppressive, and grimy London, the absurd and inventive characters, and a meticulously detailed plot.
    • 5/5
      Another missed classic on my reading journey thus far, another genuinely delightful discovery… Dickens’ particular talent was for imbuing everything with character - fog, mud, London, the law - and then surprising the reader by having more still left over for a marvellous array of actual characters. Bleak House is, for that reason, a companion of a book. The case of Jarndyce vs. Jarndyce, a longstanding preoccupation of the gentleman of the Court of Chancery, is a character of its own right; sprawling, beleaguering and affecting lives that Dickens lifts out of the ‘London Particulars’ and follows in absorbing, engaging detail. The lawyers, particularly the watchful and endangered Tulkinghorn, the gentle Esther Summerson who becomes companion to the ‘wards of Jarndyce’, the interrogative, amiable and brilliant Inspector Bucket… some of the most remarkable people I’ve ever met lie within these pages. The writing is humorous – either blatantly so, or wry; often shamelessly sentimental (I was chuckling on page five and bawling on page nineteen), often enraging – Dickens’ disgust at the deprivations visited upon the impoverished lower classes of the time is legendary, and Bleak House contains a smorgasbord of exemplars – the story follows those involved in the case, innocently or not, as they navigate murder, romance, mysterious personal circumstance, charity (in all its manifestations), devotion or self-interest – I cannot think of an aspect of humanity that isn’t examined within the scope of this fabulous story.I finally understand what all the fuss is about when it comes to Dickens. This is what all the fuss is about.
    • 4/5
      Blimy - that took some reading! It took me a very long time to get into this, but at about 2/3rds distance it suddenly takes flight and the previous 600 odd pages start to come together into something where you start to care what is happening. Not necessarily to the lead characters, Esther is (for me) too docile and dutiful, Ada too indistinct and a makes a cake of herself over Richard, he's a wastrel and doesnt deserve to have Ada or the consideration he gains. No, it;s not the leads that are the characters that capture the attention, it's the supporting cast that are where the interest lies. Guppy with his ill fated proposal, Allan Woodcourt who is hero material - just waiting to find his niche (in stark contrast to Richard). Poor Miss Flite, who is such a warning to those considering embroiling themselves in Chancercy. Trooper George and the Bagnets (who have a home life you have to admire). even the less likable characters, Skimpole, Smallweed, Tulkinghorn, all have something about them that captures the imagination.I'm not sure that the narrator and Esther's narration really worked. Esther, at times, sounds like she knows more than the could/should at the time mentioned, meaning that she is not clearly differentiated from the narrator's voice. Meaning it has a similar tone throughout. I'm pleased I've read it, and glad to have got through it, but I'm not sure I can see myself wading through the first 600 pages, even for the fun ride that the last 300 odd produced.
    • 5/5
      One of my all time favourites. Loved it.

      © Koplowitz 2011

    • 5/5
      Having just begun a rereading of Bleak House I find myself comparing it to David Copperfield, which I recently reread. I note immediately the difference in narrative style as it opens with a third person narrator; however it soon, in the third chapter, introduces a first person narrator, Miss Esther Summerson, who is almost as charming as David himself. The opening sets the stage wonderfully with contrast of the London Fog and the Chancery of the first chapter with the world of Fashion in the second. Throughout the opening chapters Dickens continues to introduce new characters to populate this increasingly complex novel. With the discovery of a dead body (a law-writer) by Mr. Tulkinghorn we have a mystery to add to the growing suspense. Dickens introduces character after character until the story absolutely teems with a multitude of humanity. In spite of this both plot lines and themes begin emerging from the mist of the fog that is introduced on the first page. The suspense builds for Esther as we wonder, perhaps more than she seems to, about her parentage. This plot line blends into a general theme of children and parents as it appears that in many cases (eg. Jellyby and Pardiddle) having parents is not the best thing for children, at least parents like these. The complexity of the story, told alternately by the third person narrator and Esther herself, is amazing considering it was originally published in monthly installments. It makes the achievement all the greater. This reader is grateful, not only for the achievement, but for his ability to read and enjoy it. Unlike poor Jo! The novel concludes with a wonderful and exciting immersion into the world of Detective Bucket. He brilliantly solves the murder of Mr. Tulkinghorn (with the assistance of his wife) and goes on an unfortunately unsuccessful search for Lady Dedlock. In the process of bringing together the main elements of the narrative Dickens manages to portray some of his best characters as Sir Leicester Dedlock and John Jarndyce demonstrate their benevolence and exceedingly good natures. Esther and Allen Woodcourt manage to surmount their communication difficulties with delightful result. The novel, in all it complications and seeming "modernity" closes as leaving the reader smiling.
    • 4/5
      There are many curses that people place upon themselves and their descendants, some are the rest of their actions and others by their indecisions complicated by bureaucratic failures then sometimes it’s both. Charles Dickens shows the effects of both in his 1853 novel Bleak House not only on his main characters but also on secondary characters who are just unlucky to interaction with the afflicted persons.Sir Leicester Dedlock and his wife Honoria live on his estate at Chesney Wold. Unknown to Sir Leicester, before she married, Lady Dedlock had a lover, Captain Hawdon, and had a daughter by him. Lady Dedlock believes her daughter is dead. The daughter, Esther Summerson, is in fact alive and is raised by Miss Barbary, Lady Dedlock's sister, who does not acknowledge their relationship. After Miss Barbary dies, John Jarndyce becomes Esther's guardian and assigns the Chancery lawyer "Conversation" Kenge to take charge of her future. After attending school for six years, Esther moves in with him at Bleak House. Jarndyce simultaneously assumes custody of two other wards, Richard Carstone and Ada Clare (who are both his and one another's distant cousins). They are beneficiaries in one of the wills at issue in Jarndyce and Jarndyce; their guardian is a beneficiary under another will, and the two wills conflict. Richard and Ada soon fall in love, but though Mr. Jarndyce does not oppose the match, he stipulates that Richard must first choose a profession. Richard first tries a career in medicine, and Esther meets Allan Woodcourt, a physician, at the house of Richard's tutor. When Richard mentions the prospect of gaining from the resolution of Jarndyce and Jarndyce, John Jarndyce beseeches him never to put faith in what he calls ‘the family curse’. Richard disregards this advice and his subsequent career endeavors fails as a result of his growing obsession while his personal relationship with Jarndyce deteriorates. Lady Dedlock is also a beneficiary under one of the wills and while looking at an affidavit by the family solicitor, Mr. Tulkinghorn, she recognizes the handwriting on the copy and almost faints, which Tulkinghorn notices and investigates. He traces the copyist, a pauper known only as "Nemo", in London. Nemo has recently died, and the only person to identify him is a street-sweeper, a poor homeless boy named Jo, who lives in a particularly grim and poverty-stricken part of the city known as Tom-All-Alone's. Lady Dedlock investigates while disguised as her maid, Mademoiselle Hortense. Lady Dedlock pays Jo to take her to Nemo's grave. Meanwhile, Tulkinghorn is concerned Lady Dedlock's secret could threaten the interests of Sir Leicester and watches her constantly, even enlisting her maid to spy on her. He also enlists Inspector Bucket to run Jo out of town, to eliminate any loose ends that might connect Nemo to the Dedlocks. Esther and Lady Dedlock see each other at church and talks at Chesney Wold without recognizing their connection. Later, Lady Dedlock does discover that Esther is her child. However, Esther has become sick (possibly with smallpox, since it severely disfigures her) after nursing the homeless boy Jo. Lady Dedlock waits until Esther has recovered before telling her the truth. Though Esther and Lady Dedlock are happy to be reunited, Lady Dedlock tells Esther they must never acknowledge their connection again. Meanwhile Richard and Ada have secretly married, and Ada is pregnant. Esther has her own romance when Woodcourt returns to England, having survived a shipwreck, and continues to seek her company despite her disfigurement. Unfortunately, Esther has already agreed to marry her guardian, John Jarndyce, who sees Woodcourt is a better match for her and sets not only Woodcourt with good professional prospects and sets the two of them up for an engagement. Hortense and Tulkinghorn discover the truth about Lady Dedlock's past. After a confrontation with Tulkinghorn, Lady Dedlock flees her home, leaving a note apologizing for her conduct. Tulkinghorn dismisses Hortense, who is no longer of any use to him. Feeling abandoned and betrayed, Hortense kills Tulkinghorn and seeks to frame Lady Dedlock for his murder. Sir Leicester, discovering his lawyer's death and his wife's flight, suffers a catastrophic stroke, but he manages to communicate that he forgives his wife and wants her to return. Inspector Bucket, who has previously investigated several matters related to Jarndyce and Jarndyce, accepts Sir Leicester's commission to find first Tulkinghorn’s murderer and then Lady Dedlock. He quickly arrests Hortense but fails to find Lady Dedlock before she dies of exposure at the cemetery of her former lover, Captain Hawdon. A new will is found for Jarndyce and Jarndyce that benefits Richard and Ada, but the costs of litigation have entirely consumed the estate bring the case to an end. Richard collapses and Woodcourt diagnoses him as being in the last stages of tuberculosis and he dies before the birth of his namesake son. John Jarndyce takes in Ada and her child, a boy whom she names Richard. Esther and Woodcourt marry and live in a Yorkshire house which Jarndyce gives to them. The couple later raise two daughters.The above synopsis only covers the main plot, but expertly woven throughout are two subplots surrounding Caddy Jellyby and Mr. George Rouncewell who interact with the main characters at various times throughout the novel. Dickens masterfully crafts the cast of characters and the plot in an engaging and intriguing serious of plots that make the book a complete whole thus showing why his work is considered among the greatest of literature. Yet Dickens is also a bit too wordy resulting in scenes taking longer than they should and making some readers like myself, to start skimming through places in the later half of the book when a character that likes to spout off begins having a soliloquy of some indeterminable length at the expense of missing something connected to the slowly culminating climax.Bleak House turns out to show Charles Dickens at his best as well as showing off what might be his one little flaw. The interesting characters and multilayered narrative keep the reader engaged throughout the book even as they must sometimes endure Dickens wordiness that might drown them in unnecessary prose. Though over 900 pages, a reader should not feel intimidated given that many Dickens books are an extraordinary length and the reader keeps on being engaged throughout their reading experience so that length does not matter.
    • 2/5
      The only way I can comprehend the length of this book is that it was serialized...?Not only is the plot way overdrawn, but it is predictable and pointless, unless you care about Chancery.The characters are either way too precious and good or utterly stupidly unbearable.It's hard to believe that the same man wrote A TALE OF TWO CITIES.
    • 5/5
      The best novel ever written, so far
    • 5/5
      Esther is a character to treasure. The recent BBC adaptation does the book justice - but as always there is more in the book than can appear on the small screen. Dickens view of the courts holds true to some extent right up to the current day - everyone loses except the lawyers.